About Us

The Lyder Foundation will identify the barriers in communities of color in their experience with Body Focus Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), a public health issue, and eliminate the socio-economic barriers that prevent them from accessing the needed resources. The stigma and discrimination pertaining to mental health in communities of color that are marginalized will be minimized by having the availability and accessibility of resources and information through education on an individual and social level. The resources will be a network of trained providers that reflect the communities they are servicing. We are the voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless, and healing to the communities.

Together We Will Aspire, Together We Will Achieve, and Together We Will Heal.

DEI Statement

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Lyder Foundation (Foundation) encompasses and embraces Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in
all facets of the mission of the foundation. All members of the foundation understand that in every
endeavor undertaken (e.g. health fairs, educational conferences, research) DEI must be at the forefront.
Moreover, as the Foundation grows its membership it will consider every person to use their unique
experiences, abilities, and backgrounds together – to incite proactive solutions for the community.

Meet The Team

Bianca Lyder

Founder & President

By Bianca. Born in Trinidad, she migrated to the United States at the age of 12. After years of doing hair for family members, she became a hairstylist and barber’s apprentice, all at the tender age of 14. Bianca brings her Caribbean roots and American sense of style to each hair creation. Her vast knowledge is evident in her work. She served as a Board Member for the Trichotillomania Learning Center and Co-Chair their first Diversity Committee(first black person to sit on their Board and implement the D&I committee). She also directed the Salon Services for the Annual TLC Conference and was a Service Provider Member of the Trichotillomania Learning Center. She discovered her BFRB is skin picking picking.

Bianca is also a humanitarian, a teacher, and a wonderful orator. She has put her personal skills to use by partnering with the American Cancer Society to facilitate “The Look Good, Feel Better Program” at NYU Langone Cancer Institute guiding women going through Chemo and radiation treatment manage their appearance by instructing them how to style and care for their wigs and apply makeup.

Bianca believes that education is very important, while accomplishing her goals and mastering her techniques as a Master Stylist, she found time to go back to school and graduated with her Bachelor of Art degree in Business Administration and an MBA in Business Management. She is the Community Health Advisor at her church, initiating the Health Ministry, the President of the Woman’s Ministry, and a member over 30 years

Dr. Dave Ray

Vice President

Award-winning Beauty Educator, Trichologist, Entrepreneur, anAuthor of twelve (12) publications. Motivational Speaker and Life Skills Coach, Dr. Dave Ray, also known as, “The Beauty Surgeon” has upwards of 40 years in the beauty industry. He is the new sought-after global Business Strategist and Customer Service guru. He travels through Europe and East Asia to both harness his skillset and facilitate training in his newfound passion.

Dr. Ray was also featured as the main judge in Chris Rock’s HBO’s Documentary, “Good Hair”. He was the stylist responsible for bringing to life the OXYGEN’s and “Hair Battle Spectacular” logos for the Oxygen Network. The Beauty Surgeon completed hair pieces for the Oxygen’s Network “Hair Battle Spectacular” promo ad. He has just finished filming for the premiere edition of a new series on Netflix called, “We Are The Champions” featuring him as a Legend in the Beauty Industry.

As Board Certified Master Colorist and former Regional Training Director for Mizani/L’Oreal USA, He has won almost every national competition in which he has participated.

He also runs a successful Professional Salon/Spa & Trichology Center, along with a hands-on Training Facility in New York City for beauty professionals.

As President/CEO of the education company and the nine salon franchise, BEAUTY WERKZ, he brings advanced education in nine areas of the beauty field.

Dave has been honored with “Cosmetologist of the Year Award 2006” by the New York State and the same in Richmond, VA in 2011.

The Beauty Surgeon was recently awarded “Educator of the Year 2011” by the Black Beauty Association in Richmond, VA.

He is chairman of judges for all major competitions to include the Bronner Brothers competitions.

In August 2017, Dr. Ray was presented with the SAGE Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Beauty Industry Alliance for his commitment and support to his field.

He has a PhD in Clinical Trichology from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

He attained a doctorate from the fraternity of NBCL, Washington, DC.

…A certified Trichologist and Licensed Massage Therapist.

His zeal for improving Customer Service in his homeland from all fronts, is being recognized in every quarter, as he vehemently brings these powerful workshops to Antigua and Barbuda.

Gessie Perez

Board Member

Having developed trichotillomania at the age of 11, Gessie Perez has long been an active member of the BFRB community. She is a proud advocate and dedicated to spreading awareness. She has presented numerous workshops at the TLC Foundation (bfrb.org) conferences and acted as an ambassador for the organization. Passionate about working with children, Gessie established her program "Trichster Sisters," in which she sent care packages to young girls with trichotillomania and serves as a mentor and big sister to them. Gessie is the author of two books, a memoir titled "Triumphant Trichster," and a children's book, "A Trichy Situation." She lives on Long Island and works as a community habilitation specialist for children with disabilities. She can be found at triumphanttrichster.com.

Janet Wolpert

Board Member

I was born in Tijuana, BC, however, I have lived most of my life in CDMX. I now reside much of the time in San Diego, CA.

Something a bit fortuitous is that I have changed my professional course several times in my life. My profession is graphic design. I worked as a packaging designer for many years, a discipline that I am passionate about to date. Due to life circumstances, I changed to the field of international education, an area in which I have been working for 20+ years, and to which I dedicate most of my time. I also direct the efforts of Fundación Kaluz, based in Mexico City and dedicated to providing support to all Spanish speakers who suffer from Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors such as Trichotillomania and other conditions on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. I firmly believe that through awareness and education we can provide concrete help to lessen the suffering that these conditions cause.

Although they are totally different tasks, in all of them, working with and for people come together. I really enjoy helping people in any field.

I am passionate about traveling and spending time with my family, as well as gastronomy. Walking, preferably in nature, is another activity about which I am very excited.

Dr. Courtney Lyder

Ex Officio Member

Courtney Lyder was born in Trinidad before migrating to the United States. Courtney Lyder received his Bachelor of Arts from Beloit College. He attended Rush University nursing school, one of only five males in a class of two hundred, where he received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Nursing. Lyder studied under Luther Christman, the first male dean of a nursing school in the United States, who changed the perceptions and biases people held against males and minorities seeking to enter the field of nursing. Courtney Lyder is internationally recognized for his expertise in gerontology and chronic care. Lyder is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and New York Academy of Medicine, he was also appointed by Queen Elizabeth 2nd as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (the first nurse in history). Courtney Lyder was appointed by United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research.

Men are seeing that nursing is a viable option that pays well, you have a good lifestyle, you give back to society... Nursing doesn't have a gender. Society and media have portrayed nursing as feminine. It's not.

Courtney was tenured as an Associate Professor being the first minority at Yale University School of Nursing; the Chairman of the school of Nursing Department of Acute Care at The University of Virginia, and the Dean of Nursing at UCLA (the first minority Dean at UCLA in its history).