Back Row L-R: John Brady (JDRF Director Emeritus), Lisa Wallack (International Board of Directors Member), Karen Jordan (International Board of Directors Member), Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D. (JDRF Chief Executive Officer)
Front Row L-R: Award winners John Cammet, Kim Roosevelt, Sally Southard, Hans ten Cate

Volunteers are essential to JDRF’s mission. From founding our organization over 50 years ago to building today’s tight-knit—but far-reaching—community of type 1 diabetes (T1D) warriors, they make a profound impact with their time and talents.

Every year, JDRF recognizes select volunteers who have gone above and beyond. The JDRF 2022 Volunteer Award recipients have shown innovation, dedication, and lifted up those around them.

2022 Erwin Lurie Award: Sally Southard

Sally Southard has been a dedicated and motivated JDRF leader for over 25 years. This unwavering passion has earned her the 2022 Erwin Lurie Award, which recognizes chapter volunteers whose commitment to the volunteer-staff partnership has significantly advanced the mission and strategic priorities of JDRF.

Sally currently serves as the Virginia Mission Board Chair and as a Research Information Volunteer, as well as in an active member role for both the Mid-Atlantic Chapter’s Community Board of Directors and Executive Council.

She has worn many hats as a former JDRF T1D Voices Council member, Greater Blue Ridge Chapter President and Board member, Walk Chair, Gala Chair and honoree. When five communities were brought together to create one chapter in 2020, Sally leaned in and exuded positivity to ensure that the communities would stay engaged.

In addition to living with T1D, Sally watched her mother manage the disease, giving her a unique ability to lead and inspire others through her personal journey. JDRF is immensely grateful to Sally for her perseverance and commitment to our shared mission.

JDRF would also like to recognize all the nominees for the 2022 Erwin Lurie Award: Cathy Baier, Evan Beane, Jean Bobin, Mike Boyle, Amber and Clay Bretches, Ruthi Byrne, John Cantillon, Rex Ellison, Kim Fisher, Christopher German, Peter Hill, Michael Howell, Helen and Mike Norona, Debbie Nuzzo, Jaleen Siekman, Paul Wallace, and Dan Woolf.

2022 Huntsman Family Community Engagement Award

Dan Connors and Hans ten Cate are visionary leaders who have leveraged their professional expertise to positively impact the T1D community. JDRF is proud to honor Dan and Hans with the 2022 Huntsman Family Community Engagement Award, which recognizes volunteers who have made highly impactful contributions through advocacy, marketing, mission, outreach or volunteer engagement. Their efforts foster a sense of community, deepening engagement with the larger JDRF family and empowering individuals to make a difference in their own lives.

Hans began his involvement with JDRF in 2018 after his daughter Tabitha’s diagnosis in late 2015. He is currently serving as the Northern California Chapter’s Community Board Vice President. Dan became involved with JDRF in 2018 after his son, Rollie, was diagnosed with T1D in 2013. Dan and Hans met through the Northern California Chapter and, as seasoned game industry professionals, saw a compelling opportunity within the gaming realm to support nonprofits. The two innovative thinkers founded the Game2Give initiative; a gaming platform that provides an entirely new way for people impacted by T1D, as well as gamers and game makers, to engage with, build community, and fundraise for JDRF.

Under their tireless leadership, Game2Give has generated $2.3 million in less than three short years. JDRF is deeply grateful to Dan and Hans for their bold creativity and meaningful impact to the T1D community.

2022 Jim Tyree Chairman’s Award

Kim Roosevelt’s extraordinary leadership as our inaugural Global Mission Board Chair over the past three years is being acknowledged with the 2022 Jim Tyree Chairman’s Award, which is given to a national volunteer leader who has made a significant and noteworthy contribution to JDRF during their tenure of service.

Kim became involved with JDRF in 2007 after her daughter, Elizabeth, was diagnosed with T1D. She is currently serving as a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Global Mission Board. At the National level, she has served as an Advocacy Team Chair, Advocacy Committee member, JDRF International Board of Directors member, Children’s Congress Chair, and National Development Committee member. She is actively involved in the Northern Texas & Oklahoma Chapter where she has devoted her time as a Community Board and Executive Council member. Her partnership has been invaluable to the Dallas community, where she created the JDRF Fund a Cure Luncheon that has raised over $1million over the past 10 years.

Kim’s guidance and mission-focused leadership were essential in developing the Global Mission Board charter and activating a group of volunteer leaders for special initiatives critical to achieving organizational goals. She is a dynamic individual whose authenticity makes her relatable at all levels of the organization. JDRF has benefitted greatly from Kim’s passion and collaborative spirit.

2022 John Brady Award for Innovation

John Cammet has demonstrated remarkable service to JDRF and his Southern Florida Chapter. JDRF honors John with the 2022 John Brady Award for Innovation, which recognizes an outstanding volunteer who has exhibited leadership in driving innovation and pioneering projects or ideas with the potential to meaningfully impact the T1D community.

John is a mainstay within his chapter, where he has enriched the golf and gala programs and is the consummate volunteer partner—steadily coaching, counseling, and empowering others. John currently serves as the Host and Co-Chair of the Naples Fund A Cure Invitational Golf Event and as a mentor to local volunteers. His involvement with JDRF spans well over a decade and includes being a past member of the National Finance Committee.

As an individual living with T1D, he is passionate about advancing life-changing research. John leads by example through his personal fundraising and spurs others to action. He believes in the progress being made in cures research and provided the first gift to anchor the establishment of the JDRF New England Center of Excellence. John articulates our mission and vision in a way that is inspiring to others, making him extremely impactful in cultivating transformational gifts. He is a results-oriented, compassionate, and motivational volunteer partner. John’s influence and philanthropy inspire us all. 

Kellogg Early-Career Patient-Oriented Diabetes Research Award

JDRF is also thrilled to announce our Early-Career Patient-Oriented Diabetes Research Award will be renamed in honor of the Kellogg family.

The award, which will now be called the Kellogg Family Research Award, provides crucial support to clinician-scientists at the start of their careers in T1D-related clinical investigation. Some of the biggest names in T1D research received this grant early in their careers, including Doctors Kevan Herold, Maike Sander, and George Eisenbarth. This funded research is truly at the nexus of innovation and patient care.

Bill and Bonnie Kellogg have been JDRF supporters since 1996, when their son Jeff, then age 23, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). They have consistently and generously supported our efforts with more than $20 million in mostly unrestricted gifts, allowing us to fund research with the greatest potential for cures and life-improving therapies.

JDRF thanks the Kellogg family for their confidence in JDRF and passion for supporting innovation with the newly named Kellogg Family Research Award.