Ms. Belleson, also an eczema patient, is based in Indiana and has served as the CEO of the American College of Sports Medicine and the chief operating officer of the American Osteopathic Association. She took the helm at NEA in July 2024 and has hit the ground running.

Here’s what she had to say:

TDD/JDNPPA: What do you love about the job so far?

Kristin Belleson (KB): “Thirty-one million people in the U.S. have eczema. That’s not a small number. Having an opportunity to work directly with patients living with eczema is very impactful. My background includes time with healthcare-related associations, however, my role with NEA allows me to see the direct impact NEA has to support patients. As an eczema patient myself, I definitely feel the connection with our community and I know the work NEA is doing is supporting everyone affected by eczema.

TDD/JDNPPA: What can patients and dermatologists expect to see from the NEA in the coming months and years?

KB: “The National Eczema Association can help patients access resources, connect with others who have eczema, as well as navigate treatment options. Our goal is to try to bring some peace of mind and help make their experience with eczema a little bit easier. The last five years have dramatically changed within the eczema treatment landscape, so NEA continues to work to diligently help patients navigate the number of treatments and determine what may work best for them.

From an organizational perspective, we are in the final year of our strategic plan, which really allows us to learn what worked well from our last plan and be very deliberate about creating the next strategic plan. We will, along with our Board of Directors, write a new strategic plan in 2025, which will be implemented in January 2026.

We are also working hard to engage with dermatologists, dermatology nurse practitioners, and physician associates to show them that we are here to support them in their roles and encourage them to become more engaged with NEA.”

TDD/JDNPPA: How can our readers get more involved with the NEA?

KB: “We have several different options, whether it’s through committees, councils or the Board. Healthcare providers can be engaged at different levels within the organization. In addition to that, we’re really embracing our EczemaWise app, which has a lot of options for patients, but is also really developed to help healthcare providers navigate treatment options with their patients. There are some opportunities within the app that will allow us to work with healthcare providers closely and allow patients to work very closely with their dermatologists on their treatment. We’re looking at doing more regional-based patient advocacy or patient education sessions, where we will invite patients from a local community to come in and work directly with dermatologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to understand how they can better help them with their eczema journey.”

TDD/JDNPPA: The NEA Seal of Acceptance is highly coveted. How do companies earn this Seal?

KB: “It’s a rigorous process and backed by science. For a product to obtain the Seal, it must meet the strict standards established by our Scientific Oversight Committee – a panel of leading dermatologists, allergists, and eczema experts – and also undergo testing for sensitivity, irritation, and toxicity, as well as a review of ingredients and formulation data. It is not an easy process and that is deliberate to ensure the products that receive the NEA Seal are suitable for individuals with eczema. I think one of the great things about the Seal is that while it is geared toward people with eczema, it’s also a resource for individuals who may not have eczema but have other skin-related challenges and sensitivities. The Seal of Acceptance program continues to expand to include not just products intended to treat or manage skin but products for a person’s life beyond eczema. Categories to date have included cleanser, lotion, sunscreen, hair care, laundry detergent and wipes. Just this year we launched the deodorant and lip care categories, and we’re looking into makeup, shaving cream and more.”