Nicole Hemmenway
Nicole Hemmenway is an author, motivational speaker and patient advocate. Her book, No, It Is NOT in My Head: The Journey of a Chronic Pain Survivor from Wheelchair to Marathon, details her struggles and triumphs in dealing with complex regional pain syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder. Nicole, who believes that all patients have a story to tell, currently serves as vice president of the U.S. Pain Foundation, the leading chronic pain advocacy organization in the nation. Through her work with U.S. Pain, she founded Heroes of Healing, a support group network, and directs the INvisible Project, a magazine and gala that highlights the courageous stories of people living with pain. In September 2015, Nicole was featured in the centerfold of USA Today as part of a chronic pain campaign, and in 2017, she received the Unsung Hero Award for her work in the pain community. Nicole lives in the Bay Area with her husband, two sons and three lively animals.
Katie M. Golden
Katie M. Golden is a professional patient, writer, speaker, and patient advocate.
She worked for 15 years in the community banking industry before her episodic Migraines became a chronic, everyday occurrence in 2011. This disabling disease left her unable to return to her beloved job. She instinctively turned to writing, a hobby of hers. She then joined the writing team at Migraine.com to share her experiences with the 36 million Americans who suffer from Migraines. She has expanded her writing reach to different audiences but with a similar message: “living a fulfilled life while managing chronic pain (and, in her case, migraine).” A native of West Virginia, Katie and her long-term boyfriend currently reside in Santa Monica. She believes in a balance of medication, self-healing measures such as yoga and deep-breathing to manage her chronic disease.