Lynn Banaszak is the executive director of the Disruptive Health Technology Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pa.), volunteers on nearly 20 non-profit boards, and mentors young women and girls.

Banaszak created The Caileigh Lynn McDowell Foundation to honor her late niece. The Foundation supports Caileigh's passion to transform political, social, and economic systems and institutions to create a kinder, more equitable and just society, while
advocating about issues that specifically affect teenage girls.