Leaders Honored With Awards for Positive Impact on JA Community

By Mary Anne Dunkin | July 15, 2025

The Arthritis Foundation’s annual JA Family Summit took place in July, bringing together children with juvenile arthritis (JA) and other childhood rheumatic diseases — and their families — for a long weekend of learning, connection and fun. The summit offers families the opportunity to share experiences, exchange tips, form friendships and find support among those who understand life with JA.

During the event, the Foundation also honored several individuals who have made a lasting impact on the JA community. Youth, family members, health care professionals and dedicated volunteers were recognized with this year’s leadership awards.

We proudly congratulate the 2025 award winners and thank them for their continued commitment to serving the JA community.
 

Arthritis Foundation Earl Brewer Award for Physician Leadership — presented to a physician directly involved in patient care who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to JA fundraising events and activities, and who is a strong advocate for children with JA and other rheumatic diseases.

This year’s recipient is Edward Oberle, MD, a pediatric rheumatologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. A nationally respected clinician and researcher, Dr. Oberle is known for combining scientific innovation with a deep commitment to the children and families he serves.

In his clinical role, Dr. Oberle is dedicated not only to managing complex cases but also to advancing the field through research. A member of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) and cofounder of the Ultrasound Research Group, Dr. Oberle is actively studying how musculoskeletal imaging can improve diagnosis, track treatment response and guide individualized care. He also serves as a mentor for USSONAR, training physicians nationwide in the use of ultrasound to enhance pediatric rheumatology practice.

Dr. Oberle’s expertise is matched by his community leadership. Since attending his first JA Family Summit in 2022, he has taken on a central role in the event’s planning as co-chair of the Medical Committee. He helps shape content, ensures medical safety and regularly leads caregiver sessions and youth “Doc Talks.” His role in the beloved “Panda Clinic,” where kids learn about arthritis by caring for stuffed animals, reflects his gift for making complex topics approachable and meaningful.

In Central Ohio, Dr. Oberle is a trusted and familiar face at Arthritis Foundation events. He has participated in 11 Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run events and is known for traveling long distances — often on weekends or personal time — to support JA honorees. When a young patient hosted a fundraiser in her hometown two hours away, Dr. Oberle made the trip just to show her she wasn’t alone.

With every clinic visit, research project and community event, Dr. Oberle is advancing care, deepening connections and improving lives for children with JA and their families across the country.

Arthritis Foundation Patty Rettig Award for Health Care Professional Leadership — presented to a health care professional dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of youth and their families affected by JA.

This year’s award was presented to Kara Dingess, PhD, assistant professor of Clinical Pediatrics at LSU Health New Orleans. Diagnosed with JA at the age of 6, Kara has transformed her personal experience into a career focused on helping others — combining clinical expertise, lived insight and passionate volunteerism to create lasting impact.

As a licensed pediatric psychologist, Kara specializes in helping children with chronic illness and complex medical conditions build emotional resilience and adapt to life with disability. Her care is grounded in evidence-based strategies and delivered with deep empathy — making her a vital resource for families facing the challenges of JA.

Beyond her clinical role, Kara is a devoted volunteer and national advocate. She has served as a breakout session speaker and panelist at the JA Family Summit, led teen mentoring through iPeer2Peer, and helped elevate the patient voice in critical research initiatives through her work with CARRA. She represented the patient voice at the 2024 CARRA Scientific Meeting, ensuring that lived experience is reflected in research and care.

Locally, Kara is a driving force in Louisiana’s JA community. She chairs the Juvenile Arthritis Committee on the Local Leadership Board, helps plan JA Days, leads event teams for the Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run, and fosters relationships with providers to expand support for local families.

Whether working with young patients, mentoring future leaders, or amplifying patient voices on a national scale, Kara leads with compassion, purpose and an unwavering belief in connection. 

Arthritis Foundation Parent Leadership Award — presented to a parent who embodies the spirit of Yes with their voice and actions by leading families and encouraging them to join our community of champions. This award honors a parent who has shown exceptional courage and strength in leading through the struggles of living with JA, generously shared their time and talents by serving in leadership roles within the Foundation and supported their local community through fundraising events, volunteer opportunities or other JA activities.

This year, the Arthritis Foundation honors Erin Bacchus. As the mother of a daughter living with JA, Erin knows firsthand the challenges families face. Erin has transformed her family’s personal journey with arthritis into a mission to support, uplift and connect others navigating the same path. Her unwavering commitment to the JA community in Arizona has left an indelible mark.

Erin channels her experience into leadership at every level. She chairs the Local Leadership Board for JA, organizes JA Days and Family Days and leads top teams for Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run. She creates space for connection through quarterly “Mom Meetups,” while her husband coordinates “Dad Meetups,” ensuring parents feel seen and supported.

What sets Erin apart is her ability to build community wherever she goes. She mentors new volunteers, welcomes every new family personally and forms lasting partnerships — like her collaboration with local chapters of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII, a longtime supporter of the Foundation) to bring JA voices to their events. She’s also become a public voice for JA, sharing her family’s story on local TV, radio and social media to raise awareness and drive engagement.

Through compassion, resilience, and action, Erin has strengthened the JA community in Arizona and inspired countless others to get involved. Her leadership is both personal and powerful—and her impact will be felt for years to come.

Arthritis Foundation Dawn Hafeli Youth Leadership Award — presented to a youth champion who has shown immense strength, resilience and determination in the face of juvenile arthritis. The award honors a youth who has demonstrated leadership by volunteering their time and talents to benefit other young people living with JA and supported the Arthritis Foundation in their local community through fundraising events, volunteer opportunities or other JA activities.

Diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) at just 22 months old, Lawson of Spring, Texas, has never let his diagnosis define him. His journey from early misdiagnoses and childhood injections to national-level athletic competition is a powerful testament to his strength. Despite daily joint pain and a rigorous training schedule as an elite diver — and now a 2028 Olympic hopeful — Lawson still finds time to lead, inspire and give back to the juvenile arthritis community.

As Houston’s 2024 Champion of Yes!, Lawson became a visible and passionate ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation. He’s been at the forefront of every major event, from the Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run to four JA Family Days. At the Foundation’s Bone Bash, Lawson’s moving personal story helped set a fundraising record, and he spoke with poise and humor to a room full of supporters.

But his impact goes beyond the stage. At every event, Lawson is the first to connect with kids who may feel unsure or alone, ensuring they feel seen and supported. He brings his friends along to events, leads top fundraising teams and consistently reminds others — by example — that arthritis doesn’t have to hold you back.

Lawson calls the Arthritis Foundation his second family. Through his authenticity, resilience and heartfelt advocacy, he’s become a role model to others navigating their own JA journeys — and is a shining light in the community he so proudly serves.
 

Arthritis Foundation Young Adult Leadership Award — presented to a young adult who embodies the spirit of Yes with their voice and actions. This award recognizes a young adult aged 18 to 30 who has shown exceptional courage and strength in their own experience of living with arthritis or a related rheumatic disease, demonstrated leadership by volunteering their time and talents to benefit others living with arthritis and supported the Arthritis Foundation in their local community through fundraising events, volunteer opportunities or other activities.

At just 21 years old, Taylor Van Emmerik of Tea, South Dakota, has already built an inspiring legacy of leadership, advocacy and service in the arthritis community. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, Taylor has been named the 2025 recipient of the Arthritis Foundation Young Adult Leadership Award.

Diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at a young age, Taylor has channeled his experience into powerful action. While completing his undergraduate degree in just three years at the University of South Dakota, he has served as Chair of the Sioux Falls Jingle Bell Run, leading the event to exceed fundraising goals two years in a row. He even coordinated an Arthritis Foundation float for the city’s Parade of Lights, which earned the Spirit Award.

A South Dakota Local Leadership Board member since 2022, Taylor has recruited new board members, advocated at both the state and federal levels and built lasting partnerships with schools, nonprofits and businesses. He’s connected his college fraternity, high school and employer to the cause — all while empowering others to share their stories and find support.

Taylor’s involvement spans JA Camp Sisu, JA Family Education Day and social media advocacy. Whether planning events, mentoring campers, or promoting the Foundation’s mission online, he leads with humility, heart and action.

Taylor rarely talks about his own arthritis, but his impact speaks volumes. With a natural ability to connect people and make things happen, he is not just a young leader — he’s a changemaker for the arthritis community. 


Arthritis Foundation Steve and Liz Smith Legacy Award — presented to a volunteer who has impacted the Arthritis Foundation and the juvenile arthritis community through their involvement in the JA Family Summit.

Colleen Ryan is this year’s recipient. Colleen has been connected to the Arthritis Foundation since her family attended their first JA Family Summit (formerly JA Conference) in 2004. Among her favorite volunteer activities have been serving as JA Family Summit chair in 2008, 2013 and 2016 (double conference), chairing her local Walk to Cure Arthritis for many years, serving on her local leadership board and serving on national planning committees. 

Colleen and her family have also worn purple shirts and tiaras under their team brand, Princess Parade, raising several hundred thousand dollars over the last 20 years through Walk to Cure Arthritis, Jingle Bell Run and the California Coast Classic Bike Tour. Her passion for arthritis advocacy and education is in honor of her daughter Caitlin, who is now 27 years old and has lived with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis since age 3.