Mountain West Chapter Leadership
Chapter Staff

Ellen Penrod
Executive Director
BioEllen Penrod
Executive Director
Ellen officially became the JDRF Mountain West Chapter Executive Director in November 2022. With a B.A. in Business Communications and a B.A. in Psychology from Augustana College as well as a Masters of Non-Profit Management from Regis University, Ellen has built a passion for health non-profit fundraising and management over the last 25 years.
The Penrod family has connections to a rare type of diabetes known as MODY (maturity onset diabetes of the young). As a self-proclaimed “research nerd,” she loves that JDRF has a focus on bringing new treatments for T1D directly to market. She knows that the research JDRF funds directly impacts her family and all individuals living with diabetes. Ellen loves the community work JDRF staff and supporters are doing together to find cures for T1D.
In her free time, this Colorado native enjoys adventuring around the hills of her mountain home with her 3 children and 2 dogs, but also loves a cozy night in by the fire with a puzzle.

Mike Somers
Market Director
BioMike Somers
Market Director
Prior to serving as Mountain West’s Market Director, Mike led the Mountain Valley Chapter (Utah and Idaho) as the Executive Director since 2014.
Prior to joining JDRF as a staff member, Mike volunteered for JDRF as a Utah Board member and a JDRF SLC Walk team captain since 2004. Along with volunteering for JDRF and Susan G Komen for the Cure, Mike was the Director of Human Resources for Companion Systems, a manufacturer of products for the banking industry, for 25 years.
Mike is a Utah native and grew up in Woods Cross. Mike married his wife Michelle in 1995 and has two adult children. He enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and camping with family and friends.

Meredith Imrie
Development Director
BioMeredith Imrie
Development Director
Meredith joined JDRF as their Development Director for the Mountain West chapter in November 2023, bringing with her a wealth of nonprofit fundraising and development experience. She started her health nonprofit career at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, managing their annual gala and Walk programs for Northern California. In 2019, she continued her career at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) holding positions on their Healthcare Partnerships and Fundraising & Community Engagement teams, growing their corporate partnership revenue.
She is passionate about supporting organizations whose missions are to advance research funding and support for those living with diseases that donāt yet have a cure. She is excited to be part of the JDRF team to help move their mission forward.
Meredith is originally from Napa, CA, and currently resides in Denver, CO. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with a minor in History from the University of California, Davis, and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Sonoma State University.

Mikayla Llanos
Development Manager
BioMikayla Llanos
Development Manager
Mikayla joined the JDRF Mountain West staff as Development Manager in March of 2022. She is based in Denver.
Mikayla brings 18 years of experience in the Colorado nonprofit community, having served in roles ranging from Development Associate to Executive Director for local chapters of the March of Dimes, Florence Crittenton Services, the Autism Society and other health and wellness-focused organizations throughout her career.
She studied Law & Society at the University of Denver and is passionate about her role as an advocate for equal access to healthcare for all. Mikayla will ensure the success of the JDRF Dream Gala and support mid-level donor programs.

Madeline Murphy
Development Manager
BioMadeline Murphy
Development Manager
Madeline is the Development Manager with the JDRF Mountain West Chapter, having joined in March 2023. She has a B.A in Organizational Communications and Non Profit Leadership from Western Michigan University. Her career so far has taken her from Michigan, to Colorado, to a year living on the ground in Cambodia. Madeline has a background in various roles in the non-profit world and is deeply passionate about creating a more equitable world for all people. She is honored to utilize her experiences while working alongside the driven Mountain West team.
Madeline has a handful of friends and family members with T1D and is so excited about accelerating JDRFās mission to improve lives and eventually find a cure for T1D!
In her free time, you can find Madeline camping, skiing, fly fishing, drinking cold glasses of prosecco, diving into a great book, trying out a new recipe, or frequenting *another* dog park with her goofy lab Cedar and siberian husky Shasta!

Andrea Santoyo
Community Engagement Manager
BioAndrea Santoyo
Community Engagement Manager
Andrea was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2011, just 3 days before her sophomore year of high school, when she also received a Bag of Hope from JDRF during her hospital stay. She was not unfamiliar with T1D, as her father was diagnosed when he was just 4 years old.
Andrea’s formal education is in social work and she has always tried to put community engagement at the core of her work. When the Community Engagement Manager position opened up at the Mountain West chapter, she knew she had to apply and she officially joined the team in February of 2022. Growing up, Andrea never had many people in her life also living with T1D. She understands the importance of having people in our corner who understand what living with this disease feels like. She is excited to facilitate such connections for our chapter and beyond, ultimately working together for a world without T1D.
Andrea has lived in Florida and North Carolina, but she is now happy to have the Rocky Mountains in her backyard. In her free time, she enjoys journaling, reading, drinking coffee, and exploring the woods and hills of the Rockies.

Mackenzie Turner
Senior Development Coordinator
BioMackenzie Turner
Senior Development Coordinator
Mackenzie is the Senior Development Coordinator with the JDRF Mountain West Chapter. Mackenzie was born and raised in the Park City area of Utah where she grew up skiing, hiking and playing outside. Growing up, she spent copious amounts of time volunteering locally and internationally and participating in peer-to-peer fundraising for many organizations, so the transition to working professionally in fundraising was a no-brainer. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Utah and earned a Masters in Business Administration at the University of Central Florida. Previously, Mackenzie has held fundraising and stewardship positions across several local and national nonprofits, as well as spending several years āmaking magicā at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
While Mackenzie doesnāt have a direct connection with T1D, she is very passionate about finding a cure. Her stepfather has struggled with Multiple Sclerosis for 15 years, and she has many close family members that have been diagnosed with other autoimmune diseases. She hopes to utilize her skills in fundraising and storytelling to accelerate the mission and increase awareness of JDRF so that together, we can end T1D.
Outside of work, you can find Mackenzie in the yoga studio, at a local coffee shop, or continuing to add to her ever-growing to-be-read list at the bookstore.

Hannah Finnegan
Development Assistant
BioHannah Finnegan
Development Assistant
Hannah Finnegan is the Development Coordinator for JDRF Mountain West. She joined the team in May 2023.
Hannah was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved out to Colorado when she graduated high school to study dance. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Dance from Colorado State University in 2018. Upon graduation, Hannah moved back to St. Louis to live out one of her lifelong dreams of dancing professionally. After dancing professionally for a year, her love for helping others outweighed her love of performing. Hannah moved back to Colorado to work for a local non-profit, Celebrate the Beat. At Celebrate the Beat, she grew her non-profit management skills, taught dancers across Colorado and New Mexico, and was able to grow her love for supporting her community.
Hannah is passionate about improving the lives of people with T1D as well as funding research for a life without.
Colorado Community Board

Blake Bennett
BioBlake Bennett
Blake Bennett moved to Colorado in April 2017 and has made a home here in Denver.Ā Previously Blake and his wife Candice lived in New York City and they are both originally from Arkansas.Ā They are expecting their first child in September of this year.Ā Blake works in private equity at Revelstoke Capital Partners located in Cherry Creek.Ā He has been active with the JDRF YLC since moving to Colorado.

Brian Dennehy
BioBrian Dennehy
Brianās T1D connection is through his wife Leslie, who was diagnosed at age 11. Brian has been an active board member since 2018. In his professional career, Brian is the Senior Director of Applications Development for FirstBank. He joined FirstBank in 1998 and has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology. Brian leverages his diverse technical experience to lead the strategy and development of FirstBankās application portfolio, supporting the companyās long-term vision and goals.

Cory Vann
BioCory Vann
Coryās T1D connection is through his wife and daughter, who were diagnosed at ages 12 and 1, respectively. Cory got involved with JDRF when his daughter was diagnosed in the fall of 2019, and he joined the board shortly thereafter.
In his professional career, Cory is a partner at Deloitte with more than eighteen years of diversified public accounting and advisory experience.Ā He lives in Denver with his wife, two kids, and German Shepherd Frank, and enjoys an active lifestyle with his family.

Dominick Esposito
BioDominick Esposito
Dominick became involved with JDRF after his son, Raff, was diagnosed with T1D in May 2020, but he also has several family members with the disease.
As Vice President of Health Research at Insight Policy Research, he has evaluated several government- and private-funded programs, including some for individuals with diabetes. He lives in Highlands Ranch with his wife and 3 kids, and they enjoy hiking, biking and exploring the mountain west.

Doug Culling
BioDoug Culling
Doug and his wife Mary moved to Boulder in August of 2021. They have three adult children; two sons (one with type1), and one daughter who also has type 1 DM. Doug and Mary have 7 grandchildren all under the age of 4.
Doug is a physician who has held leadership positions as Chief Medical Officer and Medical Group President in several large health systems in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Virginia. He is currently retired.
Doug also served on the Board of the Hampton Roads (Virginia) Chapter of JDRF for several years.

Emily Bradley
BioEmily Bradley
Emily became involved with JDRF after her son Owen was diagnosed with T1D in January 2020 at the age of 9. Emily has a background in economics and finance, and has worked in the financial services industry for 20+ years, primarily in New York City and London. She currently lives in Evergreen with her husband and two children, and works in risk management for a consumer finance company.Ā She loves skiing, hiking, running and traveling with her family.

Gail deVore
BioGail deVore
Gail deVore celebrated the 50th anniversary of her T1D diagnosis in February 2022. Through these 50 years, she has seen the incredible advancements in care and treatment options, which she attributes to her good health now. Gail owns 2Degrees, LLC, a database consulting company that works with various non-profit organizations across the country to best their clients. She also volunteers with several non-profits serving on advisory committees and boards of directors. She was heavily involved in the insulin co-pay cap and insulin safety net legislation in Colorado to help other people living with diabetes afford insulin. Serving on the JDRF Mountain West Chapter Colorado Community Board is a continuation of her nearly life-long affiliation with diabetes-centric organizations. Gail knows that while being able to access and improve treatment today is crucial, being able to look to the future as we approach finding a cure would be the ultimate goal for all of us living with T1D.

Jennifer Beauter
BioJennifer Beauter
Jennifer’s T1D connection is her brother, Connor, who was diagnosed at age 5 and is now 24. She has been involved with JDRF since 2010, attending JDRF Government Days in Washington, D.C. for 3 years as the Advocacy Team Chair (ATC) for the Northeastern New York Chapter, and most recently as the new ATC for the Mountain West Chapter.
Jennifer’s favorite thing to do with JDRF is Advocacy at JDRF One Walks. She loves recruiting new Advocates, hearing all of their T1D stories and getting them excited to be a part of an organization that is truly invested in improving the lives of those living with T1D.

John Moore
President
BioJohn Moore
President
John and Maureen are the proud parents of one son and two daughters (Owen, Riley and Adelaide). Owen was diagnosed with T1D just after his second birthday, on July 18, 2013, providing a unique perspective for John on the diagnosis. John viewed T1D from a first-person lens, having been diagnosed himself in 1982. Despite nearly 3 decades of advocacy; fundraising; previously working at the American Diabetes Association; helping start and run a non-profit focused on the development of social support networks for people impacted by T1D, Insulindependence; and participating in the T1D documentary āThe Science of Inspiration;ā John (and Maureen) were devastated by Owenās diagnosis. They felt lost and in need of support, education and inspiration. The Moores found a fleet of the willing in JDRF. This help inspired the Moores’ Walk Team name, āBetesFleet.”.
Johnās three goals in life are to be a good dad, be a good husband and help find a cure for T1D. John spends his time being a dad, coaching soccer for all three kids, running and advocating. John has the honor of serving as the Associate Dean of Administration and Finance for the University of Coloradoās School of Medicine, where he has the opportunity to work alongside amazing researchers and clinicians, many of which are among the worldās premier in the area of T1D.
John volunteers at JDRF because we are yet to find an answer, a solution, a cure. Surviving with T1D requires persistence and perseverance. These same characteristics are what is required of the researchers looking for answers; clinicians providing care; moms and dads; friends and family; teachers and coaches; all of which serve as surrogate recipients of the T1D diagnosis. This fleet of people cannot maintain the tenacity that they do without an unrelenting sense of hope and a selfless willingness to give.

Kami Welch
BioKami Welch
In 2019, Kami’s son Reid was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 7. In this moment of immense pain, they recognized that the best path forward was to be a part of the T1D community and fight for a better future for Reid and all kids through JDRF. Kami is the President and CEO of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce, where she ensures businesses and organizations have the resources they need to thrive. When not working, the Welch family can be found in the mountains camping, skiing and exploring.

Luis Ambroggio
BioLuis Ambroggio
Luis Ambroggio has been a T1D since age 11 (almost 40 years ago) and is excited to be involved with JDRF once again. He has moved several times over the course of his life and in each location has been involved with JDRF. As a first generation American, he is committed to diversity and inclusion in organizations that he is involved in. He is the General Manager of Legal and Compliance for International SOS Government Services, an international health & security risk management company. He holds a BS from Cornell University, an MBA from Virginia Tech, and a JD from University of Denver. He is passionate about finding a cure to diabetes, advocating for a diabeticās workplace rights, and ensuring affordability of diabetic healthcare expenses.

Margaret Olek Esler
BioMargaret Olek Esler
Margaret was diagnosed with T1D at 10 years old and thanks JDRF for supporting her and her T1D journey in the over 3 decades since. Margaret is currently an attorney at Nelson, Mullins, Riley, & Scarborough. In addition to serving on the Colorado Community Board, Margaret also serves on the board for Community Table in Arvada. Margaret believes that JDRF’s mission, especially in Advocacy, will find cures for T1D. In her free time, Margaret enjoys traveling; reading; and spending time with her husband James and their two dogs.

Maya Bordeaux
BioMaya Bordeaux
Maya is the Chief People & Culture Officer at ATPCO, where she serves as the global leader of Human Resources and Environment at a Dulles-based travel technology company that supports 440 airlines worldwide. Maya also recently founded Lead With Love Consulting LLC, a human resources and diversity consultancy. Prior to consulting, she served as Chief Human Resources & Communications Officer at Tribune Publishing.
Prior to joining Tribune, Maya held the position of Senior Vice President of People & Culture for Wilton Brands LLC. Maya has previously held HR leadership positions with other reputable brands, including McDonaldās Corporation, NorthShore University HealthSystem and University of Chicago Medical Center. Maya has extensive human resources knowledge, with expertise in strategic leadership; culture transformations and change management; employee engagement; talent management; mergers/acquisitions; diversity, equity and inclusion; and executive coaching.
Maya dedicates a significant amount of her time to public service, serving as a volunteer and Director on two non-profit boards at JDRF and UCAN, as well as providing pro bono legal counsel. She is also an accomplished public speaker.
Maya holds the degrees of Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago and a Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree from San Diego State University. She has been licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois since 2005.

Molly Hobbs
BioMolly Hobbs
Mollyās T1D connection is her husband Eric, former Colorado Community Board Member, who was diagnosed at age 6. She has been involved with the JDRF YLC since 2013. Professionally, Molly is a partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell, LLP, where she specializes in employee benefits and compensation. Molly is a 5th generation Coloradan and enjoys doing all of the Colorado-y things with Eric and their son, Archie.

Peter Joseph Coors
BioPeter Joseph Coors
Peter graduated with his bachelorās degree in Operations Research in Industrial Engineering in 1999, then remained at Cornell University to earn his masterās degree in 2000. At Cornell, Peter also rowed on the schoolās crew team and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity.
In 2001, Peter began his career with Coors Brewing Company in the packaging department in Elkton, VA. In 2003, Peter moved back to Denver to study brewing at Coors in Golden and received his Diploma in Brewing two years later. Peterās career with Coors, Miller Coors and now Molson Coors has also taken him to Texas, California and back to Virginia. Over the past 21 years, Peter has filled roles in Brewing, Packaging, Quality and Customer Service.Ā Currently Peter works in Molson Coorsā Golden brewery leading a major capital project to modernize the brewery.
Outside of work, Peter is married with four young children that keep him quite busy. He enjoys many outdoor activities. He is currently also serving on the Advisory Board for Metro State Universityās School of Hospitality, Entertainment, and Tourism and volunteers with many charities around the Denver-metro area.

Taylor Wagner
BioTaylor Wagner
Taylor was born and raised in Colorado and went to Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He was diagnosed with T1D when he was two years old, with his mom diagnosed shortly after as well. Recently, his brother found out that he has T1D, too. Taylor and his wife have a son, Sam, who is five months old and is doing well.
Taylor’s grandfather founded Wagner Equipment Co. in 1976 as the Caterpillar Tractor Dealership in Colorado, New Mexico and western Texas.
Taylor is happy to say he is following in his father’s footsteps, who served on a JDRF Board from the late ’90s to early 2000s. JDRF has meant so much to Taylor and his family, and they continue to be involved to help find a cure for everyone living with T1D.
Utah Community Board

Amy Hone
BioAmy Hone
Amy Hone is the Deputy CCO & Vice President of Operations at Grandeur Peak Global Advisors; a global equities investment firm. She has spent over 20 years managing Operations & Compliance in the financial services sector.
Amy graduated from the University of Phoenix with a BS in Business Administration. She earned an MBA from the University of Utah, with a focus on Management. Amy, and her husband, Chris have two children. She enjoys fly fishing, mountain bike coaching, golfing, and she particularly loves exploring Yellowstone National Park with her adventurous family.
Amyās T1D connection is through her beloved father, who was diagnosed at age 12 and passed away in 2005 at the age of 61. She saw firsthand the risks & struggles of diabetes maintenance and is amazed by the awareness, support, and advancements in technology over the last few decades. She is passionate about supporting families with T1D and funding research to find a cure.

Christopher German
Research Information Volunteer
BioChristopher German
Research Information Volunteer
Chris has lived with T1D for nearly 35 years, since the age of 6. His family got involved with JDRF at the time of his diagnosis and has been involved with this organization in some capacity ever since. Chris is currently a senior scientist at Myriad Genetics, developing, overseeing and reporting the analytical studies needed for tests that inform cancer patients of chemotherapy treatment eligibility in order to work on regulatory body approvals. Chris continues to remain involved with JDRF outside of his professional career because he wants to see cures for a disease that affects him and millions of others. In his free time, he enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, a glass of whiskey, reading and doing as much of it all as possible with his wife and two young boys.

Chris Sanders
BioChris Sanders
Chris has served as Vice President of Data and Architecture at 1-800-Contacts for nearly 2 ½ years. He is passionate about driving change and developing people, and the majority of his career has been centered around data and technology. Chris was personally introduced to T1D when a friend in high school passed away from hypoglycemia. Then later, his oldest daughter Lindey started showing symptoms at 8 years old. It rocked the world of the Sanders family. It was months before he was able to sleep through the night and would frequently check her blood sugar a couple times a night to make sure she was still alive. Every night tucking her into bed, he wasnāt sure if she would wake up in the morning. Over time, the family adjusted and life became normal again – at least for five more years when his 3rd child Kaylie also started showing symptoms at 8 years old. Round two was much easier since they all knew what to expect and how to manage T1D. 15 years later, both daughters have A1Cās in the 6ās and are doing an amazing job managing their T1D. The new tools available have been game changers and the Sanders family is very grateful for the advancements in technology to make life that much easier. Chris is very active and when not working, can be found trail running, hiking, bowhunting and exploring the remote corners of Utah.

Christina Choate
BioChristina Choate
Christina is a special education teacher and small business owner in Layton. Prior to moving west seven years ago, she was a member of the JDRF Advocacy team based out of Washington, D.C. where she focused on grassroots advocacy and government relations efforts for the T1D community.
She was diagnosed with T1D at 11 years old and attended her first JDRF Walk in 2003 in her home state of Illinois. Prior to joining the JDRF Utah Community Board in 2023, she served as Co-Chair of the Youth Ambassador program for the chapter. She is grateful for the JDRF community and looks forward to a day (soon) without T1D.

Eric Slaymaker
BioEric Slaymaker
Eric is the CEO and co-founder of Wingers Restaurant and Alehouse and Wingers USA, Inc., a restaurant concept that opened its first location in 1993 in Bountiful, Utah. Currently there are 22 Wingers restaurants system-wide, located in 5 mountain west states, andĀ Wingers Alehouse locations are currently growing in several western and Midwest states. Eric is also a founder and Managing Partner of Winger Bros. Management, LLC, and previously of the Slaymaker Group, Inc., which owned restaurants in Utah, Arizona, Washington and Idaho. In February of 2021, Eric was named to the Nationās Restaurant News Power List of the 50 most influential CEOs in the hospitality industry.
In addition to his achievements in the restaurant business, Eric was also the co-founder of Rees-Slaymaker Broadcasting, Inc., and Monarch Broadcasting, Inc. These companies previously owned radio stations in Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to his business career, Eric was a business graduate of the University of San Francisco, where he was also a point guard on the USF basketball team.
Eric lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Karen, and they have 3 children. Ericās son, Tristan, was diagnosed with T1D in 2002 at age 12. Tristan also has a young son, Jayden, who was diagnosed with T1D at age 14 months. Eric was previously the President of the JDRF Mountain Valley Board (previously serving Utah and Idaho).

Matt Edgington
BioMatt Edgington
Matt was diagnosed with T1D when he was 4 years old and has been involved with JDRF ever since. His father is also a T1D and together (along with his mother, grandmother, wife, and brother) have been participating in JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes events for the past 18 years.
Matt and his wife, Laura, live in Millcreek and are avid cyclists, hikers, and wannabe trail runners. Matt does Business Intelligence and Data Analytics for Microsoft and has even been known to create his own apps using data from his CGM.
Matt is new to Utah, but has been involved in JDRF for over 20 years. He is looking forward to being involved in the Utah & Mountain West chapter.

Merissa Davis
BioMerissa Davis
Merissa is a wildlife biologist by trade and has been working in environmental consulting for over 20 years, spending the last 12 at Bowen Collins & Associates in Draper. Diabetes completely took over the lives of the Davis family when Merissa’s son Otto, age 9, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 2. Merissa volunteers her time with JDRF because this organization has allowed her family to step back from the day-to-day grind of T1D and instead focus on the bigger picture of what they can do to improve the everyday lives of those with T1D and their loved ones. In her free time, she loves to spend as much time as possible in the mountains with her husband Jason and their two children, Otto and Vivian. They love trail running, mountain biking, skiing, enjoying live music and baking. Merissa even turned her love of cooking and baking into Piebetes, a family organization where she bakes and sells pies to raise funds for JDRF year-round.

Mike Reeve
President
BioMike Reeve
President
Mike is the Vice President of Sales for 9amHealth, an end-to-end virtual specialty clinic for people living with diabetes and related cardiometabolic conditions. Before 9amHealth, Mike led sales teams at Livongo, a consumer digital health company that merged with Teladoc, GE Healthcare, Cardinal Health, and CareFusion. He has served on the JDRF Mountain West Board since 2017.
Mike’s passion for curing T1D, and improving lives until we find that cure, started when he fell in love with his wife, Cyd. She was diagnosed with T1D as a child and lives a full and active life. Mike and Cyd have now been happily married for over 26 years and have 4 wonderful daughters.
Mike and his family live in Alpine and enjoy everything the mountains have to offer – running, hiking, mountain biking, golf, tenni, and snow skiing in the winter.

Terrance Holbrook
BioTerrance Holbrook
Terrance is an executive product specialist in the health care, medical device, and pharmaceutical sciences. He has over 25 years in market research and expansion, product design, product launch, and product scaling. Terrance currently holds five active use patents in computer systems and machine learning.
Throughout his career, he has overseen the scaleup of dozens of manufacturing operations globally and led the launch of over 200 products in both physical and computer applications. Terrance holds a bachelorās business degree from Purdue University and an MBA in international business from Westminster College.
Terrance is a Bountiful, Utah native with his descendants dating back to the early beginnings of the city. Terrance and his wife, Summer, have been married for over 25 years and have three daughters.

Wade Sherman
BioWade Sherman
Wade is currently Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Adobe, in charge of the legal team in support of Enterprise Sales and the Digital Experience business unit. He also currently serves as Head of Integration for Adobe’s recent acquisition of Workfront. Wade is the father of a child with T1D. His daughter Julia was diagnosed at the beginning of her junior year in high school. It was a devastating discovery for a kid that was a
competitive swimmer, with goals to compete at the highest levels of the sport. This diagnosis, and the resulting lack of control, that is presented to someone of Julia’s personality type was extremely hard. It took a toll on the small family. She has since gone on to attend and graduate from the University of California, Berkeley in Genetics and Plant Biology and was a member of the Cal Triathlon team in each of her 4 years in school. She is now working as the Lab Manager and Associate Researcher for a microbiology lab, and she strives to manage her disease everyday with the frustrations and challenges it comes with. Wade wants nothing more than to see the technology evolve to a place where everyone with this disease has a reasonable means of managing it easily, eventually finding a cure. Wade believes the work that JDRF is doing is incredibly valuable in changing lives for the better. Wade enjoys having an active voice in his community and serves on multiple other boards, including for Utah Warriors Rugby, Emigration Brewing Co., EPIC Venture Fund and Silicon Slopes. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Utah Transportation Coalition of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Executive Council

Christopher German
Research Information Volunteer
BioChristopher German
Research Information Volunteer
Chris has lived with T1D for nearly 35 years, since the age of 6. His family got involved with JDRF at the time of his diagnosis and has been involved with this organization in some capacity ever since. Chris is currently a senior scientist at Myriad Genetics, developing, overseeing and reporting the analytical studies needed for tests that inform cancer patients of chemotherapy treatment eligibility in order to work on regulatory body approvals. Chris continues to remain involved with JDRF outside of his professional career because he wants to see cures for a disease that affects him and millions of others. In his free time, he enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, a glass of whiskey, reading and doing as much of it all as possible with his wife and two young boys.

Darrel Loyd
BioDarrel Loyd
Darrel is currently a Partner with KPMG, LLP in Denver. Darrel works with international companies and Colorado-based companies focusing on financial statements and transactions. Darrel has been active with JDRF since 2012 and served on the board of the JDRF Rocky Mountain Chapter (previously serving Colorado and Wyoming) in 2014.
He participates in JDRF One Walk and cycling events supporting T1D research. Thomas, his 12- year-old son, was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 3.

John Moore
President
BioJohn Moore
President
John and Maureen are the proud parents of one son and two daughters (Owen, Riley and Adelaide). Owen was diagnosed with T1D just after his second birthday, on July 18, 2013, providing a unique perspective for John on the diagnosis. John viewed T1D from a first-person lens, having been diagnosed himself in 1982. Despite nearly 3 decades of advocacy; fundraising; previously working at the American Diabetes Association; helping start and run a non-profit focused on the development of social support networks for people impacted by T1D, Insulindependence; and participating in the T1D documentary āThe Science of Inspiration;ā John (and Maureen) were devastated by Owenās diagnosis. They felt lost and in need of support, education and inspiration. The Moores found a fleet of the willing in JDRF. This help inspired the Moores’ Walk Team name, āBetesFleet.”.
Johnās three goals in life are to be a good dad, be a good husband and help find a cure for T1D. John spends his time being a dad, coaching soccer for all three kids, running and advocating. John has the honor of serving as the Associate Dean of Administration and Finance for the University of Coloradoās School of Medicine, where he has the opportunity to work alongside amazing researchers and clinicians, many of which are among the worldās premier in the area of T1D.
John volunteers at JDRF because we are yet to find an answer, a solution, a cure. Surviving with T1D requires persistence and perseverance. These same characteristics are what is required of the researchers looking for answers; clinicians providing care; moms and dads; friends and family; teachers and coaches; all of which serve as surrogate recipients of the T1D diagnosis. This fleet of people cannot maintain the tenacity that they do without an unrelenting sense of hope and a selfless willingness to give.

Kim Higgins
BioKim Higgins
Kim Higgins is a CPA firm partner with Eide Bailly LLP, a top 25 CPA firm in the nation, directing Coloradoās governmental practice. Kimās son was diagnosed with T1D at 7years old in 2000 and she was immersed in how to care for and learn about Juvenile Diabetes. Her first brush with volunteering for T1D was through the Barbara Davis Center and the JDRF walk back in early 2000ās. Kim has spent most of her adult life volunteering for the underserved through her individual volunteer efforts as well as activism through her CPA firm philanthropy committee. Eide Bailly LLP generously supports her give and get with JDRF and she has been involved with JDRF through participation with the Nominating Committee, 3 years ago and now chairs that committee, recently titled Nominating and Board Development Committee (NBDC). Her goals are to meet the expectations of National and provide for more active participation on the NBDC so that the desires and needs of the current Board are met with new and qualified Board and committee members to help us raise awareness, monies and find a cure for T1D.

Merissa Davis
BioMerissa Davis
Merissa is a wildlife biologist by trade and has been working in environmental consulting for over 20 years, spending the last 12 at Bowen Collins & Associates in Draper. Diabetes completely took over the lives of the Davis family when Merissa’s son Otto, age 9, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 2. Merissa volunteers her time with JDRF because this organization has allowed her family to step back from the day-to-day grind of T1D and instead focus on the bigger picture of what they can do to improve the everyday lives of those with T1D and their loved ones. In her free time, she loves to spend as much time as possible in the mountains with her husband Jason and their two children, Otto and Vivian. They love trail running, mountain biking, skiing, enjoying live music and baking. Merissa even turned her love of cooking and baking into Piebetes, a family organization where she bakes and sells pies to raise funds for JDRF year-round.

Mike Reeve
President
BioMike Reeve
President
Mike is the Vice President of Sales for 9amHealth, an end-to-end virtual specialty clinic for people living with diabetes and related cardiometabolic conditions. Before 9amHealth, Mike led sales teams at Livongo, a consumer digital health company that merged with Teladoc, GE Healthcare, Cardinal Health, and CareFusion. He has served on the JDRF Mountain West Board since 2017.
Mike’s passion for curing T1D, and improving lives until we find that cure, started when he fell in love with his wife, Cyd. She was diagnosed with T1D as a child and lives a full and active life. Mike and Cyd have now been happily married for over 26 years and have 4 wonderful daughters.
Mike and his family live in Alpine and enjoy everything the mountains have to offer – running, hiking, mountain biking, golf, tenni, and snow skiing in the winter.