Shout Outs & Successes! ACT Now Graduates 2024–2025

Each year, Miles for Migraine is proud to support and celebrate the passionate individuals who graduate from our ACT Now Advocacy Training Program. Shout outs to this year’s 2024–2025 cohort have demonstrated incredible commitment, creativity, and courage in advancing awareness of migraine and headache disorders across the country. Whether you’re a patient, fellow, provider, or support, your voice is driving change.

We are especially grateful to those who have volunteered for planning committees, created fundraising teams and videos, and secured donations—your efforts are critical to our mission!

Patient Shout Outs

Heidi Kling-Newnam
Heidi brought migraine awareness to her local community in a powerful way. She convinced her employer to purchase the documentary Out of My Head, which will be screened publicly at a local cinema during Migraine Awareness Month. She’s working with her marketing team to involve local media and promote access to migraine-specific treatment, an important distinction highlighted by the film. In addition, Heidi made a huge impact at our Philadelphia event by organizing the Lancaster Migraine Slayers team. She even arranged a bus to bring providers and patients together to participate!

Erica Williams
A dedicated Phoenix-area speaker and patient advocate, Erica is always thinking ahead. She suggested creating infographics for audiology offices and has sparked important conversations around the need for sharps containers in public bathrooms for safe disposal of injectable migraine medications.

Alyssa from Houston
A huge shout-out to Alyssa, our youngest graduate at just 16 years old! Her passion and early advocacy efforts are truly inspiring.

Beckiee Frasca
Beckiee’s journey—from speaking at the Tampa race to attending Headache on the Hill—has been nothing short of impressive. Her work spans multiple efforts, including Migraine at School, Shades for Migraine, and collaborating with the American Migraine Foundation. She also created an informative PowerPoint on her advocacy efforts.

Megan McCleave

Megan has been spreading the word about Miles for Migraine and migraine advocacy through Reddit. She aims to educate and correct misinformation in the migraine group. She does this all while having her own blog and revamping it as an inspiration from the ACT Now program.

Rebecca Jarmas

Rebecca is a great example of how short and long-term goals of advocacy can be achieved. She signed up to be part of the Tampa volunteer committee, which is a commitment that is ongoing yet not a “heavy lift.” While doing that, she plans to write a children’s book that she hopes will help many with their migraine experience. She can make an effect immediately by working with Miles for Migraine and eventually to create her dream book.

Jackie Klepper

Shout out to Jackie Klepper for being a part of the industry and making changes as an advocate, collaborating in many ways. She is working on ways to increase care.

Fellows Shout Outs

Dr. Suraj Malhan (Jefferson)
Suraj participated in ACT Now for a second time, once as a provider and now as a fellow. He’s used this training to develop his advocacy story and speak publicly at events like our Philly walk. He’s also a great social media resource for migraine advocacy and resources.

Dr. Spencer Eberhard (Phoenix Children’s)
Spencer has helped organize a family event at Barrow and created a promotional video to spread the word. He also gave a moving speech at the walk.

Dr. Ogo-Oluwa Onifade (UPenn)
Ogo is bringing migraine awareness into interdisciplinary settings. She secured a speaking slot at Penn’s TBI Support Group meeting, where a nurse practitioner with lived experience also shared her story. The event featured a 90-minute session with about 30 participants. The focus was on living with migraine,  Miles for Migraine, and the importance of advocacy.

Dr. Dilasha Neupane (USC)
Dilasha hopes to launch a migraine podcast and has started an Instagram account to raise awareness from the West Coast!

Dr. Sahar Noorani (Dallas)
Dr. Noorani has created a medical history form that she has provided for the Miles for Migraine community and her own to help track medications.

Dr. Brittany Legg (Milwaukee)
Brittany has already spoken on local news about how fellowship funding has supported her work and is coordinating a personal fundraiser. Check out her news segment to promote future initiatives.

Dr. Alison Marshall (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
Alison played a key role at our CHOP event, presenting on headache pathophysiology and speaking at the Philly walk/run/relax. Her work continues to educate others on migraine causes, treatments, and advocacy.

Dr. Jane Yurim Lee (Hartford)

Jane has been attaching the Miles for Migraine website address for some of the patients with a new diagnosis of migraine to guide them and introduce a community. For her upcoming job, she plans to work with residents and will provide lectures about migraine, not only about the medical knowledge aspect of it, but also about advocacy. If she gets an opportunity to contribute to a start-of-headache fellowship at the upcoming institution, she plans to keep Miles for Migraine involved and have the fellows participate in the great learning experience through ACT Now.

Dr. Valerie Casuccio (Morgantown)

Valerie did an amazing job speaking about her life experiences and work with migraine on the West Virginia University Instagram page. Her video content spreads awareness and information to the WVU audience and beyond.

Dr. Shivani Vaida (Winston Salem)

Shivani shared her experience with the ACT Now program and Miles for Migraine in a video talking about her growth in advocacy and impact on her as a fellow.

Dr. Andrea Regan(Burlington)

Andrea represented the University of Vermont tent at the walk/run/relax for another great year! 

Speakers Who Amplified the Message

A heartfelt thank you to the 2024–2025 speakers who shared their stories and expertise at walk/run/relax events:

• Beckiee Frasca
• Erica Williams
• Kristen Dietz
• Gelcys Castaneda
• Dr. Spencer Eberhard
• Dr. Brooklyn Bondy
• Dr. Danyelle Evans
• Dr. Cristina Cruz Cortés
• Dr. Zamina Mufti
• Dr. Nickel Caunt
• Dr. Suraj Malhan
• Dr. Tulsi Shah
• Dr. Alison Marshall
• Dr. Eric Dunn
• Dr. Thomas Kerrigan
• Dr. Nicole Caunt
• Dr. Madisen Olson
• Dr. Youssra Saqr
• Dr. Aysha Siddka

Collaborations Shout Outs

We’re proud of our ACT Now graduates who represented us at Headache on the Hill 2024:

• Brooklyn Bondy (Fellow)
• Beckiee Frasca (Patient)
• Erica Williams (Patient)
• Jean Mozy (Patient)
• Tulsi Shah (Fellow)
• Cristina Cruz Cortés (Fellow)

We look forward to a potential collaboration with fellow Sophia Fang and ACT Now fellow graduate Dr. Cohen on TikTok to raise awareness.

Fellow-fellow collaborations also shone this year, like the work done by Dr. Jay Dave and Dr. Carly Ray at Mount Sinai Neurology (See tweet).

The Philadelphia Jefferson fellows are supporting the ongoing projects of migraine emergency room bags and the fundraising campaign, Purple Man Bun Project, to help raise money.

Get Involved with Advocacy

Your voice matters. Whether you are a patient, caregiver, medical student, or provider, you have the power to change how migraine is perceived and treated. Start by:

• Joining our ACT Now program

• Participating in your local Miles for Migraine event

• Speak at your workplace or school

• Share your story on social media

• Collaborate with others in your community

• Send shout-outs to your migraine buddy

Let’s continue to build a world where people with migraine are understood, supported, and empowered.

Congratulations to the 2024–2025 ACT Now graduates—your work is already making a difference, yet has just begun!