Jennifer Brea (Executive Director, #MEAction)

Jennifer co-founded #MEAction and directed the award-winning documentary Unrest. Prior to getting sick, she was pursuing a Ph.D in political economy and a master’s degree in statistics at Harvard. She is a frequent contributor to MEpedia’s science pages and is passionate about engaging patients to support and grow the scientific field.

Committees: NINDS ME/CFS Working Group of Council, NIH ME/CFS Conference Planning Committee

Mary Dimmock

Mary worked in the pharmaceutical industry for Pfizer for three decades, but became a patient advocate after her son became sick in 2010. Her advocacy work includes: authoring papers on the history and the disease burden; serving on NIH’s common data elements initiative and CFSAC workgroups; and efforts to improve clinical care and medical education.

Rochelle Joslyn, Ph.D.

Rochelle is an immunologist and ME patient. She developed ME in 2004 after picking up a virus while traveling. In her struggle to find adequate clinical care, it became immediately clear to her that research was sorely needed for this disease. Upon her complete recovery in 2008, Rochelle finished her BA, began working in immunotherapy research, and earned a PhD in Immunology at the University of Washington. A relapse in 2015  limited her ability to pursue an academic career studying ME, so she participates in many scientific advisory roles for a variety of ME/CFS advocacy and research groups. As both a patient and scientist, Rochelle knows this disease from the inside out and the outside in. She is thrilled about the recent momentum in the field and looking forward to breakthroughs that move to ball forward for pwME.

Committees: NINDS ME/CFS Working Group of Council

Becky Taurog, Ph.D.

Becky did her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Michigan and her postdoctoral fellowship at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.  She was teaching and doing research as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Williams College when she became disabled by ME. Stuck in bed so much of the day, she turned to online activism after having to leave the only career she’d ever known.  Becky is excited about using her scientific knowledge and experience to improve the lives of people with ME and related illnesses.

Committees: NIH ME/CFS Conference Planning Committee

Terri Wilder, M.S.W. (Person with ME, Volunteer with #MEAction New York)

Terri Wilder was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in March 2016. Since her diagnosis she has worked with elected officials, public health departments, health care providers, and activists to raise awareness about ME  in New York State and across the globe. She was finishing her Ph.D. when she became ill however believes she has had the disease since 1996. She is currently a volunteer with #MEAction New York and represented the group on the federal Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC). She has worked in HIV services since 1989 and is a long time AIDS activist (and ACT UP/NY member) advocating for policy change. She has fought for women’s access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and for women specific illnesses to be included in the Center for Disease Control’s definition of AIDS. She has presented information on HIV around the world and many of her articles on HIV can be found on various websites. She recently served on the New York Governor’s Task Force to End AIDS. She uses the skills she learned from the AIDS movement to fight for her life and others.

Committees: NIH ME/CFS Conference Planning Committee

Jaime Seltzer (Director of Medical & Scientific Outreach, #MEAction)

Jaime Seltzer was an educator in the sciences when she contracted ME. Through research, determination, and the help of hundreds of other patients posting their experiences, she was able to restore some of her well-being.

Seltzer did freelance writing before accepting a position as an Assistant Professor in graduate-level Organic Chemistry. In 2016, she was hired as Managing Editor for #MEAction, where she played a key role in organizing the #MillionsMissing protests, engaged with representatives on Capitol Hill, the CDC, and the NIH, and represented #MEAction at scientific conferences. In 2017, Seltzer was hired to work at the Stanford Genome Technology Center, doing benchwork and research writing, helping to create disease models and investigate treatments. She signed on as Director of Scientific and Medical Outreach in March 2018.

Ben HsuBorger (Global Community & Campaigns Director, #MEAction)

Ben is a former Fulbright scholar who has worked in nonprofit, academic and government organizations on projects spanning: microfinance, study-abroad, public health, fair housing and community development. He has been living with ME since 2005.