Kallie has lived most of her life with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and it has taught her a lot about herself, her condition, and how to succeed. Competitive by nature, Kallie has been a member of the swim team at Tartan High School in Oakdale, Minnesota, and even coaches beginning swimmers. It requires extra work, but Kallie knows how to manage. "I think of arthritis as a mental game. I listen to my body and I know how strong I am and how much I can accomplish." Kallie follows the same approach in both her volunteer work with the Juvenile Arthritis Conference in Philadelphia and the local program she developed to bring disease awareness to elementary school children. She has lobbied legislators in Washington, DC in support of the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act and has raised $16,000 for the Juvenile Arthritis March. Kallie’s early experiences with RA drew her attention to children in need, and she is excited to be attending Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona this fall to study education, ultimately to become a full-time teacher.