Pacific Northwest Chapter
Jude has had T1D since 1972. He has been involved with T1D research through JDRF as a volunteer for many years. He served on the National JDRF Research Committee for the artificial pancreas project, as a Research Information Volunteer, and as a cycling coach for the JDRF Ride-to-Cure program since 2005. He currently serves on the Seattle Board of Directors. Jude has his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and spent the past 35 years working in the Aerospace industry.
Pacific Northwest Chapter
Julie became involved with JDRF in 2007 after her son was diagnosed with T1D. Julie currently serves as a Board Member for the JDRF Pacific Northwest Chapter, JDRF Ride for the Cure Coach, Research Information Volunteer, Montana Advocacy Team Chair, Clinical Trial Education Volunteer, and as a Montana Outreach Volunteer. Julie earned her Masters in Health Science, Molecular Medicine, from Montana State University (MSU). After working in research labs at MSU, Julie pursued a RN to expand her knowledge of clinical medicine.
Northern California Chapter
Kim became involved with JDRF when her 13 year old daughter Nina was diagnosed with T1D in 2019. Professionally, Kim runs executive education programs in Product Management at UC Berkeley. Prior to this, she served as Executive Director of The Women’s Technology Cluster, where she helped over 50 companies raise over $350 Million in venture capital and grow significant revenue. As a leading female CEO, she has been featured in five books and has appeared on the cover of US News & World Report. Kim currently serves on the JDRF Northern California Community board.
Tennessee Chapter
Susan's daughter, Maddie, was diagnosed with T1D at age 14. Her family has become avid supporters of JDRF and the important work being done for generations to come. Susan served on the Foundation Board of Trustees of Children’s Medical Center Dallas for 7 years, serving on the committees for Physician Recruitment and Injury Prevention. She and her husband were Founding Members of The Children’s Trust benefiting Children’s Medical Center. She also served on the board of Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center from 2006 to 2008.
Greater New York City Chapter
Alecia has been part of the JDRF family since her diagnosis with T1D in Philadelphia in 1979. Since 2014, Alecia has participated in six artificial pancreas trials and chronicled her experience for TypeOneNation.org, ASweetLife.com, and CNN. She has also participated in an implantable CGM clinical trial, a complication prevention trial, and is a participant in numerous studies addressing the psychological and sociological impact of living with T1D. Alecia is president and managing-partner of Kovacs-Wesner Design Group--her work can be found in homes and hotels throughout the world. Alecia is also the host of the Healthy By Design Podcast which launched in 2022.
Kansas and Missouri Chapter
Brandee became involved in JDRF in 2015 after being diagnosed with T1D as an adult. Brandee currently sits on the Kansas City board and is an active member in recruiting others to JDRF efforts. Brandee has done the JDRF Ride twice in Wisconsin and plans to do again in the coming years. She currently works as Managing Director, People Strategies at TIFEC. Prior to her time there, she was at Cerner, Amazon, and T-Mobile, where she led large HR teams around the globe. Brandee attended Kansas State University and Montana State University for graduate school.
Kansas and Missouri Chapter
"Mark is VP-Treasury and Chief Investment Officer at SSM Health. In this role, Mark is responsible for strategic asset allocation, manager selection and diligence, risk management and executive communication for SSM’s nine distinct investment committees. Mark’s other responsibilities include oversight of the corporate borrowing portfolio. Mark has an undergraduate business degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a master’s degree from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mark obtained his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2016 and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Missouri. "
South Florida Chapter
Mimi Schankman is a Senior Territory Business Manager with Dexcom. She has volunteered with JDRF for the past 7 years to better understand the patients she serves. Mimi has grown a deep love for the JDRF community and mission, in particular.
Northern Florida Chapter
Craig has had T1D for 50 years and has a number of family members with the disease. Craig has served on the JDRF Board in a number of roles, but is primarily a Research Information Volunteer and Clinical Trial Education Volunteer. He often presents at diabetes events and has a wealth of diabetes work experience in education and research.
Northern Florida Chapter
Dr. Anna Casu is a medical doctor with clinical and laboratory research experience in T1D. She is also a person living with T1D for more than 40 years. Dr. Casu is an Associate Investigator at the Translational Research Institute at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida, and Von Weller Family Chair in Type 1 Diabetes Research. She also contributes her expertise to several clinical trials investigating advanced technology and new treatments for T1D. As a JDRF fellow recipient, she worked on identifying new prediction markers as well as on a pre-clinical islet xenotransplantation model for the cure of T1D. Dr. Casu obtained her medical degree and completed her residency and fellowship in endocrinology at the University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, where the second-highest incidence of T1D in the world occurs.
Mountain West Chapter
Meredith has been involved with JDRF since her son Peter's diagnosis in 2014 at age 11, including chairing the Gala in 2018 and serving on the community board for the Mountain West Chapter. Meredith graduated from Cornell University and earned an MBA from James Madison University.
Minnesota and Dakotas Chapter
Debbie has been a JDRF volunteer since 2003 after her son Chris was diagnosed with T1D. She has served as the Advocacy Team Chair for Minnesota, Grassroots Leadership Team advocacy leader for the Upper Midwest Region, and as a Community Board member. Previously, Debbie was an infectious disease clinical lab scientist at the University of Minnesota Hospital, and received her Master’s Certificate in Clinical Research in 2015.
Greater Illinois Chapter
Erin O’Donnell Dotzler is the Executive Director of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). She also serves as an ex-officio member of the Board of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation. Prior to leading the AAP, Erin was the Chief Operating Officer of the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), and a healthcare compliance consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Erin holds a BA in Economics and Asian Studies from St. Olaf College, and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She is on the Community Board of the Illinois Chapter of JDRF.
Indiana and Kentucky Chapter
Matthew Kriech currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Innoleo LLC and Chief Operating Officer for Biosynthetic Technologies INC, two companies focused on delivering innovations in chemistry for a more sustainable future. He has also served as General Manager of PIZO and Supply Chain Manager, Tolling Manager, and Business Excellence leader for Monument Chemical. Matthew received his B.A. from Wabash College in 2000 and his Ph.D. from the University of Utah in 2005. Prior to returning to Indiana, he worked for ATK as a “Rocket Scientist” in Utah, helping to test and develop state of the art rocket propellants. Matt serves on his local Community Board for JDRF.
Greater New England Chapter
Amanda became involved in JDRF in 2020 when her then 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed. The community, education, and resources for JDRF families was such an incredibly important support following her daughter’s diagnosis. The JDRF T1D community and connections became even more important to her family when Amanda was diagnosed with T1D in 2021. With two T1Ds in the family, they have a lot of clinical trial experience to share!
Greater Connecticut and Western Massachusetts Chapter
Marjorie Lazarre currently serves as the Executive Director of Pharmaceutical Business Innovation. She received her doctoral degree in Pharmacy from Howard University in Washington, DC. She completed a pharmacy practice residency at Yale New Haven Hospital in 2001 and went on to attain her Master’s in Business Administration from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Lazarre has served in numerous leadership roles within pharmacy for over 15 years, with service primarily at Yale New Haven Hospital, and previous experience as a Director of Pharmacy at Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital. Marjorie's oldest child, Ava, was diagnosed with T1D at 7 years of age. Her sister also has T1D.