Board of Directors
Our Board members are all women who chose flat closure after mastectomy or explant, and are committed to advancing NPOAS’ mission and promoting our core values.
Kim Bowles
President
Kim Bowles is a scientist, artist, mother of two, and founder of Not Putting on a Shirt. She decided to go flat in 2017 as part of her breast cancer treatment plan, but her plastic surgeon intentionally left her with excess tissue to facilitate reconstruction. Kim went public with her story, and upon realizing that flat denial is a systemic problem requiring institutional change, decided to invest in pursuing parity for flat closure and helping women protect their choice. Kim has been featured in Cosmopolitan magazine, Women and the World, on the Today Show, and more.
Email: bowleskb@notputtingonashirt.org
Shana Whitehead
Treasurer
Shana Whitehead is a wife, mother of four, and Managing Director at RangeWater. Shana was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in January 2018. As a part of the treatment plan, Shana had a double mastectomy with tissue expanders placed in July of 2018. After one year with tissue expanders and suffering from BII symptoms, Shana made the decision to have them removed and decided on a flat closure. Shana was denied a flat result and moved forward with a revision in September 2019. As a result of her experience, she decided to make it her mission to advocate for women and their right to be fully informed about flat closure and acceptable outcomes.
Email: whiteheadsc@notputtingonashirt.org
Devorah Vester
Secretary
Devorah Vester is a mother and appellate attorney in Western Massachusetts who helps persons with mental illness regain their agency, liberty and dignity. In July 2019, she had a double mastectomy after a local recurrence. Devorah always knew she did not want breast reconstruction, and feels fortunate that her breast surgeon – who told her about the flat movement – honored her choice. Devorah’s closely held values of integrity, transparency and individual autonomy make her an incredible asset to the NPOAS Board. Her goal at NPOAS is to bring all parties to the table – doctors, legislators, health insurers and patients – to make certain that in every state a woman’s right to full disclosure and informed consent is protected, and her decision to go flat is respected.
Email: devorah@notputtingonashirt.org
In Memoriam
Christy Avila
Former Vice President
Christy Avila was a career educator, mother, and explant and flat closure advocate. She founded Fierce, Flat, Forward, a support and advocacy group that encourages, guides, and educated other breast cancer survivors and previvors on going flat—whether at the time of initial mastectomy or post-explant. She herself chose to “go flat” after discovering breast implant illness (BII) and choosing to explant based on her subsequent research on breast implants as medical devices.
Christy co-founded “International FLAT Day,” (Oct. 7th), an annual event that celebrates FLAT and promotes flat closure and breast reconstruction awareness. In 2019, she testified before the US FDA at their Hearing on Breast Implant Safety in Washington DC, advocating for proper informed consent for breast cancer survivors. Christy served on the faculty of the Communication Studies Department at San Jose City College where she taught for over a decade.
Christy passed away from metastatic breast cancer in the summer of 2025. May she rest in peace.
