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Amy Bevan is the Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator at T1D Exchange. As the parent of a young child living with type 1 diabetes, Amy uses her personal perspective to engage with the organization's online community at myglu.org and writes various articles, research summaries, questions of the day and other content for the Exchange. Amy is a nationally published journalist and has written professionally for a variety of businesses and organizations. She and her family are participating in Friends for Life for the first time.
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Adam Brown is the Co-Managing Editor of diaTribe (www.diaTribe.org) and the Chief of Staff at Close Concerns, where he focuses on the field of diabetes technology, especially continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps, and the artificial pancreas. Adam graduated summa cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 pursuing concentrations in marketing and health care management and policy. Adam was a Joseph Wharton and Benjamin Franklin Scholar and completed his senior thesis on the motivational and financial factors associated with optimal diabetes control. He has had type 1 diabetes since age 12 and wears an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. Adam is on the board of directors of Insulindependence and the SF branch of JDRF. He is passionate about cycling, strength training, nutrition, and wellness and spends his free time outdoors and staying active.
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Daniela Chinnici is a project manager of public health programs in low and middle income countries. She is working for the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in the Policy and Programs department for the education projects. She is in charge of the global coordination of the Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) project (www.idf.org/education/kids). This project aims to foster a supportive school environment that creates a better understanding of diabetes. She supported the development of the Diabetes Information Pack for Schools that provides teachers, parents and children with information on diabetes prevention and management.
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Bennet Dunlap is passionate advocate for better diabetes care. He is the father of four, two of whom live with type 1 diabetes. Like millions of Americans Bennet tries to be successful with type 2 diabetes himself. He has created a variety of social media projects including the advocacy campaign StripSafely, DrinkingWithDiabetes a resource for families sending type 1 students to college and his blog, Your Diabetes May Vary. Bennet is an integral member of the Spare a Rose / Save a Child community supporting the IDF’s Life for a Child program. He is a respected participant in industry social media summits. Bennet has given patient perspectives in public testimony before the FDA’s Endocrine and Metabolic Drug Committee on diabetes medication. Recently he was a patient reviewer for PCORI. With a degree in finance from Lehigh University, Bennet pursued a career in commercial banking. Following the diagnosis of his children with type 1 his passion for advocacy grew and he earned a masters in health communications from Boston University to better serve the diabetes community. Bennet is currently a consultant helping to advance diabetes care and patient engagement.
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As the Manager for Community Outreach at the T1D Exchange, Anna Floreen, MSW, looks forward to providing the type I online community (www.myglu.org) with resources and ongoing connectivity for people affected by type I diabetes. In 2009 Anna created and implemented the first American Diabetes Association’s Youth Leader Program and oversaw all youth and family programs across New England for three years. She received her Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009 and a bachelor of science in Psychology and Child and Family Studies from Syracuse University. Anna also serves as a faculty member for the IDF’s Young Leader’s Program. She is a Certified Product Trainer with Medtronic Diabetes and also assists as a volunteer mentor with AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad) where she has traveled to both Belize and Bermuda aiding in the production of diabetes camps and programs. Anna has had type I diabetes for over 25 years and is still a very active volunteer alumnus with the Barton Center for Diabetes Education in Massachusetts. Most recently, she participated in the Beacon Hill Bionic Pancreas Study, a clinical trial which prompted an enormous increase in online Glu membership and interest from parents and those affected by type 1 worldwide through her daily blogging describing her week-long experience as a research subject.
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Scott K. Johnson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April of 1980. He has been writing about his struggles and successes with diabetes since late 2004. Currently blogging at Scott's Diabetes (scottsdiabetes.com), working as the Communications Lead, USA for mySugr, and contributing to many other diabetes related projects, Scott stays busy connecting with others living with diabetes. Scott works full time as a freelance writer and diabetes consultant, and says, "I'm your average guy living with type 1 diabetes. I don't have it all figured out, and sharing my struggles with diabetes helps by showing people that it is okay to still be trying to get it right, even after almost 35 years." Scott lives with his family near the Minneapolis, MN area.
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Tom Karlya, Vice President of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, is known throughout the diabetes community as Diabetes Dad. He's the creator/author of www.diabetesdad.org; a daily syndicated column. His daughter, Kaitlyn, was diagnosed at age 2 in 1992. In 2009, his son Rob was also diagnosed, at age 13. Tom has been introduced to the NY State Capitol, testified in Washington, D.C., and has lectured globally about being a DiabetesDad. With Kim May, a dMom from Texas, he created the website and FB page; www.GetDiabetesRight.org, a grassroots effort spreading awareness about the detection/understanding of t1 diabetes. He received numerous commendations for his work in the Diabetes Community from Hurricane Katrina to advocacy initiatives. Tom was awarded The Jeff Hitchcock Distinguished Service Award from CWD in 2008; among many other awards from groups and organizations. For 12 years, as an actor, he starred in the New York Production of Tony 'N Tina's Wedding and also at The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., in Summer of the 17th Doll. His film, lbs., was at the Sundance Film Festival, and he appeared in Unsolved Mysteries, Spin City, The Cosby Show, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, America's Most Wanted, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and numerous commercials. He won 13 Telly Awards, a FREDDIE Award, and was nominated for an Emmy Award while Executive Producer of dLife on CNBC. His mantra; just "Don't do Nothing", is well known throughout the diabetes community. Tom will tell you that above everything else, he's just a CWD Dad.
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Melissa Lee was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 10. After nearly two decades of feeling alone and wanting desperately to pursue a healthy pregnancy, she discovered the diabetes online community in 2008 and found her advocacy voice, as well as the glucose control she needed to birth two healthy children. She now writes as Tech Editor of ASweetLife.org online magazine and at her personal blog SweetlyVoiced.com. A professional singer and voice teacher in her earlier career, Melissa is also known for her diabetes-themed music video parodies (tiny.cc/dparodies). Newly appointed in early 2015 as the Interim Executive Director of Diabetes Hands Foundation, she currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband Kevin and their two young children.
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Before her young daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1997, Moira McCarthy had accomplished quite a bit as a nationally-competitive freestyle skier, award-winning crime reporter (she was once almost sent to jail for refusing to reveal a source and also helped solve a serial murder), author of books on golf and skiing, and one of the world's best-known ski and adventure writers. But her daughter's diagnosis presented her with the ultimate challenge: how to raise a healthy – but still active and happy child -- and how to make a difference in the diabetes world. Author of the best-selling books Raising Teens With Diabetes: A Parent Survival Guide and The Everything Parents Guide to Juvenile Diabetes, and creator of the blog Despitediabetes, McCarthy is a well-known national diabetes advocate and speaker, and was JDRF's International Volunteer of the Year in 2007. She and her daughter have been guests on CNN Live, Larry King Live, FOX morning News, Good Morning America and on the front page of the New York Times. Her daughter, who graduated from college this year and settled in Washington DC (500 miles from mom!) is thriving. Their mantra: despite diabetes, you need to get busy living.
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Anna Norton, MS, has been living with type 1 diabetes since August 1993. Recently appointed Interim CEO of DiabetesSisters, she is dedicated to improving the lives of women living with diabetes through peer support and education. DiabetesSisters (www.diabetessisters.org) creates a safe environment for women living with diabetes through online and in-person programs such as online forums, blogs, webinars, National Conferences, and monthly support group meetups throughout the United States. Anna graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and Master of Science in Education at Florida International University. She has worked for large university systems and metropolitan health care systems since 1999, with a focus on major gift fundraising, annual gifts, event planning and community relations. She recently relocated from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Chicago, Illinois, with her husband Mike and their young son.
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Sean M. Oser, MD, MPH, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before starting college. Through medical school, graduate school, and residency, as well as through marriage, parenthood, and his professional career, he has learned to make diabetes work at each step along the way. His daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 7 and, since then, he and his wife, Tamara Oser, MD, have discovered Children with Diabetes and other parent and family groups. CWD and its programs have motivated him to join the diabetes online community as well, where he blogs less frequently than he would like to at t1works.blogspot.com. He is currently Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State University College of Medicine. As medical director of Penn State Hershey’s Camp Hill primary care practice, he led that site to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s highest level of recognition as a Patient Centered Medical Home, providing patient-centered, team-based, comprehensive care. He has also helped lead Penn State Hershey’s successful efforts to develop and implement their fully functional electronic health record and to help harness the power of technology in providing high quality, longitudinal care and enhanced communication with patients.
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Tamara Oser, MD, is Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She is active in clinical practice, teaching both medical students and residents, and in medical education research. One of her major areas of focus is the patient doctor relationship. She has ranked in the ninety-ninth percentile nationwide for patient satisfaction and was recently named to the Best Doctors® in America. She is wife to Sean Oser, MD, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 24 years, and is mom to twins Courtney and Jessica (age 13). Jessica was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age seven. She has seen firsthand that although there are challenges, diabetes is also her husband’s and daughter’s greatest strength. She blogs her family’s life with type 1 diabetes at t1family.blogspot.com.
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Jeremy Pettus, MD, is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. After being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes himself at the age of 15, Dr. Pettus has dedicated his career toward treating and educating others with the disease. In addition to his clinical work at UCSD, Dr. Pettus is also involved in basic immunology research with a focus on cure based therapies. Finally, Dr. Pettus has interests in patient empowerment through education. He is very involved with the not-for-profit organization entitled Taking Control of Your Diabetes. With this organization, Dr. Pettus speaks at patient-centered conferences around the country and heads the conference's "Type 1 Diabetes" track.
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Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE, is owner and Clinical Director of Integrated Diabetes Services, a practice located just outside of Philadelphia specializing in intensive insulin therapy and advanced education for children and adults. He and his staff provide consultations throughout the world via phone and the internet. Gary is a Masters-level exercise physiologist. He has been a Certified Diabetes Educator for 19 years, and served as the 2014 Diabetes Educator of the Year. He has had type 1 diabetes for 30 years and makes personal use of insulin pump therapy and CGM. Gary has written dozens of articles for diabetes trade publications and six books, including the popular Think Like A Pancreas - A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes With Insulin. He lectures nationally and internationally for people with diabetes as well as professionals in the healthcare industry. In addition to serving on the faculty of Children With Diabetes and the Board of Directors for JDRF, Gary volunteers for the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Sisters, and Setebaid Diabetes Camps. Gary has been happily married for 25 years and has four wonderful kids. A fitness fanatic, he enjoys playing basketball, running, cycling and cheering on his Philadelphia sports teams.
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Kerri Sparling has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 28 years, diagnosed in 1986. She manages her diabetes and lives her life by the mantra "Diabetes doesn't define me, but it helps explain me." Kerri is a passionate advocate for all-things diabetes. She is the creator and author of Six Until Me, one of the first and most widely-read diabetes patient blogs, reaching a global audience of patients, caregivers, and industry. Outside of her blog, Kerri's work can be found at diaTribe, Animas, and in diabetes outreach like JDRF's Countdown magazine, in addition to her extensive diabetes YouTube channel. Well-versed in social media and its influence on patients, Kerri presents regularly at conferences and works full-time as a writer and consultant. Her first book, Balancing Diabetes (Spry Publishing), was published in 2014. Kerri and her husband, Chris, live in Rhode Island, USA with their daughter.
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Richard Vaughn was born in Roanoke, VA in 1939. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1945 when he was 6. He married Anita Ellis in 1964. They have two sons and two grandchildren. They are enjoying retirement in the Catskill area of SE New York. Richard attended Roanoke College and Virginia Tech, receiving an MS degree in Statistics in 1963. Richard is a retired college mathematics professor. He wrote a book about his first 64 years with type 1, which was published in March, 2010 (Beating The Odds: 64 Years Of Diabetes Health). Richard also maintains a blog entitled Richard's Rambling Review. After 69 years as a type 1 diabetic, he has good diabetes health, with no diabetes related complications except for mild nerve damage. Richard is a strong advocate to others living with diabetes. He enjoys reaching out to fellow diabetics and their families, writing informational and inspirational posts on online diabetes websites, and participating in many Facebook groups that are diabetes related. It is by sharing his life with type 1 diabetes that he has given inspiration and hope to many diabetics and their loved ones.
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Scuba diving along the coral reefs and shipwrecks of Grand Cayman. Spelunking through a dark, watery cave in Belize. Skiing the rustic, off-the-beaten path trails of Utah. Touring all of Italy on a cooking class adventure. Hiking glaciers in Alaska. Michelle Weisenberg has done all that and more - and all with a child with diabetes on board. World travel is her passion and love, and when her son, Jordan, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2007 at the age of 9, she decided to not only to not let diabetes stop her from sharing that love with her family, but to learn how to do that well and share her experiences with all in need. Michelle is also one of the founders of Project Blue November, a popular social media movement that burst on the scene in the fall of 2014 and is now a respected and much shared resource for people in the diabetes world. She lives in Orange, CA with her husband, three children, and two dogs, but spends much of her time planning adventures elsewhere. Next up? Africa ... or maybe Cambodia ....
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Richard Wood is the founder and CEO of dQ&A Market Research, a company focused on bridging the communication gap between diabetes patients and the companies that serve them. At dQ&A, he has built up a panel of 10,000 patients who since 2009 have been answering comprehensive quarterly surveys their experience managing and living with diabetes. dQ&A's research amongst patients is widely used across the diabetes industry, and has been the basis for several presentations at The American Diabetes Association's annual meetings. dQ&A is a sister company to Close Concerns, the diabetes information company led by Kelly Close. Richard was previously VP of Consumer Insights at The Nielsen Company, where he led large-scale market consumer research programs for the mobile telecommunications industry in the USA, Europe and Asia. He has extensive experience from a 20-year career in consumer and social research, industry research, technology and publishing, and holds an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.
Friends for Life 2015 Conference and Expo Introduction - Registration - Sponsors - Exhibitors - Convention Center Map (PDF) Faculty - Youth Faculty - Grandparents Faculty - CWD Staff - Sports Central Staff - Nightscout Faculty - Special Guests Schedule: Parents and Adults - Youth - Nightscout Workshop Childcare Form (PDF) - FAQs - Disney's MyMagic+ Checklist (Important) Reports from 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001
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Last Updated: Wednesday December 21, 2016 18:16:48
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