A friend for every
health journey

Ilya is a serial entrepreneur creating transformative products and businesses at the intersections of health, human genome and software. He believes that combining smart technology with real-world data, DNA information and community-derived insights can improve the lives of patients and help to develop novel, personalized therapies. He co-founded NextBio – a biotech company focused on applying large-scale patient and genomic data for therapeutic and clinical discoveries. NextBio was acquired by sequencing pioneer Illumina, where Ilya subsequently led the company’s software products and informatics strategy. Before that, Ilya was in charge of industry partnerships at a genomic software startup that helped scientists understand data coming out of the Human Genome Project (later acquired by Agilent). Ilya did his undergraduate work at UC San Diego and graduate work in large-scale genome applications at the Science for Life Labs/Karolinska Institute, Stockholm. He currently serves on the board of several biotech companies. In his free time, Ilya loves to kitesurf and attend theater and music performances.

Having first-hand experience with chronic conditions and a deep understanding of the challenges they entail, Anatoly is pursuing a lifelong mission of building products that improve the quality of life for those who need it the most. Throughout his career Anatoly has been developing platforms that connect people to information, services and each other, from apps that facilitate online dating and finding optimal transportation to online classrooms where people from around the world can interact and learn. For more than 10 years, Anatoly has focused on bringing practical applications with simple and intuitive interfaces to users by trying to truly understand their needs. He relies on exceptional leadership, analytical and organizational skills to turn ideas into successful products. In his spare time, Anatoly rides his bike or cooks dinner for his friends.

Arie has over 25 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, with extensive expertise in leading translational science, drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development. He is skilled at developing and executing target discovery and preclinical programs to support therapeutic development of small molecules, mAbs, proteins and stem cell therapy in multiple therapeutic areas including cancer, immunology, inflammation, IBD, eye and bone diseases. After completing post doctorate training at University College London, Arie established and directed the inflammation program at Onyx Pharmaceuticals. He then led the R&D effort of a new biologic for the treatment of IBD at Nuvelo Inc. He has recently been managing a large portfolio in translational and clinical Phase I/II programs in regenerative medicine at the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Arie has published work in first tier journals and his work has lead to the unraveling of the molecular basis of two human genetic diseases.

“Man is not the sum of what he has already, but rather the sum of what he does not yet have, of what he could have”  Jean-Paul Sartre

Anna began her career in journalism writing and editing for Russia Profile Magazine in Moscow, following internships at Newsweek and Radio Liberty she pursued as an undergrad at UC Berkeley and a stint in a user support role at Google. Having worked her way up to Executive Editor at Russia Profile, she took a leading editorial position on the English news desk of Russia’s then-most prominent news agency RIA Novosti, where she developed an interest in the business side of content that lead her to pursue a master’s degree in digital publishing from New York University. She went on to help Foreign Policy and the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative shape their storytelling efforts, build new, engaged audiences and establish thought leadership. Anna is a published political columnist, lifestyle blogger and former radio talk show host. She enjoys travel, learning foreign languages and dancing around with her toddler.

Kayla is a licensed clinical psychologist, whose extensive experience providing psychological support to people with chronic medical conditions, combined with her personal experience living with IBD, make for a unique perspective on the immense burden of chronic illness. Kayla leverages this expertise to develop targeted interventions that empower people to live their best lives possible. Kayla received her doctorate from Loma Linda University, where she researched and designed integrative, interdisciplinary patient-centered behavioral health programs. Over the last 10 years she has also had the privilege of working closely with the IBD community in a variety of roles, including as education coordinator for the Northern California (NCA) chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Kayla is enthusiastic about innovation in healthcare and is particularly interested in how medical, psychological, and digital health landscapes overlap in patient-driven care models.

For a long time, Arielle has focused her research on ways the body and brain are interconnected, especially within the context of immune-mediated chronic diseases. Through her long-term relationships with IBD patients enrolled in the longitudinal microbiome studies she coordinated as a clinical research coordinator within the Division of Gastroenterology at NYU’s School of Medicine, Arielle gained an appreciation for their clinical and psychological needs, inspiring her to pursue an academic career in Health Psychology. She earned her BA in Psychology from Columbia University and is now working on a Ph.D. at UCLA, where she researchers mind-body interactions in inflammatory chronic diseases. A gut-brain enthusiast, she loves trying all things probiotic as well as learning about how the microbiome modulates the effects of the immune system on the brain.

While Meredith didn’t expect her life to be what it is, she now can’t imagine it any other way. She majored in Arabic as an undergrad at Georgetown University hoping to pursue a career in intercultural relations or national security, and would later be admitted to Georgetown Law School. However, her immune system had other plans: in late February 2011, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease wherein the immune system attacks the large intestine. After spending over four months combined at the Georgetown Hospital’s Pediatric Ward, she returned to volunteer with the Child Life Program to help pediatric patients. Ever since, Meredith’s heart has been bound to healthcare. She has worked in primary care, personal fitness, advocacy groups and hospital settings. She is now most excited to be able to express her creativity to support her tribe of #ibdwarriors via both her patient advocacy and chronic illness awareness Instagram account @blondebowelbattlingbadass and her work with Gali Health. Meredith’s black lab/pittie mix Josie is her main source of giggles and snuggles throughout the day.

Tiffany has spent the majority of her career working in the non-profit sector with a focus on chronic illness. Her health education began in the home: her mother was diagnosed with primary-progressive MS when Tiffany was a toddler and a few years later her father was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. She knows firsthand the impact that chronic illness can have on a family. She earned her BA in history from UCLA and a short time later began working for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California Chapter within its Programs and Services department. Most recently, she worked for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation as the education manager covering California. Her speciality is developing and managing programs and services to improve the day-to-day lives of those affected by chronic illnesses.

Jenna put her business degree to good use when she began her career working in HR. As an IBD patient, however, she soon discovered her true passions to be health and writing. She pursued a master’s degree in nutrition, but a flare forced her to drop out and take several months to recover. During this time she worked on her blog, The Comical Colon, and Instagram account @_jenna_ziegler, where she shares her medical journey in a comical light to encourage others to share their stories. The more she wrote about chronic illness advocacy, the more her passion for social media, marketing and storytelling blossomed. Jenna believes in the power of social media to connect us as humans, give a voice to those once unheard and remind us that we’re never alone. She is an aspiring fiction author and chronic journaler and lives with her husband Tyler and rescue cat Newbert in Tennessee.