Our Team Superstars! Print E-mail

These are just a very few of the incredible people who make up our incredible team!  As you can see, they are a diverse group.  But alopecia isn't the only thing that they have in common.  They also share a desire to live full and vibrant lives no matter what obstacles lie in their paths. 

We are absolutely sure that there are gazillions of other Team Superstars out there, so if you know of one (or you are one yourself, which we are equally sure that you are) send us a "heads-up" by clicking on the Contact Us tab, over there on the left.  Yeah, that's the one!  Or, if you are a registered member here on the team homesite, you can just leave a comment using the link.  Until we hear from you then, enjoy the Superstars below.

 
Margaret Baker Print E-mail

margaretbeauty1Margaret is a formidable quadruple threat- Model/Actress/Playwright and Motivational Speaker.  She has also had alopecia since she was two and a half.  Ms. Baker is obviously gorgeous, but she fought hard for the inner strength to be the confident, successful woman she is today.  Take a few minutes to discover more about this multi-talented young woman.  And be sure to keep an eye out for her in the stage play "My Life As A Bald Soprano"

 
Duncan Goodhew Print E-mail

duncan goodhewDuncan won Olympic gold for the UK in 1980.  He has also been appointed as a member of the 'Most Excellent Order of the British Empire' by the Queen.  Mr. Goodhew is now a much in demand motivational speaker and appears regularly on British television specials.  Duncan is also the author of the book "Sink or Swim"  You can read more about this fascinating person, athlete, and alopecian here.

 
Steve Wolf Print E-mail
stevewolfSteve blows things up, jumps off of tall buildings, and sometimes drives way too fast.  No, he's not crazy...he's a Hollywood stuntman and special effects creator!  Steve also tours the country teaching school kids about  physics and chemistry using the lessons that only high level stuntwork in the movies can provide.  You can click here to see a list of Steve's impressive movie credits.  You can read this article on his work with kids.  And you can visit Mr Wolf's production company's website if you need, y'know, something blown up.
 
Gail Porter Print E-mail

gailGail Porter has always been a beautiful young woman and a very popular celebrity in Britain and Europe.  Now she is also a hero and an inspiration to millions of alopecians around the world for the brave way she handled her very public experience as a newly diagnosed alopecia patient last year.  You can Google Gail and find thousands of articles and fan sites about her.  Go ahead and try it!  Here are a few to get you started: Daily Mail, The Guardian, BiggestStars.com.

 
Staciana Stitts Print E-mail

staciana stittsStaciana was an olympic gold medalist for the USA in 2000, and now she is a swimming coach at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.  Staciana has made a breaststroke drills DVD for all you aspiring Olympians out there.  She gives a wonderful interview about her life since the Olympics at the USA swimming site.  Her alopecia was something she struggled with as a child, and she has volunteered her time and energy to kids with alopecia.  She has an inspiring message that she shares on the NAAF site.

 
Matt Lucas Print E-mail

matt lucasMatt is a really funny guy.  He began his career as a stand-up comedian and moved on to a hugely successful film and television career.  His biggest television hit so far is the absolutely nutty and wildly popular "Little Britain" on the BBC.   Matt has had alopecia since early childhood and is openly gay.  In fact, Mr. Lucas is often listed as one of the UK's most influential gay men.  You can read more about Matt and his comedy right here.

 
Amy Gibson Print E-mail

amygibsonAmy has turned her own struggle with alopecia, which began when she was 14, into a thriving business.  Ms. Gibson is not only a popular television actress in the US, starring in "The Young and The Restless", "The Facts of Life", and "Guiding Light", she is also the creator of the Amy's Presence line of wigs.  You can read a transcript of a WebMD live event with Amy.   Amy also owns Crown and Glory Enterprises, a group of personal hair loss consultants.

 
Jodi Pliszka Print E-mail
jodiJodi is an alopecian, an author, and an inventor.  She is the award-winning author of two children's books: 'Bella & Gizmo's Adventures-The Hairless Sphynx Cats', and 'Bella & Gizmo's Adventures-Bella Gets A New Sweater'.  And recently Jodi has penned a new book: 'Bald is Beautiful-My Journey to Becoming'.  She has had alopecia since childhood, and lost all of her hair at age twenty.  Ms. Pliszka was also one of 12 finalists on the ABC television program "American Inventor", earlier this year.  Jodi is a clinical therapist and motivational speaker.
 
Laura Duksta Print E-mail
lauradukstaLaura has had alopecia since she was 11, and wore wigs for 18 years after that.  She was a bartender in Maimi's hot bar scene for several years until she was inspired to write the children's book "I Love You More".   Since then Ms. Duksta has gone on to become a popular public speaker and is a co-creator and participant in the online empowerment site MpowerU.com.  Laura also now owns her own publishing company I Shine, Inc.  You can view Laura's video diary on YouTube, and you can visit her fun and playful children's site.
 
Venus Dennison Print E-mail

venus dennisonVenus is a Creative Director at HBO.  Before she accepted her position at the prestigous network, she worked for such high profile magazines as Marie Claire, Madamoiselle, Vibe, and The Source.  Venus was diagnosed with alopecia at the age of five.  Ms. Dennison is active in promoting the extraordinary beauty of bald women and is involved in the ambitious BOLD project.   You can view the most recent video from the film portion of the project at BoldisBeautiful.com.

 
Anna Fitzpatrick Print E-mail

anna fitzpatrickAnna has had alopecia since the age of seven, and began her modeling career at the age of fourteen.  She is currently represented by the '62 Models and Talent' agency.  Clearly more than just a beautiful face, she was also the co-host of the music program "Beauty and the Beats", and will soon host her own fashion program on AltTV in her native New Zealand.  Here is a lovely pic of Anna at a recent fashion event.  The New Zealand Herald did a nice story on her, and as young as she is, we are sure to be hearing more from her in the years to come.

 
Laura Hudson Print E-mail

laura hudsonLaura developed alopecia at the tender age of nine.  She modeled as a teenager, managing to hide that she had lost her hair.  But through the strength of her Christain faith and the love of her family, she came out as a beautiful bald woman on the Learning Channel program "A Makeover Story"  She and her husband built a successful business managing award winning Christian and Gospel acts.  She and her husband now travel the country sharing their inspirational message of faith.  Laura continues to encourage people everywhere to accept and love the person they are, no matter what challenges they face.

 
Pierluigi Collina Print E-mail

pierluigi collinaThe most remarkable thing about Pierluigi's alopecia is how unremarkable it is.  Widely regarded as the best soccer referee in the world, his alopecia (which developed when he was 24) is mentioned only in passing in articles about him.  Then the reporter gets right back the superlatives that have defined his extraordinary career.  He is hugely famous in Europe, and often referred to as a sex symbol.  You can read this older London Observer article, or this newer one on SportsIllustrated.com.  You can also visit Mr. Collina's website.

 
Caggie Simonelli Print E-mail

caggie simonelliCaggie is simply amazing.   She began her life as an alopecian at the age of eight, and now she is a vice-president at DKNY and very highly regarded in the international fashion industry.  She is also a founder of the BOLD project.  It includes a film and a book (shot by the brightest lights in fashion photography) highlighting the ethereal beauty, and often difficult struggle, of the bald woman.  Ms. Simonelli has granted several interviews on her project including this one at Lifetimetv.com.  You can follow her work and find much more at BoldisBeautiful.com

 
Leslie Ann Butler Print E-mail

leslieann butlerLeslie Ann enjoyed successful careers in both modeling and advertising before gaining international prominence as an artist.  In 2002 she was profiled on Forbes.com as one of America's most outstanding portrait artists.  Her work is enjoyed in many prestigious private and public collections, including those of George and Barbara Bush, and Michael Jackson.  Ms. Butler is also the author of a children's book "The Dream Road: And Other Tales From Hidden Hills (Some Involving Rabbits)"  Leslie Ann is also a former NAAF Spokesperson. You can view some of her lively pieces on her website.

 
Charlie Villanueva Print E-mail
charliev1Charlie is an NBA player currently with the Milwaukee Bucks.  He is also an NAAF spokesperson!  You can read more about this great team member, on and off the court, in this profile on SportsIllustrated.com which covers both his career and his alopecia.  You can also see a really lovely video piece on Charlie done by the Canadian Broadcasting Company on his work with kids (you need to scroll down the page a bit).  Also take a minute to visit his website.  Charlie is truly an inspiration and a wonderful young voice for alopecians everywhere