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.

Gabriella recently switched career trajectories from event marketing to social work. She graduated from the University of Miami in 2018 and is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work from Columbia School of Social Work. Gabriella was introduced to the ANAD community during her time as a sister of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority and has contributed as both a volunteer and employee of ANAD. Gabriella plans to practice social work within the eating disorder field, doing clinical counseling for those experiencing eating disorders.

Michelle attended the University of Texas in Austin majoring in Nutrition with a Business Foundations Certification. During her undergraduate career, she served as a Lead Mentor for the Texas Interdisciplinary Plan Scholars to assist natural science students in jump starting their careers and how to manage their classes. Throughout her 4 years in college, she dedicated a lot of her time volunteering for many non-profit organizations such as Feed My People, Texas THON, Austin Child Guidance Center, and Hope Clinic. She has a strong passion for helping others, especially those in marginalized communities. After graduating from UT Austin, she served as an AP and Pre-AP Chemistry teacher through Teach for America-Memphis. It was probably the most challenging and rewarding 2 years she worked there, and she learned so much about her students and the school system she was placed in. As a teacher, she learned to see the world through a different lens thanks to her students. She’s had the privilege to engage with students and be a role model for their growth. Soon after her teaching career, she became a health coach manager for a tech company based in New York. She’s passionate about sustainable health and wellness while helping people to set their own goals that are unique to them. Currently, she serves as a Mentor for ANAD and is fully recovered from her past eating disorder. Michelle’s hope is to empower those struggling with eating disorders to overcome any challenges and carve a path to full recovery.

Kathy is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan planning on majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. With ANAD, she hopes to spread eating disorder awareness and learn more about eating disorder recovery. Outside of ANAD, Kathy is an active member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and a figure skating coach.

I am the first-born daughter of Cuban immigrants and am currently living in Miami, Florida. In addition, I am a full-time undergraduate 4th year college student at Nova Southeastern University, where I am majoring in Psychology with a minor in Pre-Health. I wish to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the near future. Some of my favorite hobbies include reading and spending time with my dog. I previously suffered with anorexia nervosa in my early teen years, and am happy to say that I have been fully recovered for 4 years now. As a result, I am very passionate about spreading awareness and offering any possible support to those currently struggling through their own eating disorder recoveries. Previous to interning at ANAD I was an ANAD mentor!

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.

Kristen comes to ANAD with over 20 years of experience as an international business leader focused on Sales, Marketing, Brand Management and Product Development. Having a passion for heathy eating as well as helping women succeed, Kristen has been active with the Fox Valley Food for Health organization in St Charles, IL. This organization prepares healthy meals for families who are recovering from a health crisis such as cancer. Kristen also devoted 3 years as an English Language Tutor at the Dominican Literacy Center which serves immigrant women in the Aurora, IL area. Kristen is an avid runner who has completed five marathons and numerous half marathons and 5Ks. Kristen also enjoys reading, gardening and spending time with her husband, Walter, and her pets Lucky (Jack Russell Terrier mix) and Mimi (tabby cat).

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. 

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!