Board Members

U.S. Pain Foundation Board of Directors is composed of individuals with unique skills and talents. All board members are committed to serving those
 with pain by addressing the challenges the community faces.

Shawn Dickens
Chairman

Shawn Dickens, MBA, is a Senior Program Manager at Leonardo DRS, specializing in government defense programs. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Worcester State College and an MBA from the University of Miami, along with certification as a Project Management Professional.

For nearly a decade, Shawn has been an advocate for those with chronic illness. His daughter, Melanie, lives with severe chronic pain due to complex regional pain syndrome and mitochondrial disease. After Melanie’s diagnosis in 2010, Shawn and his wife, Laurie, discovered Nicole Hemmenway’s book No, It Is Not In My Head and connected with the U.S. Pain Foundation.

The Dickens family has been featured in the INvisible Project (2015 and 2016), attended Advocacy Summits, and supported Pediatric Pain Warrior retreats. Melanie has also contributed to developing the retreat curriculum. Additionally, the family organizes the annual Crazy Sock Walk fundraiser, benefiting the U.S. Pain Foundation and the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association.

Ellen Lenox Smith
Board Member

Ellen Lenox Smith is a leading advocate for patients with chronic pain in Rhode Island. As Co-Director of the U.S. Pain Foundation’s Medical Cannabis Advocacy Program, alongside her husband Stu, she has been a strong voice for safe patient access to medicine, featured in both local and national media.

Living with two rare, incurable conditions—Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a degenerative collagen disorder, and sarcoidosis, which affects her lungs—Ellen has endured 23 surgeries and countless doctor visits. Despite these challenges, she continues her advocacy work. She serves on the board of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, authored two books, and contributed to research at the National Institutes of Health in 2006 to help find a cure for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Edward Bilsky, PhD
Treasurer 

Edward Bilsky, PhD, earned his PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1996, specializing in opioid pharmacology, pain, and addiction. Dr. Bilsky is a recognized expert in opioid pharmacology and early-stage drug discovery and development, with a global network of scientific collaborators.

He has received numerous accolades, including the 2011 American Osteopathic Association Research Mentor of the Year Award, the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2014 Patient Advocacy Award from the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Dr. Bilsky first partnered with U.S. Pain Foundation in 2016, contributing to the successful Advocacy Summit at the University of New England. 

Jessica Begley, MFT
Secretary

Jessica Begley, MFT, is a marriage and family therapist, child development specialist, and PhD candidate in Psychology. With a background in teaching children with learning disabilities and serving as a school counselor, she continues to offer pro bono therapy. Jessica became involved with U.S. Pain in 2015 due to her personal experience with complex regional pain syndrome, now in remission, and her youngest daughter, Madi, who also lives with the condition. Their family was featured in the first INvisible Project: Kids and Family edition (read their story here).

With over 15 years of experience in fundraising and event planning, Jessica has served as vice president of fundraising for her school’s PTO and as a member of the Whites Chapel United Methodist Church Early Childhood Board. She is a dedicated supporter of the Pediatric Pain Warrior Program and regularly contributes her time to support other families facing pain. Jessica lives in Southlake, Texas, with her husband and two daughters.

Karen Duffy
Board Member

Karen “Duff” Duffy is an actress, model, and television personality who has been living with chronic pain for over 28 years. A graduate of Park Ridge High School in New Jersey (class of 1979), she earned a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy from the University of Colorado Boulder. Karen is also a certified hospital chaplain and an active member of the Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Pain Patients. 

In 1995, Duff was diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis, a rare form of sarcoidosis that affects the central nervous system, leading to partial paralysis and chronic pain. As an advocate for pain patients, she has authored three books chronicling her experiences with sarcoidosis and complex regional pain syndrome. Her memoir Model Patient: My Life as an Incurable Wise-Ass became a New York Times bestseller, and her writing has been featured in respected outlets like The New York Times and Oprah Magazine.

Throughout her journey with chronic pain, Duff has highlighted the importance of resilience, drawing strength from gratitude, stoicism, and faith. She continues to inspire others with her advocacy and writing, offering valuable insights on living a fulfilling life despite chronic illness.

Nicole Hemmenway
Ex Officio Board Member
CEO

Nicole Hemmenway is the CEO of the U.S. Pain Foundation and the previous director of the INvisible Project, an online and print magazine that amplifies the voices of individuals living with pain. A passionate advocate, Nicole is also an author and motivational speaker. Her memoir, No, It Is NOT in My Head: The Journey of a Chronic Pain Survivor from Wheelchair to Marathon, chronicles her personal journey with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a severe neurological disorder that has shaped both her struggles and victories.

Nicole’s advocacy efforts have garnered widespread recognition, including being featured in USA Today in September 2015 as part of a national campaign highlighting chronic pain awareness. In 2017, she was honored with the Unsung Hero Award for her impactful work within the pain community. Based in the Bay Area, Nicole lives with her husband and three young sons.

Disparities Solutions Advisory Council

The goal of the council, which meets on a monthly basis, is to improve health equity and inclusion for those within the chronic pain community.

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Calvin Eaton, MEd, MS

(he/his/him) Calvin Eaton is a disabled community educator, content creator, and social entrepreneur, whose area of expertise includes antiracism, equity, justice, instructional design, and program development. In 2016, Calvin  founded 540WMain, Inc., a virtual nonprofit organization and antiracist education brand that promotes justice for all. In addition to his nonprofit work, Calvin serves as an adjunct faculty member at St. John Fisher College and is a frequent guest lecturer at several Rochester area universities, including Nazareth College and The University of Rochester.

 His educational background includes:

• M.Ed, Early Childhood & Special Education, Middle Tennessee State University (2012) 
  
• M.S, Health Systems Administration | Rochester Institute of Technology (2009)
  
• B.S, Hotel & Resort Management | Rochester Institute of Technology (2007)
  

Calvin is a long-time U.S. Pain ambassador who has attended both Advocacy Summits and a recent chronic pain support group leader training. 

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Janet Jay

 

Janet Jay has been dealing with chronic pain and depression since she was in early high school. Despite these challenges, she has spent over a decade working in journalism and communications. Her articles and photographs have been published in outlets like Maxim, Vice Motherboard, and MAKE Magazine, including a recent piece in Popular Science about her experience getting a spinal stimulator. She is involved in advocacy work, volunteers as a deputy with the Parking Mobility program, and runs a private online chronic pain support group that she founded in 2015. As Communications Specialist for U.S, Pain, she writes for the INvisible Project magazine as well as other copywriting, social media and communications work.

Janet went to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, worked for a production company and wrote for the newspaper in Knoxville, TN, and then moved to Austin, where she’s lived for 10+ years with her wonderful dogs Kismet and Arrow. She blogs about life with chronic pain at janetjay.com, where you can also find samples of past published articles. In her spare time, she collects records, reads a lot, spins poi and works on various art and DIY projects.

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Isiah Lineberry

Isiah Lineberry has engaged in efforts for over 20 years to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities, particularly in rural areas. Currently, Isaiah serves as Senior Program Director for the Gulf States Health Policy Center. He is responsible for managing a $13-million National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities research grant. Isiah also served as Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy for West Virginia, Community Development Coordinator for West Virginia’s Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families, Deputy Director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Southern Rural Access Program, and Executive Director of Georgia’s Office of Rural Health Services. Isiah is a loving caregiver for Sheila, his wife of 36 years who endures chronic migraines. He is the father of two adult children who also suffer from chronic migraines, for whom he was their caregiver when they were younger: Attorney Mercy Lineberry McDaniel, JD, and Litany Lineberry, a PhD engineering education student.

He is co-author of the article, “Transforming the Delivery of Rural Health Care in Georgia: State Partnership Strategy for Developing Rural Health Networks”, published in the Journal of Rural Health. Isiah is a University of Charleston graduate with a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy with additional graduate hours from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies.

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Sheila Jones Lineberry, MA 

Sheila is retired from the South Carolina school system and has lived with migraine disease for over 30 years. She has worked for four major Great Society Programs passed by the U.S. Congress to eradicate disparities: Upward Bound, Job Corps, Opportunities Industrialization Council, and the Job Training Partnership Act Program. She possesses a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Community Health Education from West Virginia University School of Medicine. 

Sheila has been married to Isiah Lineberry for 36 years and is the mother of two daughters: Attorney Mercy Lineberry McDaniel, JD, and Litany Lineberry, who is a PhD engineering education student. The Lineberry family was featured in the award-winning documentary about migraine disease, Out of My Head, and in the INvisible Project: 2nd Migraine Edition.

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LaQuinda McCoy, RN

LaQuinda McCoy worked as a liver transplant nurse for 12 years. She is an ambassador for the U.S. Pain Foundation and California’s state representative for the Worldwide EndoMarch Advocacy Day. In 2019, she began sharing her story to local businesses in an effort to help improve workplace conditions for those living with migraine diseases. LaQuinda was featured in the INvisible Project: Migraine & Headache 4th Edition and is in the 2nd Edition of My Chronic Brain Magazine. She also recently became a member of Disparities in Headache Advisory Council founded by CHAMP (the Coalition for Headache And Migraine Patients).

LaQuinda’s mission in life is to empower and educate; she wholeheartedly believes in the power of giving someone information about your journey. She currently freelances as a content writer; you can also find her on Instagram and Twitter at @AdvocacywithQ.

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Diana Nunez, RN

Diana Nunez is a registered nurse who works as a care manager helping older adults with disabilities. She also is a caretaker to her daughter who was diagnosed with chronic pain in 2019. Diana is currently going to school to become a nurse practitioner. She lives in San Antonio, TX, with her husband and their dog. She is a mother to two children, a son who is 25 years old and a daughter who is 17. Although she does not suffer from pain, she has lived with the invisible illness through her daughter who has been dealing with pain since 2012. Their family learned about the U.S. Pain Foundation in 2019 through her direct boss. “The foundation has only brought blessings to us,” says Diana. “The organization and its leaders have brought a lot of support, education and understanding about pain and other invisible illnesses.” She enjoys God, her family, and dogs.

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Jose Nunez

Jose Nunez lives in San Antonio, TX, with his wife and dog. He has worked for a financial institution since 2009 supporting the legal team by processing court orders. He is the father of two children, a son who is 25 and a daughter who is 17 years old.  He has had pain since an early age, but not to the point of disability and he had to learn to live with it as a normal part of life. He enjoys coffee, friends, and family. He loves helping others and learning new things through educational survival shows. His youngest child has been affected with chronic pain since 2012.  Their first encounter with the U.S. Pain Foundation was through the Pediatric Pain Warrior Program, where they were given a road map to get appropriate diagnosis and treatment. “As with most of us, my family and I learned about the U.S. Pain Foundation after a long list of doctor dismissals and disappointments, but now we are on the road to recovery,” he says.

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Linda Shaw

Linda C. Shaw is a creative entrepreneur and poetic lyricist of Symphony of Sound, LLC.  As an author, she writes to encourage and inspire through poetic verse and prose; her last book to describes her journey with chronic pain. Her speaking spans 18 years of performance poetry, CD production (spoken word/poetry), singing, (Mile High Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America), voiceover acting and audiobook narration. Her voice and writing have been described as inspiring, eloquent, contagious and engaging.  Today, she is using her gifts to bring awareness to the impact chronic pain does to an individual’s life. As an ambassador for U.S. Pain, Linda was featured in the INvisible Project: Osteoarthritis/chronic low back pain edition, took an active role in the recent Virtual Advocacy Training Series; and just last month, participated in a panel discussion for Pain Awareness Month. “I know first-hand how chronic pain ravishes a life and how the U.S. Pain Foundation is working tirelessly to promote awareness and the well being of those who suffer from chronic pain!” says Linda.

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LaSheila Yates, MA, SHRM-CP, CPM

Lasheila is the President and Founder of Cultural Perspectives, LLC, the Multicultural Small Business Institute, and West Sandy Bayou Candles. LaSheila has a background in public policy, civil rights enforcement, governmental financial management, organizational process improvement and development, teambuilding, and cultural competency. She was the Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission and the City of Cedar Rapids’ first Chief Diversity Officer. Under her administration, the Commission was awarded the 2016 Cedar Rapids NAACP Branch Outstanding Community Service Award for a Small Business, the 2017 Gazette Business Awards for Inclusion; and the 2016-2017 Iowa Big BIG Believer Award. 

Prior to being hired as the Commission’s Executive Director, LaSheila worked as a Civil Rights Investigator in 2008 before being promoted in 2010 to the position of Housing Programs Manager in the City of Cedar Rapids Community Development Department. LaSheila has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Social Sciences. She also completed Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2005. In addition, she has a Public Management Certification from Drake University and Certification Professional (SHRM-CP) designation from the Society for Human Resource Management.

For her work, LaSheila is the recipient of multiple awards, including as an Iowa African American Hall of Fame inductee in 2018, a 2010 Corridor Business Journal 40 Under 40 Emerging Leader; and an African American Museum of Iowa 2013 History Maker. She is the author of several publications, including “Diversity Trainer’s Pocketbook: Lessons Learned in the Field.”

LaSheila is married to Christopher Yates, an engineering manager at Rockwell Collins.

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Cameron Young

Cameron Young is a 14 years old transgender boy who lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and other conditions. He and his family are active members of the Pediatric Pain Warriors program, helping support events and even raising funding for the program. 

Despite his young age, Cameron is deeply dedicated to activism. “I decided to join the Disparities Solutions Advisory Council because I’m a transgender boy and when I saw this opportunity, I realized that I could make an impact on other people getting the healthcare they deserve,” says Cameron. “There is a lot of discrimination even today against people of color and LGBTQ people in healthcare, and I want to help tackle these issues.” 

He lives in Wisconsin with his parents and two siblings.