Our Team

Jessica Baladad is a nationally recognized patient advocate whose experience in journalism, marketing and public relations has reshaped how patient stories are told, heard and used to drive impact. She has trained advocates across the country to build narratives that move beyond awareness and into action in an effort to influence policies that govern access, shape coverage and impact patient outcomes. As a lead advocate with Patients Rising, she brings clarity and momentum to stories that are too often overlooked and works alongside patients to sharpen their voices, shape their messages and elevate their role in conversations that impact their health outcomes. Jessica is also a breast cancer survivor and the creator of Feel For Your Life, the award-winning advocacy app that gives women tools to perform self-exams, understand their cancer risk and take charge of their care. Her work and perspective have been featured in campaigns with the NFL, on Good Morning America, USA Today and in media outlets around the world.

Teena Keevil serves as Operations Manager at Patients Rising, expertly managing the day-to-day details that keep our organization running efficiently and effectively. With strong skills in workflow monitoring, organization, and team collaboration, Teena ensures seamless operations for our team. She brings decades of hands-on administrative experience to Patients Rising, including 20 years of dedicated service in the U.S. Air Force.

Melissa is a dedicated advocate with over a decade of hands-on experience in dementia care and endometriosis advocacy. Drawing from her professional background and personal journey, she's deeply committed to making a real difference for the expanding community at Patients Rising. With roots in education and applied linguistics, Melissa works to build supportive communities where patients feel informed and empowered. Her time living abroad has shaped her perspective on healthcare, helping her connect with people from all walks of life. She organizes educational, inclusive events that link patients and families to essential resources in warm, safe environments. Melissa is fully dedicated to creating opportunities for patients to drive real change in laws and systems. Holding degrees from Southern Methodist University and Carnegie Mellon, she truly puts her heart into everything she does.

Serving as the co-founder and Chief Mission Officer of Patients Rising, Terry is driven by a
singular conviction: "Empowering patients to advocate through personal storytelling is
essential for crafting comprehensive policy solutions that prioritize the patient experience
in addressing America’s most pressing healthcare access challenges."

Her journey into patient advocacy began with a profound immersion in the deep South,
where she traversed its breadth, capturing patient narratives for an online series she
conceived and produced, titled Understanding Cancer. This experience unveiled the
multitude of healthcare systems and their profound impact on patient access.

Terry found her calling at Vital Options, a cancer advocacy organization, where she servedas the creative director. Here, she met her mentor, Selma Schimmel, whose 30-year battle
with cancer left an indelible mark on Terry's commitment to patient advocacy.
Nearly a decade spent at Vital Options illuminated the potency of creative storytelling indriving change. However, recognizing the imperative of policy and advocacy from the
patient perspective, Terry co-founded Patients Rising in 2015 upon relocating to
Washington, D.C., with her husband.

Now juggling the roles of a part-time caregiver to her stepmom, who battles Alzheimer’s
Disease, and her 88-year-old mother-in-law, Terry embodies the everyday struggles of
Americans interfacing with the healthcare system. She firmly believes that true
transformation in healthcare can only be realized through unified patient voices, echoing
collective stories from every district of every state.

Terry's insights on access, affordability, and transparency issues in healthcare have found
resonance in publications such as the Chicago Tribune, The Hill, Boston Globe, Fortune,
Washington Times, American Thinker, and many more.

Residing in Vienna, Virginia with her husband, Jonathan, and their ten-year-old twins,
Jackson and James, Terry finds solace in reading, volunteering, cheering on her children atLittle League games, or orchestrating the next family escapade.