Our Leadership
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ALEXA CHRONISTER
Founder, President
Alexa founded Fight Like A Warrior after creating the Cards For Warriors program in 2016. With the goal of creating a community of empowerment and improving the lives of those with chronic health conditions, she developed Fight Like A Warrior as a way to cope with her own health challenges, while giving back to others. She received her bachelor's degree with honors distinction in public policy from the University of Delaware and completed a thesis focused on health policy and disease advocacy. Alexa has a passion for working with individuals and communities to advance policy, advocacy, and entrepreneurial efforts, particularly within healthcare, focused on improving access and reducing inequity. When not working, Alexa loves to travel, write, and listen to music!
Contact: alexa.chronister@fightlikeawarrior.org
Instagram: @alexa.chronister
SARA COHEN
Director of Program Development
Sara began writing for Cards for Warriors shortly after its formation and has remained involved through the program's growth and development into Fight Like a Warrior. Sara's battle with her own chronic illnesses has opened her eyes to the misunderstanding and underrepresentation of the patient voice in the healthcare industry. From the depths of her illnesses, Sara found her passion and recently received her masters degree in occupational therapy, while working as a research assistant in a program dedicated to training health profession students in the science and art of complex case management. Outside of Fight Like a Warrior, Sara teaches therapeutic horseback riding lessons, is an Adjunct Faculty in Occupational Therapy Department at her alma mater, and the State Chairperson for the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International. On weekends, Sara can be found at the barn with her recently adopted ex-racehorse, Q!
Contact: sara.cohen@fightlikeawarrior.org
Instagram: @fromthepatientperspective
JAELIN PALMER
Director of Advocacy
Jaelin has had CRPS and Trigeminal Neuralgia for nearly 10 years and as a result, has truly come to appreciate the online chronic illness community. Her own experiences, along with her public policy degree and experience in government, makes her an incredible leader for Fight Like A Warrior's Advocacy Team! When Jaelin is not working for FLAW, you can find her reading a good book, crafting/painting, working on her Instagram account or belting to Broadway show tunes with her sister.
Contact: jaelin.palmer@fightlikeawarrior.org
Instagram: @jaelinpalmer
CIENNA DITRI
Director of Communications
Cienna has been a warrior since birth, but received her first diagnosis at age 5. Her doctors knew something more was wrong, which started the medical journey that has led to her being diagnosed with a variety of chronic illnesses including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, migraines, central hypoventilation syndrome, hypokalemic periodic paralysis, and mast cell activation syndrome. Cienna loves sharing her daily life with chronic illnesses and service dogs on social media and passionately advocates for these topics and rare diseases nationally. When Cienna is not busy working on social media, she enjoys training service dogs, playing saxophone, traveling, surfing, running her book club (chronically bookish), fashion, and spending time with friends.
Contact: cienna.ditri@fightlikeawarrior.org
Instagram:@chronicallypersevering
JAELIN TAYLOR
Podcast Producer
Jaelin was diagnosed with Chronic Tic Disorder, ADHD, Anxiety, Major Depression, OSFED, PTSD, and Psoriasis, all before graduating from high school, but none of that stopped her from pursuing a college education and graduating with honors. Using her degrees in Communication Studies and Cinema and Television Arts, Jaelin’s personal goal is to create a variety of inclusive content with relatable characters for everyone on all media platforms. When she’s not working on the Fight Like A Warrior Podcast, you can find Jaelin working on original screenplays, hanging out at Disneyland, and having fun with her sorority sisters.
Contact: jaelin.taylor@fightlikeawarrior.org
SHANNAN O'HARA-LEVI
Blog Management
Shannan has been a Warrior since age 3 after being diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. She has battled JIA, RA and other related chronic illness for over 30 years. She has a Master’s degree in Social Work and is an active and passionate volunteer and advocate for autoimmune diseases and chronic illnesses both in her community and nationally. She has walked the halls of Capitol Hill countless times and continues to fight for those with Chronic Illness both on a National and State level. Shannan is also a certified yoga instructor and a graduate of the Yoga for Arthritis teacher training program in which she hopes to bring accessible yoga to those with chronic pain and arthritis in her community. In her free time, Shannan enjoys traveling with her husband, reading and getting all the snuggles from her 3 fur-babies.
Contact: shannan.oharalevi@fightlikeawarrior.org
Instagram: @ShannieOHL