Dear Friends,

We wanted to share the news that Betsy Paffmann will be retiring from JDRF effective January 13, 2023.  As you can imagine this is sad news for our Greater New York City Chapter Family and all the many individuals she has touched over the 15 years she has been with the organization.

Betsy’s journey with JDRF started as a passionate volunteer when her child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) 28 years ago. That personal passion grew into an amazing professional arch, as Betsy stepped into the critical role of Outreach Manager for the Long Island Chapter and now serves as the Senior Community Engagement Manger for the entirety of the Greater New York City Chapter geography.  In these roles, Betsy has been a beacon of hope, support, and inspiration to T1D families, as well as being a highly regarded partner to those in the diabetes clinical and industry communities. With every phone call, meeting, program, and person Betsy was involved with, she gave her heart and soul.

During her tenure, Betsy has been instrumental in developing programs and services that have changed the lives of people living with T1D. Through the creation of support groups, educational events, mentorship engagement, and meaningful volunteer opportunities, Betsy has shaped pathways for people to feel connected, empowered, and supported along their personal journey with this disease­—no matter what age or what stage. But perhaps the most important part of Betsy’s legacy is the work that she has done with our newly diagnosed community. A new T1D diagnosis can be scary and overwhelming. Betsy has always had a way of quelling those fears for people and making them feel seen and heard. She breeds trust and fosters compassion, and creates an immediate environment where people feel at home and less alone. So many people love JDRF because of their love of Betsy, which is a testament to her love of this community, her character, and her heart.

We hope you will join us in celebrating Betsy’s time at JDRF and wishing her all the best in her retirement. We encourage you to send Betsy a note of thanks before January 13^th,, as we know she would love to hear from all of you, the community she worked so hard for over the years.

All the best,

The JDRF Greater New York City Chapter