We are excited to welcome the newest members to our board, who will bring diverse experiences and fresh perspectives to the organization. Each individual brings a unique background, from strategic leadership in global corporations to deep expertise in healthcare, advocacy, education, and community engagement. Their combined skills and insights will help us drive innovation, enhance governance, and strengthen our commitment to our mission.
We look forward to their valuable contributions as we continue to grow and evolve.
Geneva Osteen, Director
Geneva is a psychiatrist who treats chronically mentally ill patients. She was born and raised in Florida and moved to Baltimore for her residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. After finishing residency, she worked for the Indian Health Service in New Mexico and at state hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii. Her son has hemophilia, and HFA has helped her family immensely. She wants to give back to the community.
Kailey Townsend, Director
Kailey is in her first term at HFA. Based in Connecticut, she studied communication and women’s studies at UConn. While cheering on her alma mater, she greatly supports women’s sports and advocacy.
Kailey works in social media advocacy for a national reproductive healthcare organization, which ties into her federal activism for women and girls. Diagnosed with von Willebrand’s disease in 2020, Kailey relates to many in HFA’s audience, navigating the challenges of chronic illness as a young adult.
Joe Pugliese, Director
Joe Pugliese has been involved in the hemophilia community for 46 years. He started in 1978 as a sales representative in Chicago with the Armour Pharmaceutical Company. He held various positions over the years, including General Manager of the Hemophilia Business Unit and Vice President and General Manager of North America for Aventis Behring (successor company of Armour).
Joe founded the Hemophilia Alliance Foundation in 2013 and has served on the THSNA and WFH USA boards. He is delighted to be able to contribute to the community through his work on the HFA and TAP boards.
Shanthi Hedge, Director
Shanthi Hegde is in her fourth year at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, studying Psychology and Biology with a minor in History. She plans to work in patient advocacy, pursue a Master of Public Health, and eventually attend medical school. She grew up in Georgia and has lived with bleeding issues for as long as she can remember. However, it wasn’t until she was 19—between her first and second years of college—that she was diagnosed with a bleeding disorder after experiencing eight months of continuous bleeding.
Shanthi is passionate about advocating for and raising awareness of bleeding disorders. She is dedicated to supporting individuals facing these challenges. She is particularly motivated to give back to the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) community, which has been instrumental in her education on bleeding disorders. Inspired by last year’s Patient Fly-In, Shanthi is eager to deepen young adult involvement and make a meaningful impact.
Ashley Lacy, Director
Ashley is a passionate public health professional and nurse who has spent most of her adulthood serving the bleeding disorder community in some capacity. This includes helping to plan women’s initiative events, chairing a fall festival, being on the annual meeting planning committee, or serving on the board for her local chapter, TN Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorder Foundation (THBDF).
Ashley’s mission has always been to serve her community and help whenever possible. Professionally, she is a Birth Center Manager at a free-standing birth center in Memphis, TN, and an Operating Room Registered Nurse. In addition, she volunteers with various organizations within her local community.
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