STAFF
The majority of #MEAction staff are people living with ME, making our team uniquely positioned to understand the real-life impacts of the government and medical community’s decisions or inaction on the disease.
SHALIDA DOBBINS
Creative Arts & Community Manager
Shalida Dobbins is an author and disability rights activist from Cleveland, Ohio. Born with sacral agenesis, she has been in a wheelchair since the age of three. Shalida has over a decade of experience with writing and activism, she studied journalism at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She uses her experiences as a black disabled woman to help advocate for others who are disabled, especially those who are a part of marginalized groups. In Cleveland she serves as the vice-chair of Clevelander’s for Public Transit where she works to make sure the public transit system is accessible and equitable. She is always trying to find new ways to make sure the disabled community has a voice in the world.
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BEN HSUBORGER
US Advocacy Director
Problem-solver, project manager. Over the past 10 years Ben has worked in nonprofit, academic and government organizations on projects spanning: microfinance, study-abroad, public health, fair housing and community development. He is a former Fulbright scholar eager to help teams innovate through better integration of people, processes and information. He loves extra-large whiteboards.
LAURIE JONES
Executive Director
Laurie has years of experience working in non-profits and the arts. Prior to joining the #MEAction team, Laurie was the Director of Impact for Unrest, using the film to educate and advocate for those in the ME community. She has served as Programs Director at Brave New Films, worked on the Why Poverty? film campaign and fundraised for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. She has a BA in Production Studies in Performing Arts from Clemson University and an MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York.
HOLLY LATHAM
Social Media Manager
Holly has been an enthusiastic volunteer in a variety of capacities in the ME community for years. She had two strong passions prior to illness: facilitating compassionate communities and advocacy. She was on track to turn these passions into a career with a psychology major and goals of a master’s degree and doctorate until ME struck and derailed her plans. Holly worsened from more moderately ill to 23.5 hours a day in a darkened room holding on through the pain and hoping for better days. Eventually, those better days did come and Holly immediately turned to the active online ME community. She jumped right into advocacy as a co-manager of the Justice for Karina Hansen campaign. She has since volunteered in a variety of roles through #MEAction where she has used her talents for advocacy and community building. Holly is excited to serve the community in the role of social media manager.
STEVEN MOLONY
Video & Communications Manager
Steven Molony has been shooting #MillionsMissing footage and editing videos for #MEAction since 2017. In 2021, he signed on in a greater capacity to assist in advancing #MEAction's mission. Molony is an actor, writer, and filmmaker with a passion for using that skill set to serve others.
LINDA POZEN
Minnesota Home Help Navigator
Linda Pozen has been working in the social services field for their entire career since graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in 2019 and their Masters of Social Work in 2023. Linda has worked in non-profit organizations and as an outpatient clinical social worker with folks navigating new and emerging disabilities. They are excited to support individuals in Minnesota with navigating Home and Community-Based Healthcare Services to obtain the type of care services they need and deserve. Outside of their work, Linda can be found birding, spending time with their dogs, cat and cockatiel, and listening to Dungeons and Dragons podcasts.
THERESE RUSSO
Advocacy Manager
Therese (she/her) is a disability and chronic illness rights advocate, public health analyst, and community organizer with over a decade of experience in nonprofit and government administration. Her work includes Medicaid policy research and coordinating health equity programs across New York City’s 22-facility public healthcare system. Before joining staff, Therese represented #MEAction in advocacy and advisory roles with the NYC Department of Health, CDC, and NIH. She holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies–Comparative Religions from Coastal Carolina University and an MPA in Health Policy and Management from NYU Wagner. Therese lives with ME/CFS, POTS, MCAS, and EDS, and resides in Portland, Oregon with her rabbit. She loves the performing arts, creative writing, meditation, and coffee.
JAIME SELTZER
Scientific Director
Jaime Seltzer is the Scientific Director at #MEAction and a researcher with Stanford Medicine. At #MEAction, she fosters communication between healthcare and government institutions, research scientists, clinicians, and people with infection-associated chronic illnesses. She has represented #MEAction at CDC, NIH, on Capitol Hill, with national healthcare institutions in Australia, Canada, and the UK, and in university-led research groups for ME/CFS and Long COVID. She has worked with Stanford, Columbia, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Vanderbilt, and Project ECHO on post-infectious chronic complex diseases, including ME/CFS and Long COVID. She is also a person living with ME/CFS.
ADRIANE TILLMAN
Public Relations Manager
Adriane graduated with degrees in literature and Russian language. She worked as a newspaper journalist for five years, and consulted in marketing and copywriting before joining #MEAction.
VOLUNTEERS
#MEAction’s staff support and are supported by hundreds of volunteers all around the world. We are always looking for new volunteers with ME and healthy ME allies to join our team. If you are interested in helping, please get in touch via this form.
