Daniel Walters

Big Changes at Alcor – November 2024 Newsletter 

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Dear Alcor Members and Friends, 
 
Something big has been happening at Alcor. Although we’ve been quieter than usual with our updates, we’ve been busy behind the scenes – very busy.  
 
Your feedback over the years has been clear: you want to see more ambitious change in the field of cryonics. And while we’ve been carefully laying the groundwork, we feel that now’s the time for bolder, more visible initiatives.  
 
To that end, we’re proud to announce that over the past year, we’ve completed one of the largest expansions in Alcor history, bringing on eight new team members. 
 
This expanded team has already been making an impact, and the momentum has only been building. Response times are dropping to new lows, international operations are taking root, research capabilities are advancing, and member communications are being reinvented.  
 
The foundation is being laid, but this is just the beginning. Today, we’re excited to show you what we’ve been working on and how you can help shape what comes next. 

⚡ What’s New: 

  • 👥 Eight new team members join in our largest expansion yet 
  • 🧬 Scientific research team expands with talent from around the globe 
  • 🚑 Response times down across the board 
  • 🌎 Alcor Canada now official, Europe in development 
  • 💡 Upgraded communications and social media presence   

🎯Introducing Alcor’s Directed Donation Campaigns

To kick things off, we’ve redesigned our donation system to give you more choice in how your support helps Alcor grow. You can now focus your contributions on the areas you believe will make the biggest difference.


🔬Help equip our new research lab with cutting-edge tools like electron microscopes and specialized equipment. Dr. Llewellyn’s team is ready to push preservation science forward – they just need the right tools. 

Watch [this short video] on how you can help us > Build Out Alcor’s Science Lab🔗
  
⛑️Power the growth of our emergency response teams with, expanded geographical coverage, higher-tech equipment and advanced training programs. Every minute counts – help us break more response time records.
 
Watch [this short video] on how you can help us > Power-up Alcor’s Deployment and Recovery Team (DART) 🔗

➡️We will release additional campaigns in the coming weeks and months as we roll out more ways for members to support specific initiatives. And to top it off, we can now accept a wide range of donation payment methods, including Crypto, Stocks, DAFs, Bank Transfers, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay and even gift cards. 

The Alcor Board plans for the year ahead at the Annual Strategic Meeting

🏛️Alcor’s 2024 Annual Strategic Meeting

Our recent Annual Strategic Meeting set important goals for Alcor’s future, with key leadership positions confirmed: 

  • James Arrowood reelected as President and CEO. James continues to lead Alcor’s growth initiatives and guide the organization’s ambitious plans. 
  • Marji Klima reelected as Chief Operating Officer. Marji continues to ensure that Alcor’s expanded operations run smoothly and maintain the high standards essential to our mission. 
  • Additional officer roles were reaffirmed, including the reappointment of Linda Chamberlain, Co-Founder of Alcor, as Secretary and Sarah Kelly as Treasurer. 
  • To check out the video of the full 2024 Annual Strategic Meeting, click here.  

🧬 Advancing Cryonics Research: Our Scientific Team 

Research at Alcor is being transformed. With a new dedicated lab space and a team of specialists from top institutions, we’re tackling preservation challenges in ways that weren’t possible before. 

  • Dr. Nick Llewellyn joins Alcor as Director of Research and Development
Nick joins us with an impressive background in biomedical research, with 20+ years of experience in molecular and cellular biology, holding a biochemistry degree from the University of Washington and a PhD from the University of Michigan. His work spans studying HIV transmission, developing genetic engineering therapies, and testing new treatments for viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Nick will direct research to push cryopreservation techniques forward while partnering with external labs to drive innovation.   
  • Wonjin Cho joins Alcor as our Neurobiology Researcher  
Wonjin brings strong academic credentials to Alcor, holding a B.S. in Biology and Computer Engineering from UNIST and a Master’s in Bio and Brain Engineering from KAIST, both premier South Korean institutions. His connection to our work began in high school when he discovered the book Connectome and first learned about Alcor. Now his expertise in brain tissue preservation and imaging techniques is helping advance our mission. Using advanced microscopy, he developed methods to create detailed 3D visualizations of neural networks and studied previously unknown communication pathways between neurons. When he’s not advancing preservation science, Wonjin is a published science fiction author in Korea, currently working on a new story about consciousness. 

New Research Initiatives:

  • Installing advanced CT scanner for real-time monitoring — Our new CT scanning capabilities will allow us to examine vitrification versus ice formation in our neuropatients and assess perfusion quality during and after procedures. Working with specialist radiologists, we’ll be able to compare current cases with historical data to continuously improve our techniques.  
  • Developing new tissue preservation models — We’re establishing a brain slice culture system that mimics in-vivo conditions, allowing us to test preservation techniques in unprecedented detail. Using this validated model, we can examine preservation effects on synapses, study neural structure integrity, and evaluate new cryoprotective agents under controlled conditions. 

🚑 Emergency Response: Setting New Standards 

Our Deployment and Recovery Team (DART) continues to improve response capabilities through enhanced training, expanded geographical coverage, and the addition of experienced medical professionals.  

  • Paramedic Captain Shelby Fox joins Alcor’s DART team  
Shelby is an experienced paramedic captain and a key member of Alcor’s Deployment and Recovery Team (DART). With a distinguished background in civil service, Shelby serves as a captain in one of the largest fire departments in the state, where her skills as a paramedic and emergency responder are widely recognized. She joined DART to bring her expertise in emergency medical response to Alcor’s operations, helping to refine and enhance training standards for the team. Her leadership and commitment are instrumental in ensuring the team’s readiness for rapid deployment and effective case management. 

New DART Initiatives:

  • Record Breaking Response Times — Through improved protocols and team coordination, we’ve achieved a significant reduction in our Standard Measure of Ischemic Exposure (S-MIX) times. S-MIX times reduced from 3:50 to 2:30 on average. This improvement represents meaningful progress in our ability to begin preservation procedures quickly and efficiently. 
  • Teams now operational across U.S. and Canada — We’ve established fully operational teams in key locations throughout North America, positioning resources closer to member populations. Teams regularly conduct joint training exercises to maintain consistent standards across all locations. 
  • New member check-in service launched — Through our partnership with SageMinder Systems, members can now access a professional check-in service. This independent service offers daily wellness checks by EMT professionals, a smartphone app with emergency features, and automatic notification of your emergency contacts when needed. While separate from Alcor’s operations, it’s a valuable benefit included with your membership. To enroll, email for the service contract. 
  • Enhanced health monitoring system — We’re revamping our member health survey, making it easier to complete and submit online. This improved system will help us track member health status more effectively and allow our medical team to provide better support when needed. Regular health updates help us ensure optimal response when time matters most. 

🌎 International Expansion 

This year marks a significant milestone in Alcor’s global reach, with the establishment of Alcor Canada as an official legal entity and preparations underway for European expansion. 

  • Jeremy Wiggins joins Alcor to lead international development  
Jeremy will lead our international expansion, focusing on Alcor Europe and operations in Canada. His dual role as a regional leader and development coordinator will support Alcor’s growing international footprint.   
 
Jeremy is a French-Canadian Alcor member living in Ottawa. His background is in healthcare, more specifically in critical care respiratory therapy. He has worked in various hospitals since 2004, mostly with a critical care transport team, transporting critically ill infants and children throughout the provinces of Ontario and Western Quebec. Since 2020, he has been on field deployments throughout the U.S. and Canada as part of DART. More recently, he was elected as a board member of the new Alcor Canada Cryobiology Research Foundation. He is proud of the opportunity to serve Alcor members and feels fortunate for the great team that he is part of. 
  • J.F. Demontigny joins Alcor’s Canadian board  
J.F. is a Senior Sales Director at NetScout. He has extensive experience with complex technologies in the domain of telecommunications.  Over the years he’s worked around the world, helped build new market territories, established beachhead wins, grown sales, and contributed in three successful acquisitions. JF is interested in history, particularly WW2, and practices kickboxing.  He is passionate about science innovation in cryopreservation. 
  • Vinicius Vilela joins Alcor’s Canadian board  
Vinicius Vilela has been passionate about cryonics since his teenage years and now he is an Alcor member who is also helping with Alcor’s expansion into Canada. He enjoys living a healthy lifestyle that will help him extend his life. Vinicius has a background in Software Engineering and, after working with software development for several years, he is now working with financial literacy and consulting, so he can help Canadians achieve financial freedom.   

📊 Streamlining Financial Operations 

  • Daniel Lescavage joins Alcor as Senior Accountant
Daniel Lescavage joins our team as Senior Accountant, bringing valuable experience from the healthcare, insurance, and retail sectors. With a B.S. in Accountancy from Northern Arizona University and 13 years at AAA, he adds depth to our financial operations. When he’s not managing numbers, you might find him playing softball or cheering for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. 

Thanks to his meticulous work in accounting, we’re streamlining our budget and processes for 2025. His efforts will help us optimize our organizational resources.

🤗Strengthening Community Engagement 

  • Daniel Walters joins Alcor as Community Outreach Coordinator
Daniel joins us with deep roots in the cryonics community. He co-hosts the Cryosphere podcast, moderates the cryonics subreddit and discord servers, and was part of the organizing team for the 2024 Global Cryonics Summit. Having built engaged audiences across multiple online platforms, he’ll now aim to transform Alcor’s digital presence through regular member updates, expanded social media engagement, improved website content, and modernized communication channels. 

New Community Initiatives:

  • Daniel is spearheading the development of Alcor’s new online fundraising platform. This system will make it easier than ever for members to support specific initiatives that matter most to them, while providing regular updates on the impact of their contributions. The platform represents a major step forward in how members can engage with and shape Alcor’s future. 
  • Expanded social media content — As you may have already noticed, we are increasing our footprint on social media in a major way. 2025 is set to bring even more significant changes as we enhance our overall communications strategy. For starters, click the links to the right to follow us on Facebook,🔗 Reddit🔗and Discord🔗and join the conversation.   
  • More consistent updates via newsletters, social media, and virtual events. There’s even a rumor going around about an Alcor podcast…

🚀Looking Ahead to 2025 

The expansion and improvements you’ve seen in 2024 are just the beginning. From our expanded research team to our improved response times, from Canada to Europe, Alcor is growing in ways that matter. These changes reflect our commitment to advancing science while providing better service to our members. With new ways to get involved and support our mission, Alcor’s future has never looked brighter. As we look to 2025, we’re excited to build on this momentum together. 

 
Best regards,  
The Alcor Team 

P.S. Click on the following link to join us on zoom for the next 🔗Alcor Board Meeting, this Saturday Nov 9th, at 11am MST (Mountain Standard Time)