Leslie Rott was diagnosed with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis in 2008, at the age of 22.  She has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Michigan, and is currently working on a Master'd Degree in Health Advocacy at Sarah Lawrence College.  She is the author of the blog Getting Closer To Myself, and she also writes about her illness experience at Creaky Joints, Health Center, and RheumatoidArthritis.net.  She hopes to have a career working with chronically ill students in higher education.