Committee Members

Alexa Lyncheski

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Alexa Lyncheski, and I am in 11th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2020. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee means the world to me, it means hope, it means community, it means family.

Annika van der Hoek

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Annika van der Hoek, and I am in 10th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2021. I want to help young IBD patients learn to be comfortable with their IBD and to help them feel less alone with their illness, which is why I am a part of the Take Steps Teen Committee. Our mission is to help young patients embrace their IBD and feel supported.

Eamon Rowe

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Eamon Rowe and I am in 12th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2022. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee is a way for me to interact with my community and to give back to it.

Ellie Bowles

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Ellie Bowles and I am in 12th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2018. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee means that I get to spread awareness about Crohn’s and UC while also being able to provide support to kids from all over by letting them know they are not alone in how they are feeling or what they are going through.

Julian Lane

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Julian Lane and I am in 10th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2020. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee means a lot to me because it allows me to make a difference in a community I’m a part of. It also helps me to spread information about my Disease that a lot of the time goes unknown.

Kai Hillier

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Kai Hillier and I am in 11th grade. I was Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2022. Being part of the Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee, where we work together to support those with IBD, is incredibly meaningful to me. The chance to collaborate with others who share the same passion for making a difference is truly inspiring.

Kaitlyn Everitt

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Everitt, and I am in 10th grade. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2019. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee is a way for me to get involved within the IBD community and help out kids who are looking for guidance or support with their diagnosis. I hope to spread awareness and support for those affected by IBD.

Lilah Zwelling

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Lilah Zwelling, and I am in 10th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2021. Being part of the Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee has meant so much to me. It has given me the opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences as well as actively contribute to raising awareness and support for those affected by IBD.

Phillip Duke

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Phillip Duke, and I am in 12th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2022. I enjoy being a part of the Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee because I get to meet others with IBD and have an amazing opportunity to help others with it as well.

Ryan Shahriyarpour

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Ryan Shahriyarpour and I am in 11th grade. I was Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2018. To me, the committee is a way to connect with other people going through the same thing as me. It gives me a chance to learn more about my condition and help others who have it as well.

Shireen Einollahi

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Shireen Einollahi, and I am in 11th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2022. The Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee is a community to me where I can connect with others like me.

Sophia Levine

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Sophia Levine, and I am in 11th grade. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2014, and I was recently re-diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2024. The CCFA has done so much for me throughout the years, and I want to give back to the cause through the Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee. I’m dedicated to raising funds to find a cure for Crohn’s and Colitis and helping kids with IBD have the experiences I did, connecting with others they can relate to.

Veronica Fierro

Committee Member

Hi! My name is Veronica Fierro, and I am in 11th grade. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2020. For me, the Take Steps Youth Leadership Committee means family and community.