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Sneha Dave

Sneha is a recent graduate of Indiana University. She created the nonprofit Generation Patient and the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network to support and empower adolescents and young adults with chronic and rare diseases across the U.S. and internationally. Sneha created these organizations in high school, as a result of her experiences living with ulcerative colitis at age six and now living with a J-pouch.  

Sneha has completed an undergraduate research fellowship in health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has also interned at the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Headquarters and Pfizer Global Headquarters in health economics and outcomes research for Inflammation and Immunology. Sneha has spoken on Capitol Hill, featured nationally on C-SPAN, is a past contributor for U.S. News and World Report, and has put in considerable time advocating for better access to health care for people with chronic illnesses. She also created and chairs the first disability caucus in Indiana, and has served on the Democratic National Committee Disability Policy Subcommittee and Women’s March Disability Caucus. Sneha was awarded two academic fellowships with the Association of Health Care Journalists. She was previously a national policy fellow at Respectability and now serves as the youngest director on the board for the national nonprofit. Sneha has spoken at Stanford Medicine X, at the Harvard Youth and Public Health Summit, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and other major avenues. She is an ambassador for various organizations and was selected as a 2020 American Association of People with Disabilities Emerging Leader. 

In her free time, she enjoys climbing, hiking, and reading all things health-related. Most of all, she is incredibly grateful for all the people she gets to work with and those that have overcome barriers in their life to continue thriving with a chronic illness. In the future, Sneha hopes to ensure that there is more access to care for marginalized groups that culture is better integrated into care. You can follow her @snehadave98 on Twitter and Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Rosa Kelekian

Rosa (she/her) is a chronic illness patient and patient advocate in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a master’s degree in Social Welfare from the University of California Berkeley, and has worked to expand chronic illness/disability support locally and nationally. 

Rosa was diagnosed with her first autoimmune disease (celiac disease) at a year and a half, and has been diagnosed with IBD, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, ADHD, and other chronic conditions since. Almost thirty years of living with chronic illness has driven her passion for peer support work, prioritizing connection, solidarity, and community care. 

Erin Ard

Erin is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, who obtained her Master’s in Clinical Nutrition at University of Wisconsin - Madison. She first graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies & Biology. Believing she would pursue a career in healthcare, Erin realized her true passion for nutrition and disease, eventually embracing her textbooks once again to finish the Didactic Program in Dietetics, with the goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Erin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was just starting high school at 14 years old. It was through her challenges with Crohn’s that she realized her interest in healthcare and nutrition. Since then she has dedicated her academic career to learning more about physiology, health, nutrition and wellness.

Erin was a 2019 fellow for the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adult's Network, spreading awareness through the young adult community about living with inflammatory bowel disease. Erin struggled with self-confidence and her identity with Crohn’s disease for years after she was diagnosed, so she is focused on helping young people accept themselves by accepting their disease. She uses creativity to show her passion for nutrition and improving the quality of patient care by writing articles for the CCYAN fellowship and dedicating herself to empowering the next generation of IBD advocates.

Past Team Members

Andrea Novakowski

Andi Nowakowski studied biotechnology and chemistry Indiana University. She is interested in researching the relationship between the immune system and gut microbiome. She currently works in the Demas Lab as an undergraduate research assistant studying the microbiome in Siberian Hamsters. She is currently at a crossroads as to what she wants to pursue post-undergrad. While she is passionate about research, it has been her dream to become a physician. Perhaps pursuing both a PhD and MD are in her future. Her other hobbies include hiking, kayaking, spending time with friends and family, binge-watching Netflix or Disney +, and cooking. As a recent pescetarian, she has enjoyed exploring new recipes and protein alternatives to provide her body with the nutrients she needs. She also loves animals and spends her free time volunteering at the local animal shelter. 

About 12 years ago, Andi was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. While she has experienced her own ups and downs through tests, hospitalization, and treatment plans, she has welcomed the new experiences and challenges the disease has brought with it. Currently, in remission for going on 11 years now, Methotrexate has been a miracle drug for her. 

Her involvement in the IBD community began at Camp Oasis where she met Sneha Dave and the late Cory Lane. Andi was with CCYAN in its early begins as the Crohn’s and Colitis Teen Times Newsletter. She has been floured at its growth and ability to connect young adults with IBD. She welcomed the 2020 fellows and encouraged them to see the unique perspectives they bring to the IBD community and engage more young people in our support system. During her time, she gained new advocacy skills to advocate for herself and others throughout the transition into adulthood

Leah Clark

Leah is a senior research analyst at a grants and government relations firm in Washington, DC. She is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan with a M.S.E. in Nuclear Engineering and two graduate certificates, the first in Science, Technology, and Public Policy and the second in Professional Development Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She devoted her education to science, particularly experimental research for nuclear nonproliferation efforts, but as her career progressed, she wanted to use her skills towards efforts that make direct positive impacts to communities in need. This is how she learned of CCYAN. She was selected in the first class of fellows for a CCYAN and now has the privilege of serving as a program director and have managed 25 fellows, including 10 international fellows, for the past three years.

Leah was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and Celiac’s disease at the age of 12, and has spent over half her life battling these illnesses. Currently on remicade and a gluten-free diet, she is never shy to share her struggles with Crohn’s and her journey for remission. She has been involved in many organizations that support chronic illnesses, such as being a camper and counselor for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Camp Oasis for the past ten years, a patient advocate for Patients for Affordable Drugs which focuses on political change to provide patients affordable medications, and previous employee at the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs Company which provides generic medications at affordable prices to patients. She is an avid movie buff with Alien, Jaws, and The Shining being her favorites, and she enjoys sudoku puzzles and making collages out of The New Yorker magazines.

Amy Weider

Amy is a graduate student at Roosevelt University studying Clinical Psychology. They received an undergraduate degree in Women and Gender studies and, during this time, developed a passion for advocacy, specifically for disability justice. Amy had the opportunity to be trained in circle keeping, where she helped facilitate support circles for survivors of sexual trauma and people living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Motivated by community healing, Amy decided to pursue her goal of becoming a therapist with a concentration in health psychology. Amy is completing their practicum at a cancer support center and is looking forward to graduating soon. They love to sew, dance with friends, and daydream in their free time.

Amy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of eight and, after many years of trial and error, is now in remission with biologics. Mental health played a prominent part in Amy’s IBD journey. Living with a chronic illness can be incredibly isolating, especially as a child and young adult. The first time Amy ever met another person living with IBD was when she was 18 at Camp Oasis. Here Amy learned the importance of connection and community. In 2020, Amy had the fantastic opportunity to be one of the CCYAN fellows and help create support circles for the fellows and share their ever-growing IBD journey. Now, Amy serves as the CCYAN Alumni Coordinator helping to grow the network of young folks with IBD.