director@hacacares.org • 703-352-7641

Brenda has served as HACA’s executive director since January 2016, but she’s been part of HACA for more than a decade. She came to work for the chapter in February 2011 as the chapter administrative assistant, leaving briefly for other employment in 2015 but serving during that time as a board member before returning as executive director. Brenda has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Louisiana State University, and is originally from the New Orleans area. She and her husband, Matt, have two daughters in their 20s, and all have served as HACA volunteers in some capacity in the past!

admin@hacacares.org • 703-712-2266

Robin has been part of the HACA community since the birth of her first son in 2015.  She became a board member in 2018 and served at HACA’s vice president and president before stepping down in September 2022 to become HACA’s Program Manager.  She has an associate’s degree in veterinary technology and a bachelor’s degree in biology, and worked as a veterinary technician in veterinary ophthalmology and internal medicine for nine years before stepping away to be a stay-at-home mom.  Robin and her husband Phil are both originally from New York and have two school-aged children.  She enjoys gardening and beekeeping in her spare time.

Board member since 2019

Connection to community: My son has severe hemophilia B.

Professional information: Litigation associate at Sidley Austin LLP

We’ve been so grateful for the HACA community since we received our son’s diagnosis nearly two years ago. I want to join the board to use my experience in law and policy to help advocate for families living with hemophilia.

Board member since 2018

Connection to the community: I’ve been connected to HACA since I was a young child when my mother served as the executive director and my father as treasurer of the organization. My husband, Joe, has also served as treasurer of the board.

Professional information: Assistant Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, Shenandoah University.

I am the mother of two boys, and in my spare time enjoys walking my dogs, watching sports, and traveling.

Board member since 2022

Connection to the community: Parent of a daughter with von Willebrand disease

Professional information: Deputy Director, Mission Support Division, Office of Program Support, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency

My family and I have been blessed to be part of the HACA family since 2015. We have learned so much about Lauryn’s von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders. I truly believe that we must pass it on and give back to others in the same way that so many people have poured into our lives. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the board and use our family’s unique and personal experience to advocate on behalf of people with bleeding diseases.

Board member since 2021

Connection to the Community: Many members of my family have/ had hemophilia. My favorite uncle, and my father died at relatively young ages from long term complications of the disease. My son has severe hemophilia B, and my soon-to-be-adopted son has severe hemophilia A.

Professional Information: Director of Community Support, Animal Welfare League of Arlington

I’ve been employed for a non-profit organization for four years, doing a variety of different jobs. But in my time there I’ve learned large scale event planning, strategic/ long-term planning, budgeting, and all types of marketing and community engagement ideas. My current role is Director of Community Support, providing low-cost and free veterinary clinics, emergency assistance grants, and other critical resources to pet owners in NOVA. I also oversee the volunteer program that has about 300 active volunteers, and the Humane Education programs that reach hundreds of kids each year.

Board member since 2022

Connection to the Community: Person with a bleeding disorder

Professional Information: Grassroots and Advocacy Manager, National Psoriasis Foundation

HACA has done so much for me as a person with a bleeding disorder, and I want to show my gratitude by lending my abilities and time to the organization as it works to advocate for and support the bleeding disorders community. This goes doubly for younger members of the community or people with bleeding disorders who are either recently diagnosed or relatively new to community orgs like HACA. When I was younger, I met tons of incredible mentors and role models who taught me about living with hemophilia through our shared membership in HACA, and I want to follow in their footsteps and “pay it forwards” by providing a similar role for the next generation.

Board member since 2019

Connection to community: My home country, Sierra Leone, has limited resources so I suffered from spontaneous bleeds until I emigrated to the U.S. in 2000 where I was diagnosed and treated for severe hemophilia B.​

Professional information: Currently, my mother and I operate an importing of foreign goods business. Also, I’m a real estate investor and an alumnus at Montgomery community college (MC). During my free time, I love reading business, self-help, and investing books. Also, I enjoy photography and flying my drone for fun. Lastly, I think it is paramount to be a part of a well-organized board that supports people living with bleeding disorders, like myself. 

Board member from 2013-2019; 2020

Connection to the community: Hemophilia B

Professional information: Diagnosed after seven years in the Air Force, I was allowed to stay in and retire after 27.5 years. My career was spent in Intelligence with numerous varied reserve tours over the last 18.5 years. Most of my work was in long range planning and crisis management. Currently, I work as a realtor at Jobin Realty and enjoy helping people to find the right place to live.

I have been and remain a very active volunteer in the State and National soccer communities, holding numerous offices and chairing and serving on many committees. I still referee and serve as a Delegate at Large to the Metro-DC Virginia Soccer Association. From 1986-1990 I was President of the Brookland-Bush Hill Civic Association, serving on the Van Dorn Metro Station Development Committee.

About nine years ago, I became active in the hemophilia community, first serving as secretary then president of HACA. I now serve on the Scholarship and Accountability Committees of the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) and on the Executive Committee as Secretary of the HFA Board.

Board member since 2020

Connection to the community: Carrier and Parent of a young son with Severe Hemophilia A and a baby daughter.

Professional information: Regional Recruiter at Whole Foods Market, Mid-Atlantic Region.

I’m originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia and moved to College Park to attend the University of Maryland. It was here that I met my future husband (and fellow HACA board member!) Luke. We’ve learned so much from HACA and about the world of bleeding disorders since our relatively recent introduction to the hemophilia community in early 2018.

Board member since 2018

Connection to the community: Hemophilia A

Professional information: I’ve worked in the field of international development for over 15 years, with a focus on transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in government. Currently, I’m a project manager at Population Action International (PAI), an international non-profit organization that promotes universal access to reproductive health & rights in both the U.S. and developing countries. In this role, I’m involved in supporting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in six African countries with their health-related advocacy.

I joined the hemophilia community in early 2015 after my son was diagnosed with severe hemophilia A when he was two days old. His diagnosis was a complete shock, and I later found out that I am a carrier (and mild hemophiliac) due to a spontaneous gene mutation. I joined HACA a month after he was born and have been an active member ever since.