Team

newmitzi2

Founder & President

Mitzi Solomon

Mitzi Solomon is a communications strategist, entrepreneur, and Founder and President of Countdown, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating mitochondrial research and unifying a historically fragmented field. She leads the organization’s philanthropic strategy, long-term vision, and strategic partnerships, convening scientists, donors, and institutional collaborators to drive coordinated progress across rare disease, aging, and translational medicine.

Mitzi began her career at CNN, working alongside Christiane Amanpour, and later held leadership roles at PMK and the World Gold Council before founding Mitzi & Associates Inc., a boutique PR and brand strategy firm known for producing high-profile activations at Sundance, the Golden Globes, and major entertainment and fashion events.

A personal health journey led her to study cellular energy and mitochondrial function, ultimately inspiring the launch of Countdown. In addition to her leadership role, Mitzi serves on the Board of the Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine (CMEM) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is also active in her community as a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Task Force and as a Board member of Women’s Philanthropy at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Mitzi resides in Atlanta with her husband, Jeff, their four children, and three dogs.

jeff2

Founder

Jeff Solomon

Jeff Solomon is an Atlanta-based entrepreneur and business leader with extensive experience in building and scaling growth-oriented companies.

Throughout his career, he has focused on strategic development, operational excellence, and long-term value creation across multiple industries. Known for his disciplined leadership style and strong relationship-driven approach, Jeff has played key roles in driving business expansion, cultivating strategic partnerships, and identifying opportunities for innovation and market growth. His work reflects a commitment to performance, integrity, and sustainable success. In addition to his business endeavors, Jeff is deeply committed to philanthropy and community impact.

He serves alongside his wife, Mitzi Solomon, in supporting Countdown, where he helps advance its mission to accelerate research in mitochondrial health and longevity science. Together, they work to bridge the worlds of business, science, and philanthropy to catalyze meaningful progress in healthcare.

Stephanie

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Stephanie Ballien

Stephanie leads brand strategy, growth, and partnerships at Countdown, helping shape how mitochondrial science connects to the broader future of health.
 
She brings more than 20 years of global marketing leadership across automotive, tech, consumer goods, and healthcare, with experience spanning both the U.S. and Europe. Stephanie has both scaled startups and held senior roles at Amazon, where she led integrated marketing for Prime, one of the world’s most recognized membership programs, translating complex strategy into consumer-facing experiences that drove measurable growth. Known for her thoughtful leadership and collaborative approach, she excels at aligning stakeholders, activating partnerships, and scaling initiatives with clarity and purpose.
 
Beyond her professional work, Stephanie is a stage III colorectal cancer survivor and mother to a child with mitochondrial disease. This lived experience fuels an unwavering commitment to advancing scientific innovation and rethinking how we approach health—through both cutting-edge research and everyday wellness.
 
She lives in Seattle with her husband and two sons, embracing all that life in the Pacific Northwest has to offer.