Find A Youth Mentor

How It Works

  1. 1
    Select Preferred Mentors

    Add three mentors that best fit your needs.

  2. 2
    Tell Us About Your Child

    Fill out a quick form to help us match your child.

  3. 3
    Apply and Get Matched

    Your child gets matched with a mentor based on your preferences.

Catherine Sherren

Female / 24 / Texas

Will meet with: Kids

Type: Alopecia areata patchy

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

My name is Catherine Sherren. Originally from Fresno, California, I moved to Frisco, Texas at one. I recently graduated Cum Laude from Frisco High School, which I maintained a 4.0 GPA for all four years. My experience in high school has definitely had an impact on the person that I am today. I was a member of the orchestra and a member of the school’s broadcast team. Despite being diagnosed with Alopecia during my Junior year of high school, I feel like I still had as great of a high school experience as any student could have. Living with Alopecia has undoubtedly had an impact on the way I live and my outlook on everything. I was really scared at first but was able to learn to live with it with the support of my family and friends. It has taught me to have a positive outlook on life, no matter how down I feel. It has also taught me to be grateful for every little thing in my life. Every time I feel down, I always know it will get better. I really enjoy working and helping others. I currently work at Play Street Museum, an interactive museum for children, where I have been an employee for three years. I really enjoy working at Play Street due to my outgoing personality and my desire to help others and really enjoy watching the children have a good time. The children’s smiles warm my heart. Serving as a mentor for people who live with Alopecia is going to be a great honor for me. I really enjoy helping others and would really love to meet others with Alopecia and offer my assistance in any way I can.

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Bradley Parsons

Male / 26 / Texas

Will meet with: Kids, Parents, Young Adults

Type: Alopecia universalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: Yes

Hi everyone! My name is Bradley Parsons and I am Masters of Public Health student in Houston, Texas. I spent most of my childhood around Chicago before moving to Baltimore for college at Johns Hopkins University, where I studied Public Health and Psychology and played collegiate baseball. I am currently applying to medical school and hope to be able to treat and research Alopecia in my future career as a physician. I love watching sports, exercising, writing music, and occasionally playing video games with friends! Until my sophomore year in college, I had patchy Alopecia Areata around my body. During the summer following my sophomore year, my condition progressed to Alopecia Universalis as all the hair on my body gradually fell out. Luckily, I had amazing support groups of friends, family and colleagues that made me feel comfortable with my condition early on. I look forward to providing that same support to any future mentees in the Youth Mentor program to hopefully ease the struggles that come with Alopecia while also building lasting friendships!

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Anamarie Tan

Female / 33 / California

Will meet with: Kids, Parents, Young Adults

Type: Alopecia universalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: Yes

Hello, my name is Ana! I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and currently reside in a little beach town in the South Bay. I hold a degree in Clinical Science from California State University, Dominguez Hills and work as a research associate in breast oncology. I have a passion for nature, traveling, the beach, fashion, and science! For the majority of my life I’ve had a full head of hair, but in the Fall of 2016, I began to notice it thinning. When the thinning progressed, I found myself with hundreds of questions at the dermatologist where I was eventually diagnosed with alopecia areata, and a few months later I progressed to alopecia universalis. For most of my adult life, my hair became my identity without even realizing it. So of course this new diagnosis was a huge shock to me. With a lot of self-reflection, supportive family and friends, and the power of social media, I overcame this transition and fully embraced it. 1 year later, I am proudly bald, beautiful, and motivated to let the world know that there is life after losing your hair! I am grateful to be apart of an amazing community, and I want to help others going through the ups and downs of alopecia.

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Rafi Wasserman

Male / 30 / New York

Type: Alopecia totalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

Diagnosed at the age of 1 and having lost my hair in the first grade, I've seen it all! Whether your concern is wearing a hat at a school that forbids them, playing sports, or navigating school life, I can help! I've been through the anxiety inducing milestones of taking an important college entry exam, the job interviews and even the dating scene and can tell you how Alopecia has affected me both positively and negatively in my adolescent, college and now adult life. A little bit about me: I am 23 years old, living in my hometown of Chicago, having graduated from Northwestern University and now working in the business consulting industry. I was lucky enough to have my own mentor at a young age whom I still keep in contact with today. Through that experience, I understand the value of a mentor and that is why I am so excited about the launch of this new program! With that, please don't hesitate to reach out! I would be happy to talk about how to deal with your Alopecia and any difficulties that you may encounter, or just discuss a more lighthearted topic such as why my World Champion Chicago Cubs will repeat this year or if Chance the Rapper or Kendrick Lamar released the better album in the last 12 months. I look forward to hearing from you and maybe even meeting in person at my 15th NAAF conference this summer in Miami!

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Monique Waldman

Female / 28 / Colorado

Type: Alopecia universalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

My name is Monique Waldman, but you can call me Mo. I am 22 years old, and I graduated from James Madison University this past May. I was born and raised in Virginia, and lived there my whole life, but I moved to Denver this summer to begin graduate school at the University of Colorado, Denver. I am working towards a PhD in Immunology, where I plan to research autoimmune diseases. One day, I hope to either conduct alopecia research of my own, or work (for NAAF?) as a scientific liaison/grant reviewer. In the meantime, my program is expected to take 5-7 years, so I’m growing roots in Denver and I look forward to connecting with the alopecia community here! Outside of science, I find time for rock climbing, hiking, singing and playing the baritone ukulele, picnicking in Cheesman Park, and cooking with my boyfriend. I have had alopecia areata since I was two, and I lost all of my hair when I was 10. I went without wigs for a while, but I wore wigs throughout high school. Then when I went to college, I stopped wearing a wig all together. These days, I am usually bald with special-occasion wig accessorizing, and I have a very extensive hat collection. My alopecia has varied throughout my life, switching between patchy and universalis, so I can offer advice or empathy for just about any stage of hair loss. Growing up with alopecia had its highs and its lows, but I learned over the years to feel thankful for my unique and bold appearance. I have been attending NAAF conferences since I was 8 years old, and I owe so much of my confidence and self-acceptance to my friends and the young adults that I looked up to. I am so excited to have the opportunity to pay that forward, and be a friend to a younger alopecian.

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CJ Ostrosky

Female / 29 / Pennsylvania

Will meet with: Kids, Parents, Young Adults

Type: Alopecia universalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: Yes

Hello! My name is CJ Ostrosky. I’m 24, and currently working as a graphic designer and communications professional for a nonprofit in Washington, DC, where I’ve lived for the last few years since graduating from college. I’m originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and I visit my family there frequently and have a lot of hometown pride. When I can, I love to travel all over the world and try new things (especially new foods). I also enjoy painting, reading, kayaking, and spending time with friends. Alopecia is new to me: I lost all my hair just eight months ago. I believe I have alopecia universalis, though I’ve been pursuing a few treatments so far and seen my eyebrows grow back a bit! At first, alopecia was really scary and stressful for me, and it still isn’t always easy, but it has also brought me a new appreciation for my appearance, and a love of doing crazy colorful make-up. Usually, I rock my baldness, but I also really enjoy wearing brightly colored wigs from time to time for fun. For me, I know it would have been easier to cope with such a sudden change if I had known anyone else who had struggled with alopecia. As a mentor, I want to be that person for others and let them know that they are not alone. I am excited to get to know other people who have been through this crazy journey, and I hope to be able to offer support to someone who needs it.

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Sarah Ford

Female / 22 / Pennsylvania

Will meet with: Kids, Parents

Type: Alopecia areata patchy

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

My name is Sarah Ford, I’m 17 years old and live outside of Philadelphia. I am currently a senior at Conestoga High School and during my freshman year is when I found out about my Alopecia. My hobbies include traveling, playing sports and babysitting! In the Fall of my freshman year I noticed a bald spot on my head and all my doctors told me it was from stress. Later that year, I found out it was Alopecia Areata and I began to get the shots in my head to grow back the hair. Since I only had one bald spot the shots worked, and my hair grew back in that area. Around the same time in fall my sophomore year I started to lose my hair again. This time all my hair fell out. I started wearing a wig because I was very self-conscious about looking so different than the rest of my peers in such a big school. During my junior year, all my hair started to grow back under my wig, I had hair down to my ears. Everyone around me was telling me to stop wearing my wig but I was so scared and insecure of what other people were going to say. One day, with the support of my family and friends around me I decided to stop wearing the wig and walk into school with my short hair. I have learned so much through this experience, and even though it was exceptionally hard, it has taught me so much about myself and has changed my perspective on life. Alopecia is a very emotional and hard disease to cope with, but with the help of other people who have alopecia and the community around me I learned that Alopecia isn’t all that matters and there is so much more to life! I can’t wait to be able to give the support that I had to other people who are struggling with Alopecia too.

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Laura Arand

Female / 34 / Indiana

Will meet with: Kids, Parents, Young Adults

Type: Alopecia totalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: Yes

Originally from Chicagoland, I attended DePaul University (Go Demons!) where I continued to play soccer, as I have my entire life. In my spare time I like to sew, craft, DIY, play sports, watch movies/TV shows, and bake goodies. When I’m not crafting while watching TV and snacking on tasty goods, I travel the world and have adventures with friends and family. As for my bald body, I was first diagnosed with alopecia at 12 years old. It manifested as random bald spots on my head but I was always able to cover them up with the rest of my hair. For me, alopecia started out as a big secret. I was really depressed and didn’t want to go anywhere, even school. My hair eventually grew back. Years later, after I moved to New Orleans, I found the NOLA Alopecia Support Group while searching online. At this point, I had full hair growth on my head and body, but I didn’t know anyone else with alopecia, so I joined the group on a whim. Four months later, my hair was falling out again. Unlike previously, this time my hair fell out quickly and within 2 weeks nearly all of the hair on my body was gone. I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror. Thankfully, I had my support group to fall back on. Sometimes I wear hats (in the sun!), sometimes I wear scarves, and sometimes I “go bald.” I look forward to supporting another, as I once was.

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Sarvesh Rajasekaran

Male / 34 / Texas

Will meet with: Kids, Parents

Type: Alopecia universalis

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

Hi, I'm Sarvesh! I'm an Indian-American who grew up in St. Louis, MO. I first started experiencing alopecia areata when I was 24 years old and it progressed to alopecia universalis within 2 years. I currently live in Austin, TX. In my free time, I try to take advantage of Austin's outdoor friendly climate by hiking, playing soccer, or seeing live music. I also enjoy watching college football and basketball - mostly of my alma mater, the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). I'm involved in other organizations as well including CASA of Travis County (as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster care system) as well as Austin Pets Alive (as a Dog Foster Parent). I love to chat about anything from race/politics/culture to how alopecia impacts people's lives to sports, TV, and other pop culture. I've struggled with alopecia a lot in the past; but, overcoming those hardships has made me a more empathetic and resilient person. I'd be happy to share my experiences and/or just hang out!

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Lorna Mastin

Female / 35 / Michigan

Will meet with: Kids, Parents

Type: Alopecia areata patchy

Language(s): English

Accepting mentees: No

Heyyyyyy! I’m Lorna, a metro Detroit native. I’ve struggled with self-esteem, confidence, suicide, Alopecia and so much more at an early age causing me to develop a passion to redefine the mind of people all over the world. I’ve earned my Bachelor’s Degree from Wayne State University in Kinesiology and a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from Wayne State. I was diagnosed with Alopecia when I was 14. I remember it like it was yesterday because I had a volleyball game that day. Over the course of 4 years I got 120 shots in my head to try to get my hair to grow back. I even I did a light box treatment for a year but all that did was bleach my skin. When I went off to college I stopped all treament and just decided to let it do whatever its going to do. It all grew back and very long. I had 1 tiny patch that could be covered! 1 year later after I got married it started falling out again. After I had my son in 2016 it ALL fell out and I officially became apart of the bald club! It was super disappointing at first but I quickly thought to myself, Id never want my son to be ashamed or insecure about anything he cant change and IM STILL FINE ANYWAY! lol I’m a woman of many hats! Despite being a Wife, Mother, Flight Attendant, Mentor, Advisor, Massage Therapist and Entrepreneur I still makes time to encourage, inspire, and motivate people through my non profit Priceless Rubies. I believe I was put on this earth to make people better and that’s what I want to do with you! So lets connect!

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