Youth Mentor Program

My name is Regina, people often call me “Reg” to make it easier. I’m 17 years old and grew up in a small town on the Jersey Shore called Point Pleasant Beach (for those of you who watch MTV’s jersey shore, seaside is around 20 minutes south of my town). I have 5 older siblings, 2 dogs and 2 cats. I enjoy spending time with my friends and siblings, listening to music, and I am a big basketball fan. My favorite sports teams are all from Philadelphia! I am going into my senior year of high school and plan on applying to colleges in the fall of 2018. When I was around 6, I started to lose my hair and eventually all of it fell out. I have had no hair on my scalp since kindergarten. I never have worn a wig or decided to cover up my head because I’ve always wanted to be myself. I hope that I can incorporate my experience with Alopecia and establish reliability with other young people that have alopecia and make their days happier and easier.

Hi, I’m Orly! I grew up in Jersey, and recently moved to Philly to begin dental school. I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, bike riding, and whale watching. I love exploring new places with my husband and friends, and I also enjoy playing board games and doing puzzles. I have had Alopecia for the past twelve years; areata for four years and universalis for eight years. When I was diagnosed at age 11, I was devastated and sure that I would never feel normal again. So much of my time and thoughts were consumed by covering up the bald spots and worrying that people would notice. Then, when I was in 9th grade, 85% of my hair rapidly fell out over the course of a week! At that time, being bald felt so dehumanizing. I distinctly remember looking at my bald head in the mirror as I stretched out my arms. With my arms outstretched, I felt more like a starfish than a human, because my hairless head felt more to me like a fifth limb than a human head! On top of that, I didn’t know anyone else with alopecia universalis, so I felt very alone. Since I could no longer hide my alopecia, I was finally forced to confront it head-on, and I decided that I wasn’t willing to let it stop me from living my life. Over time, and with the support of my wonderful family and friends, I have achieved a level of comfort with my alopecia that it no longer negatively impacts my life. In fact, I am aware of many positive ways it has shaped me as a person. I wish that a mentorship program like this existed when I was first going through this process, because I believe that connecting with even one other person with alopecia would have made my journey a lot easier. That is why I am excited to provide that support for someone else going through the same thing I went through. I am looking forward to connecting with you!

My name is Traci and I was born and raised in sunny California! I currently live in Los Angeles, after 5 years of living in New York, and am a journalist and writer. I started losing my hair when I was 7 years old and was diagnosed with alopecia shortly after. Growing up with alopecia was challenging because it was such a new experience for my parents and for me to navigate those conversations with my peers (as well as trying to figure out the world of wigs!), but I think it's made me a stronger person too. I've been lucky to have supportive friends and I've learned to talk about alopecia without feeling self-conscious and scared about judgement – but I also know how challenging that process is, and it's not always easy, but I know with the right support system, we can all make the world a kinder and more accepting place!

I am a Arizona native living in Phoenix Arizona. I have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and have been working all over the country in the Solar industry the past 4 years and now work as an Engineer in Scottsdale. I grew up in Prescott Arizona and was one of two boys. My older brother has had Alopecia Universalis since he was 4 years old and in 2018 I lost all my hair as well. I am fortunate to have a brother who can relate to the situation I am in and it has helped me to keep a positive attitude and prioritize the important things in life. Watching my brother grow through his formative years, not looking like his peers, I can see how it helped him to become the resilient, successful, empathetic, kind man he is today. He has helped me to be confident in my new look and have the realization that I can be confident in who I am, with or without hair. My brother's impact on me over the last year is one of my main motivations for connecting with a mentee, as I can see how it can feel isolating and lonely going through this without someone who has shared the experience. Things I do for fun… playing sports (played football/basketball/baseball through high school), trying new/foreign foods, traveling when I can, watching movies/netflix, camping/exploring outdoors, mountain bike riding, listening to music, finding new/cool/fun things to do in town. I appreciate you taking the time to read my bio and look forward to meeting you.

Hello! My name is Christine and I am originally from Stillwater, Minnesota and currently I am living out in Salt Lake City, UT. I attended the University of Minnesota where I studied Economics with an emphasis on Mathematics. Fresh out of college I began working for General Mills (go Cheerios!) and since then I have been relocated from MN to Utah where I absolutely love what I do. On a more somber note, I was diagnosed with alopecia areata the summer before I headed off to college (18 years old). At the time I was absolutely devastated, but as I got more comfortable with my diagnosis it became very clear to me that those who love you do not care about what you look like and that inner beauty is what truly matters. This is something that still holds true for me and has impacted my life in numerous ways. Although this disease is burdensome there always is a silver lining and hope! When I was first diagnosed, I chose to keep my alopecia a secret by covering up spots in sneaky and creative ways as well as utilizing hair extensions. I didn’t have anyone to talk to or to discuss my feelings with, looking back that was my biggest mistake. Wanting to help others with this disease and give them the outlet I so wish I had when I received the news is why I chose to reach out to NAAF and become involved in this program. I am who I am today because of this disease and it seems crazy to say but I would do it all again, it has given me strength and confidence and has instilled in me a spirit of endurance and acceptance that has led me to become the successful business woman I am today!

Hello! My name is Caylee Harder. I’m 19 years old. I have lived in the Kansas City area my entire life. I have Alopecia Universalis now, but it started out as alopecia areata when I was younger. I was first diagnosed with alopecia when I was in 3rd grade. I did the typical steroid shots, and it disappeared for a while. Then it came back up in middle school but worse than ever. I tried everything to try to get my hair back, but nothing was working. Now 7 years later I have no hair on my head, arms, legs, and parts of my face. I am currently a sophomore in college majoring in elementary education. I’ll be attending Emporia State in the spring next year. I enjoy photography a lot. I take a lot of photos and people and things around me. I also LOVE arts and crafts (even if I’m not that good at it.) I’m so excited and really looking forward to getting to meet you as soon as possible and help in any way I can!

Hi my name is Calvin! I am a UC Davis graduate and in my spare time I like to create new acquaintances and participate in sports such as tennis and basketball. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata during my Junior year of high school. Through a series of flares, I learned to better overcome negative intrapersonal thoughts and be comfortable living with alopecia. Alopecia has allowed me to become truly understanding of the differences in people’s perception and approach others with integrity. As a mentor, I want to empower you in developing a healthy mindset and guide others to feel comfortable with one’s self. I look forward to learning about your experiences and supporting in the best way I can!

My name is Catherine Sherren. Originally from Fresno, California, I moved to Frisco, Texas at one. I recently graduated Cum Laude from Frisco High School, which I maintained a 4.0 GPA for all four years. My experience in high school has definitely had an impact on the person that I am today. I was a member of the orchestra and a member of the school’s broadcast team. Despite being diagnosed with Alopecia during my Junior year of high school, I feel like I still had as great of a high school experience as any student could have. Living with Alopecia has undoubtedly had an impact on the way I live and my outlook on everything. I was really scared at first but was able to learn to live with it with the support of my family and friends. It has taught me to have a positive outlook on life, no matter how down I feel. It has also taught me to be grateful for every little thing in my life. Every time I feel down, I always know it will get better.
I really enjoy working and helping others. I currently work at Play Street Museum, an interactive museum for children, where I have been an employee for three years. I really enjoy working at Play Street due to my outgoing personality and my desire to help others and really enjoy watching the children have a good time. The children’s smiles warm my heart. Serving as a mentor for people who live with Alopecia is going to be a great honor for me. I really enjoy helping others and would really love to meet others with Alopecia and offer my assistance in any way I can.

One year ago, while sitting in an airport in Quito, Ecuador on my way to the Galapagos Islands, I found my first bald spot. Fast forward a couple countries, bald spots, and months later, I shaved my head. What a liberating experience! I have been gloriously bald ever since! I’ve channeled the loss of my hair into finding myself: eating healthy, staying active and learning more about health and wellness. Throughout the experience, I have challenged my own and other people’s perception of “normalcy” on a mission to discover what self-acceptance and love truly is. It has been a sometimes tragic/comical/happy and overall wonderful journey of understanding the WHY behind decisions made and perceptions held by myself and others! After graduating college last May, I now work at a University where I strive to empower student thoughts into action. This empowerment and genuine belief in the power of young people is integral to all that I am. Aside from this, I love to stay active by working out, playing soccer and tennis, and dancing. I really enjoy spending time with my family and dog on Lake Ontario (or anywhere there’s some fresh water, boats and trails to hike). Let’s chat about the wild things people say to you when first diagnosed and beyond, intersectional social justice, Reese’s, how to keep your bald head silky smooth, your next travel spot, the complicated process of self-love, orcas or anything in between!

Hi everyone, I’m Kayla! I grew up in North Jersey but currently am attending the University of Pittsburgh as a sophomore with a major in Communication Science Disorder. In my free time, I like to explore Pittsburgh (absolutely amazing city), go on hikes, play basketball, or really any type of sport, and am pretty much open to doing anything. I got diagnosed with alopecia summer going into my senior year of high school, when I noticed I had a missing patch on the back of my head at the hairline. As senior year went on I was doing pretty well, another spot popped up but it wasn’t terrible, until about January and alopecia did its magic and poof all my hair fell out in a matter of two weeks. Right in the middle of basketball season too, it was really hard for me to even comprehend what was going on. I was very self-conscious and embarrassed of what was going on, and I think that is because I did not think anyone would understand or even be able to relate/not know what alopecia is. I wore a wig full time, didn’t tell anybody about what was going on except for my two best friends. I tried so many different remedies to get my hair, since different things work for everybody I wanted to try them all. I felt really alone, no matter how much I talked to my therapist or best friends it didn’t help because they don’t have the experience of going through loosing your hair, so it was super difficult. I found ways to cope and learned how to become more comfortable with myself. I struggled with some mental health problems, but I was very lucky to have a really supportive parents and sisters who all helped me go through a lot. I look back on the experience and I know I am a different person today, a better person because of it. I hope to talk to someone who I can relate to and support them through a tough journey. Own alopecia, don’t let it own you!

Hi, I’m Bill! I’m from outside Philadelphia and currently live in Los Angeles. I first noticed small patches of hair loss when I was 12 and have bounced between alopecia areata and alopecia universalis since. Over the years, I tried a number of treatment alternatives, including topical medicine and steroid injections, with little success. I turned to hairpieces and wigs for a few years, and while I think there are plenty of great benefits to these, I eventually found them to be inconvenient for me. I decided to get scalp micro pigmentation work done, and I love the results! While my journey with alopecia has had its ups and downs, I feel comfortable with and confident about my alopecia today. While the road to find acceptance wasn’t always the easiest, I truly believe that I’m a stronger and more resilient individual for it.
In terms of more background on me, I graduated from Penn State with a degree in finance and spent a few years working in New York after graduation before moving to Los Angeles for a new job opportunity. In my free time, I enjoy being active and am an avid sports fan (I’m a die-hard fan of all Philadelphia sports teams). Soccer is my favorite sport and I still play and watch today! I also love music, particularly rock. I attend concerts regularly in Los Angeles and have also played guitar since I was 12. I am excited to be part of the mentorship program and have the opportunity to share my alopecia journey and to support you on your journey. I’m looking forward to meeting you!

Hello! My name is CJ Ostrosky. I’m 24, and currently working as a graphic designer and communications professional for a nonprofit in Washington, DC, where I’ve lived for the last few years since graduating from college. I’m originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and I visit my family there frequently and have a lot of hometown pride. When I can, I love to travel all over the world and try new things (especially new foods). I also enjoy painting, reading, kayaking, and spending time with friends. Alopecia is new to me: I lost all my hair just eight months ago. I believe I have alopecia universalis, though I’ve been pursuing a few treatments so far and seen my eyebrows grow back a bit! At first, alopecia was really scary and stressful for me, and it still isn’t always easy, but it has also brought me a new appreciation for my appearance, and a love of doing crazy colorful make-up. Usually, I rock my baldness, but I also really enjoy wearing brightly colored wigs from time to time for fun. For me, I know it would have been easier to cope with such a sudden change if I had known anyone else who had struggled with alopecia. As a mentor, I want to be that person for others and let them know that they are not alone. I am excited to get to know other people who have been through this crazy journey, and I hope to be able to offer support to someone who needs it.