A FAMILY MISSION

Meet Our Founders.

While still grieving the loss of Brett, Ellen and Bo, along with Bo’s sister and brother-in-law, Caroline and Luke, became determined to improve outcomes for others with CHD so that nobody would have to endure the loss of a child to this disease. They founded The Brett Boyer Foundation in 2017 with the mission of funding CHD research, supporting families, and celebrating the Down syndrome community.

OUR INSPIRATION

The Bumble Bee.

“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.”
- Mary Kay Ash

Brett, our Queen Bee, inspires us to shine bright and work hard to make the impossible possible every day.

MEET THE TEAM

Our Staff.

Ellen Boyer

PRESIDENT
Ellen is our president and co-founder along with her husband, Bo, and their family in honor of their precious angel, Sadie Brett Boyer. While this isn’t a journey she expected for her family, she pours an abundance of love, time, and energy into keeping this mission moving forward. Ellen works tirelessly as an advocate for the CHD and Down syndrome communities and is committed to making a difference for other families. She and Bo have two additional children, Wells and Lottie, and enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Jennifer Peyser

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jennifer started with the foundation in 2019 as our Program Director and has worked alongside Ellen wearing many hats including development, event planning and execution, family support delivery, and hospital engagement.
She previously worked for Best Buddies Tennessee after re-entering the workforce following a stint at home with her children. Born and raised in Kentucky, she then spent many years in Pennsylvania and Virginia before moving to the Nashville area. She and her husband enjoy spending time with their three teenagers, traveling, and volunteering.
Tracy Hudson

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Tracy officially joined the team in 2024 but has been a BBF worker bee since the very beginning! After almost 15 years working in digital marketing in the music industry, she found a calling through her volunteer work at the foundation. Tracy is our resident tech wiz and is focused on marketing, branding, graphic design, and donor engagement.
She is originally from North Carolina and attended Belmont University where she fell in love with Nashville. In their free time, Tracy and her husband, Zach, enjoy traveling, concerts, and time at home with their cat, Lucy, and pug, Dottie.