Meet the NYLI

Brooke Williams is a student at Rhodes College pursuing a double major in Business and International Studies, with an expected graduation date of 2028. She grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee where she became an active member of The Tennessee Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorders Foundation. She participates, and facilitates, in many events provided by the local chapter such as Camp Freedom, Fall Festival, and Annual Meeting. Brooke is a carrier for Hemophilia A and has a passion for advocating for those in the bleeding disorders community. This past year she served on a subcommittee, where she worked with a team to plan the week at camp. In the future, Brooke hopes to work within the Tennessee Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorders Foundation. 

Cade Komar is a student from Phoenix, Arizona, currently attending Colorado State University where he is pursuing a dual degree in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering. Cade was born with Severe Hemophilia A and became involved with the bleeding disorders community through his local chapter. He has participated and volunteered in events such as the Bleeding Disorders Walk, The Salsa Challenge, and Camp Honor. As someone who is personally impacted by a bleeding disorder, Cade is passionate about advocacy and empowering young people in the community. He hopes to one day work in hematology research and develop innovative treatments/devices that improve the lives of those living with bleeding disorders. Outside of academics and advocacy, Cade enjoys snowboarding, playing volleyball, and traveling.

Carrera Christman is from Phoenix, Arizona, and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Political Science, as well as minors in Women and Gender Studies and Sociology, and certificates in International Studies and Political Economy. She currently works as the Marketing and Community Events Manager at Arizona Bleeding Disorders (AZBD), where she gets to do what she loves most: connecting with people, building community, and creating unique experiences. At AZBD, Carrera leads the BleedHERS women’s group, the Teen Program, and the Future Leaders advocacy program. She’s passionate about helping others feel confident in who they are and encouraging young people to find their voice and own their story. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue giving back to this community in even bigger ways wherever that path may lead. She truly loves the work she gets to do.  At home, Carrera shares her life with a mini zoo, four cats, and one dog!

Erin is a fourth year Biological Science and Political Science student at Colorado State University. After being diagnosed with von Willebrand Disease Type 1 at a young age, Erin has spent most of her life deeply involved in her local bleeding disorders community. This involvement has culminated in her current position as a Special Events Assistant at her local chapter in Oregon: Pacific Northwest Bleeding Disorders. After graduation, Erin hopes to attend physical therapy school with an end goal of using her expertise to serve the bleeding disorders community. 

Grace Ganoe is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, where she is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Health, Humanities, and Medicine, as well as Spanish. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter and is personally affected by von Willebrand disease. Although new to the chapter, Grace is passionate about giving back to her community. She volunteers at UPMC Children’s Hospital, tutors with North Star Tutors, and supports patients through her work at a pregnancy aid clinic. Grace plans to attend medical school and wants to work in the pediatric field with a focus on women’s health. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and has visited 21 national parks across the United States.

Katelynn lives in Alexis, Illinois, with her adorable puppy, Elsa, and is a graduate of Capri College. She is a licensed cosmetologist in both Iowa and Illinois and runs her own salon business, where she gets to learn, create, and connect every day. Katelynn also serves as the Teens Program Coordinator at Bleeding Disorders of the Heartland, the Iowa chapter, and is passionate about supporting the bleeding disorders community through programs and events like the Unite Walk. In the future, she hopes to continue growing her salon business while expanding programs for teens in the bleeding disorders community. A fun fact about her is that she graduated high school at just 15 years old and cosmetology school at 17.

Naiyila Davis currently lives in Phenix City, Alabama, settling there after moving all over the country due to the military. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and works as a zip line guide. She is tasked with safely taking people through the beautiful scenic views surrounding the Chattahoochee River. Her biggest desire is to become a patient resource manager for people in the bleeding disorder community. Although she is not affected by a bleeding disorder, her little sister happens to be. She tries to be involved with her local chapters and is thankful for the learning opportunity her spot in NYLI affords her. Naiyila's favorite thing to do is learn all kinds of new things, so she is debating getting her master’s in public health or psychology. 

Quinn Kennedy is from Cleveland, Ohio and is currently a senior at Ohio University studying mathematical statistics while also working as a math tutor. He plans to pursue a career in clinical data after graduation. For the past two years Quinn has been very involved in advocating for people with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia and other ultra rare bleeding disorders. He has served as a podcast guest for the Glanzmann Research Foundation and European Haemophilia Consortium and spoke at the World Federation of Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Summit in Dubai. Quinn plans to continue advocating for people with ultra rare bleeding disorders to hopefully gain broader recognition for this under-researched subgenre of bleeding disorders.

Seth Furr is a student at Washtenaw Community College. Seth has completed two summers as a Counselor in Training at Camp Bold Eagle (Holton, MI), a camp for kids with bleeding disorders run by the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. He also regularly participates in other HFM programs throughout the year. In the future, Seth hopes to become a Play Therapist, working with young children who have experienced trauma. Seth moved to the United States from China, when he was in middle school. He currently resides in Ann Arbor, MI with his cat, Ren.