Find A Youth Mentor

Hi! My name is Elena Le and I am an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Florida. Before I share my story, I want to introduce myself as someone who is more than just a person with alopecia. I am an enthusiastic and positive person who always try to smile in any situation. I enjoy running, working out, hanging out with my friends, eating food, getting ready, getting work done and taking pictures. I am a going-out person as much as a staying-in person, so I love indoor and outdoor activities. I am 100% Vietnamese and my favorite drink is brown sugar milk tea boba! A little bit about my story, I was recently diagnosed with alopecia areata in May 2025, just two days before my high school graduation. This summer, my hair continued to fall out until September 2025 all of my hair was gone. Especially as someone who just entered college, expecting to live the college experience, alopecia has taken over my lifestyle. I am currently going through the recovery process and this ongoing experience with alopecia has encouraged me to help others.

Hi, my name is Emeline Lasseter and I am a 17 year old junior in high school from Franklin, Tennessee. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata when I was 9 years old. It happened in the middle of my 3rd grade school year. It was tough leaving school for winter break with a (mostly) full head of hair and then coming back a few weeks later with a diagnosis, extremely patchy hair, and a baseball cap to hide it. Two weeks later, I lost 90% of my hair and I got fitted for my first wig. Through the rest of my elementary school career, I wore wigs. Then, when I got to middle school, I decided enough was enough and I started wearing these swim hats and I haven’t looked back since. There are not a lot of girls with Alopecia Areata, and even less who choose to not wear a wig. When I look around my school, or the mall, or on vacation, or touring colleges, or on TV, I never see anyone who looks like me. That is why I want to be a part of this amazing organization and be a mentor to kids who are experiencing the same thing. My Alopecia does not define me, and it also does not exempt me from wearing a hair net. I decorate cakes in a bakery at a local grocery store on the weekends, and one day someone from corporate came in and yelled at my boss for not making me wear a hairnet. Later, my boss and I laughed about this because there was no hair to fall out, and I was already wearing a hat to cover anything that would fall out. Now I am the most diligent hairnet-wearer you will ever meet. When I’m not studying or at work, I love shopping, hanging out with my friends and family, reading, going on walks, and playing field hockey. I am also an officer of my school’s HOSA chapter, an active participant in Model UN and Youth in Government, as well as a member of several Honor societies including NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. Alopecia is such a life-altering diagnosis, and I want to help kids on their journey to regaining confidence in themselves and their appearance. I would love the opportunity to be a mentor and guide you on your alopecia journey!

Hi friends! My name is Sankee Mummareddy, and I’m 25 years old. I was first diagnosed with alopecia in 3rd grade. It started as a few small patches but quickly progressed to alopecia totalis and then universalis. A couple of years later, my hair made a big comeback… and then when I was a sophomore in high school, it all said goodbye again. This time, it stayed gone — and so did all my worries about it! I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and what helped me most during my journey was the incredible support of my friends, family, and my amazing dermatologist. My dermatologist gave me the confidence to embrace who I am, and he inspired me so much that now I’m in medical school, training to hopefully one day become a pediatric dermatologist myself! I’ve always loved working with kids, and I’ve had lots of experience: • Tutoring math, reading, and writing for K–12 students across Memphis • Volunteering with pediatric dialysis patients, helping with arts, crafts, and homework • Coaching elementary school tennis and soccer clinics • Leading STEM workshops and summer science camps, exploring fun experiments together • Hosting book drives and reading circles to help kids find joy in learning I know how confusing and overwhelming alopecia can feel — not just for kids, but for their families too. That’s why I’m happy to meet with and support both kids and their parents as they navigate this journey. I’ve been where you are, and I’d love to be someone in your corner who truly understands. That’s why I wanted to become a mentor. I know what it feels like to have questions or tough days, and I also know how much it helps to hear from someone who’s been through it before. Whether it’s about navigating school, sports, or just figuring out what works for you, I’m always happy to listen and help however I can.

Very excited to be a mentor for the NAAF! My name is Benjamin Skolnick and I am a 24 year old living on the west side in Los Angeles. I am very active and love going to the beach, the gym, and doing anything fun my friends convince me to do. I went to school in San Diego, where I’m originally from and work in Century City. I’ve worked with middle schoolers and high schoolers my whole life through other experiences and love hearing about what’s new. I have had Alopecia on the side of my head and face this last year. My image on my profile is me last month at a team lunch by the way. I respect people who are honest and have quality values such as openness, reliability, sincerity, etc. I want to support families and understand each person’s emotional impact. I have a unique ability to be a good ear to offer a great space to share how people feel. Feel free to reach out if you want to connect soon!

Hi! My name is Nikita and I’m 24 years old and I live in San Francisco. I’ve had Alopecia Areata since I was 10 years old and it’s really shaped me as a person. My Alopecia comes in cycles and I’ve tried everything from topical immunosuppressants to steroid injections. Even though living with Alopecia has been a constant journey of learning and resilience, I’ve become more comfortable with it over the years. I’m familiar with the anxiety of losing hair and how it affects a young woman’s image of herself and I feel grateful for the opportunity to help build a community around this experience that I never had. In San Francisco, I work as a software engineer but outside of work, I really enjoy reading, going on walks, yoga, tennis, dance, and music :)

Hi everyone! My name is Emma Cass, I’m 22 years old, and am originally from Denver, Colorado. I recently graduated from the University of Kansas, where I studied Management & Leadership, International Business, and Spanish. I now live in Chicago, and in my free time I love being outside, going to baseball games, hanging out with friends, cooking meals, and seeing live music! My journey with alopecia began in 6th grade, with a soccer teammate pointing out a bald spot I hadn’t even realized that I had. I spent all of middle school and high school navigating the emotional and physical tolls of losing my hair, experimenting with injections and medications, and battling self-doubt, insecurity and anxiety. By the end of my sophomore year, I had lost about 90% of my hair, and made the empowering decision to shave my head. This was the most liberating thing I have ever done, and finally felt free from hiding the bald spots I had spent so many years afraid of. I have tried 4-5 different medications throughout the years, and even on medicine now, I still have bald spots that come and go. I have truly been through all the ups and downs of this disease, but have grown in my confidence, empathy, and strength through it all. My younger brother also has alopecia, and having him, my parents, and my friends as my support system throughout the years has made me so excited for the chance to become a part of somebody else’s support system through their journey! This disease can be scary and emotional, but it can also be incredibly empowering and formative. No matter where you are in your alopecia journey, I can’t wait to be there to support you through it all!!

Hi, my name is Clair Nguyen and I’m a 17 year old senior from Orange County, California. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at age 11 during my first week of middle school. On top of the challenges that come with being a teenager, losing my hair made things incredibly difficult. Coming to school became harder as my hair progressively got worse. During the time my hair loss reached Alopecia Areata Totalis, the pandemic hit and schools had to shut down. In a way, this was a blessing in disguise because I was able to grow my hair out without being judged by my classmates. Eventually, my mom found a clinical trial for kids with alopecia. Two months after starting the treatment, I began to regrow my hair. I still take the medication today and now have a full head of hair. Although I was able to regrow my hair back, the insecurities from that time still stayed with me. For a long time, I wanted to forget the experience entirely. But that changed when I came across this youth mentor program. It reminded me how much it would’ve meant to have someone who understood what I was going through. That’s why I’m so excited to be part of this community where I can share my story, support others, and be the voice I once needed. Some of my hobbies are cheer, baking, and I recently just started sewing.I’m looking forward to connecting, learning, and growing together. I hope to support you in any way that I can as you navigate this journey!

Erika was diagnosed with Alopecia at just 2 years old and represents Philly, where she was born and raised. She has lived with alopecia for 93% of her life, and she owns it! With her diagnosis at such a young age, she has always been interested in science and understanding “why” things happen. She has seen success through science. She earned my bachelor’s degree in chemistry and minored in mathematics at Notre Dame of Maryland University (Baltimore, MD, 2017). While in undergrad, she was a 4-year member of the field hockey team, 2-year member of the swim team, 1 year member of the basketball team. Immediately after undergrad, she went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology from Stony Brook University School of Medicine (Stony Brook, NY, 2022). She now works as a Life Science Strategy Consultant for Ernst & Young, based out of Philly. She is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and has a beautiful wife, Rachel. Together, they have two fur-babies Mogley and Shady. Erika has always had a passion for mentorship (e.g., career, alopecia, science) where her goal is to make sure you feel welcome, heard, appreciated, and supported on your journey. She is here for you and wants to remind you that, no matter what your journey looks like, you are not alone! When not mentoring, Erika enjoys traveling, live music, going to the beach, and having Harry Potter marathons!

Hi everyone! My name is Vanessa Polster, and I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. I am currently a college student at Miami University in Ohio, studying Microbiology and Pre-medical studies with a Spanish minor. My alopecia journey started at age 16 amidst the already dreadful teenage years. I grew up with my fluffy, voluminous curls being a staple of my identity and confidence. So, when I felt a smooth patch on my head where my curls once rested, I felt my femininity and sense of self crumble. I endured nightmares about losing more hair and anxiety that my peers would view me differently. Although I had a fantastic team of dermatologists providing steroid injections and sharing promising developments, I found it hard to believe I would still be myself without my hair. Long story short, this condition has come with waves of emotions, but with a great support system, it has become a point of pride more than a source of shame. It would be nothing short of an honor to be part of someone else’s support system as they experience the same scary, yet empowering, chapter of life. In my free time, I love cooking (and eating), going to baseball games, hiking, writing, watching movies, and laughing with my friends and family! As we tackle the road ahead, I will be there to make you laugh, help you grow, and support you however I can. What an amazing way to make a new friend :)

I am 17 years old, a junior in high school and I was diagnosed with alopecia totalis when I was 13 years old going into eighth grade. It started out very slow and by the summer, I was nearly bald. I wore a baseball hat, my entire ninth grade year. As you can imagine, it was extremely difficult. I had amazing support from my family and a few friends, and it is what got me through this. I ended up with a brilliant and caring doctor at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and he put me on a drug called Xeljanz. This has allowed me to grow my hair back fully. I have also participated in research with the NIH and I feel very strongly in supporting research for alopecia, as I know firsthand how this has affected my life. Because of the risk of blood clots with this drug and a health condition that I have, I am also on a blood thinner, which puts me out of all contact sports, which were a big part of my life before this diagnosis. So now I’ve turned my focus to Golf, which has been a blessing in disguise. I have been very open and honest about my health issues and my diagnosis of alopecia with all of my friends, and they have been so unbelievably supportive and let me know that they are always there for me. It made me realize how important it is to support someone going through something like this. I would love to be able to have the opportunity to mentor someone with this diagnosis and just be there to offer them support and for them to have someone to talk to about how they’re dealing with this. Thank you so much for Letting me share my story, and I hope to hear some of yours soon!