Advocacy Committee

Committee Objectives: 

  • Raise Awareness: Inform the public, stakeholders, and policymakers about epilepsy in pediatrics and its importance and impact on families.

  • Influence Policy: Advocate for changes in legislation, regulations, and other policies related to pediatric epilepsy and research.

  • Mobilize Support: Engage individuals, organizations, and communities to support PERC’s advocacy efforts.

Committee Chair

Nassim Zecavati MD, MPH

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University

  • Nassim Zecavati, MD, MPH, FAAN is the Director of Epilepsy at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and an Associate Professor of Neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University. 

    In addition to her medical education, residency and fellowship training at Children’s National Medical Center and Georgetown University Hospitals, Dr. Zecavati completed a fellowship in public policy working for a year in the U.S. Senate on Capitol Hill crafting provisions of the Affordable Care Act. She advocates nationally and internationally for issues that affect children with neurological conditions, having served on advocacy committees for both the Child Neurology Society and the American Academy of Neurology.

     Dr. Zecavati cares for children with epilepsy with a mission of providing comprehensive care that includes both surgical and non-surgical treatments for epilepsy. Her epilepsy research interests are broad and include the neurogenetic underpinnings of epilepsy, best practices in the transition of epilepsy care from pediatric to adult, dietary therapies for epilepsy and studies of novel anti-seizure drugs in pediatric epilepsy.