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Our Staff & Board of Directors

 

 

Melissa Compton, Executive Director

Melissa has been involved with the Lone Star Bleeding Disorders Foundation since learning her son has hemophilia in 2003. She began volunteering, and has served as Hemophilia Walk Manager and Program Coordinator before becoming Executive Director. Melissa graduated from Texas A&M University, where she met her husband Brian. She and Brian have two children, son Kyle, and daughter Sarah. She is thrilled to be serving the bleeding disorders community of Texas.

 

 

Heidi Hensley, Director of Community Relations

Heidi has worked for the Lone Star Bleeding Disorders Foundation since 2008. She is privileged to serve such an amazing community! It is important to her to raise awareness for the bleeding disorders community as well as help provide families with education, support and advocacy. Heidi graduated from Texas A&M University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have four children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and playing tennis.

Kelley O’Hara, Outreach and Education Coordinator

Kelley has been involved with the Lone Star Bleeding Disorders Foundation since her son’s hemophilia diagnosis in 2000. She became involved with the First Step program helping newly diagnosed families and served on the board as a trustee. Kelley graduated from Texas A&M University with a psychology degree then became a nurse as a second career. She is married to Ryan and they have a blended family of five children. She is excited to be back involved with the bleeding disorder community.

Tara Kosh, Development Manager

We are excited to welcome Tara Kosh to our staff as Development Manager! More to come on Tara soon!

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors for the Lone Star Bleeding Disorders Foundation is the governing body. The Board, along with its advisors, meets bi-monthly to discuss governing and programmatic issues for the organization.

  • Amanda Wolgamott, President
  • Allison Pohl, 1st Vice President
  • Dan Bond, 2nd Vice President
  • Aaron Gonzalez, Treasurer
  • Heather Pohl, Secretary
  • Gail Boggs, Trustee
  • Celia Patino, Trustee
  • Juan Guzman, Trustee
  • James Setliff, Trustee
  • Laura Portales, Trustee
  • Donna Oldfield, PT, Gulf States HTC, Treatment Center Advisor
  • Trinh Nguyen Texas Children’s Comprehensive HTC, Treatment Center Advisor
  • Madi Boggs, Teen Advisor

News from HFA

  • BioMarin Update: FDA Extends PDUFA Target Action Date to June 30, 2023

    SAN RAFAEL, Calif., March 6, 2023 — BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a global biotechnology company dedicated to transforming lives through genetic discovery, announced that it received notice this afternoon from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the agency has extended review of the company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for ROCTAVIAN™ (valoctocogene roxaparvovec) gene therapy for adults The post BioMarin Update: FDA Extends PDUFA Target Action Date to June 30, 2023 appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • The Complexity of Unwinding Medicaid

    The long-heralded Medicaid “unwinding” has begun. As previously reported, state Medicaid programs have, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, operated under a law that prohibited them from disenrolling Medicaid enrollees for the duration of the public health emergency (PHE). Congress changed that requirement in December 2022, delinking the Medicaid continuous enrollment obligation from the PHE. The post The Complexity of Unwinding Medicaid appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • FDA Approves Sanofi’s Once-Weekly ALTUVIIIO™

    Source: Sanofi Press Release Sanofi announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ALTUVIIIO™ [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Fc-vWF-XTEN Fusion Protein-ehtl], previously known as efanesoctocog alfa, a first-in-class, high-sustained factor VIII replacement therapy for adults and children with hemophilia A.  Sanofi states that with ALTUVIIIO, they are looking to raise the bar for people with The post FDA Approves Sanofi’s Once-Weekly ALTUVIIIO™ appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • Dear Addy: Project CALLS

    Dear Addy,  I recently attended an event and learned about submitting issues with my insurance to HFA’s Project CALLS. I have an insurance issue, however, I still have some questions about how CALLS works and what happens when I submit an issue. Can you explain the process?  Signed,  CALLS Quandary   Dear Quandary,  You are not The post Dear Addy: Project CALLS appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • Finding Strength Through Diversity

    This Black History Month, HFA asks our community to think back on the family members they’ve loved and the moments they created. We ask our community to think on the diversity of our community, the stories we’ve shared, and the people of color who helped make the bleeding disorder community as strong as it is The post Finding Strength Through Diversity appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.