Mr. Graupera is the Immediate Past President of the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), a position he has held since the founding of the organization in 1973. Now he is working as CEO of SACA. He has worked in the field of community development including areas of human services, housing, neighborhood revitalization telecommunications, economic development and charter school initiatives. He was the past chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. Under Graupera’s leadership, SACA has expanded to include La Academia Charter School, WLCH-FM 91.3 radio station and SACA Development Corporation. His civic involvement includes treasurer, Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations; board of directors, La Academia Partnership Charter School; president and board of directors, South Central Pennsylvania Sickle Cell Council; and board member for SACA Development Corporation, Tabor Community Services, Inc., Inner City Group and Lancaster Family YMCA. Online profile

Lola Oni is a specialist nurse consultant/service director at Brent Sickle Cell/Thalassaemia Centre, North West London Hospital. Online profile

Lisa M. Shook is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and the Administrative Director of the Cincinnati Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center. She has a Master’s degree in Health Education and is currently a doctoral student focused on Health Education. She is the PI of the HRSA-funded Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Project called STORM (Sickle Treatment and Outcomes Research in the Midwest). Lisa is also the Director of the newborn screening program in southwestern Ohio, which is funded by the Ohio Department of Health, and is the Course Director of an annual hemoglobinopathy counselor training course. Her interests include patient and provider education, newborn screening, and health services research. Specialties: Newborn screening; health education; chronic disease self-management; health literacy Online profile

Dawn Canada has worked in the field of clinical social work for more than 25 years, and during that entire time, she has worked with high risk women, adolescents and children. In her current position, she has found a new passion with adolescents and young adults coping with sickle cell disease as they navigate transition into adulthood both personally and medically. Online profile

Dr. Donald Kohn, MD, is a Distinguished Professor of pediatrics and microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics in the life sciences. Dr. Kohn was recruited to the UCLA faculty in 2009 from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where he served as an attending physician in the pediatric bone marrow transplant program for more than 20 years. Dr. Donald Kohn, MD, focuses on the development of new methods to treat genetic diseases of blood cells, such as sickle cell and “bubble baby” disease, as well as using genetic modification of blood stem cells to treat cancer and leukemia. Kohn’s lab studies methods for effective gene transfer and expression and has translated those findings from the lab into clinical trials of gene therapy for congenital immune deficiencies and pediatric AIDS. A trial for sickle cell disease is currently under development. In addition to being a member of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Dr. Kohn directs the Human Gene Medicine Program at UCLA and is a member of UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also served as president of the American Society of Gene Therapy from 2003 to 2004, and currently is on the Board of Councilors for the Clinical Immunology Society. Online profile

Dr. Andolina is the director of pediatric bone marrow transplantation and has experience in treating both leukemias as well as non-malignant conditions such as aplastic anemia. He has a particular interest in bone marrow transplant for patients with sickle cell anemia. In addition, Dr. Andolina has an interest in the adolescent and young adult population, and also cares for young adults undergoing bone marrow transplantation. Dr. Andolina is most interested in the treatment and comprehensive care for children with leukemia and lymphoma, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), as well as the care for children with other cancers and blood diseases. Dr. Andolina has a particular interest in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Neuroblastoma; Hematology, Oncology; Pediatric Hematology Oncology; Pediatric Oncology; Pediatric Cancer. Online profile

Dr. Afolabi is a gynaecologist with interests in maternal and fetal medicine, minimal access (laparoscopic) surgery and medical education. She is passionate about reducing maternal mortality. Internationally recognized for her research in sickle-cell pregnancy, Dr. Bosede Afolabi is an associate professor and consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist. She has trained both in Nigeria and the UK and holds a first medical degree (M.B.Ch.B) from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife as well as a Doctorate in Medicine (DM) from the University of Nottingham, UK. Professionally she is a fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists UK, the West African College of Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. Online profile

Dr. Santosh Saraf is an assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. After receiving his B.S. in Biology at Pennsylvania State University, he went to medical school at Temple University School of Medicine. Dr. Saraf completed his Internal Medicine Residency and Hematology-Oncology training at the University of Illinois Medical Center. He is currently an active member of the American Society of Hematology. He investigates the genetic and molecular mechanisms for sickle-cell nephropathy and stem cell transplantation for sickle-cell disease. Specialties & services: - Hematology and Medical Oncology - Sickle Cell - Hematology - Internal Medicine - Oncology Online profile

Merlin Crossley is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at UNSW and Professor of Molecular Biology. He has also worked and studied at the Universities of Melbourne, Oxford, Harvard and Sydney. He has been recognized by numerous awards, including a Rhodes scholarship and the Australian Academy of Science's Gottschalk Medal. He has made significant contributions to academic administration, serving as Dean at UNSW since 2010, and previously having been Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research at the University of Sydney from 2006 to 2008. Merlin Crossley is interested in understanding the fundamental molecular mechanisms by which genes are controlled. Ultimately, he hopes to treat chronic diseases, such as sickle cell anemia or diabetes, by turning on beneficial genes or repressing harmful genes. Research Goals- - Fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation - Epigenetics - Artificial DNA-binding proteins - Blood development - Hemophilia - Sickle cell anemia and thalassemia - Obesity and diabetes Online profile

Dr. Majumdar was born in Zambia, attended the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and conducted his postdoctoral medical education at the University of Mississippi. Dr. Majumdar served as the Director of the Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He previously directed the Mississippi Hemophilia Treatment Center and is a recognized leader in hematology and sickle cell disease. In addition to his broad clinical expertise, Dr. Majumdar is an accomplished researcher, and a Principal Investigator of NIH-funded studies. Online profile