Sneha Dave
Founder & Executive Director
Sneha graduated from Indiana University in May 2020 where she majored in chronic illness advocacy as well as journalism. She created the Generation Patient and its program the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network (CCYAN) to create support systems for adolescents and young adults with chronic conditions across the U.S. and internationally. She is proud to work with a team composed entirely of young adults with chronic medical disabilities and to keep Generation Patient transparent and independent from the pharmaceutical and insurance industry.
Sneha has completed an undergraduate research fellowship in health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has also interned at numerous places such as Pfizer Global Headquarters in health economics and outcomes research for Inflammation and Immunology. Sneha has spoken on Capitol Hill, featured nationally on C-SPAN, and is a past contributor for U.S. News and World Report. She has served on the Democratic National Committee Disability Policy Subcommittee and she is part of the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, an independent appraisal committee of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review. Sneha also serves on the patient engagement collaborative for the FDA. She was previously a national policy fellow at RespectAbility and now serves as the youngest director on the board for the national nonprofit. Sneha was awarded two academic fellowships with the Association of Health Care Journalists. For her work, Sneha was selected as one of the most influential teenagers in 2018 by the We Are Family Foundation and she was been recognized as an American Association of People with Disabilities Emerging Leader in 2020.
U.S. News & World Report — Articles by Sneha Dave
This Is What It's Like To Live With Ulcerative Colitis
Don’t Forget Us! Young Adults with Invisible Illness – Experts by Experience
Pitfalls Journalists Should Avoid When Writing About People With Disabilities
Managing This Invisible Disability in College — Pg. 70
Sydney Reed
Co-Founder, Operations & Creative Director
Sydney Reed is a patient advocate based in Northern California. As a teenager, Sydney was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called juvenile dermatomyositis. She would later develop overlapping and secondary conditions such as lupus and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). You can read more about Sydney’s medical journey in her article, “How Doctor-Delayed and Missed Diagnoses Harm Patients With Chronic and Rare Illnesses.”
As an undergraduate, Sydney focused her studies on humanitarian and human rights law and participated in advocacy efforts against human trafficking and violence against women. In 2016, she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in international relations as well as an associate degree in social and behavioral science.
In addition to her work at Generation Patient, Sydney is currently an ambassador for the Chronic Disease Coalition, as well as a contemporary artist and digital illustrator who uses mixed media to create pieces that reflect her experiences.
Rosa Kelekian
Program Coordinator
Rosa Kelekian (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.
Julia Bartow
Design and Program Coordinator
Julia Bartow is a 23-year-old college student from Boston, MA. She is studying at Bentley University and majoring in Creative Industries with a minor in Psychology. Julia lives with multiple chronic and rare diseases and conditions. She understands just how difficult it can be to live with serious illness as a young adult, and the challenges of advocating for your needs from a young age, which is why she has chosen to use her artistic talent to help spread awareness.
Amy Bugwadia
Higher Education Coordinator
Amy Bugwadia (she/her) is a patient-advocate from California. Her lived experiences with ulcerative colitis and chronic illness led her to Generation Patient, where she spearheads our Higher Education initiatives and aims to increase representation, access, and support for students with chronic medical disabilities. Amy graduated from UCLA's Honors Program with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Disability Studies and subsequently earned an M.S. in Community Health and Prevention Research at Stanford Medicine. Amy’s passion for patient empowerment has fueled her academic and professional endeavors, and she is currently an M.D. Candidate at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Erin Ard
Program Coordinator for the Crohn’s & Colitis Young Adults Network
Erin is a returning student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison studying dietetics. 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 and has undergone Remicade infusions to control her disease. It was through her struggles 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. She currently works as a hospital dietary clerk helping patients order food that align with their diet restrictions. She also enjoys just about any creative outlet, camping with her family in Wisconsin, and cooking up new healthy recipes from scratch!
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 health and digestive disease by writing articles for the fellowship and will be continuing with this non-profit organization in 2021.