s h i n e ’ s mission

To influence systems and co-design solutions that put survivors’ goals at the centre, driving freedom, purpose, and change through leadership, education, innovation, and science rooted in lived experience and equity.

Stacie Broek

Global advocate with lived experience. Dedicated to advancing person-led care and ensuring survivors are recognised as partners in shaping their own recovery.

Co-founder & excecutive Director

WHAT SHE DOES

Educates: Through her writing, speeches, and online resources, Stacie helps survivors and families understand how passion-based therapy and self-led goal-setting can reshape recovery. She is the author of (al)ONE: Thriving a Stroke and the creator of Family 2.0: The Caregiver’s Guide to Stroke Recovery, an online course for carers.

Advocates: A member of the World Stroke Organization Campaign Committee, the European Life After Stroke Forum Scientific Committee, and the Advisory Board for Clinical Rehabilitation, Stacie champions policy and research that integrate survivor expertise at every level.

Connects: Co-Founder and Executive Director of SHINE — Survivors Honouring Inclusion, Networking and Empowerment, a global survivor-led movement shaping stroke systems, policy, and innovation from the ground up.

Consults: Works with healthcare companies and research teams to embed lived experience into strategy, innovation, and communication—partnering with organisations including Bayer, Philips Healthcare, Ipsen, World Stroke Organization and the World Health Organization.

Life after stroke that’s built with evidence, led by experience, defined by choice.

Stacy quinn

Educates:

Speaks at community events, conferences and corporate programs; delivers keynote addresses; appears in print, radio, TV and online interviews.

Advocates:

Served on the American Heart Association Government Relations Committee and the Northern NJ Go Red For Women Executive Leadership Team to improve health programs and medical care in New Jersey.

Raises funds:

Leads and chairs campaigns, auctions and special events to support life‑saving research and community programs.

Connects:

Runs My Stroke of Hope, moderates social media groups, and mentors CAD and stroke survivors to provide practical guidance and emotional support.

Raising awareness about stroke and women’s heart health. Empowering people to be the CEO of their own health.

Co-founder & communications director

WHAT SHE DOES

We work at the intersection of survivor experience, research, and system design.

melinda b. Roaldsen

Medical professional with lived experience. A stroke scientist that has dedicated her professional career to advancing science and conducting high quality stroke research for over a decade, that has contributed to change and shape clinical practice.

CO-FOUNDER & SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

Educates: as an associate professor conducting and having official lectures and presentations at universities and institutions for among others; leaders, neurologists, medical students, speech therapists and physiotherapists.

Advocates: Roaldsen is appointed Lived Experience Ambassador of the newly launched Global Stroke Action Coalition that gathers high-profile organisations around the globe such as: AHA/ASA, ESO, WSO, Chinese Stroke Association, SVIN, Bayer, Medtronic, Asia Pacific Stroke Organization, the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, March of Dimes Canada, Ipsen, Phillips, Angels, UK Stroke Association.

Scientific Publications: Major publications in high-ranking journals like the Lancet Neurology and Cochrane. For a complete list of publications, please click here.

Connects: through her capacity as the Chief Operations Officer of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, the largest stroke project ever undertaken in Europe, she connects with national coordinators in 52 countries. The National coordinators of SAP-E are both stroke scientist and representatives of stroke support organizations from all over Europe.

WHAT SHE DOES

Our Advisory Board