Find A Youth Mentor

Hi, I'm Trisha! I am a junior in college and was diagnosed with alopecia when I was 6. Throughout middle school, I struggled with bald patches constantly appearing, however since then, my hair has grown back. My goal as a mentor is to help my mentee deal with and process alopecia and the emotions/feelings that come along with it. In my free time, I play lacrosse, hang out with friends and my dog, and travel. I am currently studying abroad in Amsterdam and am loving it so far! Looking forward to connecting with you!

Hey! My name is Ryan Sterling and I live in Batavia, Illinois. I’m 23 and currently work as a financial analyst. Some of things I enjoy doing are being active whether it be hiking, playing sports, walking around going bird watching, or just enjoying nature. I am also super into video games, really into Pokemon and Minecraft right now, but if you name it, I’ve probably played it. I also enjoy being creative by crafting, making silly videos with my friends, or singing alone to Adele in my car driving down the highway lol. My journey with Alopecia started as Alopecia Areata in middle school, which then went away during high school and part of college, then I was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis after graduating school. I like to think that I am confident in myself and who I am and I hope to give this confidence to someone else in need of figuring out who they are and what they can be after losing their hair! I definitely still have bad days just like anyone else so I know exactly what you or your child is going through. Really excited to have just a fantastic time getting to know you and helping guide you through such a different path in life! I’m down to answer any and all questions that may arise. I am an open book!"

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Gregoire, and I am from Buffalo, NY. I went to Michigan State University to study Neuroscience and am currently a medical student at the University at Buffalo! I love dogs, running, skiing, Taylor Swift, and football (Go Bills!).   I was diagnosed with patchy alopecia areata when I was 19 years old. My hair has grown back since then, but this experience truly left a great impact on me. I understand how having alopecia can be confusing, frustrating, and emotional all at the same time, and I would love to support others going through this experience in any way I can. I’m very excited to get to know you and support each other on this journey!  

Hello, my name is Hiatt Holman! I am 22 years old, and a senior at the University of Iowa. I was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, and have lived there throughout my life. I was diagnosed with Alopecia at the age of six and have been rocking the bald head ever since! Throughout my life, I have tried to be open-minded and interested in everything. I love to play sports and music (I am a very sub-par guitar player), I really enjoy video games, I watch a ton of shows and movies in my free-time, I love to talk about fashion and shoes, and I am a geek about astronomy. Nevertheless, I would be more than happy to discuss anything or participate in any activity. I love to learn and try new things every day! I am so excited to meet my mentee and their family soon, and build a strong, loving connection together!

Hi! My name is Kim Tan, and I'm from Austin, Texas. I enjoy playing the piano, crocheting, and playing with my dog, Diesel. I was diagnosed with Alopecia in September 2020 when I began to notice multiple spots around my whole head. It progressed from Alopecia Areata to Totalis, and then to Universalis, all within a few months. During this time, I went through many ups and downs, but with the support of my family and friends, I grew to embrace it. I went on to graduate from the University of British Columbia with a BSc in Neuroscience, and I currently work as a medical assistant at a dermatology clinic while I work toward medical school. Since my diagnosis, my hair has grown back, and I now grow it out to donate. I have donated once already and am about to do so again! I created an Instagram account (@Baldacious._) to raise awareness for Alopecia and inform the community about all things Alopecia, and I currently serve as a board member for the Canadian Alopecia Areata Foundation (CANAAF).

Hi, I’m Matt McCurry, a marketing professional from Fairfax, VA. I have at Alopecia universalis for 10 years now. When I first found out that I had it, I was a freshman in high school. It started as a patch on the back of my head, then it progressed to several patches throughout the summer. I had done steroid injections on my patches. I stopped because the rate of my hair loss was too fast, and it was painful. I decided to completely shave it around November of 2016. I was afraid that I would not be remembered by people I had not seen in a long time. The other struggles that I experienced were when people would not allow me to wear head coverings or hats. For example, multiple times I have had referees and umpires tell me I cannot play with my buffs when I played baseball and basketball. I argued with their decision because it was not just for looks but also for my safety and of those around me. For me, the buff kept sweat out of my eyes, which was necessary to avoid injury while being active. In high school, I played for my school’s baseball team all four years and I competed in business competitions for my school’s DECA chapter. Since graduating college from James Madison University, in 2023, I have gone on in a career in marketing in Reston, VA. I hope to be an advocate for kids and young adults going through similar situations and to give them helpful advice and support.

Hey, I’m Alex. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was 5 years old which quickly developed into alopecia totalis by the time I was 6. It didn't bother me and my parents assumed a wig would only slow me down so I rocked the bald look for first grade. Surprisingly though, all my hair grew back by second grade and I didn't have any problems with it until middle school. After many expensive and painful treatments, I decided to quit the medications and just let nature take its course. I shaved the last few tufts of hair off my head the day after Christmas of seventh grade. I also received my first wig that Christmas. I was so scared that my classmates would realize I was wearing a wig that I lied and told everyone I got a haircut during Christmas break. Over time my confidence grew and I knew I wanted to be open about my alopecia. The summer before eighth grade I ‘came out’ about my baldness over social media and was met with love and acceptance. Throughout the eighth grade, I experimented with different wigs each day and just had fun. My confidence only grew in highschool when sometimes I wouldn't even wear a wig and I still felt like I was rocking it. I had the opportunity to graduate when I was 16 and took that confidence with me to college. I understand how unpredictable alopecia is and what it is like to be bald as a kid and teenager. I can help both parents and kids navigate the world of alopecia and hopefully make that journey a little less daunting and a lot more fun.

Hi my name is Hadlee Russell! I am from Buda Texas which is just south of Austin. I have had alopecia since I was 2 years old, so I have had it my entire life. I have been bald two times in my life; once when I was initially diagnosed and then again when I was 5. I also lost most of my hair my freshman year of high school. Throughout my journey with alopecia, I have learned that beauty is so much more than how you look, it’s about how you are as a person! My interests include playing the Nintendo Switch, Yoga, Fitness, being with friends, reading, & country music. I am excited to help younger kids in their journey with alopecia and teach them about all of the lessons I’ve learned! 

Hi, I’m Maya! I am from Los Gatos, California but am currently a student at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo pursuing my studies in Graphic Communications. My alopecia journey began at the age of 17. I rapidly lost 85% of my hair and had to shift my focus from social events and school work, to how I was going to cover my balding head. It was traumatic to face events like prom and graduation with the insecurity of not having hair. I wore hats or headbands everyday to cover my bald patches until they got too large to be concealed. I then moved to a hair piece. My hair piece became a security blanket for me as I entered college. I hated every stage I had to go through, but over time I always found a way to accept what was happening to me. Throughout my hair loss, I went to countless doctors and eventually found a clinical trial that prescribed me the drug Xeljanz. It helped stop my hair from falling out and promoted regrowth. I decided to stop the medicine and I noticed my hair beginning to grow back. I recently stopped wearing my hair piece and cut my hair short. I am proud to rock my short hair that is 100% my own! This past year has been a roller coaster of emotions and learning, but my alopecia journey has taught me how to be strong and confident. I now try to focus less on the disease and more on doing what I love: hanging out with family and friends, hiking, going to the beach and enjoying my freshman year. I look forward to helping others who are also on this emotional roller coaster!

Hi there! My name is Rachel, and I am so excited to meet you! I am a college student at Rice University in Houston, Texas, studying psychology. In my free time, I love playing soccer, teaching myself to play guitar, and taking lots and lots of pictures. My journey with Alopecia began when I was around 13 years old, starting with just a few patches. I eventually lost all of my hair at the start of high school and went through many phases of wearing wigs and rocking my bald spots. Learning to accept who I am with and without hair has been a challenging and incredibly rewarding journey, and I am so excited to share that experience with my mentee!