Our Board

Dr. Christopher Kerr is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo where he has worked since 1999. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Chris earned his MD as well as a PhD in Neurobiology. Outside of direct patient care, Chris’ focus is in the area of patient advocacy. His passion is palliative care and a belief that such care should be throughout the continuum of illness. Under Dr. Kerr’s medical leadership, Hospice Buffalo now serves 1,300 patients a day, the majority of whom receive services upstream of hospice care. Dr. Kerr’s background in research has evolved from bench science towards the human experience of illness as witnessed from the bedside, specifically patient’s subjective experiences at the end of life. To date, the research team at Hospice Buffalo has published multiple studies on this topic and documented over 1,500 end-of-life events, many of which are videotaped. This work was the subject of his TEDx Buffalo Talk which has been viewed 5.4 million times. It has been the subject of numerous reports around the world as well as The BBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, Scientific American Mind, Huffington Post, NY Times Magazine and Psychology Today. It is also featured in a docu-series on Netflix called Surviving Death and a PBS Documentary called Death Is but A Dream. Dr. Kerr’s work has also been published in a book (Death Is but A Dream) by Penguin Random House which was released in 2020 in over 10 languages.

Dr. Heather Ferro is the Associate Dean within the School of Health Professions at D’Youville University in Buffalo, NY. Heather has been an occupational therapist for over 29 years, spending her clinical career working to improve the health & well-being of adults and older adults through engagement in meaningful occupation. Dr. Ferro is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator who is passionate about education and teaching. She has advised and taught over 1,000 occupational therapy practitioners who now work throughout the world in service to others, and has supervised dozens of students during their clinical fieldwork. Heather was born and raised in a small rural community in Cattaraugus County, grew up surrounded by nature, and has seen the powerful impact that it has on the lives of all ages. Heather loves working on teams and is excited to serve on the inaugural board of Red Barn Nature’s Way Foundation.

Coming soon!

I am an occupational therapist born and raised in Buffalo, NY who received my BS/MS from D’Youville University. I work directly with patients in the hospital setting, promoting independence of occupations and enhancement of quality of life of those affected by acute injury or illness. Some of my interests relating to occupational therapy include scholarly literature and research, neurological rehabilitation, amputee and limb loss rehabilitation. Outside of the occupational therapy universe, I am passionate about all things family/friends, film, meditation, yoga, plant care, and amateur photography. As I have thoroughly enjoyed the role of leadership in other groups/organizations including Pi Theta Epsilon, I am honored and grateful to serve as a board member for Red Barn Nature’s Way Foundation!

Coming soon!

Coming soon!

Dr. Dara Brown is originally from Western New York, where she grew up riding and showing Arabian horses at both the local and regional level. She was active in the local horse community and was a 4-H club leader for several years. Dr. Brown received her Bachelor’s degree in genetics from the University of Rochester in 2006, followed by a Master’s degree in molecular biology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008. Trading in her microscope for a stethoscope, Dr. Brown attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and completed an internship at Blue Ridge Equine Clinic in Virginia. Dr. Dara Brown joined Allegheny Equine in 2013. After completing the Options for Animals course in 2014, Dr. Brown became certified in equine chiropractic by the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association. She also attended the Chi Institute and became certified in equine veterinary acupuncture in 2014. In 2016, Dr. Brown became a certified equine rehabilitation practitioner through the University of Tennessee. As evidenced by her training, her veterinary interests are centered around integrative therapies and rehabilitation. Dr. Brown is also in charge of the internship program and student outreach at Allegheny Equine.

Coming soon!