Gali Health Ambassadors
The Gali Health Ambassador Program ensures that the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) community is directly involved in Gali’s design and development. Our ambassadors provide feedback, guidance and leadership within the Gali user community.
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Molly
Dunham-Friel -
Shawntel
Bethea -
Nathan
Smart -
Cindy
Coelho -
Nikki
Patel -
Amanda
Gildersleeve -
Sari
Guerrieri -
Jenna
Ziegler -
Myisha Malone
King -
Stephanie
Rotchford -
Sara
Asher -
Amber
Tresca -
Brooke
Abbott
Molly
Dunham-Friel
Molly Dunham-Friel, known on Instagram as betterbelliesbymolly, was born and raised in Vermont and moved to Atlanta one week after graduating from the University of Vermont. Not long after she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The initial diagnosis was overwhelming for Molly and every year has come with its own victories and struggles, but she has learned much along the way and hopes to help others on their IBD journey “so nobody feels defeated.” Molly wants to dedicate her career to creating advocacy programs and awareness for these “embarrassing diseases.” Building a stronger IBD community and telling her story make her feel powerful. She currently works at Emory University full time and Barre3 Druid Hills on the side. She has a Master’s degree in public health and wants to use it to build brighter futures for IBD warriors.
Shawntel
Bethea
Shawntel Bethea, also known as Shawn, is a health and lifestyle blogger and freelancer. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis during her senior year of high school, Shawn now uses her story of strength to raise awareness, show that there is life beyond a diagnosis and empower others living with chronic illness to become partners in their own healthcare. Through her blog, Chronically Strong, Shawn gives an unfiltered view of what living with an autoimmune disease is truly like, sharing the trials and triumphs. When she’s not working, Shawn enjoys traveling and eating vegetarian pizza rolls.
Nathan
Smart
Nate Smart, also known as Mr. J-pouch on Instagram, is a survivor and thriver trying to navigate life with a J-pouch and Crohn’s disease while maximizing the quality of the life he lives both individually and together with his loved ones and associates. He hails from Salt Lake City, Utah and works as a registered nurse for a cancer clinic. Being a patient for almost half of his life has been his main focus, but it empowers him to support others in their struggle and to help them realize that “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, especially when it seems like there isn’t. They just haven’t reached it yet,” he says.
Cindy
Coelho
Cindy is a San Francisco Bay Area native and current resident. While she was an athlete playing tennis in college she developed an interest in metabolism and pursued a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in clinical nutrition. She is a registered dietitian helping people learn to manage medical conditions with nutrition modifications and loving what she does. She became her own case study when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2017, following her first big flare while on a six-day boat tour of the Galapagos Islands. She was told that hers is a “challenging case,” and the gap in IBD research pushed her to get involved with fundraising for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. IBD has impacted her life in many ways but she tries to not let it prevent her from doing what she loves. On a sunny day she can be found outside playing tennis, rock climbing, jogging or hiking. She also enjoys traveling, reading and growing food in her garden. Her supportive husband Chris helps her to stay fit and healthy.
Nikki
Patel
Nikki lives in Danville, California, but grew up in Santa Rosa. She recently graduated from the University of San Francisco and is pursuing a career as a digital marketer. She has lived with ulcerative colitis for nine years and overcame many challenges, but believes that her health journey has made her stronger. She considers her continued involvement with the Crohn’s and colitis community to be one of the best decisions she has ever made, allowing her to build a network and gain valuable experience and knowledge that help her live her best life. She hopes to pass her insights along to the IBD community and to continue her involvement with new advancements and technologies that improve quality of life for people with IBD.
Amanda
Gildersleeve
Amanda (or Andie) was born in Palmer, Alaska but has lived in Oregon for the past six years as she finishes college. Andie was diagnosed with severe and unremitting Crohn’s disease in 2008 when she was 13 years old. Her IBD journey has been quite eventful: in 2016, she spent three months in the hospital after “kicking her colon to the curb” for a permanent ileostomy in hopes of some alleviation from IBD. After ileus, perforations and a dash of other complications, she is about to finish nursing school and is living her happiest, healthiest life that she didn’t think would be possible. Andie knows that IBD can be a devastating and lonely disease, but now she hopes to work as a pediatric nurse practitioner to support other young people on their health journeys.
Sari
Guerrieri
Sari Guerrieri is a lifelong resident of New York’s Long Island. Born into a family rife with multiple serious diseases, her experience with chronic illness began long before her own Crohn’s disease diagnosis at the age of eight. After an ileostomy at 12, Sari has had numerous other bowel resections and surgeries over the past 25 years. Sari has at various times required alternative feeding methods and has participated in drug trials as both a pediatric and adult patient. November 2018 marked the beginning of Sari’s six-year-long remission. Sari has been actively involved with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, United Ostomy Association of America, Youth Rally and lobbied on Capitol Hill for digestive diseases and ostomy insurance coverage. She has also volunteered with animal rescue groups, including fostering abandoned cats and kittens. She lives with her partner of 11 years and their cats.
Jenna
Ziegler
Jenna is a California girl who just moved across the country to Chattanooga, Tennessee — her husband’s hometown. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in September 2014. The past few years have been a roller coaster of a ride for Jenna, with bouts of puffy Prednisone cheeks, slumber parties at the hospital, and finding the joy through it all one joke at a time. Writing about her medical journey on her blog, The Comical Colon, has helped her find community and learn to choose to see IBD (and life in general) in a comical light. A true believer in the power of words, Jenna recently started her own business writing health, fitness and medical content, with special emphasis on chronic illness. Jenna is passionate about filling the Internet with stories of hope for the “spoonie” community and sharing inspiring stories, education and sensible chuckles.
Myisha Malone
King
Myisha Malone-King lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and newly diagnosed with diverticulitis, her journey hasn’t been easy. Myisha runs a support group on Facebook called “Game of Crohn’s and Chronic Illness,” dedicating most of her energy to checking in with her friends in the IBD community, offering information and spreading awareness.
Stephanie
Rotchford
Stephanie lives in central Connecticut and is known on Instagram as unbroken8773. She used to work for a radiology company scheduling various exams for patients, but has had to leave her position due to her chronic illness. Stephanie was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2004 and ulcerative colitis in 2008. Her first surgery took place a year after her Crohn’s diagnosis and she has had a total of nine surgeries to date due to IBD, resulting in an ileostomy. Stephanie keeps her spirits up by snuggling with her puppy Pepper, dying her hair fun colors and finding her next Netflix binge. She looks forward to connecting with more IBD patients and to help them not feel so alone in their journey.
Sara
Asher
Sara is from Oregon and is known as “Sara UC Warrior” on Instagram. She has had ulcerative colitis since 2014 and a permanent ileostomy since 2018. She is a proud ostomate and extremely passionate about helping IBD patients and ostomates explore and process their “new normal.” Her health journey has been anything but linear, making her unable to work for a few years due to the severity of her illness. She is a social worker by profession and believes that is where her passion for helping underserved yet resilient populations stems from. She looks forward to combining her therapist background with her newfound path of advocating and helping IBD patients in their physical and mental health endeavors.
Amber
Tresca
Amber Tresca was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 16. After 10 years of active disease and failed medical therapy she underwent 2 step j-pouch surgery. As a long-time j-poucher and mother of 2 children, Amber shares her experiences of living with ulcerative colitis on her blog, “About IBD.” She produces the “About IBD Podcast” that focuses on the IBD patient journey and has interviewed prominent people living with IBD and her own family members about various aspects of life with IBD. Amber also co-founded the IBD Moms social media groups with Brooke Abbott of “The Crazy Creole Mommy,” to support other women who live with IBD or have children who live with IBD. Amber works as a freelance writer and editor for medical web sites and publications specializing in IBD and other digestive disease.
Brooke
Abbott
Los Angeles native Brooke Abbott, better known as “the Crazy Creole Mommy,” is a single mother, health advocate and writer. Three years after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 24, Brooke was recommended for an emergency total colectomy and is currently living with a j-pouch. This surgery not only saved Brooke’s life, but also set her on a new path as an online advocate for the IBD community. Brooke now owns and operates The Crazy Creole Mommy Life blog, advocates on Capitol Hill for GI-related legislative agenda issues, writes for various outlets and teaches moms with disabilities and/or challenges how to baby wear. In 2018 she joined Amber Tresca of AboutIBD to form IBDMoms, a multifaceted resource program aimed at providing support to moms affected by IBD as a patient or caregiver. When she is not overanalyzing Mulder and Scully’s relationship on old episodes of the X-Files or volunteering at her son’s school, she is working toward a bachelor’s degree in public policy with an emphasis on health policy.
