Find A Youth Mentor

Hi, I’m Noah! I am a high school senior from North Carolina. I was first diagnosed with Alopecia when I was about 13, with what started out as just one or two bald spots. When I was about 15 I was diagnosed with Alopecia Universal’s and ended up losing all of my hair. Being in middle school and now in high school, losing all of my hair was a big adjustment. I have since learned to be comfortable in who I am, and I have how to embrace what makes me who I am. I am excited to meet my mentee so that I can help them in anyway that I can and share my experience with alopecia. I decided to join the NAAF because I have experienced losing my hair, and I would like to help those who are struggling with the same thing. In my free time I like to go golfing with my friends, watch baseball, and be outdoors. I look forward to connecting and meeting my mentee!

Hi! My name is Ava Sullivan and I'm from Hanover, MA, currently living in the Fenway area for school. I've had alopecia since I was 15 and despite my difficulties, I've grown to embrace my alopecia as a normal part of my life! I love wearing different wigs and building outfits around them. I'm a Marketing major and some of my hobbies include styling my friends, make up, and playing with my pet bunny. My journey with alopecia is something that I'm grateful for and I wouldn't be the person I am today without it. I want to help other people know that they can live a normal life with alopecia! I'm here to talk to for anything from advice, help with wigs and make up, or just someone to hang out with! I look forward to getting to know you.

Hello! My name is Miah Muñoz, and I’m from La Feria, Texas. I’ve had alopecia areata since I was 8 years old, and I remain the only person in my family with alopecia. I was previously a mentee through the National Alopecia Areata Foundation Youth Mentor Program, where I gained valuable support, guidance, and access to resources that helped me throughout my journey. My experience with alopecia areata has been cyclical. There have been periods of hair regrowth, only to be followed by hair loss. The most recent case of hair loss began when I started college. At this time, I do not use medication to treat my alopecia. I am currently an undergraduate student at Texas A&M University. My field of study is animal science, where I am currently on the pre-veterinary track. Outside of academics, I stay active on campus through my various leadership roles, including serving as a first-year mentor and participating in the service sorority Omega Phi Alpha. In my free time, I enjoy golfing, participating in community service events, staying involved on campus, and spending time with family and friends. I look forward to connecting with you, sharing my experiences, and supporting you throughout your own alopecia journey.

Hi everyone! My name is Rosheen and I am currently a third-year medical student at Kansas City University. I’m from Fairfax, Virginia and graduated from George Mason University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. I love watching TV shows, photography, trying new foods, and traveling. I have been to 10 different countries and most recently I traveled to the Bahamas! I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at age 28. No one in my family had it and so I never expected it. Being in medical school and having worked as a medical assistant previously in Dermatology, I immediately knew what was happening. I found a dermatologist and started my treatment. Having a medical background helped me get the help I needed early on, but it did not help the emotional stress that came after. I found myself counting strands of hair every time I brushed, searching my scalp every day for new patches and spending hours in the morning trying to make sure my hairstyle could hide the hair loss. With better stress management, healthy lifestyle choices, and medical treatment, I have learned to manage my condition better. I want you to know that no matter what age you get diagnosed at, you are not alone. I know it’s scary and the uncertainty of the disease is even scarier, but we can both get through it. I look forward to getting to know you and supporting you in your journey! I am currently a second-year medical student at Kansas City University. As you know, medical school is stressful, and I noticed a patchy spot of hair loss just a few days ago. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. I felt kind of isolated and alone; no one in my friends or family has this disease and I was scared. I am someone who has always taken pride in my long dark hair, so this led to a huge impact on my own confidence. I didn't really know who to talk to, and I don't want anyone else to go through that feeling. I would love to support you and be there for you.

My name is Jiali He. I was born and raised in China and now live in Rochester, New York, where I work as a Research Specialist at the University of Rochester in a biomedical research lab focused on cardiovascular disease. I have lived with alopecia totalis since I was six years old. I moved from China to the US at the age of 23 and have lived here for 5 years. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Wuhan University in China and my master’s degree in Biology from Syracuse University in the US. Growing up with alopecia was deeply difficult and lonely. When I was young, I often felt helpless and had nearly no support. It took me many years to regain confidence, strength, self-acceptance, and the ability to support myself. Helping children with alopecia feels deeply meaningful to me, because it is also like helping the little girl I used to be. I hope every child can have the support they need. Outside of work, I love singing and host karaoke with friends. I also enjoy writing, switch games, hiking, tennis, ballet, fashion shows, anime, horse racing, and spending time around trees and nature. My favorite color is blue, and I have always dreamed of having blue hair, so I purchased blue wigs! I believe alopecia can bring real sadness and limitations, but it does not confine our future. We can achieve more than we imagine, as long as we are brave enough to dream!

Hi everyone! My name is Cora and I'm a second year student at the University of Iowa studying Biomedical Sciences on the pre-medical track. My goal is to one day be a dermatologist so I can help patients with conditions like me! I was diagnosed with alopecia at 8 years old after my mom discovered patchy hair loss on the back of my head. In the years following, I tried every potential treatment there was, ranging from topical creams all the way to multiple rounds of steroid injections. Despite the variety of treatments, I eventually lost 90% of my hair the summer before 7th grade started, and began to wear wigs. I started struggling with my confidence and became worried that I wasn't "girly" enough or I was too different from the other kids. However, I found comfort in doing the things I loved, even when I was scared. Through this, I was able to find my worth outside of my diagnosis and grow as a person. I wore wigs for 5 years--throughout all of middle and high school--before a new medication was approved and started working for me. I now recognize my journey with alopecia as the gift that it was; I developed courage, confidence, resilience, empathy, and identity. I chose to become an NAAF mentor because I know how scary and alone it feels to be in your shoes. While I had an incredibly supportive family and amazing friends, I knew that they would never fully understand what it's like. I wish I had someone I could talk with that I knew would truly understand, I hope to be that person for you!

Hi! My name is Caitlin, and I’m a pre-medical psychology student at Northeastern University (graduating in May 2025). I developed alopecia areata at 16, when I experienced severe hair loss across most of my scalp. I tried several types of treatment over many months before finding the right one for me. Handling this condition is not easy, and I’m here to support youth and families by sharing information, lived experience, and most importantly, compassion. The psychological components of alopecia are just as real as the physical ones, and I will foster a safe space to freely discuss these while guiding healthy coping. I am certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid and have ample experience working with children and adults in both medical and non-medical settings. I am happy to share insights from testing many different methods of concealing and regrowing my hair, though I encourage finding new confidence in appearance changes. While alopecia can (rightfully) feel very unfair, it also gives us a special opportunity to build resilience. I look forward to growing close relationships with mentees with an approach that will be warm, nonjudgmental, and tailored to the unique individual.

Hi everyone! My name is Miya and I am currently finishing high school in Allen, TX. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was around two years old and have been thriving ever since :) Growing up with alopecia has played a huge role in the way I present myself and has definitely inspired me to take a more active role in NAAF. Since I was diagnosed so young, I didn't realize the effect alopecia had on my life until I reached the end of elementary school and the adventures of middle school. I hope to take the experiences I have had and help others who may be going through similar struggles. In my future, I am hoping to pursue a career in public health and mental health studies. Currently, I am part of Hope Squad, a mental health organization that has taught me how to care for people and put myself in the shoes of others no matter their background. Outside of my academic life, I enjoy playing violin, singing in my choir, reading classic literature, and spending every extra minute with my family and wacko dog. I am also the biggest Harry Potter fan ever and I will never miss a chance to talk about it. It would be my honor to be part of your journey in embracing yourself and discovering all the amazing things about you. You are special in every way and I can't wait to get started!

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.