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Makayla Allison
FOUNDER + CEO
Makayla earned her Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology in 2005 from the University of Wyoming, acting as Student Body President of the Department of Social Work 2004-2005. Makayla gained 4 years of experience working in the medical field as a Phlebotomist and 2 years as a Certified Nurse Assistant prior to completing her degree. She also has experience working with children diagnosed with mental health conditions and their parents while completing her practicum at Peak Wellness Center in Laramie, WY.
After moving to Colorado in 2005, Makayla completed her Colorado licensure in esthetics with a medical focus, which she continues to hold currently. Since 2008, Makayla worked at the College of International Esthetics and continued to do so as the Director of Marketing and Admission Sales until its unfortunate permanent closure due to COVID-19. In early 2017, Makayla started her own organization that privately connects individuals with health conditions called Some 1 Like You, inspired by her own 9-year-old daughter who has the rare disease Ehlers Danlos Syndrome HT. Makayla's passion is to raise awareness for the complex needs of those with rare diseases in addition to advocating for patient rights to privacy and support. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Colorado Rare 501c(3), a Genetic Ambassador for Mountain States Genetics, and is a member of the Family Advisory Council at Children's Hospital Colorado. She enjoys spending time with her family, exploring Colorado's beautiful outdoors, writing, and creating art with her daughter Lily Kate. You can find their first book, BE KIND, Silly available on Amazon by clicking here!
Shawnae Jebbia
OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON
After graduating college with honors in Telecommunications and Public Relations with a minor in Business Law, Shawnae Jebbia became a Co-Host of the fitness show "Co-Ed Training",which aired on ESPN2 for 5 years on location in Jamaica. She appeared regularly as a guest host on the show Body Shaping, as a spokesmodel for a year on "The Price is Right". She was featured in several national commercials and infomercials worldwide.
In 1998, she went on to win the Title of Miss USA placing top 5 at Miss Universe out of 89 countries. She was also the first titleholder to leave with a working contract in 47 years. She became the host of DirecTV’s Platinum Presents showcasing networks such as Fox Sports News, Disney, Lifetime, The Golf Channel, MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon to name a few. She appeared in print campaigns such as Speedo, Tyr Sport, and editorial in Shape Magazine.
Shortly after her DirecTV contract ended, she was diagnosed with Meniere's disease and became progressively hearing impaired as a symptom of her disease from continuous air travel for years. She realized a career change was on the horizon and received the amazing support and treatment from Siemens Hearing Instruments, now owned by The Sivantos Group. Wearing the best technology in the world gave her a quality of life she never thought possible. She went on to travel the world as their brand ambassador for 8 years for which she is eternally grateful.
After moving to Denver, CO to start a family, Shawnae now enjoys working in Esthetics for her company Epi-New-Skin, LLC and part-time as a Skincare Instructor at the College of International Esthetics. It’s been 20 years since Shawnae was first diagnosed with Meniere’s, and she is now using her experience of navigating her own disease to help others as the spokesperson for Some 1 Like You L3C (S1LY). S1LY privately connects individuals with health conditions. She is also an Ambassador for Colorado Rare 501c(3). She is happily married to her hero Jerry Juarez of the Denver Police Department and a proud Momma of her toddler twins Gavin and Leyden. She considers herself blessed where life has taken her thus far.
Emma Burt
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Originally from Gunnison, CO, Emma Burt now lives in Denver. Emma graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology along with an Undergraduate Certificate in Global Public Health. She is now a Student Success Advisor for eSchoolPrep, a Texas Virtual School. Emma spends her days working with students in a virtual setting, helping them navigate their academics, pursue various career goals, and become global citizens. She very much enjoys coaching her students in doing good for the world and working towards each of their goals. Additionally, she is currently completing her fourth year working for the Colorado Avalanche.
Emma has been a part of S1LY for over 3 years beginning her journey as a Community Ambassador. During this time, she has assisted in the facilitation of multiple patient advocacy programs and events, while playing a crucial part in the development and inception of the BE KIND Project. S1LY allows Emma a place to explore her passion for science and medicine, helping others, and being involved in the community while interacting with and advocating for patients of all ages. At the start of 2019, Emma was named Assistant Director of Some 1 Like You and couldn’t be more excited about integrating her role in community relations with that of operations and expansion of the BE KIND Youth Ambassador Program. In her free time, Emma enjoys hiking, skiing, spending time with friends and family, and traveling.
Sara
Al-Bazali
OFFICIAL BE KIND AMBASSADOR
Sara is currently a senior at an arts magnet high school in the Denver area, having moved to Colorado nine years ago. Her passion for community service has led her to volunteer at events such as Dolls for Daughters, the Superhero Heart Run, the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children's Teddy Patrol Party, and El Sistema music education seminars. In addition to activism and service, Sara has a passion for musical theatre and plans to pursue a bachelor of fine arts in that field with a minor in business next fall.
When not in the theatre, you can find Sara playing with her dog Kaci, hiking with friends and family, and eating plenty of ice cream. She is excited to be a part of the S1LY team as her platform of service during her reign as Miss Colorado Outstanding Teen 2018-2019 for the Miss America Foundation. She intends to use her talents to inspire a mantra of kindness and selflessness among youth and adults alike, while helping provide people the opportunity to directly affect change in the lives of others while spreading the message of hope through the BE KIND Project.
Cailee Crossley
YOUTH AMBASSADOR
Cailee Crossley is a kidney transplant survivor and patient at Children’s Hospital Colorado. At the age of five, Cailee was diagnosed with the rare disease Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, also known as FSGS Nephrotic Syndrome. Cailee is a beautiful teenage girl, living life to its fullest after having fought through and survived infusions, dialysis and the complete failure of both of her kidneys. She received a successful kidney transplant in June of 2016. She was honored to attend the AST Transplant Patient Summit in October of 2017, where she learned the difficulty of passing laws and the necessity for Congress to be involved in order to get rare disease drugs considered and moved.
Cailee is currently the Youth Ambassador for S1LY as well as an Ambassador for Colorado Rare 501c(3). She hopes to inspire others to continue fighting for their health, because she is proof it is possible to survive even the darkest days and come out stronger on the other side. Cailee is an advocate for others like herself who also live with complex health conditions but who may be unable to use their own voices. Cailee hopes to continue to advocate for those with rare diseases, and to one day become a nurse herself in a pediatric kidney center while continuing to pursue her love for ballet and acting.
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