About Us
Image Consultant and Co-Founder
Angela is responsible for developing self image programs and community support for women and young girls who suffer severe hair loss, emotional and financial stress as a result of any disease such as cancer, lupus, leukemia etc…, to include severe alopecia fire and chemical burns. Angela has been a beautician for twenty plus years. A graduate of San Diego Beauty College, she quickly developed the trade skills that have led to her success. She has worked in prestigious upscale beauty salons in San Diego CA. and is a wig manufacturer owner in Atlanta GA. Angela has created a large client following through hard work and dedication. She loves dealing with people and has a driven ambition to help women who suffer severe hair loss. Angela Co-Founded I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation in 2010, bringing more than 25 years of experience working with women and girls who suffer severe hair loss. Angela is the designer of several U.S. Patent hair pieces/cranial hair prosthetics and chief instructor of all hair technicians trained by her company U.S. Wigs and Weaves. She has also owned and managed a beauty salon and hair replacement piece retail and wholesale store in Atlanta GA. Angela and her talented team of beauticians nationwide, has proven they have what it takes to make female hair loss suffers feel better about themselves and make this organization a successful one by increasing self-esteem in those women.
Angela have helped co-founded I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation Chapters in four major cities across the nation and conducted countless hair loss awareness events in the form of walks/runs, all female comedy shows, Pretty-n-Pink fashion shows in collaboration with Dillard’s Departments Stores and female empowerment workshops. Angela has helped grow I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation, by forming its event platform “Parade of Ribbons” which now works hand in hand with other organization such as American Cancer Society, Susan G Komen Foundation and many others.
Larry Graise
Executive Director and Co-Founder
Larry is the recipient of President Obama’s “Presidential Life Time Achievement Award.” He is responsible for developing and implementing the organization’s mission to provide world-class services in the form of community support for women and young girls who suffer severe hair loss, emotional and financial stress as a result of any disease such as cancer, lupus, leukemia etc…, to include severe alopecia fire and chemical burns. Larry have co-founded I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation Chapters in four major cities across the nation and conducted countless hair loss awareness events in the form of walks/runs, all female comedy shows, Pretty-n-Pink fashion shows in collaboration with Dillard’s Departments Stores and female empowerment workshops. A highly respected senior hair care professional and leader, Larry guides the continued growth of I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation, by forming its event platform “Parade of Ribbons” which now works hand in hand with other organization such as American Cancer Society, Susan G Komen Foundation and many others.
While maintaining the highest standards in hair care, Larry Co-Founded I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation in 2010, bringing more than 20 years of experience working with women and girls who suffer severe hair loss. Prior to this Larry honorably served 21 years of military service in the U.S. Marines where he retired as a Master Sergeant. During and after his military service he spent 15 years as CEO of several hair care companies, as well as several years as a Hair Loss Therapist instructor and co-owner of Hair Loss Laser Solution. In addition, Larry currently serves on the board of directors for The Bread for Life Transformation Center which provide after school programs, community outreach and mentorship programs for young boys, and girls.
Laura Whipple Sykes
Inspirational Speaker and Life Coach
Laura Sykes is a native of Georgia where she attended Mercer and the University of West Georgia. She lived in New Jersey for 32 years and is a proud mom of 2 young men. Laura’s goal was to always be a women of strength and perseverance. Laura was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 in her early 40’s and in 2012 was diagnosed with bone cancer. She was the first in her family to be diagnosed with cancer and very surprised considering she was in otherwise in excellent health. Laura’s breast cancer treatment included the most aggressive form of chemotherapy due to the fact that she was diagnosed with six lymph nodes positive and twenty five removed. Laura has undergone over 25 surgeries in a period of 10 years. She has also endured over 40 days of radiation, and a double mastectomy with reconstruction. In 2012 Laura had a gut feeling that something was wrong in her body. She trusted in her gut, spoke to her doctor and was then diagnosed with bone cancer in her spine (). She underwent brakeo therapy at Memorial Sloan Katering Hospital located in New York City. Through these daunting trials with her health Laura was determined not to be interrupted in her world and because of the wonderful community of family and friends she wasn’t.
Laura’s work experience begins with being a realtor for Northside Realty in Atlanta, GA. This was the beginning of cultivating her entrepreneurial spirit and discovering the power and value of building relationships with people. Laura worked as a New York Life Insurance agent executive with a focus on life, health and disability. This opportunity paved a new way of Laura relating with people and her positioning as a sales person was to ask others, “What their guarantee on life is?” This is where Laura began grooming her mindset as well as others on self-advocacy. Her message was and is that each one of us is accountable for our health and sense of security.
In 2004 Laura was honored by the CEO of Century 21 Realty as a Centurion agent and a top producer and served as the top agent in her office for four years. She also was a member of the Circle of Excellence Club. The twist of these successes is that she had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and was bouncing back in forth between surgeries and closing deals during this time.
Having late stage cancer encouraged Laura to move into work tied to purpose. She transferred to Remax and became a top agent qualifying as an award winning producer and was grateful to be connected to Remax’s commitment to the breast cancer movement. During this time, Laura was honored by the CEO of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and by the CEO of Remax as one of the international role models surviving breast cancer.
Laura has been involved with many organizations in fund raising such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Crossing the Finish Line, Make a Wish Foundation, Delaware Breast Coalition, and created an initiative honoring women that have lost children. She has received many awards illustrating her spirit of resilience. She was honored by Dr. John Moore for the Triumphing over Adversity Award. She was also acknowledged as the 2006 Cape May County Woman of the Year. Laura has spoken at many events which include the Maimominedes center in New York, The American Cancer Society and her life story was featured at the Remax International Convention.
Toni Russell
San Diego Chapter Leader and Media Director
Toni Russell, as a young girl was always interested in helping others who were suffering some type of illness. Early on in her life she decided to go into the medical field where she could help people less fortunate than herself who had been diagnosed or dealing with some type of illness. At that point in her life she vowed to help people in all aspects of the medical field which entailed working for medical facilities such as, Dekalb Medical Center Kaiser Permanente for many years. In that process she began to see and notice different types of diseases that individuals she came in contact with were suffering with. After which Toni got more in depth with wanting to help people in any possible way that she could.
Toni has made a positive influence in the lives of many. Her next journey lead her into making women look beautiful, which lead her into the hair business where she obtained a cosmetology license to do hair and make-up. Now she is the San Diego CA, Chapter Leader of I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation/Parade of Ribbons Inc. The foundation helps women and young adults who suffer with severe hair loss from the many kinds of cancers that people fall victim too. I am Beautiful Women’s Foundation is making a difference in the world by uniting advocacy groups and bringing public awareness of the services these different groups provide. “Cancer does not discriminate, so let’s band together for the fight!!! Says Toni Russell.
Organization Description
“Parade of Ribbons” mission is to be an event platform for I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation to raise funds, awareness and general support for women and young girls who suffer severe hair loss, emotional and financial stress as a result of any illness or disease to include fire and chemical burns. The mission will be accomplished by conducting community walks, runs, fashion shows, parades etc… These events will unify our efforts at I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation with the efforts of other organizations and individuals in bringing awareness and education of the many diseases that women and young girls suffer with, the degree of hair loss and emotional stress involved and provide a support system which do not discriminate based on the type of disease the individual is suffering with.
“Parade of Ribbons” events are designed to bring together supporters of all diseases and make them aware of the commonality of their causes, (the common thread is severe hair loss in survivors, mental stress, financial stress from high medical bills, homelessness, broken families etc…), unify their efforts and bring notice to the community and local businesses that support for certain diseases shouldn’t began and end on the first and last day of a designated month for that particular illness they advocate for.
Unlike I Am Beautiful Women’s Foundation Corp, Parade of Ribbons Inc. will be extending support to men who are experiencing financial hardship due to high medical bills for treatments to illness which deny them the ability to work steady hours.