Find A Youth Mentor

Hi, I am Rishi Ajmera and am a Junior in High School. Unlike many, I developed Alopecia Areata going into my 10th grade year. I had what is called an Ophiasis pattern. However, fighting through Alopecia has been a journey of ups and downs. After seeing a dermatologist, I was able to recover within a couple of months. However, I redeveloped it, leading to the further worsening of my hair loss. Overall, the one thing I hope to teach is perseverance. Sometimes life isn’t going to go your way in terms of health or other factors. However, it’s important to make the most of it. I am willing to set up activities, hang out, or even just talk and have a general conversation. I am more than happy to do whatever my mentee’s enjoy. After all, I believe less stress can often make one’s life and health better.

Hello! My name is Kelsey, and I am currently a junior in high school. Whenever I’m not playing volleyball or hanging out with friends, I like to spend my time baking fun desserts, reading books, and watching any Marvel movie you could think of. I am also really passionate about healthcare and hope to become a pediatrician one day! As much as I love all of those things, one experience that has had the biggest impact on my life has been my journey with alopecia. I was diagnosed with alopecia right before entering the second grade. It was definitely a complete switch from how I lived my life before. I went from wearing my beautiful textured hair out in as many styles as you can think of, to wearing a pink baseball cap to school each day. Being a young Black girl, losing my hair also meant losing a part of my identity, which was hard to understand at the time. I often wondered why this was happening to me, if people would ever look at me the same, and if my hair would ever grow back. Those questions began to answer themselves as the years passed, and I ended up learning a lot more than I had imagined. I’ve learned how to deal with the constant stares, unnecessary bullying, and my own self-doubt. I also learned that having a strong support system was very valuable. As I started to open up and talk with my family and friends, I began to feel less isolated. But something I wish I would’ve done is reach out to people who had gone through the same experience. When my hair began to grow back, I tried to keep my story hidden and didn’t want to express that part of my life because I was scared of being judged once again. As I’ve gotten older, however, I’ve started to see this condition as a gift rather than something that limits my life. I believe that there are so many good things you can find within this uncomfortable journey, and I would love to help our youth discover that as well. I want to become a mentor because I want to be the person that I wish I had when I was dealing with alopecia. I hope that I can help others feel more confident in their own skin, remind them that they aren’t alone, and cheer them on through even the little things.

I was 7 years old when I first started losing my hair. It began as small patches on the back of my head, and within six weeks it all nearly fell out. Eventually, I decided to shave all my hair off. After that, it only came back as light fuzz, and then it stopped growing altogether. My eyebrows and eyelashes also fell out because of alopecia areata. When I was 14, I found a treatment that worked really well for me and was successful.Even though this was scary and confusing, I kept doing the things I loved. I play sports like lacrosse and used to play soccer. I stay active and spend time with my friends. But as I looked around at other kids, I sometimes felt a little different and wasn’t always sure where I fit in. Meeting and talking with other people who had alopecia changed everything for me. For the first time, I felt truly understood. Those conversations made me feel less alone and helped me realize that alopecia is just one part of who I am, not the whole thing. I want to be a NAAF mentor so kids with alopecia don’t have to feel as alone as I once did. I know what it’s like to be in your shoes. I hope to be not just a mentor, but also a friend—someone you can talk to openly, who really understands. My message to you is simple: you are not alone, and there is a whole community ready to support you.

Hello everyone! My name is Elliot Rosen. I am currently 18 years old, despite being originally from Newtown, CT, you can find me in Richmond, VA where I am attending the University of Richmond as a first-year student with the intention of studying Mathematics. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata after a bone-infection when I was in 3rd grade. At the time, I had pinstraight, thin hair, and from that point on, I experienced constantly changing coin sized spots on the back of my head. I treated those with monthly steroid injections, which was never comfortable. It wasn't until 8th grade when everything took a turn. I shattered my elbow playing baseball, and ended up having surgery to repair it. During that time, my hair started rapidly falling out. I am grateful for my support system during the time, as they helped navigate me to the right people. I was able to quickly get on the right treatment plan, and after around 95% of my hair fell out, it started growing back. Rather than being the normal straight, thin hair, it grew back thick and curly :). I have learned countless lessons from my experience! After all of this, you can still find me playing baseball for our club team at school. I love playing and watching all kinds of sports. Outside of this, I have recently decided to make the attempt to learn the guitar (it is a struggle). I also love hanging out with my friends and traveling around the world! I wouldn't ask me about my dogs unless you want to see hundreds of photos of my two Basset Hounds (please ask me). I am very excited to work with NAAF, and would love the opportunity to be a mentor/friend and be with you as you navigate this process!

Hi, my name is Eva, and I have had alopecia areata since I was born. Growing up, I struggled with confidence and with feeling “girly” enough, especially when I began wearing wigs to cover my scalp. In middle school, alopecia felt like the first thing people noticed about me, and for a long time, it defined how I saw myself. Everything began to change when I joined the sport of wrestling. At first, it was intimidating—but over time, wrestling gave me something powerful: a sense of identity rooted in strength, discipline, and resilience. I learned that I didn’t need to fit into anyone else’s idea of who I should be. I could be strong, competitive, and confident exactly as I was. Through wrestling, I found a community, built self-trust, and learned how to embrace what makes me different rather than hide it. Many sports, clubs and hobbies can help children with alopecia find their own sense of identity, but support is still necessary on the outside and that is what I hope to provide. Today, I am proud of both my alopecia and my accomplishments. More importantly, I am passionate about helping younger kids and teens navigate the emotional challenges that come with hair loss—especially during school years when fitting in feels so important. As a youth mentor, my goal is to be someone I wish I had when I was younger: honest, encouraging, and understanding.

Hello! My name is Anabel, and I’ve had alopecia since I was 12 years old. Growing up with alopecia (totalis and patchy) helped shape my sense of self and inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. I am now a second-year medical student at the University of Florida pursuing dermatology to care for patients with conditions like ours. Outside of school, I enjoy fashion and style, writing letters, orchids, and visiting my family in Oregon and Taiwan.

Hi, my name is Stepheny, and I'm a sophomore at UIUC! I'm majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and hope to pursue a path of medicine in the future. I love exercising, advocating for mental health, and the color pink! I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata as a sophomore in high school, and since then I've learned to regain my confidence and love for myself. It's easy to feel alone with Alopecia, so I hope I can be a source of community for you. More importantly, however, I hope I can be a friend!

Hi everyone! My name is Liberty Dorsey. I'm 20 years old, originally from Central Pennsylvania, but I recently moved to Blacksburg, Virginia! I attend Arizona State University, where I study Nutrition and Dietetics. In my free time, I love running (just ran my first half-marathon!), swimming, hanging out with friends, and cooking new foods. My alopecia journey started when I was in 6th grade at 13 years old. I grew up with long, blonde, curly hair, which was always such a large part of my identity. Once I got diagnosed, I struggled so much, especially as a middle schooler going through my teenage years. I went through all stages of relapses and regrowth. I tried treatments like scalp injections and topical steroids, but as I got older, the treatments had no effect, and deep down I knew I was only doing them because I had insecurities about losing my hair. It was at that time that I decided to embrace change and trust myself. In my senior year of high school, I shaved off all my hair and welcomed the patches:) I have had my ups and downs with this disease, but I will never forget the support I received and the confidence I felt. Shaving my head made me realize I am more than just my hair! I have learned to embrace what makes me different. You are not alone! Your journey is so important, but it does not define you! It would be an absolute honor to be part of someone's support system, because I know how important it was for me. I hope to bring light and laughter as a mentor:) I cannot wait to meet you!

Hi! My name is Ronit, and I’m a high school senior from Virginia. I attend boarding school in Delaware, where I enjoy playing basketball, being involved in student life, and serving as a manager for our football team. I’m interested in data science, engineering, and research, and I love sports and spending time with my friends. I’m also involved with NAAF as a Teen Advocacy Fellow, which has given me the opportunity to connect with and advocate for the alopecia community. My own journey with alopecia began during high school. Before my diagnosis, my family and I had never even heard of alopecia areata. What made the experience especially difficult was that I was away at boarding school when it started, so I had to learn how to deal with much of it on my own. At first, alopecia seemed to change the smallest parts of my everyday life. Washing my hair became stressful because I worried about how much would fall out. I would spend mornings trying to cover bald spots, constantly check my hair throughout the day, and even change how I slept because I was afraid of losing more hair. I made early-morning trips to our school health center for treatments and worried about whether friends or classmates would notice. When they did notice or made comments—even when they meant no harm—it could be difficult to know how to respond. Going home often meant fitting dermatologist appointments, scalp injections, and blood work into the few days I had between school terms. I have always had a strong fear of needles, so treatments were another challenge I had to learn to manage. Over time, though, something changed. Alopecia didn't necessarily become easier, but I became better at living with it. I learned that I couldn't control whether another patch appeared or what someone might notice, but I could control how much power I gave those moments. I became more comfortable talking about alopecia, more confident around my friends, and more willing to ask for support when I needed it. That experience is a big part of why I wanted to become a NAAF Youth Mentor. When I was first diagnosed, I would have loved to talk with another teenager who actually understood what it was like—not just the hair loss, but checking the mirror, worrying about what people might say, going through treatments, and trying to live a normal school life while all of this was happening. I want to be that person for someone else. If you're newly diagnosed, having a difficult day, worried about school or friends, frustrated with treatments, or just want to talk to someone who gets it, I'm here to listen. I won't pretend that I have every answer, because everyone's experience with alopecia is different. But I can share what I've learned, listen without judging, and remind you that you don't have to figure everything out by yourself. Alopecia is part of my story, but it isn't my whole story—and it doesn't have to be yours either. I hope I can help make your journey a little less lonely and a little easier.

Hi everyone! My name is Kaedyn McManus. I am a dedicated future nurse with a strong passion for the medical field. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata in November of 2023, just a month after the unexpected passing of my father. Experiencing these unfortunate events during the first two months of high school took a toll on my mental and physical health, but through the support of my family and friends I learned to navigate through the challenging aspects of having Alopecia. This helped me regain my confidence and a full head of hair by 2025. Academically, I am a 16 year old junior at Raritan High School in Hazlet, New Jersey. I am dual-enrolled in the Health Science Academy at Rutgers University. I take a variety of honors and AP courses and am on track to earn a Health Science sash at graduation. I am also an active member of HOSA (future health professionals) club and a cadet with my local First Aid Squad, where I'm learning to become an EMT. Outside of academics I stay active through soccer, swimming, and flag football.