Rachel is a content creator and digital communicator, with a passion for working in the non-profit sector. She has worked with a private nonprofit community arts organization in her hometown of Wausau, WI and with an animal rescue and transport organization based in Thailand.

Rachel is excited to continue learning about sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders. She believes sleep is indeed a pillar of health and is thrilled to be able to share its benefits with the world. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys seeing live music, getting outside to explore the beautiful land and lakes that Wisconsin has to offer, and also traveling far beyond to an ever-growing list of destinations! She finds that spending the summers in Wisconsin and traveling to warmer destinations during the cold winter months is the perfect balance for her.

Heather is a licensed professional counselor (LPC-MHSP) in the state of Tennessee. She has worked in rural mental health, serving her hometown for the last decade, both within the school system and in her own private practice. Heather has a great passion for working with adolescents and their families, particularly with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Heather’s interest in the science of sleep developed during graduate school, when her sister began exhibiting signs of narcolepsy type 1. She has often emphasized to clients and their families that sleep is the foundation of wellness, which became a much more important sentiment to her after her own chronic illness diagnosis. She serves as a county representative for the Mid-Cumberland Council for Children and Youth and a member of the expert advisory board for Vocational Rehabilitation.

Outside of work, Heather is an avid hiker, recently tackling the goal of hiking at all 57 state parks in her home state of Tennessee within a year. In addition, she enjoys reading, drinking decaf coffee in local coffee shops, antiquing with her best friend, weight lifting, fossil hunting, and bird watching. She lives in her hometown with her partner, Matt, their three children, and three dogs.

Emma Cooksey is a writer, speaker, and patient advocate. She was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at the age of 30, after more than a decade of unexplained health issues. In 2020, Emma launched a weekly podcast, “Sleep Apnea Stories”  to break down stereotypes of sleep apnea while also raising awareness of symptoms and treatment options.

In 2021, Emma became the first person with sleep apnea to complete Project Sleep’s Rising Voices speaker’s training. For the past several years, Emma served as a volunteer on Project Sleep’s Board of Directors, leading the organization’s efforts to establish the Expert Advisory Board in 2022.

In her current role as Sleep Apnea Program Manager, Emma runs Project Sleep’s Sleep Apnea Education and Awareness Program. Through this program, she develops and implements new awareness and educational initiatives, events, and activities to empower people with sleep apnea to seek diagnosis, support, and care. Emma holds a degree in Law and Economics from Aberdeen University.

Farah Hasan is a graduate of the Health Science Education Program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. During her Master’s, she conducted research on the efficacy of using virtual reality headsets to teach clinical anatomy and developed curriculum proposals for sleep health education initiatives for parents of adolescent children.

Farah became involved with Project Sleep as a Rising Voices speaker, sharing her story about being diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia at age 21 after more than 15 years of experiencing symptoms. She was also an inaugural member of Project Sleep’s Expert Advisory Board and consulted on the development of Project Sleep’s Sleep Helpline.

In her role as the Sleep Education Specialist, Farah coordinates online webinars, develops resources and educational materials, and implements new strategies to support the organization’s sleep education and narcolepsy awareness programming. In her spare time, she enjoys making greeting cards for special events, crocheting gifts for friends and family, going on late night bubble tea and ice cream runs with her sister, and rewatching The Office for the millionth time with her husband. Farah lives in Ontario, Canada.

Allyson is a communications professional with a passion for storytelling that drives social impact. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, she transitioned from traditional media to the nonprofit sector, where she crafts compelling content to connect with diverse audiences and inspire action.

With a sharp eye for detail and a creative approach to content development, Allyson specializes in amplifying brand visibility, fostering community engagement, and driving mission-focused change. Her work spans content strategy, social media campaigns, donor communications, and advocacy initiatives.

As a proud Marine Corps spouse, Allyson understands the value of adaptability and community. She is eager to deepen her knowledge of sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders, recognizing the transformative role sleep plays in overall well-being. Outside of work, Allyson enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and walking her energetic German shepherd, Abel.