Our Team: Fred Dillon
Fred Dillon
Director, Product Development
Fred Dillon provides planning and project management leadership in the development of HopeLab’s innovative products to improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness. He leads interdisciplinary teams of HopeLab staff, vendors, and external collaborators to develop and refine potential innovative products consistent with HopeLab’s mission. Fred works closely with HopeLab’s Research unit to ensure that HopeLab product development is linked with high-quality scientific evidence and that HopeLab customers, young people themselves, are involved every step of the way.
Since joining HopeLab, Fred has initiated the organization’s obesity-related product development programs. The first phase of this work included the international Ruckus Nation idea competition, launched in September 2007. Under Fred’s management, the competition engaged participants from 71 countries and all 50 U.S. states and generated more than 400 ideas for products to increase physical activity in young people. In the current phase of HopeLab’s work in obesity, Fred has overseen human factors research into the barriers and drivers of physical activity among “tweens” (generally middle-school-aged kids) to inform the development of Ruckus Nation ideas into potential products. He is now guiding efforts to prototype and test with users the most compelling product ideas. In addition, Fred provides leadership in HopeLab’s development of a new “kid-friendly” activity monitor with potential as both a research tool and healthcare intervention. Fred also oversees the ongoing development of HopeLab’s Re-Mission video game for teens and young adults with cancer.
Fred has over 15 years of public policy, communications and project management experience. Prior to joining HopeLab in 2006, he served as Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Communications at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF), where he oversaw all aspects of the agency’s government affairs and communications efforts.
Fred is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied Social Welfare and Public Policy.