myFace, myStory

In this episode of myFace, myStory, host Dina Zuckerberg sits down with filmmaker Joseph Lingad and actor Corey Taylor for a conversation about visibility, vulnerability, and self-acceptance. Joseph shares how his personal experiences living with a facial difference inspired his upcoming documentary Don't Look Away, exploring representation and stigma in our society. Corey opens up about his journ...

On this month's episode of myFace, myStory, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with award-winning actor, presenter, and disability advocate Adam Pearson. From standout roles in A Different Man and Under The Skin to his upcoming portrayal of Joseph Merrick in the film adaptation of The Elephant Man, Adam shares how he's using storytelling to challenge stereotypes, advocate for authentic representation, an...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with Paige Lauren Billiot, a birthmark advocate, model, and film producer redefining beauty standards. Based in LA, Paige uses her platform to create representation for those with facial differences, celebrating her birthmark as her superpower. Featured in Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen, and Glamour, she challenges societal norms and...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Adele Capitella-Liu, a retired NYC teacher and a passionate advocate for the facial difference community. Diagnosed with Parry-Romberg Syndrome and having faced the challenges of breast cancer, Adele shares how her personal experiences have shaped her journey of resilience and advocacy.  As the administrator of the Adult Fa...

In this episode of myFace, myStory, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with Celina Leroy, an artist, art teacher, and advocate born with a Port Wine Stain birthmark. Celina shares how her personal experiences have inspired her to create powerful portraits of individuals with craniofacial differences, such as birthmarks, cleft lip and palate, and Sturge-Weber syndrome. Through her artwork and accompanying...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode host, Dina Zuckerberg, is joined by Amy and Lazer Schefer, a dynamic mother-daughter duo who have turned their personal challenges into a mission of advocacy and support for the craniofacial and rare disease communities. Join us as we explore their inspiring story of resilience, the challenges they've overcome, and the impact they continue to make on...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode host, Dina Zuckerberg, is joined by Chelsey Peat, born with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, and recently published author of her memoir, Two Sides to a Face . She will share her journey from childhood, marked by curiosity and challenges due to her condition, to her current achievements and advocacy work within the facial differences community. She hopes to se...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by David Cohen, recipient of the 2024 myFace Courage Award. David talks about the dark twists on his journey of hope to acceptance of his life with Pierre Robin Sequence to who he is now. He shares what he thinks should be happening to support children and adults in the craniofacial community. Dina Zuckerberg: Welcome to myFace...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg brings you an inspiring conversation with Megan Gaydosh and Tiffany Kerchner. Both Megan and Tiffany have turned their personal experiences with facial differences into powerful advocacy work, promoting self-love, acceptance, and awareness. Together, they discuss the importance of visibility, advocacy, and support for those with...

This month on the myFace, myStory podcast, Dina Zuckerberg welcomes Melissa Tumblin, a passionate advocate for the hard of hearing and deaf community. Melissa, the founder and Executive Director of Ear Community shares her remarkable journey—from navigating her child's microtia and atresia diagnosis to leading pioneering research efforts and advocating tirelessly for legislation like Ally's Act.  ...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Austin Halls born with Moebius Syndrome.  He has incorporated his psychology degree, his journey, and his music to promote that you can love yourself and overcome any challenge that comes your way.  Austin will share his journey to the musician and now model that he is today.   - [Announcer] Welcome to My Face, My S...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Justin Stewart, who will share his journey from being born with frontonasal dysplasia with a cleft in his nose to being a signed model and the adversity and challenges he faced along the way. Through motivational speaking, he encourages others to be true to themselves and to be brave in this action.   - [Announcer]...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Kathleen Watt, an opera singer on some of the biggest stages whose life changed when she was diagnosed with bone cancer in her face. She will speak about her memoir, REARRANGED where she writes about coming face-to-face with mortality, disfigurement, having her face reconstructed, and the meaning and uses of beauty....

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Naomi Levinshtein and Aaliyah Booker. They will share their personal journeys, and their advocacy work, and discuss the profound importance of the "Don't Stare, See Me" campaign for themselves and their community.   - [Announcer] Welcome to "myFace, myStory: Voices from the Craniofacial Community" with your host Din...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Leah Riman, who will share her journey from when her son, Logan, was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, blindness and other challenges to the music prodigy he is today. At the age of 2, Logan started playing the piano and he has played on some of the greatest stages including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Mary Avella, born with Crouzon Syndrome. They will discuss how those with facial difference can hide their true selves wearing both figurative and/or literal masks, even creating a personality. What happens when you remove those masks and reveal who you are underneath? - [Announcer] Welcome to "My Face My Story, Voices From...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Jeremy and Henry Shipp. Jeremy is a writer for the Disney Junior cartoon, Firebuds. His son, Henry, was born with a cleft lip and palate and was the inspiration - and the voice -  for the car character Castor on the Clefthood episode. Jeremy and Henry  will talk about their journey and why positive representation in the med...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Dr. Kathleen Bogart, who will bring us on her journey growing up with Moebius Syndrome and why she pursued a PhD in Psychology that would shape who she is today. She will share some of her research including her most recent Facial Differences Disclosure Study as well as talk about the importance of mental health in the cran...

Host Dina Zuckerberg sits down with Sora J. Kasuga , Face Equality Activist, to discuss her intersectional experience of living with multiple marginalized identities including being Japanese-American, neurodivergent, queer, and having a facial difference (lymphatic malformations and venous malformations on the left side of her face). Sora shares her journey of finding her voice as a disability jus...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Amy Mendillo – author, advocate, and parent of a child born with a cleft lip and palate. Amy discusses themes from her new parent guidebook, I've Just Seen a Face: A Practical and Emotional Guide for Parents of Children Born with Cleft Lip and Palate, including the roles of caregivers as key advocates in their child's journ...

In honor of Apert Syndrome Awareness Month in June, host Dina Zuckerberg sits down with Morgan McGahan , Sara Pollak , and Emily Krebs - three best friends who were all born with Apert Syndrome. They will discuss their journeys, shared experiences, lifelong friendships, and overcoming the challenges associated with a craniofacial difference to achieve their goals. Sara will share her story of how...

On this month's myFace, myStory , host Dina Zuckerberg sits down with Erin Ashayeri , the Mom of a child born with a cleft palate. When he was born, like all parents, they were thrilled, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Then to their surprise, they learned the next day that their son was born with a cleft palate. Erin shares her journey to finding support, a community, and giving back so that other mot...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Ruth Rathblott , a TEDx and inspirational speaker, bestselling author, and an award-winning nonprofit leader.  Ruth shares her journey of living with a limb difference which she spent much of her life hiding and how she has come out of hiding. She speaks about how to cope with feelings of isolation, our need to feel...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Ava Marie Beeler , who has been a member of the myFace Community since her first surgery at 2 years old. Ava seems like a typical young woman her age, however, she is anything but typical. In fact, she's quite extraordinary!   Ava was born with Pfeiffer Syndrome, a rare craniofacial difference. At just 20 years old, she has...

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by David Roche , an inspirational humorist with a facial difference, vascular malformation. David shared details about how he overcame the shame he felt about his differences, learned to accept them, and realized that his flaws and his gifts are one and the same. Additionally, they discussed how he found true love with his wif...