Find A Youth Mentor

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 Jasmine, and I live in Colorado. I love going to the gym and hanging out outdoors with family, friends, and my dog. When I was 12, I noticed my first bald spot hidden within my lusciously long, thick black hair. Eventually, a few more appeared. I was always conscious of these bald spots in public, insecurely worrying that others would notice this “abnormality,” even with my best attempts at concealing them. Persistent topical cream appliance allowed these few bald spots to grow. Fast forward those few years, the fall semester of my junior year, I noticed my hair falling out. At first, I thought the hair loss correlated to the immense stress brought along with the junior year workload, not that my alopecia had reappeared. Each day, with alopecia’s ruthless persistence, my life turned into a hopeless cycle: waking up, staring at stands of hair on my pillow; shamefully and secretively collecting shed hair after class; and watching my forehead and hairline recede slowly. I had loved my hair before it was stolen from me: its length, its thickness, its glow, its color. After a semester of misery, I got a wig (90% of my hair was gone, along with my eyebrows and eyelashes). Even with a wig, my alopecia was still there, so I had to learn that my only option to happiness was loving and accepting myself. Through the adversities of the disease, I have grown into the best version of myself, especially embodying bravery, resilience, and empathy. I want to help others navigate the inevitable confusion and anxieties of losing hair. Most importantly, I want others to understand they are not alone and there is light in the darkest situations.

Hi everyone! My name is Niki, and I am currently a medical student living in New York City. I was suddenly diagnosed with alopecia a couple of years ago, which caused patchy hair loss in my scalp and eyebrows. Since then, I have tried various treatments in an effort to manage my condition; however, I continue to experience cycles of hair loss and growth. Despite the ups and downs, I have learned to embrace my alopecia and see it as a part of who I am. While the physical effects of alopecia can be difficult, the emotional impact can be just as challenging. I decided to get involved with NAAF because I understand the importance of finding support and compassion from individuals who have undergone similar experiences. I am eager to share my story and offer encouragement and guidance to those affected by alopecia to help them feel less alone in their journey.

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!

Hello! My name is Maia Campbell and I'm from Indiana. I recently graduated from Ball State University where I studied pre-med biology and chemistry, and I am currently applying to physician assistant master’s programs! I currently work as a pediatric vision therapist and love my job. Most of my free time is spent reading, playing tennis and golf, or doing creative activities like scrapbooking and crocheting. I’m also a huge IndyCar fan and was an Indianapolis 500 Festival Princess last year. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata at age 2 and tried every treatment under the sun, then eventually decided to lean into being different and have fun with wigs, hats, and headbands! I began wearing wigs in high school and eventually lost all my hair in college. I’m currently in a clinical drug trial for alopecia and have seen amazing results so far! Though there were times I struggled to cope with bullying, self-esteem, and mental health struggles, I’ve always found such great encouragement and resources from people in the alopecia and NAAF communities. Alopecia awareness and education has always been important to me, and I’ve found the most comfort in having a “teaching” mindset when someone asks me about alopecia. Whether it be holding a fundraiser for NAAF, doing an immunology project on alopecia, or being open about it on social media, there is so much power in education. I am very excited to become a youth mentor and look forward to meeting more people in this community!

Hi! I'm Margaret McGraw, a 25 year old working for a fintech company and living in New York City! I've had Alopecia since I was a little kid and wore a wig until this past year. I ran the New York City Marathon in 2022 to raise awareness for Alopecia Areata, and during that process, I stopped wearing my wig all together. I'm an active person who enjoys running, hiking, playing tennis and walking around/exploring! I'm a huge Francophile, and speak French fluently. I love to cook, watch new tv shows, hang out with friends, and read new books! 

Hi! My name is Serena Kas-Mikha and I am 20 years old. I live in Michigan and I’m a social work student. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, listening to music, and going to the gym. I developed Alopecia Areata when I was 9 years old. I lost my eyelashes, eyebrows, and developed bald spots around my head. I would get about 6-7 patches at a time. In 2020, I lost almost all my hair and it happened suddenly. I was devastated and I allowed what I was going through to take over my life and alter the way I felt about myself. It took a toll on my mental health, but I was lucky enough to have supportive people in my life who helped me through it. It’s been a journey filled with ups and downs but it’s one I’m so grateful for. As my hair eventually began to grow back, my experiences have become a part of who I am. Alopecia has taught me self-love and that my worth was never defined by the number of hairs on my head. In the midst of your struggle, it can feel like you’re alone, but I promise you’ll get to the other side of what you’re going through. Lean on the people closest to you, they want to help, you don’t have to face anything by yourself. As a mentor, I hope I can help someone feel less alone, loved, and supported throughout their journey.   

Hi, my name is Cara Puccini and I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, where I am studying Dietetics and Nutrition. At UC, I attend almost all the football and basketball games, and I love going the rec to workout. I have had alopecia universalis since I was 3 years old. Since I don’t remember ever having hair, I have never felt the need to wear a wig, although I do own some. After my second NAAF conference, I began drawing my eyebrows on and last summer I got them tattooed, and recently went back to get them micro-bladed. My twin sister, who has hair, and I went to a small catholic grade school and high school where we were cheerleaders and played golf. Since it was so small almost everyone knew who I was and I was never bullied for my alopecia. I have been attending NAAF conferences for 8 years now, and I look forward to them every summer. Although I never truly struggled with my alopecia, becoming part of the NAAF community changed my life. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without having alopecia and the opportunities I have had through NAAF.

Hi, my name is Hayley! I am 29 years old and living in Phoenix, AZ. I currently work as a registered nurse in the E.R. at a children’s hospital. Some of my interests include being outdoors such as, going hiking, biking, and paddle boarding. I LOVE animals and volunteer at an animal shelter for cats and dogs, as well as a horse rescue. I was diagnosed with alopecia in the 1st grade and it was not long before it all fell out, so I’ve been bald most of my life! I love to share my experiences with other people, and hear the experiences of those who are going through the same journey.

I’m a designer, artist, and educator living in Western Queens. I teach dance and visual art. Other interests of mine are: storytelling, acting, learning languages, spirituality, cooking, nature, feminism, and science. I get very nerdy about games of all kinds, and Harry Potter! My journey with alopecia started at age 10 (in 1999). I developed bald patches that came and went. My parents sought out all kinds of remedies for me, but none seemed to help. Middle school was rough — I was bullied, I had few confidants and no role models for living with alopecia, and on top of it my father died suddenly. Eventually I tried a wig. It helped me blend in, but was also burdensome and I was always afraid of being outed. I found other things to focus on, but I was relieved when my hair grew back in high school. Then many years later, when it started falling out again and I could no longer hide it, I shaved my head. It was liberating. Now I'm completely bald with very little body hair and no eyebrows or lashes. I draw eyebrows on daily, and often wear eyeliner. I’ve learned to separate my ever-changing hair from my sense of self. So nowadays I hardly think about it (except when random strangers tell me how great I look), and I can focus on the things I care about in life. I can't wait to meet you, hang out, and support you in your journey. I bet we could learn a lot from one another.