Leadership team

Julie Stankiewicz is the Founder and President of CARE for People with Chronic and Invisible Illnesses. She oversees the organization's programs, educational initiatives, advocacy efforts, and strategic development, while also providing individualized support to people living with complex chronic health conditions.

Julie holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology Practices from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, received High Honors in Psychology, and was awarded the Walkley Prize for Outstanding Original Research. Her background includes research, clinical training, scholarly writing, and education. She has published award-winning research, edited manuscripts for academic journals, and developed and delivered educational programs in academic and community settings.

Julie is the creator and instructor of Understanding the Experience of Chronic and Invisible Illness, a continuing education program accredited for licensed clinicians through Rutgers University's Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. Drawing on approximately 130 peer-reviewed studies, the course explores the lived experience of complex chronic illness, including challenges such as medical dismissal, medical trauma, disability-related barriers, employment discrimination, and social isolation, with the goal of fostering greater understanding and more compassionate, effective support for this underserved patient population.

In addition to her psychology training, Julie earned a Certificate in Lifestyle and Wellness from the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. She has also completed graduate-level study in anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, and nutrition, along with advanced continuing education in functional and integrative nutrition. This background supports her work interpreting health-related research, developing educational resources, and helping individuals navigate complex health information in an evidence-informed manner.

Prior to founding CARE, Julie spent more than a decade working in animal welfare and environmental conservation with prominent nonprofit organizations. Her work included legislative advocacy, public speaking, educational program development, and publishing articles and editorials. These experiences helped shape her understanding of how environmental, cultural, and systemic factors influence health and well-being, and continue to inform CARE's holistic approach to chronic illness advocacy.

Having personally navigated chronic and invisible illnesses for many years, Julie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is committed to advancing greater understanding, support, and dignity for people living with complex chronic health conditions while promoting the broader cultural and systemic changes needed to create healthier and more equitable communities.

Dr. Mansi completed her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree, summa cum laude, at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. She practices as a functional and holistic medicine practitioner, specializing in chronic disease, mental health, and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Mansi wholeheartedly believes in finding the root cause of disease instead of treating the symptoms. She helps her clients discover the body’s innate capacity to heal, using the wisdom of ancient practices of medicine, combined with modern-day research and technology. Her treatment model is personalized to treat the whole person - the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual realms of the body.  Modalities she uses include: energy healing, botanical medicine, dietary supplementation, clinical nutrition, breath work, hydrotherapy, dance/movement therapy, and lifestyle modifications. 

Dr. Mansi is also a certified YogaBody breath coach, energy healer, nutrition therapist, and professional classical Indian dancer. She loves experimenting in the kitchen, motivational writing, and getting lost in nature’s meditations. 

Dr. Mansi was inspired to get involved with CARE because of her own experience in navigating invisible, rare, and chronic illnesses since her childhood. It wasn’t until she went to medical school and advocated for herself that she finally got the correct diagnoses and was able to treat herself using naturopathic medicine. She understands how challenging and frustrating it is for the medical community to constantly say “you’re fine,” when the body says otherwise. She also recognizes the impact of chronic illness on family and friends, and how this can be an added challenge. 

What Dr. Mansi brings to CARE is her holistic medical expertise, mind-body therapeutics, and her passion to offer support and advocate for those suffering from chronic and invisible illnesses. She envisions CARE to be a platform for education, community, and healing - bringing light and hope to those suffering in the dark.

Lauren is a seasoned leader in employee experience and a lifelong advocate for health equity, driven by both personal experience and professional purpose. With over 15 years in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, she designs strategies that bring humanity into the workplace—elevating engagement, well-being, inclusion, and culture.

Currently, Lauren leads the employee engagement strategy for a top oncology company, shaping how 18,000+ employees across 25 countries connect to their work, their teams, and their mission. She partners closely with senior leaders to translate insights into action, helping them foster environments where people feel seen, supported, and inspired.

Lauren holds a Master’s degree in social-organizational psychology from Columbia University, where she deepened her expertise in organizational behavior, leadership, and culture transformation.

Her passion is rooted in lived experience—navigating a life-threatening illness as a child, advocating for her mother through breast cancer, and witnessing how systems often fail the most vulnerable. That’s why she does this work: to empower both the people delivering care and the people receiving it.

As a board member of CARE, Lauren combines her deep expertise with a personal mission: to amplify voices too often unheard and build systems that truly see and support everyone.

Ben Teaford has been involved with CARE for People with Chronic and Invisible Illnesses since its inception and currently serves as Treasurer. His commitment to this work grew from years of personal witness to the realities of complex chronic illness. Through that experience, he gained a deep understanding of the challenges many patients face, including medical dismissal, employment discrimination, and the gradual erosion of support systems. Witnessing these realities firsthand impressed upon him how often people living with chronic illness are overlooked, disbelieved, and denied the support they need. That understanding remains the driving force behind his involvement with CARE and his commitment to helping create meaningful change.

As Treasurer, Ben oversees CARE's financial operations while contributing broadly to the organization's growth and outreach. He has produced video content for educational programs developed in support of CARE's mission, contributed to grant proposals, and helped secure funding through grants awarded by Whole Foods Market.

Ben earned a B.A. in Psychology with honors from Wesleyan University. After spending eleven years at ESPN, he founded Ben Teaford Productions in 2017 and serves as its CEO. His expertise in media production and storytelling helps CARE create high-quality resources and expand its reach among healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, and advocates.

David Gregory Rogers, known as Greg, is a senior partner at Rogers, Hofrichter and Karrh, LLC, a law firm founded in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area in 1993. His practice focuses on Social Security Disability and Veterans Disability.

Throughout his 46-year career, Greg has dedicated his work to helping people with disabilities, representing thousands of disabled clients and families as they navigate complex legal and benefits systems.

Having witnessed the challenges of complex chronic illness firsthand, Greg joined CARE to help advance greater understanding, improve quality of life, and expand access to compassionate care for affected individuals and families.

Greg is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives and a founding member of the Social Security section of the American Trial Lawyers Association. He is also regularly featured as a speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars on disability benefits.

He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History from The Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel, in 1985. He attended the University of Sydney from 1986 to 1987 as a Rotary Foundation Scholar, where he earned a Master’s Degree in History. He later graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1990, where he was a member of the Moot Court program and represented the university in the National Moot Court Competition.

Greg is an active member of New Providence Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. He is also an experienced songwriter for publishers on Nashville Music Row. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and grandchildren at Lake Martin, Alabama.

Kerry holds two Master's degrees in Human Nutrition and Integrated Health. She is the Founding Partner of a private clinical nutrition and  lifestyle medicine practice based in Fairfield County, Connecticut.  Kerry's care paradigm leverages the principles of personalized lifestyle  medicine and integrative health, ensuring comprehensive whole-person-centered support. Kerry strives to provide compassionate, non-judgmental care that empowers individuals to take control of their health journey. 

Kerry holds several licenses, certifications, and memberships that enrich her practice. She is a Connecticut State Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, New York State Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, and a Florida Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist.  Additionally, Kerry is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and a Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (DipACLM). She is an active member of several professional organizations such as the Society of Integrative Oncology, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the American Institute of Stress. She holds her RYT-200 certification and completed the training to become a Board Certified Hypnotherapist.

Kerry believes that empathetic listening is crucial when working with individuals with chronic and invisible illnesses, as it fosters trust and understanding between the healthcare provider and the patient, leading to better therapeutic outcomes. Empathetic listening validates the patient's feelings, empowering them to actively participate in their healthcare journey and  promoting a sense of partnership and collaboration in managing their  illness. Kerry believes gentle nutrition can be a powerful tool in supporting individuals with chronic and invisible illnesses by focusing on nourishing the body with nutrient-dense foods while considering their unique health needs.