Lisa M. Rose is the Curriculum Developer at Peterson's. She works with organizations to bridge the gap between technically complicated information and the broader, less informed target audience receiving the required education. She was associated with Sickle Cell Disease as an Executive Director at HOPE for SCD. As an Executive Director, she worked in conjunction with the international medical community to identify gaps in education and develop curriculum to address current needs within the world of Sickle Cell Disease. She also oversaw development of chronic illness tools that focus on Adult Learners, including video based-education, pictorial modules, in person trainings and paper-based publications. Moreover, Lisa managed development and implementation of free education both in print and in person to people both living with and effected by Sickle Cell Disease and other related chronic conditions (such as chronic pain). Online profile

Dominque Goodson is a young Adult SC Alliance advisor, a Sickle Cell Warrior & a National Sickle Cell Advocate. Dominique is a dedicated sickle cell advocate who lives with sickle cell anemia. She was born and raised in Newark, NJ. After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Sociology and Anthropology, and receiving two citations from the former Governor of NJ, Governor Jon Corzine, Dominique began working as a research assistant to different professors at different universities. During one of her breaks between research projects, she worked as a Business Development Specialist at Eagle Detective Agency, where she worked to gain numerous contracts including the NFL Super Bowl NY/NJ 2014 contract. Dominique resigned from Eagle Detective Agency in 2014, to focus on her passions for writing and advocating for Sickle Cell Anemia. Dominique serves as a lead advisor for the Young Adult Sickle Cell Alliance and she works with many other Sickle Cell Community-based Organizations. Dominique is dedicated to helping patients and caregivers. She always says, “My illness is my Curse, but it is also my gift”. Online profile

Jewel Darbone was a sickle cell motivational speaker and Co-Founder of BoldLipsForSickleCell (Now Bold Plus+). Jewel had her first blood transfusion at the age of two. She was in and out of the hospital with sickle cell crisis; extreme painful episodes requiring pain medication, fluids, and usually hospitalization. In July 2007, she went into the hospital because she had pneumonia, her fever shot to 108, both lungs collapsed and she was in ICU fighting for her life on a ventilator for 10 days. After being sent to a normal room, she found herself paralyzed from the neck down due to Gullian-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune virus. It took two years for her to even get up and get into a wheelchair to leave the house. Since she has lived with this disease, various situations have been brought to her attention. She had always been a strong voice for those with Sickle Cell, advocating for herself and others was her passion. She traveled across the US speaking about living with Sickle Cell as a patient advocate, empowering all Sickle Cell warriors with Boldlipsforsicklecell, which is a social media awareness challenge turned 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to Sickle Cell awareness, advocacy and empowerment.   Online profile

Kenneth R. Peterson is the Professor and Vice Chair of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kansas University Medical Center. He completed his Ph.D. in 1987 from University of Arizona and postdoctoral in 1987-1990 from University of Arizona. His major interest is genetic regulatory mechanisms with emphasis on the delineation of the function of locus control regions. Dr. Kenneth Peterson was announced as a recipient of the Chancellors Club Research Award on October 1, 2015. His research has given hope to patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease and other genetic blood disorders.   Representative Publication: Sickle cell disease: genetics, cellular and molecular mechanisms, and therapies Online profile

Dr. Julie Kanter is the Associate Professor of hematology and oncology and Director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her academic focus is on improving the comprehensive care of persons with sickle cell disease throughout the lifespan and clinical and translational research to better understand and address issues in treatment and prevention in sickle cell disease. Prior to moving to Alabama, Dr. Kanter was the Director of sickle cell disease research and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Kanter is very committed to improving outcomes in sickle cell disease and ensuring those outcomes reach the affected individuals. She works closely with national partners including the American Society of Hematology and the NIH on both advocacy and research. Board Certification: - Pediatrics: Pediatric Hematology-Oncology   Specialties: - Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Cancer - Pediatric   Representative Publications: Coexistent Sickle Cell Disease Has No Impact on the Safety or Outcome of Lytic Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Findings From Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Crizanlizumab for the Prevention of Pain Crises in Sickle Cell Disease Increased prevalence of potential right-to-left shunting in children with sickle cell anaemia and stroke Real-time dose adjustment using point-of-care platelet reactivity testing in a double-blind study of prasugrel in children with sickle cell anaemia A Multinational Trial of Prasugrel for Sickle Cell Vaso-Occlusive Events Regional- and Age-Related Differences in Pain in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia: Results from the Multinational DOVE Study Online profile

Tiffany Bell completed her MSW in 2015 from North Carolina Central University and BSW in 2004 from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Prior to working in the Hematology Department, Bell worked in the Infectious Disease Department at Duke University Medical Center as HIV/AIDS Housing case manager. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Online profile

Monica Summers has been employed with Piedmont Health Services and Sickle Cell Agency (PHSSCA) for 18 years and is program director for the Sickle Cell Division, Camp Director, and Emergency Food Pantry Coordinator. In 2003, Summers became a certified sickle cell educator/counselor through The University of South Alabama Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from Liberty University in 2014. Educating others about SCD is a personal mission for her. Summers along with her husband, Channing Sr., whom she has been married for 15 years, continues to work full time and care for their two children, CJ (14) and Jayla (10), who have SCD. Summers knows from personal experience the needs that many parents of children with SCD face; because these are the same needs that she faces. Online profile

James Rogers is a Sickle Cell Educator. He is associated with North Carolina Sickle Cell Syndrome Program in Charlotte, North Carolina. Online profile

Debra Figgins is a Sickle Cell Educator. She is associated with North Carolina Sickle Cell Syndrome Program. Online profile

Elyse Mandell is the Nurse Director and a Nurse practitioner at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. Elyse Mandell, collaborates with other professionals in every aspect of patient care from outpatient visits for gastroenteritis to acute chest syndrome in hospitalized patients. Ms. Mandell provides initial contact for patient problems. She triages patients as necessary for ancillary care, such as opthalmologic examination.   Representative Publications: Phase 1/2 trial of vorinostat in patients with sickle cell disease who have not benefitted from hydroxyurea Improvements in haemolysis and indicators of erythrocyte survival do not correlate with acute vaso-occlusive crises in patients with sickle cell disease: a phase III randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of the Gardos channel blocker senicapoc (ICA-17043) Online profile