Season 4 Episode 2: Inspiring Your P2P Community With A Bold, Audacious Goal With Pat Morrissey, Team Human Powered Potential, & Liz Deimer, The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research

Pat Morrissey of Team Human Powered Potential, winners of the 2025 Cash, Sweat & Tears Award, joins the podcast, along with Liz Diemer from The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, to share the story behind an awe-inspiring P2P campaign.

In the P2P fundraising world, we often look to the spark of organic, supporter-led moments like the Ice Bucket Challenge as examples of what’s possible when passion meets purpose. But when lightning strikes, are you ready to catch it?

This episode dives into one such moment: when four friends, Pat Morissey, Brendan Cusick, Peter Durso, and Scott Forman, decided to row 2,800 miles across the Pacific Ocean to raise funds for The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research. With the right support, strategic partnership and a community rallying behind them, their effort transformed into a powerful campaign that inspired the Parkinson’s community worldwide.

Pat Morrissey, the first person with Parkinson’s to complete this journey, and Liz Deemer, Vice President of Community Fundraising at MJFF, join P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell to share the behind-the-scenes story of Team Human Powered Potential—recipients of the 2025 Cash, Sweat & Tears Award—and the incredible impact of this campaign.

In this episode, we’ll also explore:

– How to recognize and respond to bold, supporter-led fundraising opportunities
– What makes staff–fundraiser relationships thrive under high-stakes pressure
– Practical takeaways for activating your community in powerful and unexpected ways

Mentioned Links
www.michaeljfox.org
www.teamfox.org
www.humanpoweredpotential.org
On Instagram: @humanpoweredpotential

Stay Connected on LinkedIn
Connect with Liz
Connect with Marcie
Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

Podcast Guests

Pat Morrissey is a recently retired President and COO of GF Properties Group and a licensed Professional Engineer. A former NCAA Division 1 wrestler and lifelong multisport athlete, Pat is also a dedicated spouse and father of two. Diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2019, he has since helped raise over $41 million for Parkinson’s research through Team Human Powered Potential.

Liz Diemer joined The Michael J. Fox Foundation in May 2013. As Vice President, Community Fundraising, Liz oversees the Foundation’s grassroots community fundraising arm and works with her team to engage a global network of members who fundraise for MJFF through unique fundraising events, athletic feats and online campaigns.

Podcast Host

Marcie Maxwell is the Managing Director of the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. Marcie joined the P2PPF team in 2021 after 15+ years as a front-line fundraiser, national events & campaign director and fundraising consultant. In her role, Marcie serves as a primary thought leader and community builder for the peer-to-peer fundraising industry. She started her career in fundraising with 10+ years at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she ran local fundraising events, managed national volunteer partnerships and launched their national walk program. She then spent 5+ years as the Director of Chapter Fundraising Events with Make-A-Wish America, where she provided strategy, support & training to 60 chapters on the full event portfolio – walks, school fundraising, an endurance hiking program and galas & social events. In her most recent role at Charity Dynamics, she partnered with clients to provide strategic guidance and analysis to help them optimize and grow their peer-to-peer fundraising events & campaigns. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in Ethical Leadership from Christian Brothers University. She resides in Memphis, TN.