John became a member of The Vitiligo Society in April 2019 and shortly after was delighted to join the board of Trustees.

John has had vitiligo since 2005 and only in recent years has been able to speak openly with family and friends about it. John is very passionate about helping fellow sufferers on their own journey towards acceptance and supporting people to feel more confident in their own skin.

John is a HR professional with experience over the last 12 years in the Financial Services and Energy sectors. John lives in Woking, Surrey, with his wife Amy and miniature dachshund, Dot.

John became was appointed Chairperson in 2021.

Natalie has been a member of the Society for over 20 years, she regards the charity as one of the ‘success factors’ that helped her understand and appreciate her differences. It was also at the Society where she first got to meet people that shared the same condition as her.

She has worked predominantly in Finance within the banking and telecoms industry and regards travelling, writing and going to the theatre as her main hobbies. She has a keen interest in nurturing wellbeing and also writes a blog called ‘Being Just Us’ which documents her journey with vitiligo which she developed during her early childhood.

Natalie became a trustee in February 2017

Denise is a Trustee and leads on the Society’s Parent Support Network.

Denise became a member of The Vitiligo Society in 2019 seeking support when several members of her family were diagnosed with vitiligo at the same time. She became a trustee in 2020 with the hopes of raising awareness and getting more families the support they need when they are faced with vitiligo.

Denise is a procurement professional in the food industry with previous experience in financial roles at various organisations. She holds a Masters Degree in Finance and a Bachelors in Economics.

Catherine Davidson has been a member of The Vitiligo Society for a number of years and was delighted to become a Trustee in December 2020.

She was diagnosed with vitiligo as a student and found it hard to find information about the condition. She is keen to increase awareness about vitiligo, provide support and advice to sufferers, and help support research efforts.

Catherine has 20 years of experience in government relations, predominantly in the financial services sector, and has worked in Brussels and London. In her spare time, she likes dance, choral singing and is currently learning Gaelic.

Alex was first diagnosed with Vitiligo when he was around 7 years old, and described how he spent the next decade of his life trying to find effective treatments.

He discovered the Vitiligo Society during the Summer of 2021, joining the board shortly after. Originally an engineer by education, Alex currently works as a researcher within the financial services industry and as highly interested in new scientific innovations be it in engineering, finance or biomedical fields.

Alex leverages this natural curiosity to help develop the Society’s network of associated specialist dermatologists/practitioners in the UK to help disseminate the latest research developments to the wider public.

Dale received his diagnosis in 2012, and after struggling with his vitiligo for many years explains how it took one person to change his entire mindset and by extension, life.

Dale joined the Vitiligo Society in 2021, and later became a trustee as a way to be able to assist others with their journey.

Dale’s career path places him in direct contact with the public and brings this experience to help respond to Society enquiries and signpost people to the help, support and information they need.

Abbie is responsible for leading the development and delivery of the Charity’s long-term strategy and for the operational management of the Charity. Abbie ensures that the Charity delivers as effectively as possible its annual targets, raising income and deliver impact for those living with vitiligo.

Although Abbie doesn’t personally have vitiligo, she is able to draw upon her many years of lived experience with severe acne to empathise with the challenges of living with a skin condition.

Lee Thomas is a world famous four time Emmy award-winning TV broadcaster who has lived with vitiligo for over 25 years. Lee has become an international spokesperson for vitiligo and has authored a book documenting his journey with vitiligo called ‘Turning White’.

Professor David Gawkrodger is honorary professor in dermatology at the University of Sheffield. He has a long standing interest in the clinical and immunological aspects of vitiligo, and was the lead author on the British Association of Dermatologists’ guideline on vitiligo.

Simon Marlin is an English house music producer and the frontman for The Shapeshifters. His career skyrocketed with his debut number 1 hit Lola’s theme in 2004, and since then has been travelling the world DJ’ing for thousands of people. Simon has visible vitiligo on his arms and hands and talked openly about this at one of our conferences.

Joti Gata-Aura is a British Asian and brought up in the UK. She runs the ‘Positively Diverse’ social media campaign, which champions better representation in the media for those with visible differences and disabilities.  She currently works as a teacher and recently published a memoir Strong in the Skin I’m in, which discusses her experience of living with vitiligo. Joti is passionate about challenging stereotypes and also breaking down barriers in society and within the Asian Community, most importantly she wants to support and inspire others to become more confident in the skin they are in. Follow her story: @positivelydiverse and  www.positivelydiverse.co.uk

Now living in Manchester, Reuben was originally born in Italy to Ghanaian parents. Currently working as a fashion model and entrepreneur he is also an advocate for vitiligo awareness, mental health and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Since 2020 he has had the privilege of strutting the runway for both high-end and commercial brands, gracing the pages of magazines and featuring in media campaigns, editorials and publications like Portrait of Humanity, Vogue and Vanity Fair. Reuben is the the first Black Italian model with Vitiligo to be featured esteemed platforms such as Portrait of Humanity, Vogue and Vanity Fair. He is proud to be a beacon of diversity and inclusion, challenging stereotypes and reshaping perceptions around this skin condition. Follow his story: @ReubenKSam

Nirjeet Singh, known as #thevitiligosikh, is the first agency represented turbaned Sikh fashion model dedicated to advocating for vitiligo awareness. He works to challenge the myths and stigma associated with the condition, especially within the Asian community. Together with Reuben, he has recently found the Vitiligo Allies, an organisation that connects the vitiligo community both online and offline. Through Education, Empowerment and Connection. In addition to his full-time role in IT consulting, Nirjeet pursues modelling as a passion, using it to share his journey of self-love and acceptance. He firmly believes that beauty goes beyond appearances and that everyone deserves to be recognized and celebrated for who they truly are. Follow his story: @thevitiligosikh

Krystal noticed her first vitiligo patch behind her ear at just 17 years old. 22 years later she joined The Vitiligo Society after her experience with vitiligo shaped her in ways she could never have imagined. For years, Krystal kept her condition to herself, rarely sharing how it felt to watch her skin change. It wasn’t until the age of 34 when her partner took an active interest in her condition that she truly started to open up and embrace her skin and it’s unique beauty. Together the couple sought out other ‘vitiligo Kings & Queens’ to start open conversations about shared experiences. Krystal hopes to inspire others living with vitiligo to embrace their uniqueness and find strength in community.

Shahn grew up in Johannesburg South Africa through the time when the country was transforming from the old apartheid regime to what is now known as the “Rainbow nation”. Being diagnosed with Vitiligo at age seven, this was a time when there was little information available and also less compassion for those that were different. He discovered the Vitiligo Society in 2020 when he was living in Vietnam at which time they agreed to publish the story of his journey “Not so natural progression” .

Shahn is now living and working in the UK with his family and hopes to spread awareness and help those who need support and understanding. Shahn is a firm believer that everyone in this world stands a chance of finding real happiness.