Find A Youth Mentor

Hi, I’m Anjali! I am a junior at the New York Institute of Technology majoring in biology and pursuing a pre-med track. I grew up in Montville, NJ. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 16 years old and suffered extensive hair loss, eventually leaving me bald in my junior year of high school. Over the past few years, I have regrown my hair, relapsed, and then regrew my hair again. Alopecia areata is such a difficult disease to grapple with, especially without support, which is why I am excited to help others who are in similar situations as mine. I am passionate about researching pediatric brain tumors in laboratory settings, as well as advocating for mental health awareness particularly in healthcare settings and on college campuses. Outside of school, I enjoy keeping up with pop culture, gluten-free cooking, watching my favorite shows, and spending time with friends, family, and my labradoodle. I learned a lot through my journey with alopecia, and can’t wait to help you on yours!

Hey, my name is Ziad! I am a freshman majoring in neuroscience at Adelphi University. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 15 years old, and a year later, I was diagnosed with alopecia universalis. Since then, I have been blessed with the opportunity to truly learn more about myself and who I aspire to become. Although having alopecia certainly comes with its challenges, I believe it provides a chance for us to redefine self-confidence and beauty. You are on a journey towards self-discovery and growth, and you are not alone. Through this mentorship program, I aim to be a friend to grow and learn with. In my free time, I enjoy playing sports such as basketball and soccer. My favorite soccer team is Liverpool, and my favorite soccer player is Mo Salah (I’m Egyptian). When I’m not playing sports, I love reading nonfiction books, watching documentaries, and playing music! I went to an arts high school and played the Bassoon since I was 13 years old! I am looking forward to connecting with you!

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.