LEADERSHIP
APOPS History
Like most women, Sherrie Palm was a member of the "discovery upon diagnosis" demographic; she recognized within two weeks of her diagnosis that pelvic organ prolapse was the biggest secret in women's health, and that millions of other women were suffering in silence. Sherrie's journey began when she wrote the book, Pelvic Organ Prolapse:The Silent Epidemic, and shortly after the publication of the 1st Edition, founded APOPS, a grassroots movement to shift awareness and provide guidance and support to women navigating POP.
APOPS' Board of Directors work diligently to evolve the future of APOPS community, engendering POP awareness, screening, education, support, and research.
APOPS Board of Directors
APOPS' Board of Directors (governing body) recognizes the value of a balanced board of representation between healthcare professionals from various disciplines, non-medical professionals from legal and business backdrops, and most importantly, women who have experienced pelvic organ prolapse.
Sherrie Palm, Founder/CEO/Executive Director
Pelvic Organ Prolapse Key Opinion Leader, Author, International Speaker
Sherrie Palm is APOPS Founder/CEO, a vaginal and intimate health activist and patient advocate, a pelvic organ prolapse key opinion leader, author of award winning book Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic, and an international speaker on multiple aspects of pelvic organ prolapse quality of life impact. Sherrie’s points of focus are generating global POP awareness, developing guidance and support structures for women navigating POP, and bridge building within POP healthcare, research, academic, industry, and policy sectors toward the evolution of POP directives. Sher was diagnosed with POP in December 2007 and had transvaginal mesh surgery in February 2008.
Sherrie Palm Curriculum Vitae.
Director Melissa Frasure
Director Michele Modellas
Michele Modellas is the owner of Meeting & Management Solutions, a meeting production/planning & association management company, and has been in the industry for nearly 20 years. Her consulting services include corporate trainer, sales team development, and strategic development for corporate and non-profit organizations. Michele is the founder & CEO of Global Association for Women in Transformation, an organization supporting women with practical and progressive solutions to navigate life’s transitions.
Michele is passionate about seeing others thrive. As a public speaker, she has presented to students at the University of London, and has contributed to the Smart Women Institute’s empowerment series. Michele is a contributing author in three books (Smart Women Live Their Why, Inspired Women Succeed, and Smart Women Embrace Transition) and is currently working on her own book. Michele subscribes to living out her purpose in a life of passion, health and happiness, She maintains high energy, seeks a positive view and embraces success on her own terms. Her POP journey is one of continually self-educating and embracing steps to advance her wellness journey, whether utilizing non-surgical, surgical, or supplementation to balance ever evolving needs of a woman’s body.
Director Alesa Arnett
Alesa embarked on a 21-year career as an enlisted Medic in the United States Air Force at the age of 25. She served in various clinical/leadership positions and performed a wide array of tasks and procedures at all levels within the US and during deployments to Iraq during her military career, retiring from the Air Force in 2010. Until 2018, her positions included: Quality Assurance Specialist – providing critical review Veterans medical exam report packages needed to award disability compensation, Radiology Clinic Operations Supervisor, and finally, Women’s Fitness Coach for Curves, Intl. Curves closed, and in response to members asking for continued support, ‘PERK Fitness for Women’ was created. Now a certified personal trainer and Women’s Coaching Specialist through the Girls Gone Strong Academy, Alesa has finally found joy in ‘retirement,’ spending her time with family, and helping others. She serves as an American Legion Post Service Officer and facilitates ‘A Matter of Balance’ and ‘Texercise Select,’ evidence-based programs for older adults through the San Antonio Oasis Center for Lifelong Adventure.
Though she attributes the onset of her POP to years of military physical fitness training, symptoms advanced after participating in a high-impact fitness boot camp in 2017. Her personal experience with prolapse, research, and a hysterectomy in Jan 2022 led her back to APOPS. At 58, Alesa continues to advocate for healthier lifestyle choices by sharing knowledge and motivating females to choose healthier habits. She is excited to collaborate with other women in necessary, common-sense endeavors that are shining a brighter light upon the APOPS mission, vision, and goals.
Targeted Focus Committees
To learn more about our committee members, click on the links below.