Board and Staff

Lynn came to ANAD in 2017 with 15 years of experience working for nonprofit, hospital, university, and state government organizations. She previously served as ANAD's Director of Community Relations. Her background is project management, in which she is a certified PMP (Project Management Professional). She holds a master's degree in Public Administration from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University, where she was President of her graduate student association. She got her bachelor's degree in International Studies at Ohio State as well. Lynn volunteers whenever possible, and especially enjoys being part of a chef team at a local soup kitchen that prepares homemade meals for low-income neighbors each week. She also enjoys mentoring young women in their career growth, and hanging out with her toddler.

A native Philadelphian, Giva is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Indiana University, and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Having experienced her own eating disorder recovery journey, Giva understands how significant the support of caring and experienced individuals can have on the healing process. Often referring to herself as a “natural big sister,” Giva believes nurturing and mentoring younger women to be her life’s purpose. Thus, she has worked with women and youth the majority of her career, designing educational and leadership programs, as well as providing social and emotional counseling and training. She has also worked as a blogger and entertainment correspondent. She most recently worked at Project HEAL, another eating disorder nonprofit organization.

When she is not working, you can find her volunteering with organizations serving underrepresented communities and victims of trauma. The causes closest to her heart include girls’ leadership, racial and reproductive justice and mental health awareness/care. Giva is a trained sexual assault crisis counselor, mental health first aid worker and vinyasa yoga teacher. In the near future she hopes to train to become a yoga therapist, which will allow her to combine her love of mental and physical health with the holistic healing practice of yoga.

Lily recently graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Theatre Studies. Lily hopes to expand her knowledge of eating disorder recovery and awareness and further her experiences working in nonprofit organizations. She has previously volunteered with organizations such as Girls on The Run and GirlForward and enjoys using her free time to support organizations focused on empowering women and girls. In her free time, you can find Lily spending time with her friends and family and enjoying all that Chicago has to offer!

A Brooklyn native, Stephanie is an author, playwright, screenwriter, eating disorder recovery advocate and speaker. In 2009, Stephanie became the first African-American to detail her experience with an eating disorder with the release of her memoir, Not All Black Girls Know How to Eat: A Story of Bulimia. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker and lecturer, helping to bring attention to eating disorders in marginalized communities. She has collaborated with NEDA, presented at ICED, is a regular keynote speaker, and is a member of the steering committee formed to create World Eating Disorders Day in 2016 to bring global awareness to those who struggle. Using her voice to raise awareness about eating disorders, Stephanie continues to use her platform to raise awareness about eating disorders and is regularly featured in magazines and on television, radio, and podcasts.

Originally from Lithuania, Board Member, Al Augustine, quickly made Chicago his home when he immigrated there in 1947. After spending his early youth at St. Rita High School, Notre Dame University, and the Illinois Law School, he began work in a corporate and banking firm in 1969, then spent the following 5 years as the Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Illinois agency that licenses and disciplines most professions in Illinois including: doctors, nurses, psychologists, accountants, and others. In 1979, Al began his firm and retired in October 2015.

Al still consults as a retired attorney and has represented professionals across the country especially those providing integrative medical and dental care. Al brings his decades of legal expertise within the medical community to ANAD and will co-chair ANAD’s Governance Committee.

Dave Feinblum is a software engineer plying their trade in NYC. They joined ANAD as a Mentor Team Leader in January of 2021, after having been a mentor with Project HEAL the previous year. As a recovered person who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, they are passionate about helping ANAD reach communities that have often struggled to get the care they need. They are also a big believer in both mentorship and peer support, having mentored folks both through volunteering and throughout their professional career.

Denise is the founder and executive director of BE REAL a nonprofit that focuses on providing body confidence resources to educators and parents all over the country. Denise teaches the body image unit in health classes in Chicago-area middle and high schools. She created Body Confident Schools, a professional development workshop for educators. She has delivered this training to over 850 teachers, counselors, social workers and school administrators all over the country. In the last 25 years she has been an active social advocate for children, sitting on over a dozen local and national children’s charity boards. She is a 1988 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, practicing as an environmental attorney in her first career. 

Robin Nelson is committed to making the world a better place through her actions and is honored to serve on the board of ANAD. A native San Diegan, Robin has worked for over 45 years as a teacher for at-risk youth, school administrator, Literacy Peer Coach/Staff Developer, Beginning Teacher Support Provider, Gifted and Talented Education Resource Specialist, Health Educator and Dean of Students with John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. Robin currently teaches and volunteers with the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, AIDS LifeCycle annual 545 mile bike ride from SF to LA, and serves on the educational committee of the Anti Defamation League, San Diego. She was awarded both the San Diego Unified School District and San Diego County Teacher of the Year awards as well as the Rockefeller Foundation’s Outstanding Teacher Leader Award. Robin received her BA from UCLA and a masters of health science from San Diego State University. Robin has certification in Nonprofit Management through the University of San Diego and is a certified mediator through The National Conflict Resolution Center.

ANAD holds a special place in Robin’s heart. As a long distance runner and competitive athlete most of her life, she suffered from an eating disorder and understands the everyday challenges associated with eating disorders. Robin believes that, along with the individual journey a person must travel with their disease, one needs to see vibrant, productive role models who demonstrate that recovery is possible. With ANAD, Robin’s desire is to expand knowledge of eating disorders, share resources, foster understanding and create relationships that nurture and encourage those impacted by eating disorders to move forward with hope.

Anna K Orland D.D.S. is a practicing dentist in Wheaton Illinois for the last 27 years. She graduated from Loyola University where she was awarded the Public Health Award for volunteerism. She has been interested in Eating Disorder complication in Dentistry and has been an advocate for diagnosis of Eating Disorders in dental patients. She has lectured in this area at National Louis University and local schools. She is the program dinner chair for the West Suburban Dental Society and course chair for the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Anna had volunteered for the Oak Park Infant Welfare for 7 years. She has provided educational programs for Head Start and volunteers for the Chicago Dental Society Foundation Dental Clinical Wheaton. Being fluent in various Slavic Languages, she enjoys travel and physical fitness. She lives with her husband in Wheaton and has three grown children.

Kristen graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2011, just before moving to Chicago. Once there, she began her professional career in marketing management before transitioning to her passion: the world of nonprofits. She worked for the YMCA and volunteered with a variety of organizations including the Anti-Cruelty Society, the National Abortion Rights Action League, Girls on the Run, the Chicago Area Runners Association, and community libraries.

Kristen began working for ANAD in 2018. As part of a two person team, Kristen ran programming, helped with conference planning and execution, organized webinars, managed the website, and so much more. The project she is most proud of is implementing Beekeeper, a platform connecting volunteers, staff, and other ANAD affiliates. In 2020, Kristen stepped down from her staff role at ANAD in order to care for her new baby girl with the help of her husband Grant, their two dogs & cat. She is also an avid reader, runner, and ANAD supporter!