Find A Youth Mentor

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!

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.

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!

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.