Advanced Advocacy Academy A year-round liver advocacy program turning personal experience into policy impact.

Dr. Aariyana Britton is a public health practitioner and researcher specializing in rural health, chronic disease prevention, health policy, and healthcare access. She currently works in community and population health, where she focuses on translating public health data into actionable, community-centered strategies that improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

Her work spans public health education, policy engagement, advocacy training, and systems-level prevention initiatives, with particular emphasis on underserved and rural communities. Dr. Britton is passionate about empowering communities and patient advocates to better understand how policy decisions shape healthcare access, prevention efforts, and long-term health outcomes.

In addition to her public health practice, she serves as an educator, speaker, and consultant, frequently leading conversations on health equity, leadership, advocacy, and community-based prevention strategies across local, state, and national platforms.

Aaron Jackson, from sunny Southern California, was born with the rare liver disease Biliary Atresia and received his life-saving Kasai Procedure at 115 days old. A three-time organ transplant recipient — receiving two livers and a kidney in just five weeks — he is a Liver Health Foundation Board Member and winner of the 2025 Courage Award.

He is the founder of AKDS Life and author of the AKDS: Motivation and Reflection journal, a former Salvation Army Grants Coordinator for Homeless Services, a post-transplant black belt in mixed martial arts from the West Coast World Martial Arts Association, and a Showcase winner on The Price is Right.

Board Member + Fundraising Coordinator, ICP Care  •  Founder, Damia Petrie | Advocacy + Impact Design

Damia Petrie is a fetal + maternal health advocate, Board Member and Fundraising Events Coordinator at ICP Care, where she supports national awareness and fundraising initiatives for Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP).

Following her own experience with ICP and ongoing cholestatic symptoms two years beyond pregnancy — currently under further evaluation — Damia became deeply committed to improving outcomes for both mothers and babies through education, advocacy, and community-building.

She previously led ICP Care’s social media strategy for nearly two years, during which she significantly expanded the organization’s digital reach — including a 177% year-over-year increase in reach during ICP Awareness Month. She also played a key role in fundraising efforts, contributing to the success of ICP Care’s 2026 inaugural gala.

In addition to her work with ICP Care, Damia serves as a Board Member, Web Designer, and Nonprofit Development Coordinator for Five Rivers Performance Collective (FRPC). She is also the founder of Damia Petrie | Advocacy + Impact Design, where she partners with mission-driven organizations to create strategic, impact-focused design and communications.

Her work centers on amplifying patient voices, strengthening nonprofit impact, and bridging awareness gaps across liver diseases.

Dorcas Ama Adom is a public health researcher and PhD student in Community Health Sciences and Policy at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Her research focuses on HIV prevention, PrEP utilization, liver disease disparities, and the social and structural determinants of health affecting marginalized populations in the United States — particularly Black and Brown communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and people who inject drugs.

With a background as a physician assistant trained in Ghana and an MPH in Community Health from Georgia Southern University, Dorcas brings a multidisciplinary and practice-informed perspective to public health research. She employs epidemiologic methods, GIS, community-engaged research, and policy analysis to generate evidence that informs equitable HIV and liver disease prevention strategies, healthcare interventions, and policies aimed at reducing health disparities.

With more than 35 years of experience as a senior global human resources leader in the software industry, Gary brings extensive expertise in leadership, organizational strategy, and workforce development. For the past four years, he has also served as a Patient Advocate Ambassador with the Global Liver Institute, championing patient-centered care and liver health awareness.

In addition, he has spent the past three years as a Patient Advocate on the Patient and Family Advisory Council at Stamford Hospital, helping to elevate the patient voice and improve the delivery of care through meaningful collaboration with healthcare providers.

Luiz has been a financial assistant for a major university for the past 25 years, a weaving instructor for over 30 years, and an adventurous quilter. When not crafting, Luiz is happy at home with their three cats: Ella, Etta, and Effie.

Luiz is a care partner for his husband, Gary, who lives with MASH and received a liver transplant in 2018.

Michelle Dinnen is a liver disease and Alpha-1 (ZZ) patient advocate, clinical research participant, and healthy lifestyle champion. She serves on the Global Liver Institute Steering Committee, is an A3 Alumni, and leads an Alpha-1 Foundation support group to empower patients worldwide.

Myra Lee Machado is an addiction counselor at a municipal hospital in New York City. She is a dedicated advocate for patients with alcohol substance use disorders, particularly within Latino communities, and serves on the 2026 Advanced Advocacy Academy (A3) Steering Committee.

Sean Eiles is a pediatric transplant advocate and living donor family member who brings a unique patient and family perspective to transplant medicine. Through his family’s experience navigating pediatric liver transplantation and living donation, he works to advance patient-centered care, education, and advocacy within the transplant community.

Sean is passionate about sharing his family’s journey to highlight the human side of transplant medicine and the power of living donation.