Special Thanks to Our Amazing Volunteers!
Dysautonomia SOS is completely volunteer run. We would not be able to do what we do without these amazing people! Find out more about them here!
Claire Martin: Founder/Content Author
Claire holds a Bachelors of Science in Biology, with an emphasis in Marine Biology from Old Dominion University. She is a trained research scientist with published peer reviewed research, and has worked as a professional researcher in various Oceanographic and Marine Biology Labs. Claire has had symptoms of Dysautonomia since she was in her early twenties. When the symptoms of POTS cut her graduate studies short, she became a science teacher, and then later opened a successful business as a floral designer when teaching became too physically demanding for her condition. She now creates custom jewelry, crochet patterns, and prganic soaps for her business Horizontal Designs. She also runs a popular blog, "STOP POTS (and Dysautonomia!)VA/DC/MD", and has formed a coalition of bloggers and activists from around the world called "Team Fight POTS." She enjoys reading science fiction, gardening, and attempting crafty projects with her kids. Claire resides with her two children in Virginia Beach.
Cara & Bella Colacchio - Awareness Campaigners
Cara’s daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with POTS in January 2012 at the age of 10. Before becoming a stay at home mom, Cara was a professional makeup artist and stylist. Bella Noel was a burgeoning child actor in theater, film and voice over before becoming symptomatic. Strong willed and determined, she still sings, plays piano and composes her own music. Mother and daughter enjoy making bracelets and are currently working on Bella Noel’s goal of raising public awareness to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of those suffering from dysautonomia. They currently reside in scenic Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Linda Parsons - Content Editor
Linda graduated from Bluffton College with a BA in English / writing. She has since worked as a magazine editor / feature writer for two niche magazines, a librarian for the ODRC, and is currently trying her hand at creating children's books. Linda's diagnosis of POTS in 2005 changed her life tremendously, but she still enjoys reading, writing, movies, caring for her home and sharing with others in her various on-line support groups. Linda resides in Lima, Ohio, with her husband.
Adria N. Bullock, Esq.’s - Disability Advocacy Chair
Adria graduated from the University of Richmond with a BA in Sociology and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. While in law school, she focused her studies on health care and disability law. Adria was diagnosed with POTS in 1999 during her sophomore year at the University of Richmond and has never allowed this diagnosis to impede her dreams and goals. She enjoys reading, writing, and performing spoken word poetry. She resides in Gainesville, VA.
Greg Norman - Web and Social Media Adviser
Greg is a web software developer living in Virginia Beach with his beautiful wife and 2-year-old daughter. Among many other conditions, he has been diagnosed with dysautonomia, POTS, and orthostatic hypotension, of which he has had symptoms throughout his life. He is eager to help raise awareness about these complex conditions. He should not be confused with the Australian golfer, and he blogs (rarely) at his site, http://notthegolfer.com.
Lindsey Hocker - Event Coordinator
Lindsey is a professional event coordinator and wedding designer, and owner of a very successful business, Simply Perfect Events, serving Hampton Roads and Charlottesville, VA. She has a passion for charity work. She looks forward to helping others host successful events and fundraisers to promote Dysautonomia SOS's projects and spread dysautonomia awareness. She is especially interested in dysautonomia because of her friend and former business associate, Claire Martin (President of Dysautonomia SOS).
Janet Point - Editing Goddess
Janet’s career-life includes 25-years of high profile investor relations and communications executive roles with both large and smaller publicly-traded companies. Currently, a resident of Philadelphia, PA, she learned of her younger son’s diagnosis with Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome (POTS) in
early 2010. A graduate of the University of Virginia with majors in English and Economics, she recently refocused her passion on helping to build awareness and support for people living with Dysautonomia, having met Claire Martin (President and Founder of Dysautonomia SOS) in the ether. In her other life,
she continues to practice yoga, laugh, garden and raise her two teenage sons with her husband, Steve. Armed with an MBA from the University of Michigan, she continues to watch the escapades of Wall Street.
Emily Kimball - Content Contributor and Editor
Emily is a junior at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She is dual majoring in Political Science, and Labor Studies and Employment Relations. She is also minoring in the Russian language. She enjoys outdoor activities like rock climbing and likes to scrap book during her free time. She has had Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) for 5 years and looks forward to supporting other patients who suffer from dysautonomia.
Shae Leighland-Pence - Graphic Design Coordinator
Shae has had lifelong dysautonomia (POTS and NMH), but she is much more than her diagnosis. She has well over a decade of experience as the Public Information Officer and Webmaster of a nonprofit organization. She is also published poet - twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, an artist, photographer, web developer, professional jewelry designer, and genealogist. She has been a soldier, a magician's assistant, an 'extra' in several movies, a real estate agent, and an entrepreneur. She currently focuses on advocacy for dysautonomia and Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome through her blog DysGirl, and creates custom medical awareness jewelry through her popular business, Shae Eclectique. She has two grown sons, one of whom also has POTS, the other a Marine who served in Afghanistan. She and her husband own Valley Towing & Recovery, and reside on a five acre farm on the lower slopes of Great North Mountain in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with their dog and six cats.
Ella Woodard - Content Contributor (Cooking with POTS)
Ella is a 21 year old Art History student and health-food enthusiast from London. She adores cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, and seeing other people enjoy deliciously nutritious food. Her culinary passion and interest in the affect of diet on health developed after being diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in 2011. She writes a very popular blog full of her recipes, Deliciously Ella, which can be found at http://deliciouslyella.com.
Special Thanks to the following generous people who also contributed to Dysautonomia SOS getting off the ground and continuing to be a success: