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Meet the I AM ALS team

Aditi Narayan Minkoff (She/Her)

Vice President of Community Support

Aditi Narayan Minkoff (She/Her)

Vice President of Community Support

As Vice President of Community Support at I AM ALS, Aditi develops and evolves person-centered programs and tools that help people living with ALS, caregivers, and their loved ones to feel supported and empowered while coping with ALS. Aditi focuses on addressing unmet needs, and building strong partnerships to streamline the community care experience for people impacted by ALS. Prior to joining I AM ALS, Aditi served as the Director of Programs & Strategy at Livestrong, where she managed a suite of national supportive care programs benefiting cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Aditi earned a Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in Communication from George Mason University.

Posts by Aditi Narayan Minkoff (She/Her)

Allie Sebesta (She/Her)

ALS Support Specialist

Allie Sebesta (She/Her)

ALS Support Specialist

As an ALS support specialist at I AM ALS, Allie provides invaluable resources to people impacted by ALS. Allie is passionate about helping people navigate chronic and serious health conditions and building a community of support for people affected by ALS. Allie earned her B.A. in Social work from The University of Southern Mississippi and her Masters in Science in Social Work from The University of Texas. Prior to joining I AM ALS, Allie spent a decade as a patient navigator with The American Cancer Society. Previously, she worked as a program coordinator for The Department of the State of Texas Health Service’s Crisis Counseling Program and also as a case manager with Texas Interfaith Disaster Response.

Andrea Goodman (She/Her)

CEO

Andrea Goodman (She/Her)

CEO

Andrea Goodman is an experienced public health leader with a passion for equity, healthcare efficiency, and patient voice. In her role as CEO, she leads the I AM ALS community and helms the strategy for the organization’s future from start-up to sustaining movement. Andrea previously served as the Senior Vice President of Patient Support & Research Strategy at the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, VP of Engagement at Genetic Alliance, and Maternal and Child Health Director for the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, where she led consumer content and partners for the award-winning Text4baby service.

Andrea works from a lens and passion for patient power and health equity and has contributed to multiple domestic public health campaigns throughout her career across a variety of content areas, all aimed at changing behavior and saving lives. She holds a Master of Public Health from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University.

Angel Reynolds, MBA, CB, CNP (She/Her)

Finance & Administration Officer

Angel Reynolds, MBA, CB, CNP (She/Her)

Finance & Administration Officer

Bringing financial stability and effective business management is the goal with whomever Angel works with. She has been providing these services to nonprofits, government contractors and private firms for 20 years. She brings to the team an MBA in business, with a focus in Accounting and an undergraduate degree in Finance. Angel is a Certified Bookkeeper (CB) through the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers and a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. She brings extensive background, knowledge and experience working with nonprofits nationwide. “My goal is to keep the foundation of business and accounting solid, so others can expand their vision and awesome social impact. Teamwork makes the dream work!”

Deb Paust (She/Her)

Community Organizing Associate

Deb Paust (She/Her)

Community Organizing Associate

As a Community Organizing Associate, Deb provides valuable support and empowerment to the I AM ALS community teams as they develop impactful advocacy initiatives. Deb is passionate about connecting with people affected by ALS on a personal level to educate, engage and assist in achieving advocacy goals.

Prior to joining I AM ALS, Deb worked in Physical Therapy for more than 30 years before taking leave to be a full time caregiver to her husband Tim who had ALS. Deb has been an ALS advocate for more than 10 years, including serving as co-chair of the I AM ALS Legislative Affairs Team. Deb earned her Associates in Applied Science at Oakton Community College.

Emily Johnson (She/Her)

Communications and Operations Associate

Emily Johnson (She/Her)

Communications and Operations Associate

As Communications and Operations Associate at I AM ALS, Emily supports the team across various efforts to build and mobilize a digital community of ALS advocates and ensure the sustainability of the growing organization throughout its day-to-day operations. Before making the jump to the nonprofit world with I AM ALS, Emily worked in publishing as a publicist, where she generated buzz about books and authors and helped them shine. Before that, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English and Linguistics from the University of Maryland.

Holly Curtis (She/Her)

Community Organizing Associate

Holly Curtis (She/Her)

Community Organizing Associate

As a Community Organizing Associate, Holly provides support to I AM ALS’s advocates as they design and implement various advocacy strategies. Holly is passionate about building communities where everyone feels looked out for and cared about. She is also passionate about emotional health and intelligence and bringing these aspects into community organizing. Holly received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from George Mason University and previously worked as a counselor at an eating disorder treatment facility.

Hope Feuling (She/Her)

ALS Support Specialist

Hope Feuling (She/Her)

ALS Support Specialist

As an ALS support specialist at I AM ALS, Hope provides support to people impacted by ALS. Hope is passionate about providing person-centered support, assisting with resource finding and engaging in patient advocacy efforts. Hope obtained a BA in Social Work with a minor in Psychology from the University of North Texas. She took a special interest in working within community navigation after personal experiences traversing the healthcare system as a patient and family advocate. Hope previously worked at the Gladney Center for Adoption as a residential care coordinator in the foster care group-home.

Michael Lecker, Ph.D. (He/Him)

Vice President of Organizing

Michael Lecker, Ph.D. (He/Him)

Vice President of Organizing

As Vice President of Organizing at I AM ALS, Michael helps develop and implement I AM ALS’ community organizing and advocacy strategies that engage, educate, empower, and provide tools to people living with ALS and their loved ones. His goals are to grow and fuel the movement that will end ALS. Prior to I AM ALS, Michael was the Director of LGBTQ Health and Inclusiveness at Trillium Health in Rochester, NY. At Trillium Health, he developed, implemented, and managed programs that educated, empowered and recruited marginalized populations into primary and sexual health care programs.

Michael has a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from George Mason University and has taught courses on HIV, gender, sexuality, race, media and community at Rutgers University, George Mason University, Hampden-Sydney College, and Bowling Green State University.

Patrick Nicholas, LMSW (He/Him)

ALS Support Lead

Patrick Nicholas, LMSW (He/Him)

ALS Support Lead

Patrick Nicholas is an experienced social worker, community organizer, and patient advocate with a passion for health and social equity. In his role as ALS Support Lead, Patrick provides individual and group support for all who are impacted by ALS while implementing program leadership and development within community support services. Prior to I AM ALS, Patrick served as a Case Management Supervisor at Heights and Hills, where he oversaw the facilitation of case management services while working to ensure older adults in Brooklyn, New York, received the necessary support to continue to thrive in their communities. Patrick also served as a Counselor at Women in Need (WIN), where he provided trauma informed counseling and aided families in their transition from shelter into communities. Patrick has a BA in Social Inquiry from The New School and a MSW from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service.

Shawna Prince (She/Her)

Director of Communications and Marketing

Shawna Prince (She/Her)

Director of Communications and Marketing

As Director of Communications and Marketing at I AM ALS, Shawna leads the charge for I AM ALS’ marketing campaigns and communication strategy to ensure a consistent and powerful message to engage ALS advocates and the ALS community. Shawna believes listening to those living with ALS, caring for a member of the community, or advocating for someone diagnosed with the disease is the cornerstone of a successful marketing campaign. She understands that by engaging with the ALS community, understanding their needs, and delivering relevant and compelling messages, I AM ALS can create genuine connections and drive results toward viable treatments and a cure. Prior to joining I AM ALS, Shawna served as manager of media relations and editorial content for Catholic Charities of Baltimore, where she found her passion in mission-driven work. She is also an Emmy award-winning journalist with experience writing and producing at ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC stations across the country, as well as The Oprah Winfrey Show. Shawna also served as a professor at Morgan State University, where she created content and rebranded and relaunched the campus-wide television station.

Sonya Sotak Elling (She/Her)

Chief Government Affairs Officer

Sonya Sotak Elling (She/Her)

Chief Government Affairs Officer

As the Chief Government Affairs officer at I AM ALS, Sonya is responsible for leading the Federal legislative and advocacy strategies designed to impact the community priorities and amplify all the amazing and passionate work being done by the ALS community.

Sonya began her career in public affairs on Capitol Hill, where she spent over a decade in the United States Senate.  After leaving the U.S. Senate, she spent almost twenty years in the biopharmaceutical industry, including seventeen years with Eli Lilly and Company, where she was a Senior Director of Government Affairs. Most recently, Sonya held a senior role in government affairs at bluebird bio, a small but innovative biotech company.

Sonya obtained a BA in English and Japanese from the University of Arizona.

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