Pamela Artigas is the adoptive mother of two medically complex children, including a child with bladder exstrophy. Her lived experience has driven more than a decade of support for individuals and families navigating rare and complex medical conditions.

As President and Executive Director of A-BE-C, Pamela has built a global network connecting patients, families, clinicians, and researchers to improve access to care, strengthen outcomes, and enhance quality of life. She works with families and medical teams around the world, providing education, support, and connection throughout the lifelong journey of living with exstrophy.

Pamela has been a strategic partner in the International Bladder Exstrophy Collaborative (IBEC) in Ahmedabad, India, for more than 13 years, working in partnership with the Superintendent of Civil Hospital and international pediatric urology centers to support children and families beyond surgery. Through education, guidance, and ongoing connection with families, she helps parents understand and navigate the lifelong challenges of bladder exstrophy and connect with the resources and support they need throughout their child’s journey. She has also co-led A-BE-C’s Uganda Initiative with Janet Gibson, working with an international multidisciplinary team to build a sustainable model of bladder exstrophy care in East Africa. Since 2022, A-BE-C has partnered with EMERGENCY Children’s Surgical Hospital in Entebbe to expand access to specialized pediatric surgical care and strengthen local capacity.

Pamela is actively involved in exstrophy research and has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications examining patient-reported outcomes, quality of life, sexual and reproductive health, urinary outcomes, and the long-term experience of adults living with bladder exstrophy. Her research collaborations have included Seattle Children’s Hospital, the University of Washington, and Johns Hopkins. She is a contributing author to Bladder Exstrophy and Epispadias: A Compendium, including the chapter Advocacy for the Exstrophy Community: Empowering and Encouraging the Patient and Family.

Most recently, Pamela presented findings from A-BE-C’s March 2026 survey of families raising children with bladder exstrophy to some of the world’s leading bladder exstrophy surgeons. Bringing the patient and family perspective directly into the discussion helped highlight the realities families face beyond surgical outcomes and reinforced the importance of transparency, collaboration, and family-centered care.

Dr. Evalynn Vasquez is a pediatric urologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she serves as Director of Global Urology, Associate Program Director, and Wellness Officer, and is a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her clinical expertise includes bladder and cloacal exstrophy, complex congenital urologic conditions, neurogenic bladder, cloacal malformations, and spina bifida. She has extensive experience in complex reconstructive surgery and in caring for children whose conditions require highly specialized, multidisciplinary care.

Dr. Vasquez brings a strong commitment to global health, education, collaboration, and equitable access to specialized pediatric urologic care. Her international work has included supporting exstrophy care in Tanzania, partnering with surgical teams in Pakistan, and donating her time and expertise to support exstrophy care and surgical education in India. Through these experiences, she has developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by children and families who must travel long distances or navigate limited access to specialized care.

Her research focuses on bladder exstrophy, complex reconstructive surgery, surgical readiness, long-term outcomes, and international education. She is committed to advancing care that considers not only surgical outcomes, but the long-term needs of children and families living with complex congenital conditions.

As Advisory Board Chair, Dr. Vasquez works closely with A-BE-C President and Executive Director Pamela Artigas, providing substantial clinical and strategic leadership, mentorship, and guidance as A-BE-C continues to expand its programs and global partnerships. She brings her clinical expertise, academic perspective, and deep commitment to the exstrophy community to help shape the organization’s priorities and strengthen collaboration among patients, families, clinicians, and researchers. Her leadership reflects A-BE-C’s commitment to connecting expert medical care with the lived experience of the families and individuals it serves.

Kimberly Allen was born with classic bladder exstrophy and received her surgical care through UW Medicine in Seattle. Her personal experience navigating lifelong care, combined with a career in patient advocacy and healthcare strategy, has shaped her commitment to improving care for adults living with exstrophy.

Kimberly joined A-BE-C in 2022 and has helped develop support systems for adults transitioning from pediatric to adult care. She works with patients and healthcare professionals to improve access to adult urologic care and better understand the needs of adults living with exstrophy. Through A-BE-C’s Adult Patient Advisory Council, she helps identify priorities and develop resources addressing the challenges of lifelong care.

Kimberly also served on the development team for A-BE-C’s L.I.F.E. (Lifelong Insights For Exstrophy) Outcomes Survey, developed in partnership with Cleveland Clinic. The groundbreaking patient-reported outcomes study was shaped by the lived experience of the exstrophy community and is designed to better understand quality of life, healthcare needs, and lifelong outcomes across the exstrophy population.

Kimberly brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, with a particular focus on improving lifelong care and ensuring that the voices of adults with exstrophy help shape research and future care.

Janet Gibson has spent almost two decades advocating for vulnerable children in Uganda. Her connection to the exstrophy community began when she met Solomon, a child born with cloacal exstrophy who needed medical care unavailable in Uganda. Janet advocated for Solomon to receive surgical care first in Kenya and later in Canada.

Janet has co-led A-BE-C’s Uganda Initiative with Pamela Artigas, working with an international multidisciplinary team to build a sustainable model of bladder exstrophy care in East Africa. Since 2022, A-BE-C has partnered with EMERGENCY Children’s Surgical Hospital in Entebbe to expand access to specialized pediatric surgical care and strengthen local capacity. Janet works closely with families, healthcare professionals, and A-BE-C’s international medical and psychosocial teams to support care, education, advocacy, and follow-up.

Janet brings extensive nonprofit and organizational experience, a deep commitment to serving vulnerable children and families, and a valuable global perspective to the A-BE-C team. Her long-standing work in Uganda continues to be an important part of A-BE-C’s international mission.

Thomas Vincent was born with bladder exstrophy and received his early urologic care at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he grew up participating in exstrophy support groups and later became involved in patient advocacy. His experiences led him to volunteer with the Youth Rally and A-BE-C, where he remains committed to strengthening support and resources for adults living with exstrophy.

Thomas earned his PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, where his research focused on kidney regeneration, stem cell biology, and regenerative medicine. His work has contributed to research on kidney organoids and potential regenerative approaches for kidney disease, including publications in Cell Stem Cell and The Innovation.

Thomas also served on the development team for A-BE-C’s L.I.F.E. (Lifelong Insights For Exstrophy) Outcomes Survey, developed in partnership with Cleveland Clinic. The survey was shaped by the lived experience of the exstrophy community and is designed to better understand quality of life, healthcare needs, and lifelong outcomes for people living with bladder exstrophy, cloacal exstrophy, and epispadias.

Thomas brings a unique combination of lived experience, scientific expertise, and patient engagement to A-BE-C, helping connect the exstrophy community with research and advances that can improve care and quality of life.