Find A Youth Mentor

Hi! My name is Elisabeth, and I'm a college freshman. I'm currently at College of Marin but will be attending the University of San Francisco in the fall of 2023. I've grown up in Marin County all my life and have fallen in love with San Francisco and all it has to offer. That said, I'm the BIGGEST Giants and Golden State Warriors fan. I play volleyball, love music of all kinds, and am the biggest Studio Ghibli & Disney/Pixar enthusiast. I started to lose my hair when I was 13 (May 2017). I began to see doctors in my area, and about a month later, I was diagnosed with alopecia areata. It started out as small patches, and by the end of the month, my hair was all gone. It was really hard, especially as a middle schooler, having to go around with hats or wraps covering my head and being unable to explain what was happening to my peers. Being scared of wigs did not help my situation at all. My hair slowly grew back, and to this day, I've had random, patchy flare-ups every month or so from 8th grade to my senior year in high school. It started to fall out again in April of my senior year, which took a massive toll on my mental health, more so than it did in middle school and all of my hair fell out again.  Luckily, I had (and continue to have) such a fantastic support group in my family and friends. I want to give those in this mentor program the comfort and reassurance I needed when I first discovered I had alopecia. It's hard, and at first, you'll feel alone in this new world, but I want to be able to give the kids, and their parents, the support that I really needed at the beginning of all the craziness and to know that you're never alone!

Hi! My name is Michael, and I am from Southern New Jersey. I now live in New York City where I work as a Costume Designer at The Juilliard School. I was diagnosed with Alopecia when I was two but first started losing hair when I was nine years old. I wore wigs during this time – however, I stopped wearing wigs when my hair came back. I grew back my eyebrows, eyelashes, and a thick head of hair. Then when I was 15 all my hair fell out again. I am now 22 and have a thin amount of hair on my head and receive eyebrow injections several times a year. Despite that, I have been heavily involved in the theatre community since I was 10 years old, performing and eventually designing for the stage. Growing up performing in front of others young and bald can be difficult and scary. I hope to share my experience, whilst also listening, learning, and growing with my mentee(s). In my free time I love drawing, going to museums, and watching movies. I am greatly looking forward to developing meaningful relationships! 

Hi, my name is Jamil Wilkerson. I am originally from Indiana, but as a military brat also lived in Texas and Hawaii. I am currently a student at the University of Southern California studying sociology with hopes of attending law school after. Looking back, as a young kid I developed alopecia and never imagined still having it. Through it all, I have become a more sensitive and compassionate person. This is my first encounter with NAAF and I am thrilled for it!

Hi, I’m Caroline! I am currently in graduate school in Amherst, Massachusetts. I study geology and am getting my masters studying tsunami risk in Japan. Before this, I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and went to undergraduate at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. In terms of hobbies, I love to hike, rock climb, run, watch movies, cook new recipes, and learn new things. I was diagnosed with alopecia universalis about 4 years ago while at Lafayette, when I turned 20. It all happened pretty quickly for me: my hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes all went within a few months. I do own a wig, but don’t wear it very frequently. Even though my experience with alopecia was very recent, I know that without it I would be a very different person today. I have really become able to embrace and love who I am, no matter what that entails. Because of how alopecia has changed me, I feel inspired to talk to others about their experiences and especially work with children and younger people that are going through this. Alopecia is challenging for everyone, but with some help you can come out stronger and more confident on the other side.

I am a Arizona native living in Phoenix Arizona. I have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and have been working all over the country in the Solar industry the past 4 years and now work as an Engineer in Scottsdale. I grew up in Prescott Arizona and was one of two boys. My older brother has had Alopecia Universalis since he was 4 years old and in 2018 I lost all my hair as well. I am fortunate to have a brother who can relate to the situation I am in and it has helped me to keep a positive attitude and prioritize the important things in life. Watching my brother grow through his formative years, not looking like his peers, I can see how it helped him to become the resilient, successful, empathetic, kind man he is today. He has helped me to be confident in my new look and have the realization that I can be confident in who I am, with or without hair. My brother's impact on me over the last year is one of my main motivations for connecting with a mentee, as I can see how it can feel isolating and lonely going through this without someone who has shared the experience. Things I do for fun… playing sports (played football/basketball/baseball through high school), trying new/foreign foods, traveling when I can, watching movies/netflix, camping/exploring outdoors, mountain bike riding, listening to music, finding new/cool/fun things to do in town. I appreciate you taking the time to read my bio and look forward to meeting you.

Hi my name is Calvin! I am a UC Davis graduate and in my spare time I like to create new acquaintances and participate in sports such as tennis and basketball. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata during my Junior year of high school. Through a series of flares, I learned to better overcome negative intrapersonal thoughts and be comfortable living with alopecia. Alopecia has allowed me to become truly understanding of the differences in people’s perception and approach others with integrity. As a mentor, I want to empower you in developing a healthy mindset and guide others to feel comfortable with one’s self. I look forward to learning about your experiences and supporting in the best way I can!

Hi! My name is Amber and I live in Clinton, Maryland. I’m a Psychology major and a soon to be graduate of my local community college. I will then transfer to either American University or University of Maryland Baltimore County. I’ve had alopecia ever since I was 3 years old. Being bald is all I’ve ever known! My alopecia journey has been an emotional experience, but it has ultimately made me who I am! I never had much of a support system growing up, and I’m the only individual in my family with alopecia, so I truly do want to make a difference in the lives of alopecian youth! I love to help people; it’s my calling in life! Bald IS beautiful!

Hey there! My name is Danielle, I'm 19 years old and I've had alopecia areata since I was 2 1/2 years old. When I was younger, I struggled with bullying and fitting in. I felt like no one understood me because no one else around me had alopecia. Despite being so young, I was in a very dark and unhappy place. It took years for me to accept my alopecia and learn to love myself. Attending the NAAF conferences as a camper/camp counselor and being involved with the alopecia community truly helped me accept my alopecia. I'm happy with myself now and don't let alopecia bring me down. If anything, I let it empower me. I’m currently a sophomore in college. My major is Music Education and I'm studying to be a music teacher. Besides music being one of my passions, I really love to travel/explore. I love going on hikes, going to different restaurants, and seeing new sights. I'm also a fan of arts and crafts. I love self-expression and creating new things! Looking forward to meeting you soon and helping in any way I can!

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and I have been attending the NAAF conferences since I was 4. I just concluded my sophomore year at New York University as an Education Studies major and am fortunate enough to be spending a semester studying in Washington D.C. for the fall semester. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis at 8 months old and have never let it keep me from pursuing my dreams. Nothing can prepare you for losing all of your hair, especially when society and the media make it seem like a necessary part of being beautiful. It’s easy to compare ourselves against the models in magazines and to see being bald as imperfect. However, with the right support system and great resources it’s also totally possible to push the negative thoughts aside and to instead focus on the power and beauty we each have thanks to Alopecia. In my opinion, being born with a unique condition made me more understanding of other forms of differences. It taught me to be kind, open, and most importantly to practice empathy. Being different is definitely not an easy challenge, especially when your difference is most likely the first thing people see—but there is an amazing world out there ready to embrace you for who you are. I’ve made it my goal to show people how proud they should be about who they are, in whatever shape or form they come. It might be an uphill battle filled with several obstacles, but discovering your strength and confidence through your unique beauty is possible.

Hi! My name is Sarah and I grew up in Holmdel, New Jersey. I studied exercise science at the University of Connecticut, and I graduated with my doctorate in physical therapy from George Washington University in Washington, DC. I am now a physical therapist in northern New Jersey. Just after turning 6 years old, all of my hair fell out within a month. I had a wig, but choose to go without it almost all of the time. As I got older, I realized that being different was difficult at times, but wasn't always a bad thing. I currently go without a wig everyday. I have been involved with NAAF since age 6, and I treasure the unparalleled friends and support system I have gained through this organization. I wish that I could tell my younger self that things would work out as planned, regardless of Alopecia. I am up to talk about school, dating, having fun, professional life, and anything else you want to chat about. I am looking forward to talking you, and hopefully giving some insight into what the future may look like.