Kenna McEvoy
Moderator

Kenna is passionate about supporting, mentoring, and encouraging others, and she has personal experience as a patient and advocate for those with medical and mental health challenges. As a young adult affected by multiple chronic illnesses of her own, she believes that every person’s story is unique, matters, and deserves to be heard, celebrated, and deeply understood. 

Kenna holds a college degree with graduate-level course work in behavior change which has given her a firm grasp on the fields of mental health, chronic illness, and rare disease. Her numerous volunteer, internship, and employment experiences position her well to serve others in the context of a nurturing group environment, and she holds a hopeful, compassionate, and empathetic outlook for those living with chronic conditions. In her free time, Kenna enjoys advocating for individuals with rare diseases and autism, spending time with family and friends, volunteering, and writing blog articles.

Ella Balasa
Moderator

Ella Balasa is a patient advocate, consultant, and a person living with cystic fibrosis. She has committed her time to empowering patients and advancing healthcare strategies. She speaks publicly about the value of patient perspective and has a passion for distilling clinical information for patient communities. Through opportunities working with healthcare organizations on content strategy, writing, speaking, clinical trial development, and sharing the patient experience she aims to affect the healthcare landscape by raising awareness of rare diseases, promoting self-advocacy to patients, and valuable insights to organizations.