Board of Directors

David is a sleep apnea patient who has been involved in patient sleep advocacy since 2018. He served on two sleep focused nonprofit boards and held a variety of roles which include chair of advocacy, secretary, vice president, and chairman of the board. His background is in clinical social work with over 25 years of private practice experience. He served in the Illinois Army National Guard for 8 years as an Officer. He also has 29 years of experience in community corrections with the majority working with adults with severe mental illnesses in the court system. His social work skills enabled him to navigate systemic barriers clients faced in obtaining services and provide a supportive environment.
He is passionate about sleep apnea and saw a major gap in the patient advocacy space to address people who are historically underserved. These same people are his friends, neighbors, and family members. Working to advocate for more resources for underserved people is in his heart and is a central pillar of Sleep Equity Project.

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Darthula Young is a lifelong resident of the westside of Chicago. She earned a BA degree from Northeastern Illinois University and an MBA from Dominican University. She attended Robert Goizuetta Business School Executive Leadership Institute Emory University, and the City of Chicago’s Executive Development Program. Most of her professional career was spent working in the private sector in senior management positions with Lockheed Martin IMS, SAP, and MAXIMUS Inc.
At Lockheed Martin and MAXIMUS her responsibilities included marketing, government relations, project/operations management and business development in the Midwest and southeast states. Darthula held positions with the City of Chicago as a Senior Budget Analysis and Senior Manager in the Department of Revenue. She also worked for Cook County as a Regional Manager for the Presidents Office of Employment and Training.
After leaving the private sector Darthula provided consulting services to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago to develop, enhance and implement the District’s Small Business Enterprise (SBE) recruitment program, moving the contractors from subcontracting capacity to a prime/general contracting capacity.
Darthula has served on many boards including a member of the Helen Heffernan Local and District School Councils, Chairperson of Cook County Clerk’s Office Technology Advisory Committee, a member of Cook County, Illinois Chief Judge’s Office Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Chairperson of Technology Committee, President of the Children of Peace School Board, President Chicago Park District Fosco Park Advisory Committee, a founding member of the Rush University SAME Network, and President of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Foundation.
Darthula became involved in the sleep apnea movement after being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in 2013. She experienced long delays and problems getting her cpap supplies and was unable to receive a new Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) after the specified five years regulated by Medicare. Even with the intervention of her doctor she continued to experience major delays with supplies. The frustration she experienced and the lack of knowledge of the physical and mental effects of sleep apnea inspired her to research what is the proper use of the device, sleep apnea symptoms, and the effects of not using the cpap device. She was not surprised by the symptoms, the physical and mental damage which can result in not adjusting to use CPAP of the device. Darthula began talking with family members and friend who were not familiar with the condition, and those who were unable to use their device on a regular basis.

She began the journey of educating people who talk about symptoms which are consistent with sleep apnea and the importance of getting a sleep study. She also feels it is important to support and encourage those who have a cpap to use it on an ongoing basis. Darthula is proud to report the results from her last visit with her Pulmonary Doctor her cpap usage was ninety-nine percent far exceeding the Medicare required usage.

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