The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has elected a new Chair of the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. Board of Directors, Karen Evans of Baltimore, Md. She was elected during the LFA’s most recent annual meeting, held in San Antonio, Texas.

Evans has been a member of the LFA Board since 2003 and previously chaired the Board's Education Committee. In addition to her work with the LFA, Ms. Evans serves as Executive Director of the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation. She previously was Executive Director of the Northwest Baltimore Corporation, and a founder and Chair of the Board of the Park Heights (Maryland) Community Health Association.

In her new role, she will lead the LFA Board's strategic initiatives to bring national attention and increased public and private resources to fight lupus.

As you may know, in 2007 the Energy Independence and Security Act passed, part of which means lightbulbs as we know them (the incandescent kind) will be totally phased out of production by 2014. The alternative to these is compact fluorescent bulbs, which meet the new energy standards, but are fluorescent bulbs nonetheless, and can cause photosensitivity in those with lupus. And, so far, there has been no incandescent bulb replacement suggested.

The Lupus Foundation of America is currently developing public policy recommendations to send to Washington and says they will post these when complete, but in the meantime, what are your suggestions? We'll have an article soon on About Lupus and more information about how to make your voice heard on this issue.