Change Agents - Michael J. Fox and Deborah Brooks

Spin City. It helps to have a founder who is famous and popular. Brooks leveraged Fox's star power by producing stirring TV ads, and nearly all of his publicity (including that for his forthcoming book, Lucky Man) relates to Parkinson's. The result: not just fame, but focused fame.

Back To the Future. Brooks demands that the foundation change and adapt to evolving science. Besides a scientific steering committee, she has organized a series of research roundtables to revisit past work and determine future priorities.

The Secret of My Success. Finding a cure fast means getting money to scientists quickly. Existing grant processes typically take a year. Brooks devised a strategy that compressed the timeline to three months. Now the government is starting to adopt the same system.