Find A Youth Mentor

David Peter Ciagne is a high school student in New York City. He has fought alopecia off and on since he was six years old. He has found success with a great doctor, medications, and injections and is optimistic about new FDA approved drugs that are newly available for alopecia treatment. He remembers vividly his struggles in middle school with alopecia and wishes to offer hope for other kids going through their own challenges. David Peter is in a great place with his hair now and is so grateful. He also understands that hair isn’t everything although sometimes it can feel that way! David Peter is an avid sports fan, he loves basketball, surfing, and his dogs.

Hi, my name is Ian Lew and I am currently a junior at Portola High School in Irvine, California. I run Cross-country and Track and plan on majoring in Psychology when I go to college. I have an older brother, a younger sister, a dog, and a cat. Some of my hobbies include speed-cubing, hanging out with friends, and watching Formula 1 with my Dad. I was first diagnosed with Alopecia when I was eleven; it came and went but when I entered high school that's when the majority of my hair started to fall out. I used to wear hats all the time. After a few months, I decided to take off the hat and have not looked back since. I am currently on oral medications with some success. I was originally hesitant to look for a mentor in my Freshman year of high school but after some persuading by my Mom, I found a mentor and it really helped me develop self- confidence and to take my hat off. I want to mentor other people dealing with Alopecia because I found it extremely helpful to talk to someone who has gone through the same experiences (sorry Mom) that I was currently going through. Now that I am at a stage where I am comfortable in my own skin and I want to help others and pay it forward.

Hi, my name is Julius and I was born and raised in Caroline County, Virginia. I have lived in the same house my entire life with my parents, younger sister and lots of pets (we currently have 4 dogs and 2 cats). I attend boarding school in Orange, Virginia, where I am a junior. I was diagnosed with alopecia 12 years ago when I was in the first grade. It started as spots and then it all came out. Since then, I have seen my hair come and go. Other things to know about me. First off, I’m tall (my mom is always calling me to get the things off the high shelves). Second, I am a huge fan of playing sports. At school I currently participate in 3 sports - I play football and lacrosse, and swim during the winter. I used to play basketball and still love to play for fun. I am a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. In my free time, you’ll usually find me playing pickup basketball or golf with my friends. I also like to play Xbox - specifically Madden and 2K are my favorites. If I'm not busy with school or having fun doing any of those, you'll probably find me lifting weights, chilling at home, or helping out my parents or grandparents. I have had alopecia most of my life so I know what it is like and am happy to share my experience.

Hi, I’m Sita! I am a junior at Yale University majoring in political science and pursuing a pre-med track. I grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 16 years old. I struggled with extensive hair loss leaving me mostly bald. Over the past few years, I have regrown my hair and subsequently relapsed and again regrew my hair. Alopecia is an incredibly difficult disease to battle, which is why I’m so excited to mentor others who are similarly dealing with it. I am passionate about researching inflammatory skin diseases in laboratory and clinical settings as well as advocating for adequate coverage of medication for patients experiencing financial burdens. Outside of school, I enjoy stage managing live theater, critiquing movies, cheering on my Maryland teams (Go Ravens!), and training for my next marathon. I have learned and experienced a lot while having alopecia and I can’t wait to be able to help you with your journey!

Hello! My name is Carla and I’m from southern California. I’m currently in my 3rd year at UCLA studying Psychobiology. My journey with alopecia has been a long one, to say the least. I was born with congenital triangular alopecia (CTA) and have tried every treatment possible, from steroid shots, to topical creams, to oral medications. Though the physical aspects of alopecia poses many challenges, I believe the emotional impact and struggles are even harder to navigate. Regardless of the highs and lows, I have come to accept my alopecia and work towards coping with it, rather than allowing it to hinder the quality of my life. I decided to get involved with NAAF because as a child, I never had someone in my life that could relate to me or connect with me that had similar experiences. Beyond alopecia, I love canvas painting, makeup, going to the beach, and watching Shrek 2. I can’t wait to meet and to get my know my future mentee.

Howdy! My name is Sam and I live in Oregon, but I’m originally from Washington. I have experienced all types of alopecia. I was originally diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 8, alopecia totalis when I was 9, and universalis when I was 10. While my hair/eyebrows/eyelashes have partially grown back since then, I choose to wear wigs (the one in the photo is from Amazon if you want to match!) because I think that they are fun! I have been dancing since I was 3, and have danced competitively, collegiately, and now professionally with the Portland Winterhawks! Alopecia doesn’t stop me from doing the things I love - I use wig glue and wigs to hold my hair secure! In my free time, I love line dancing, going to concerts, reading, and crocheting. I sometimes forget that I have alopecia quite honestly, and focus on the joy in life. I cannot wait to meet you!

EHi! My name is Erin and I am a sophomore at Choate Rosemary Hall. I live in Connecticut but I’ve also lived in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore! When I was living in Korea, I was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis. I lost all the hair on my head and body within two weeks. By the third week I was completely bald. As a thirteen year old going through Alopecia Universalis, it was hard to adapt to my new look. I wore a wig for the first few months after being diagnosed, but as a soccer player and an athlete, it was hard for me to keep the wig on. Three months after being diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis, my hair started to grow back! Though my hair started to grow back, I was faced with the obstacle of having super short hair. I never let my Alopecia get in the way of any of my athletic contests or my hobbies. In years since, I have started to share my journey with Alopecia Universalis hoping to provide support and help others overcome any struggles. Languages spoken: English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

Hi guys! My name is Natalie Wong, and I’m currently in my 2nd year at the University of Georgia. My major is Environmental Health, and I’m on the pre-med track; I hope to become a pediatric dermatologist and pursue research in Alopecia in the future! My journey with Alopecia had its ups and downs: I was diagnosed with Alopecia when I was 5 years old, and I completely lost my hair when I was 6 years old. During my freshman year of high school, I lost my eyelashes, but they grew back later (it may have been due to stress). Recently, my eyebrows have grown back too. Regardless, overtime I learned to love myself, to be more confident, and to surround myself with supportive friends. I even was able to convince my classmates to vote for me for “Best Hair” for my senior superlative (I still can’t believe I won). I love wearing colorful, floral headbands to highlight the fact that I DON’T have hair. It’s sort of my signature style :D. I can’t wait to meet with my mentee and share my experience with Alopecia! Apart from that, I’m into film photography, traveling, watching movies/shows, makeup, cooking, collecting vinyls, and listening to music. My favorite genres are kpop, rnb, and jazz, but I honestly love all so give me recs! These are a few of my interests, but I’m open to try out new things!

Hello! My name is Camden Kantaparn. I am 16 years old and live in Northern Virginia, 30 minutes outside of Washington, DC. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was about 19 months old and lost all of the hair on my head and eyebrows by the time I was 3. Growing up, being a good student and athlete helped to build my self-confidence. I played travel soccer for 7 years and am currently running track for my high school team. In addition to running, I enjoy reading, traveling (I’ve been to Thailand, Cuba, Iceland, Croatia, Portugal, and Peru just to name a few!) and playing video games. Looking forward to connecting!