Our Board of Directors

Bailey Maddox is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist who was appointed to the SC Board of Massage Therapy. She is also the facilitator for the National Lymphedema Network Clinical Focus Group on Lipedema. Bailey has a focus on training massage therapists to recognize lipedema, and to create more practical resources for therapists.

As a transformative leader in professional development, Constance “Connie” Boyer has dedicated her career to empowering others through education and organizational excellence. With over two decades of experience, she currently drives innovation as a Business Partner in Program Operations at Amazon’s Global Real Estate & Facilities (GREF) division.

At Amazon, Connie pioneered the global Adminz@ initiative, a comprehensive training program that revolutionized professional development for Administrative staff worldwide. This achievement exemplifies her talent for creating scalable, high-impact learning solutions that transform organizational culture.

Beyond her corporate work, Connie remains deeply committed to community education. She has enriched local communities through teaching at community colleges and leading various learning initiatives. Connie Boyer, a pioneering lipedema advocate and American Lipedema Association board member, discovered she was “patient zero” in her family’s history with the hereditary condition. Through powerful social media campaigns and speaking engagements, she transforms her personal journey into educational opportunities that drive awareness and support for the lipedema community.

Drawing from her Master’s in Adult Education from SUNY Buffalo and BA in English from the University of Louisville, Constance brings academic rigor to practical workplace challenges. A sought-after speaker and educator, Constance  presents at major industry conferences, including FDRS, IAAP Summit, and the Executive Leadership Support conference. Her workshops span crucial business competencies, from technical skills to cultural awareness and strategic communication.

Megan McClendon is a Lipedema patient and founder of New Views, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting innovation and leadership development. New Views centers the voices of patients and facilitates cross-sector collaboration across the social determinants of health. Megan combines her expertise in healthcare innovation and community co-design to advance understanding and care. Her current work explores the intersection of Lipedema, mental health, and health inequities with a goal of building awareness, improving outcomes, and enabling earlier diagnosis.

Cara Cruz, known to her followers as PaleGingerPear, is a passionate advocate, content creator, and voice for the lipedema community. As a social media influencer, Cara uses her platforms to share her personal journey with lipedema, raise awareness, and empower others living with chronic illness and body diversity. With authenticity, humor, and heart, she brings visibility to the everyday challenges and triumphs of living with lipedema—building a strong, supportive community along the way. As a member of our Board of Directors, Cara brings the invaluable perspective of lived experience and digital advocacy to help shape a more inclusive and informed future for those affected by lipedema.

Hiba Hamati is a passionate advocate for lipedema awareness, education, and early diagnosis. After decades of misdiagnoses, Hiba was finally diagnosed with lipedema in 2020—a turning point that inspired her to share her journey and help others find answers faster. She is dedicated to amplifying the voices of those living with lipedema and raising awareness among healthcare providers through storytelling, community-building, and strategic communication.

Drawing from her personal experience, Hiba openly shares her struggles and what has worked for her, while also helping to connect patients with resources and support. With a background in strategy and marketing, and experience serving on nonprofit and startup boards, she brings a unique perspective to her advocacy. Whether she’s working toward systemic change or sharing her story, Hiba is driven by her belief that no one should have to struggle to access the treatment and resources needed to manage this disease.

Susan O’Hara is a certified Program Management Professional, and AIPPM certified program manager. She also is a lipedema patient and advocate, who owns and runs LegsLikeMine.com and a footwear company designed to help women with lipedema and other patients who have unique feet needs. Susan has authored numerous books about lipedema, including, “Aqua Therapy for Lipedema and Lymphedema,” “Jeans on a Beach Day,” and “Empowered Legs: Advocacy for Lipedema Patients.” Susan is a retired government manager with over 28 years of experience in IT, government contracting, leadership and consulting.

Susan also volunteers extensively in her community. She is a member of the Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma Gold Award Committee, and volunteers regularly with the OKC Civic Center Foundation and the OKC Food Bank.

Growing up most people called her “the why girl”. Every answer sparked more questions. Naturally inquisitive, problem solving came naturally. She is a life long learner of the sciences reading medical test books for “fun” as a kid. Her first career was in Sales, Marketing and Customer Services within the manufacturing setting. She transitioned into becoming a nurse after her mother had a stroke. With a majority of her nursing career being focused within Emergency medicine, she also is knowledgeable in Pediatric ER, Occupational Health, Hospice, Mental Health, and Infectious Diseases.  Carina has worked within advocacy in healthcare for safe staffing ratios and a call to end violence directed towards healthcare workers. Having battled undiagnosed lipedema for decades she struggled with eating disorders, depression and anxiety. She learned about lipedema from social media in late 2023 and diagnosed in 2024 along with hEDS. She learned this was a known condition since 1942 and this sparked a fire of wanting to help other women. Women battling this connective tissue disorder have had their concerns fallen on deaf ears for far too long. The answer is advocacy. Carina’s focus within lipedema is how women’s mental health had been negatively impacted by undiagnosed lipedema and early diagnosis and management in puberty. 

Jenny was diagnosed with lipolymphedema at 59, but noticed her legs were different as a teenager. She’s served on a variety on non-profit boards and brings a deep understanding of living with lipedema to the Board. Jenny has 40 years of public service includes directing a state historical park and leading training for the State’s long-term care Ombudsman office. She is a panelist on the Lymphapress’s Monthly Lipedema Patient Round Table and administers the Lipedema Strong in New England Facebook group, supporting over 1,000 people with lipedema and related disorders.

Dr. Thomas Wright has written over 30 Scientific abstracts, book chapters, and peer-reviewed publications, including 9 peer-reviewed manuscripts on lipedema in the last 3 years.  He recently published his research outlining improvements in lipedema patients’ quality of life following Lipedema Reduction Surgery LRS using his specific technique.  He is a co-author of the US lipedema Standard of Care Guidelines, and he authored case reports of lipedema coexisting with anorexia nervosa and lipedema coexisting with malnutrition. He was trained in the tumescent liposuction technique by its originator, Dr. Jeffrey Klein.  Dr. Wright has also trained with the originators of lipedema surgery in Germany.  Dr. Wright has performed thousands of tumescent liposuction procedures for cosmetic and lipedema patients. He has developed his own lymphatic-sparing surgical technique using micro cannulas to limit unnecessary injury to the lymphatics during tumescent liposuction.