Find A Youth Mentor

My name is Traci and I was born and raised in sunny California! I currently live in Los Angeles, after 5 years of living in New York, and am a journalist and writer. I started losing my hair when I was 7 years old and was diagnosed with alopecia shortly after. Growing up with alopecia was challenging because it was such a new experience for my parents and for me to navigate those conversations with my peers (as well as trying to figure out the world of wigs!), but I think it's made me a stronger person too. I've been lucky to have supportive friends and I've learned to talk about alopecia without feeling self-conscious and scared about judgement – but I also know how challenging that process is, and it's not always easy, but I know with the right support system, we can all make the world a kinder and more accepting place!

Hello! My name is Christine and I am originally from Stillwater, Minnesota and currently I am living out in Salt Lake City, UT. I attended the University of Minnesota where I studied Economics with an emphasis on Mathematics. Fresh out of college I began working for General Mills (go Cheerios!) and since then I have been relocated from MN to Utah where I absolutely love what I do. On a more somber note, I was diagnosed with alopecia areata the summer before I headed off to college (18 years old). At the time I was absolutely devastated, but as I got more comfortable with my diagnosis it became very clear to me that those who love you do not care about what you look like and that inner beauty is what truly matters. This is something that still holds true for me and has impacted my life in numerous ways. Although this disease is burdensome there always is a silver lining and hope! When I was first diagnosed, I chose to keep my alopecia a secret by covering up spots in sneaky and creative ways as well as utilizing hair extensions. I didn’t have anyone to talk to or to discuss my feelings with, looking back that was my biggest mistake. Wanting to help others with this disease and give them the outlet I so wish I had when I received the news is why I chose to reach out to NAAF and become involved in this program. I am who I am today because of this disease and it seems crazy to say but I would do it all again, it has given me strength and confidence and has instilled in me a spirit of endurance and acceptance that has led me to become the successful business woman I am today!

Hi, my name is Katy! I am from a town outside of Detroit, MI, but I am currently a student at Michigan State University studying human biology and bioethics. I aspire to go to medical school and work in pediatrics. Outside of that, I love singing, movies, reading, all things science, hiking, and spending time with my friends and family. My alopecia journey began when I was 13 years old. My first spot was on the back of my head and easily concealed… for a while. However, shortly after I had lost 75% of my hair. It grew back, only to fall out again a year later. Again, it grew back, until it fell out for a final time. With each period of growth, I was filled with hope that this time it would stay for good. The emotional toll of losing your hair is intense; mentally I struggled. During this time, I wore hats, headbands, and a hairpiece to add in some volume, but this was difficult as I very clearly stood out as “different” in the uniformed masses at my school. I also tried many different treatments, from steroid injections to topical shampoos to Anthralin. However, when my hair fell out that final time, I decided to stop treatments and instead went wig shopping for my new hair! It was daunting, and I was worried that buying new hair was “giving up”, but really it was taking back control and embracing my diagnosis instead of hiding from it. Now, I wear a wig or just go bald (though getting comfortable enough to do that took some time!). I love my alopecia. I love discussing it and educating new people on what it is. Now it is just another piece of me, like how my eyes are brown or I love to sing. However, I still remember those dark moments when hair loss was all-encompassing, and I hope to be able to provide support and a listening ear that gets it to those newly diagnosed, or those just struggling with where they are in their alopecia journey.

Hi, I’m Bill! I’m from outside Philadelphia and currently live in Los Angeles. I first noticed small patches of hair loss when I was 12 and have bounced between alopecia areata and alopecia universalis since. Over the years, I tried a number of treatment alternatives, including topical medicine and steroid injections, with little success. I turned to hairpieces and wigs for a few years, and while I think there are plenty of great benefits to these, I eventually found them to be inconvenient for me. I decided to get scalp micro pigmentation work done, and I love the results! While my journey with alopecia has had its ups and downs, I feel comfortable with and confident about my alopecia today. While the road to find acceptance wasn’t always the easiest, I truly believe that I’m a stronger and more resilient individual for it. In terms of more background on me, I graduated from Penn State with a degree in finance and spent a few years working in New York after graduation before moving to Los Angeles for a new job opportunity. In my free time, I enjoy being active and am an avid sports fan (I’m a die-hard fan of all Philadelphia sports teams). Soccer is my favorite sport and I still play and watch today! I also love music, particularly rock. I attend concerts regularly in Los Angeles and have also played guitar since I was 12. I am excited to be part of the mentorship program and have the opportunity to share my alopecia journey and to support you on your journey. I’m looking forward to meeting you!

Hey! I am Radhika Kulkarni. I am 24 years old and I’m from India. I just finished my medical education there and I am planning on coming to the US for Residency Training in Internal Medicine. I have lived in India all my life, and I was diagnosed with alopecia universalis early in childhood. Back then, especially in a country like India, no one had ever heard of it, even the countless doctors to whom we went were perplexed and tried all sorts of alchemy, none of which were successful. I had always been a bold and outgoing child, and my parents were probably the most important reason for this; for they taught me to be strong, fearless and relentless in the face of any challenge. We have been remotely associated with NAAF since 2004- my mother became a support group contact through NAAF for Indians with alopecia. Now I am trying to create a support group for people back home. We all have people at different times and in different aspects of our lives to whom we look up to for guidance and support. Through this youth mentorship program we hope to enable this during the vulnerable periods of children’s lives. I believe that your time is now, this moment is yours, believe it, seize it and purely enjoy it. I want you all to know that no matter what, everything will always be okay, if not great, and the power to ensure that lies within YOU, and I hope to help you realize that!

Hi!! My name is Samantha Myers, I’m 20 years old. I was diagnosed with alopecia when I was in 7th grade. When I got to college in the fall of 2017, my hair rapidly began falling out leaving only about 15% of my natural hair left. My biggest fear use to be people finding out about my disease so I did any and everything to hide it. About 8 months ago I finally told someone for the first time. Instead of a look of terror and shock, they gave me a look of warmth and asked me to talk about it more. Since then, I have found the more I talk about my situation the more I am able to cope with it and make light of it. I spent 6 years in fear of people knowing, only to find when I was able to be the most myself, people loved every piece about me and I was able to love every piece of me. I want to help people realize the strengths in their differences much sooner than I did! Thanks to my alopecia, I have taken a great interest in the medical field and am currently studying to be a Physician Assistant at the University of Missouri. In addition to my studies, I am on the executive board of my sorority, work at the hospital on campus as a nurse technician, and play club volleyball at the university. I’m so excited and really looking forward to getting to meet you as soon as possible and help in anyway I can!!!

Hi everyone! I’m Laura and I’m from Park Ridge, IL which is right outside of Chicago. I currently go to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am pre-PA majoring in Biology and Global Health. I discovered I had Alopecia when I was 8 years old while I was getting ready for school one morning. A few months later, after trying several different treatments, I was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis and have had no hair growth ever since. Following the year of my diagnosis I went to my first NAAF conference and went for four more years after that. My journey with Alopecia has definitely not been easy as looking so different from my friends and classmates was extremely hard for me. It really took me a long time to accept myself with Alopecia and accept that this might not ever get better. Keeping busy and doing things that I loved all while leaning on my amazing friends and family was what kept me going. I played volleyball all throughout middle school and high school and was editor of my high school newspaper. Now, in college I’m meeting new people all the time and have found it so much easier to be open about my Alopecia and my journey with it as this wasn’t the case while I was growing up. I love hanging out with my friends, going to football games (Go Badgers), and taking advantage of every opportunity I find. Having Alopecia has completely changed my perspective on life and I would love to share my experiences and give any advice I have to my mentee(s)!

Hello, I’m Bella! I’m 19 years old and I’m from Southern California. I attend college in Northern California, specifically as a second-year student at the University of California, Davis. Back home in sunny SoCal, I live with my parents, my twin brother and my poodle-pup named Annabelle. Whenever I can, I love to hike, practice yoga, go to the beach, and attend art galleries and museums. One of my main goals in life is to travel for as long as I’m able to, not necessarily attempt to visit every country, but to connect culturally and make meaningful visits to new places in a deliberate manner. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata during the summer of 2017 after being diagnosed with other health problems, which seemed to cause my AA. Even though my condition isn’t severe nor is it genetic, the emotional trauma of going through this physical disease was tremendously tough. Being a mentor, I want to be able to connect with other battlers of alopecia areata and create potential discussion for a fellow victim in need of a safe space and someone to confide in. I’m very excited to start this program under NAFF and I hope to find another mentee I can learn from and experience a new friendship with. There’s so much to appreciate and to give back in our world, and having hair or not isn’t a criteria of true beauty. What’s beautiful is the struggle in hardships and overcoming obstacles that you wouldn’t think was possible. Having this condition is difficult, rare, and physically arduous, but acceptance and radiating love back out into our environment and to others is the ultimate cure.

My name is Kevin Bernstein, and I’m originally from Seattle, WA (I now live in San Francisco). I was diagnosed with Alopecia when I was 8 years-old shortly after having an Emergency Hernia surgery. Shortly thereafter, from fourth to twelfth grade, I struggled to accept the fact that I looked different then my peers, and went forward with wearing a hat every single day when I stepped in public. I even quit basketball in sixth grade because I was told that I couldn’t wear a hat anymore when I played! By my senior year of high school, I realized that Alopecia was controlling me, and that I was not controlling it. I had attempted several different forms of treatment (several prescribed pills, topical steroids, injections, Chinese Medicine, etc.) but none were working very well. Ultimately, I slowly began to accept the way I looked, which dramatically increased my happiness and well-being. After high school, I attended, and graduated, from the University of Southern California (Fight On). I enjoyed my time in college, and never realized until recently that many of my friends didn’t even know what I looked like with hair! After graduation, I moved to San Francisco where I now work at Visa as part of a two-year leadership/cross-discipline business rotational program. Things I do for fun... playing/watching sports (played tennis and lacrosse most of my life), reading about technology, trying new/foreign foods, traveling whenever I can, big Seattle Seahawks fan, mentoring/helping those who may be less fortunate than me, watching all types of movies, hikes/exercise/walking. I hope, and look forward to developing a relationship with a mentee(s)!

Hi my name is Rachael! I’m originally from Boston but am currently in North Carolina for my masters in public health at UNC. I was first diagnosed with alopecia when I was in ninth grade. During that time, I lost about a third of my hair. Since then, I’ve experienced seasons of regrowth and loss as I went from high school to college and now grad school. As a current public health student, I hope to be an advocate to bring more awareness to alopecia in our current healthcare system. It’s been quite the rollercoaster of a journey, but I’m excited to share my experiences with others in this community and learn from them too! In my free time, I enjoy baking, crafting, learning new languages and playing the guitar!