Find A Youth Mentor

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.

Hey! I’m Carolyn Kinney and I live in Belgrade, Maine! I’m 18 and a senior in high school. I'm an upbeat and energetic person who loves sports, public speaking, Disney, board games, musical theater, Wonder Woman, and politics! I’ve had Alopecia since I was six years old. It originally began as Alopecia Areata – my parents thought my older sister shaved my head as the original patch identically matched the size of her leg razor – and is now Totalis!  Growing up as a gymnast with Alopecia was sometimes difficult. My team would have hair parties before big meets, and, because of my patchy hair, I was unable to participate. However, my coaches soon realized and brought in a henna specialist so I could be included in my own way. I still love walking into special events with brilliant henna designs on my head! There’s always positivity and light in a situation if you are willing to look deep enough to find it. Alopecia can most definitely bring hard times and sadness; I remember the failed treatments, stares/comments of people in public, and my wig falling off in front of my sixth-grade class. But, I also remember the strength that developed each time something happened, driving me to look in the mirror and say, “This is me; this is who I am. Nobody’s opinion matters but mine.” Had my wig stayed on, I wouldn’t have had the push to take back control and embrace my individuality. During my freshman year, I shaved my remaining patches, and felt absolutely liberated! I took my hair before Alopecia could. I’m very grateful for my supportive family who continually encouraged me to always move forward. It’s the outlook on adversity that determines its impact. From my experiences, I’ve gained confidence, inner strength, and learned the value of laughing. I cannot wait to walk alongside others as they discover themselves as an Alopecian!

Hi everyone! I’m Hilary and I live in the Piedmont of North Carolina. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Totalis at age 20. I've tried a bevy of treatments including drastic diet changes, multiple traditional medicines, and even Chinese techniques- none of which had an impact. Following my diagnosis, I found a great deal of comfort in the alopecia community, who have ultimately become my best resource for reassurance and self-acceptance. Connections through the group helped guide me as I made the decision to get my eyebrows micro-bladed and to shave off my remaining hair. After discovering the alopecia community, I have chosen not to wear wigs daily but still own a few to occasionally wear for fun. As time passed, the moments of self doubt became more and more fleeting, and now I feel that I have more confidence than I did with hair. Working in public-facing jobs has made me comfortable and confident in my ability to field questions from curious people of all ages. I've experienced my fair share of hard times and awkward moments, but have built a strong network of people that remind me who I am and how much stronger we are together. I love being outside with my dog and taking an active role in environmental conservation. I also enjoy exploring art and creativity through henna, painting, and reading poetry.

Hi! My name is Ra’Neta Oliver and I am from Prince George’s County, Maryland. I am currently a 5th grade English Language Arts Teacher. I was diagnosed with alopcia areata monolocularis at the age of 18-years-old! As a teenager, dealing with alopecia was a major challenge, especially since a woman’s hair is considered her GLORY in African American cultures! Shortly after my diagnosis I began wearing a partial weave which involved perming my natural hair, braiding the very thin portion where my alopecia began, and then sewing in a few track pieces. This styling process didn’t come with 100 percent security. I still had to make sure my noticeable bald spots were covered, which proved to work in doors, but the wind always had other plans for my hair. It wasn’t until 2016 that I found my signature style of a short pixie cut with a 27 piece wig! I love my wigs and my wigs love me! I sometimes wear a nice cute head wrap every now and then too to give my head a breather. My confidence level over the past 10 years has been rather low and was cushioned with much insecurity. Fortunately, those insecurities are being replaced with a relationship with GOD, a positive lifestyle, and an amazing support group of friends and family! I am happy to say that I am embracing my condition and loving myself everyday more and more despite my baldness. I look forward to helping those who share an alopecia journey. I want to share my story, share my baldness, and share my SELF LOVE journey with the world!

Howdy from Texas! My name is Alexia Flores, but I go by Lexie. I am currently 16 years old. I was born in Pasadena, Tx but raised in Rosharon Tx right outside of Houston. I am a high school student I will be a junior in the upcoming school year. I am very involved, in school as well as the community. I am a three time varsity cheerleader, in addition 2 time student council officer in which I currently hold the Parliamentarian position.I first lost quarter size patches of hair when I was two but eventually fell out when I was four. Since then I have been bald and beautiful! I enjoy the outdoors, I like fishing, hunting, riding ATV and lets not forget water therapy (boating/tubing). I can’t say it’s been easy to grow up with Alopecia, but I have been blessed to be surrounded by great family and friends that have supported any challenges I have encountered. Due to my hair loss at a very young age I never wore a wig; I however did wear headbands with bows on them. I had bows galore! As I got older I ditched the headbands and said hello make up!! I am very social and not timid to educate anyone on Alopecia. I currently volunteer at a children’s hospital and have enjoyed talking to other with different walks of life. I enjoy sharing my story as well as learning others life experiences. I look forward to hearing from ya’ll (Texas slang lol)!

Hi, my name is Jordyn! I lived in a suburb of Chicago for most of my life. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata when I was two and have experienced spotty hair loss ever since. My hair loss usually works in 2 year cycles where I lose large spots of hair along my hairline for a year and a half, then it grows back for six months. I’ve recently experienced a larger bout of hair loss in the last year, so my collection of cool headbands and hats has expanded. I would’ve loved having someone around who I could talk to when I was younger, so I’m really excited to be that listening ear for someone with my similar experience. I love sports (especially track and soccer) and I’m involved in student council at my high school. In the Fall, I’ll be attending Washington University in St. Louis to study business and Spanish and run track. You can usually find me (poorly) singing in my car or hanging out with friends. I love making friends and talking to people, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can’t wait to meet you!

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.

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!