LeAnne Barta is co-founder and president of Indiana Lyme Connect (ILC) as well as leader of the Indianapolis Support Group. LeAnne and her husband know first hand the difficulty of Lyme diagnosis and its devastating affects on their children. After completing her masters in Communication Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin, LeAnne moved to Indianapolis. After working in a variety of medical and academic settings, LeAnne devoted her energy to raising and homeschooling her five children (ages 17-27) as well as serving in a variety of local and international organizations and churches . LeAnne has not only had the privilege of caring and advocating for her own children with Lyme disease, but also advocating for others with tick-borne illnesses. She lives in Indianapolis.
Dr. Amy Baize-Ward is a life-long resident of central Indiana, earned her degrees from Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Wesleyan, and Ball State Unviersity. Amy is currently serving as Vice Chancellor of Student Success for Ivy Tech Communicty College Muncie-Henry County. She is married to TEd and has three adult children. Amy was diagnosed with Lyme and related co-infection sin 2013, after struggling with symptoms for nearly nine years.
Dr. Kim Lentz grew up in south central Indiana, graduated from Ball State University, and Indiana University School of medicine. She did her family medicine training at St.Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Kimberly began dealing with Lyme disease in 2004 when members of her own family became ill. In 2010 she opened a new medical practice focusing on treating Lyme disease and other tick borne infections. She is married to Dan and together they have 3 children ages 21, 19, and 15 and reside in rural Zionsville.
Sheri Barta – Following graduation from Baylor University, Sheri jump-started her accounting career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen in Houston, Texas. There, Sheri met her husband (and LeAnne’s brother-in-law), Greg Barta. Sheri continued her career in accounting as an Assistant Controller for Scott Sports Group in Boulder, Colorado, and, later, as a Senior Accountant for Hagemeyer in Alpharetta, Georgia. After semi-retiring to stay home and care for the couple’s two young children, Sheri actively volunteered in her community and church. It was during this time that Sheri became intimately aware of the toll chronic Lyme disease takes on both its patient and his/her caretakers when her nephews and niece were each diagnosed with the disease. Today, Sheri and her family reside in York, Pennsylvania, where Sheri remains a homemaker while homeschooling the couple’s youngest daughter.
Chase Miller is an Architect and Project Manager at BSA LifeStructures in Indianapolis, practicing primarily in the area of healthcare, research, and higher education. He is passionate about bettering the quality of life through the built environment. His wife was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2014 after struggling with debilitating symptoms for 8 years prior. Chase and his wife Kaylabeth live in Noblesville.