Tanner Barton

T1D Advocate

Tanner Barton was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at eight years old and has refused to be defined by the disease. Tanner graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Ball State University in May 2017, where he was an Honors College student-athlete who double-majored in Health Science and Spanish. He was an NCAA Division I Varsity Swimmer, two-time team captain and four year conference finalist in the 200 Butterfly. Tanner is a former three-time state of Ohio champion.

A native of Dublin, Ohio, he is vital to the outreach, fundraising and advocacy efforts in the JDRF Central Ohio Chapter. In 2009, Tanner attended Children’s Congress, and in 2013, Tanner became the youngest individual to sit on the inaugural, international JDRF T1D Voices Council. Currently Tanner represents JDRF on the international Novo Nordisk DEEP task force. He has been to Copenhagen, Denmark several times to help pharmaceutical companies focus on patient centricity in decision-making processes.

Working with his endocrinologist, Tanner helped to edit a College Diabetes Survival Guide. Additionally, Tanner lives with celiac disease, noting the correlation between celiac disease and T1D.

Lauren Salko

Professional Freestyle Skier, Type 1 Since 1998

Lauren Salko began alpine ski racing while attending high school in Maine. She continued to compete as a member of the Saint Anselm College varsity women’s team. She raced all over the world and placed in the top 10 at collegiate nationals which earned her All-American status. Post-college, Lauren is competing full-time. She has had many USASA podium finishes including a 3rd place podium finish at the 2018 USASA national championships. Between competitions, she volunteers as an elite coach for Riding on Insulin’s ski and snowboard camps. In 2016, as a member of the Riding on Insulin Endurance Team, Lauren competed at Ironman Wisconsin while fundraising for the organization. Lauren is often accompanied by her diabetes alert dog, Silas.

Lauren’s participation is part of Tandem Diabetes Care’s Live Life in Full Color speaker series.

Gary Scheiner

Author and Clinical Director of Integrated Diabetes Services

Gary Scheiner 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.

Gary has been a Certified Diabetes Educator for 22 years and has had type 1 diabetes (T1D) for 33 years.  Gary was named 2014 Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.  He has written six books, including the best-selling “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 27 years and has four wonderful kids.  A fitness fanatic, he enjoys playing basketball, running, cycling and cheering on his Philadelphia sports teams.

Samantha Merwin

JDRF Volunteer

Samantha Merwin, MPA, has worked in the insurance industry for the past 24 years and holds a license in CT. Her primary role focuses on health care strategy and troubleshooting for large clients. From her experience working direct with consumers she has a unique perspective on “insurance speak” and aims to simplify open enrollment choices wherever possible for her friends and family.

Her son Logan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008 at 17 months old. Since then, her degree and experience have been very helpful in navigating diabetes supply orders, formularies and authorizations.

When Samantha is not working or functioning as a full time pancreas she enjoys volunteering and fundraising for diabetes nonprofits. She is currently on sabbatical from CIGNA, having secured a grant request to build a stronger community to support type 1 families in CT.

Most of all, the Merwin family doesn’t let type 1 stop them from enjoying life!

Jodie Ambrosino, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Ambrosino is a licensed clinical psychologist, and has specialized in working with children, adolescents and young adults with a range of chronic medical conditions for over 15 years. She has extensive training that integrates the treatment of mental health issues with chronic medical conditions, and focuses on helping children, adolescents, young adults and their families build the skills they need to manage a medical condition, even as needs change over time and across development stages. Dr. Ambrosino spent over a decade at Yale University in the Children’s Diabetes Program, where she developed and participated in research and clinical programs designed to help youth and young adults, and their families cope with the daily demands of type 1 diabetes. She also has a special interest in the increasing role of technology in disease management. Currently, she works at Shoreline Psychological, a group practice in Madison CT.

Bonnie Roswig

Senior Staff Attorney

Center for Children’s Advocacy

Bonnie Roswig is the Senior Staff Attorney for the Medical/Legal Partnership Project of the Center for Children’s Advocacy in Hartford, Connecticut. The primary focus of her work is disability, health and utility law and she has presented nationally on these topics. Attorney Roswig is a Connecticut Health Foundation Fellow, is a member of the Civil Rights Educational Working Group of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Connecticut and serves on a number of statewide and legislative committees. Attorney Roswig is a graduate of the Antioch University School of Law.

Jessica Soufer

Assistant United States Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice

Jessica Soufer is an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.  She has been with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for two years and has been a practicing lawyer for eight years.  Prior to becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jessica clerked at the Connecticut Appellate Court and was an education lawyer in private practice primarily representing public school districts.  At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IV, VI, and VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act and other federal civil rights laws.

Cem Demirci, MD

Medical Director, Diabetes Program, CCMC

Dr. Demirci specializes in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) care and management. Until there is a cure, he adamantly works to improve the management and care delivery to patients with T1DM. In addition to T1DM, he specializes in monogenic etiologies of Diabetes Mellitus (MODY DM and others) and Cystic Fibrosis related Diabetes (CFRD).