The following individuals are the Founding Members of the SAFE online community. The Founding Members can be reached via e-mail at: SAFEBoard@strokesafe.org.

Janine Allen, 45, had a stroke at a very young 19, when she was an Emergency Medical Technician and working toward a degree in nursing. Following her stroke, Janine was able to return to college and later received a degree is psychology. She has been working full-time for the past 20 years, currently working for Lucent Technology.

Peter Allen, 65, Chairman of the SAFE Board of Trustees, is a UK retired telecommunications engineer who was active in international regulatory affairs for American Express and in various operational, design, and management roles for Cable & Wireless. Peter was also a long-term board member of three nonprofit organizations, and chairman of one for five years. Peter had a stroke in 1997.

Dixie Y. Beer, 49, was a Psychometrist but changed careers after developing a love for computers, and is currently Systems Administrator for Jackson County Public Library in Seymour, Indiana. In addition to being busy as a church organist, Dixie has been involved in a number of nonprofit organizations, and is currently working with a coalition for Safe Schools. Dixie, who has a genetic clotting disorder, had a stroke at age 47.

Janie S. Comer, 64 ("going on 20"), has been a longtime caregiver to her husband, Jack, who has survived four strokes and is now terminally ill with colon cancer. She worked for a time in as a tech in OR and neurosurgery, prior to her husband's strokes. Janie, who proudly hails from West Virginia, sums up living with stroke in her e-mail signature, which is always: "Life is a journey, not a guided tour."

Bobbie Hall, 60, served as Communications/Membership Services Director for an Atlanta-based nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities, spending 23 years with that organization. She was responsible for newsletters, membership drives and awards banquets. Bobbie, who had a stroke at age 57, and now volunteers with her husband for the Special Olympics.

Kate Lautzenhiser, 48, after raising a family of four, was a full-time student seeking her RN at the time of her stroke, which occurred on her 42nd birthday. Eight months post-stroke, Kate passed the NCLEX-RN exam. Kate, who often watches after her active grandchildren, now devotes much of her time to a variety of online support groups, helping survivors and caregivers sort through complex medical issues.

Bernadette Manion, Treasurer of SAFE, is part of a caregiving team for her father who was severely disabled by stroke in 1989. Currently a licensed Insurance Broker at a family-owned insurance agency that specializes in nonprofit organizations, Bernadette has also been Senior Accountant for American Golf Corporation, and also was Business Manager for Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.

Mary Olson, 53, has a B.S. in education, and has been a board volunteer for her church, the district court, and a local private golf association. Many members of Mary's family, including her sister, have suffered strokes.

Suzanne Rampton Stocklin, 52, is a marketing research consultant, working for a wide array of clients, from Pepsi Cola to the U.S. Navy, and was formerly Senior VP of Consumer Research for J. Walter Thompson in Los Angeles. Suzanne's mother had a massive stroke at 52, and Suzanne's husband, Rex, had a stroke some 25 years later. Suzanne feels little has changed, in the past 30 years, when it comes to stroke education and awareness.

Rex Stocklin, 44, a graphic artist who designed the SAFE logo, was previously a marketing representative for Microsoft Corporation, and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Rex had a stroke at age 39, while enrolled in graphic design school at UCLA, and is currently in a program to finish his education in design through Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation.

Other Board members include: Becky Bowles, Neville Malone, and Ed Schomer.