Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients – CHAMP; U.S. Pain Foundation – 

Katie M. Golden is one of the foremost patient opinion leaders and advocates within the underfunded, highly stigmatized, and misunderstood migraine and headache community. When she turned 30, her episodic migraine attacks that started as a child, became a chronic, everyday occurrence. Unable to return to her career in finance, Katie pivoted to writing, connecting with others trying to navigate life when medical curveballs become the norm. Her mission is: “Never Let Your Pain Go to Waste.” She is the Contributing Editor of the INvisible Project magazine, a publication dedicated to making invisible illnesses more visible by sharing stories of those living with migraine and headache diseases. Katie is the only patient expert for the Migraine Clinical Outcome Assessment System (MiCOAS) research project, funded jointly by the NIH and FDA. In 2017, Katie was instrumental in the formation of CHAMP (Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients). This non-profit brings together 20 organizations and patient leaders to collaboratively work side-by-side on initiatives that advance policies, awareness, and education with a strong dedication to serving patients and fostering community. As the Director of Patient Relations for CHAMP, she has led the patient community in participating in policy initiatives at record numbers, and provided testimony for several government and private sector hearings that generated positive access outcomes for migraine patients. However, her favorite role with CHAMP is connecting with others who live with this debilitating and isolating chronic pain conditions. Through her work with CHAMP, Katies says, “advocating has helped me reclaim any power that migraine had stolen from me.”