Sonda Rossman, MA LLPC

Sonda Rossman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her twenties. After getting past the shock of this diagnosis, she decided to help all others afflicted with this disease. She started this mission by joining the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders (MIND) and has stayed there for over 20 years.

Using her bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College in psychology and her master’s in psychology from Oakland University, she took the lead in creating the MS Center at MIND, while also creating support groups. Despite no experience, she started a clinical research program for MS. At the time, this was unheard of for a private institution. Under the leadership of Rossman and her husband Dr. Howard Rossman, MIND has one of the largest private MS clinical and research centers in the country.

When a life-changing medication, Tysabri, was pulled from the market soon after approval in 2005, Sonda testified in front of the FDA advisory panel as both a patient and health care professional. Her efforts helped bring this groundbreaking treatment back to market in 2006. Her accomplishments were just getting started.

When the first treatment for a devastating neuromuscular disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy was approved, Sonda was able to get the first commercial patient injected with this treatment in the US. She then arranged a meeting with the team from Michigan Medicaid and helped to change policy that allows private facilities to administer this treatment.

In 2020, she was asked to give testimony in front of both the state house and senate that helped to pass Senate Bill 809 which has alleviated the financial burden on patients who receive infusion therapies for any medical condition.

Last, with the emergence of Covid-19, Sonda helped to create a plan that allowed patients to maintain their essential MS infusion therapies safely. She made sure the clinical research program at MIND was able to continue to conduct study visits, in an effort to not delay the study of emerging treatments for this chronic and often progressive disease.