WHO WE ARE

Dr. Ahmet Uluer

CO-HOST/FOUNDER

I always loved listening to NPR programs like This American Life, Fresh Air and Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me. I found these shows both educational and entertaining. My journey into podcasting deepened before the pandemic, but it was during that time that my listening expanded significantly. According to “Your 2024 Wrapped” on Spotify, I am now among the top 5% of listeners for educational and comedy podcasts. My favorites range from Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Armchair Expert, Smartless, and Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers to medical podcasts like Curbsiders, Huberman Lab and Adam Grant.

During the pandemic, our Adult CF Center began broadcasting weekly webcasts to the local CF community, providing trusted information and a platform for shared stories, invited speakers, laughter, and even dancing. These webcasts became a vital source of education and connection, featuring selfless celebrities from the medical world, authors, and even Hollywood. This experience led me to wanting to create a podcast!

Professionally, I serve as the Director of an Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, Adult Therapeutic Development Center, and Co-Center Director at a Harvard Medical School affiliated CF Center. I work closely with the CF Foundation (CFF) and currently serve on the Global Advisory Board, and just ended my term as Chair of the Protocol Review Committee, among other roles. I also work closely with the CF Research Institute (CFRI) and I am a board member. In addition, I lead a program which supports adult survivors of pediatric-acquired chronic illnesses with age-appropriate and transitional care needs. 

My interests extend to global health, and I earned a Master’s in Public Health in Healthcare Management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2018. Since then, I have worked on improving CF care in countries such as Jordan, Peru, Kenya, and other low-middle-income nations, and serve as a faculty member of our hospital global health program. 

Before pursuing a medical career, I was an aspiring cartoonist, with my sense of humor influenced by Warner Brothers—particularly Bugs Bunny and friends. An autographed book by Chuck Jones is a prized possession, and I admired voice over talents of Mel Blanc. I enjoyed mimicking those same characters and even convinced many children I was the real voice of Scooby-Doo. My sense of humor was also shaped by The Simpsons and the cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, with a special fondness for Opus and Bill the Cat. While attending the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), I painted a mural merging characters from Bloom County and Warner Brothers that received quiet acclaim from my friends.

I am now very focused on the topic of aging with CF—research and educating our community and trainees on aging-related complications like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, hearing loss and more. I am a proud founding faculty member of the CFRI sponsored Patrick Nash Fellowship Program with a mission to educate the next generation of providers treating adults with CF.

Challenges I have faced in life aren’t equal to the adversities faced by people with CF, but these experiences, along with the lived stories from our community, continue to inspire me. I am excited to share these stories with you through this podcast, which blends my creative and academic passions.

Lauren Harvey

CO-HOST

Lauren, an Oklahoma native, brings a young and personal perspective to the podcast. Living with Cystic Fibrosis and CF-related diabetes, she’s committed to creating a supportive space for those with CF and their loved ones. Drawing from her own experiences, Lauren aims to shed light on the unique challenges of navigating CF across all stages of life, helping listeners feel seen and understood.

With a background in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma and a career in the nonprofit sector, Lauren has an interest in grant writing and donor relations, focusing her professional skills on making a meaningful impact. She’s particularly passionate about improving access to care and advocating for underrepresented communities, inspired by her own journey with chronic illness.

Lauren’s competitive spirit shines through her achievements as a high school state tennis champion and former college athlete. Today, she channels that energy into playing tennis and pickleball. She also loves exploring creative hobbies like gaming, crocheting, and trying out new crafts. Giving back to her local community through volunteer work is another way Lauren finds purpose and connection. When she’s not on the court, working on a grant, or diving into her next creative project, Lauren enjoys spending time with her dog, Bowser, and her cat, Gordon, who never fails to provide endless entertainment.

Andrea Gavin Becker

PRODUCER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Andrea is an art director, creative director, painter, illustrator, and novice carpenter who finds beauty in everything. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Boston University, she began a storied advertising agency career spanning San Francisco to Boston, on projects both big and small. She has built brands for cars, hotels, hospitals, shoes, banks, toys and every noun in between. She and her partner have their own agency where she wears many hats from Creative Director to Producer to Chief Paper Shredder. For her work she has won awards and been featured in magazines—but by far, the best award she has received was a living donor double-lung transplant in 1998.

Diagnosed with CF at the age of 3 in 1973, Andrea was given a life expectancy of just 17 years. Since then, she has defied expectations and odds by living well into her 50s. She has volunteered as a public speaker for the New England Organ Bank, served as a wish granter for Make-A-Wish, and donates her professional talents to support women-owned small businesses, underserved communities, animal rights and other causes. She is active on social media, sharing the realities of living with CF and her transplant journey—as well as way too many photos of her dogs.

A nature enthusiast and gardener obsessed with native plants, Andrea finds joy in the outdoors, whether exploring the beauty of Cape Cod or walking local conservation trails with her dogs. She lives in Boston with her husband Stefan who shares her love of music, art, film, dogs, flea and farmer’s markets, and just sitting in the sun with coffee in the morning.