JDRF New Jersey Metro and Rockland County Chapter welcomes Cathleen Callinan and Scott Fishbone as our new Advocacy Team Chairs!

Cathleen Callinan and Scott Fishbone have each worked alongside JDRF for many years to help aid our vision of a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D). Now they have taken their passion for our mission and stepped up as our Chapter’s new Advocacy Team Chairs!

Cathleen Callinan
Cathleen’s son Jack was diagnosed with T1D in 2012 at the age of 7. As Jack got a little older, he became interested in ways to connect with the T1D community – and the Callinan family soon found that opportunity with JDRF. From the beginning, Cathleen has been an active volunteer leader with our Chapter. Having experienced first-hand the impact of JDRF’s One Walk, she eagerly agreed to be a Family Team Coach so she could share her passion for Walk with others and help them feel supported through their own T1D journey.

Recognizing the crucial role advocacy plays in advancing research and accessibility, Cathleen and Jack joined JDRF in Trenton for the Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day vote in 2018. She went on to become the recipient of our Everyday Hero Award in 2019. Now, Cathleen serves on our Chapter’s Board of Directors and it is our pleasure to welcome her as one of our new Advocacy Team Chairs! Cathleen lives in Rumson with her husband John and their three children.

Scott Fishbone
Scott’s involvement with JDRF goes back to October of 1969, when he was diagnosed with T1D. Soon thereafter, around 1972, one of JDRF’s founders Carol Lurie convinced his parents to start the Connecticut chapter of what was then called JDF. His family’s involvement in the organization grew in 2001 when his nephew Harris was also diagnosed with T1D.

Scott now resides in North Caldwell with his wife Betsy and their three children. He has been an active volunteer leader with the New Jersey Metro and Rockland County Chapter for many years, having served prior on the Board of Directors and advocating for T1D research with federal legislators. He also co-chaired the JPA golf outing to benefit JDRF. Now, Scott has once again joined the Chapter Board of Directors and, with his passion for advocacy reignited, we are excited to have Scott come on as our other Advocacy Team Chair.

Cathleen and Scott’s dedication to JDRF and to advocating on behalf of all people affected by T1D make them the perfect Advocacy Team Chairs!

First Step: New Member Outreach Initiative
One of the first efforts Cathleen and Scott have been hard at work on is JDRF’s New Member Outreach Initiative (NMOI). Last week, advocates met with newly-appointed members of Congress in New Jersey, Congressman Kean and Congressman Menendez, to shine a light on the lived experiences of T1D, form relationships, and ensure these legislators know how they can be supportive of their constituents impacted by T1D.

We encourage you to be an advocate by joining the NMOI. Follow our progress across the country and/or express your interest in attending a meeting here: https://promise.jdrf.org/.