About
Join us for an evening of philanthropic giving as we move our mission to end type 1 diabetes Forward.
The evening will include a cocktail hour with open bar and passed Hor d’oeurves, silent and live auction, raffles, 3 course dinner, Fund A Cure Mission Moment and entertainment. Proceeds from the evening will benefit groundbreaking research in the field of type 1 diabetes.
Event Leadership
Ruthi Byrne
Gala Co-Chair
Read MoreRuthi Byrne
Gala Co-Chair
Ruthi Zinn Byrne is a founder and sole owner of Zinn Graves & Field Inc., Public Relations and Marketing. Over the past 42 years, as clients have become more diverse and demanding, she has led her firm beyond the mindset of traditional public relations and marketing into new areas of communications such as board governance consulting, public acceptance and public affairs strategizing, community relations, and crisis management.
Representative of her past and current client base are such organizations and firms as St. George’s University School of Medicine, University Hospital, St. Peter’s Healthcare System, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Trinitas Hospital, Barnabas Health, Urban League of Essex County, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Felician University, Drew University, Liberty Science Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Nico Kitchen + Bar, The Hilton Short Hills, PSE&G, Sun National Bank, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, General Motors Corporation, Lebenthal & Company, the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Dental School, PNC Bank, the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, New Jersey Network Public Television and Radio, the Garden State Cancer Center, The CIT Group, and Community Foundation of New Jersey. In addition, her clients have included Feitlowitz & Kosten Architects, Value Research Group, Greenberg Traurig, and Bendit Weinstock Counselors at Law. Mrs. Byrne serves as a consultant for H.A.N.D.S., a non-profit group dedicated to the redevelopment of the Valley area of Orange and East Orange, New Jersey. Working with such clients, Mrs. Byrne and her expert staff have earned a reputation for professional work, political savvy and the ability to get things done effectively and with results.
Over the years, Ruthi Byrne has also played a major role in raising funds and increasing general support for many non-profits. In 2006, she led fundraising efforts for the Governor’s School program. The three-week effort raised nearly two million dollars and kept the state program alive for talented high school students to have meaningful summer experiences.
In addition, Mrs. Byrne serves on the Boards of several non-profits, including the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey Reentry Program, Luna Stage and the Drumthwacket Foundation Board. She is also a member of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce, Rutgers Business School and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Advisory Boards, Greenwood Gardens and is a former member of the UMDNJ President’s Advisory Board.
She is the widow of former Governor of New Jersey, Brendan T. Byrne.
Dr. Colette Knight
Gala Co-Chair
Read MoreDr. Colette Knight
Gala Co-Chair
Dr. Colette Knight is the chair of the Inserra Family Diabetes Institute, division director of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Hackensack University Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Harvard Medical School where her interest in endocrinology was ignited. Dr. Knight completed residency training in internal medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York, followed by a clinical and research fellowship in endocrinology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She has dedicated her career to working with patients with diabetes and is committed to breaking down barriers that limit access to care. Dr. Knight has had extensive experience as a clinician, educator and investigator. She is passionate about community outreach and education on endocrine and diabetes-related disorders.
Andy Drechsler
Chapter Board President
Executive Committee
Ruthi Byrne: Co-Chair
Dr. Colette Knight: Co-Chair
Andy Drechsler
Travis Epp
Kathleen Fitzpatrick
Dave Goodes
Dina Madonick
Chrisie Scott
Jon Wilk
Auction Committee
Dina Madonick: Co-Chair
Tracey Ingrasselino: Co-Chair
Gigi Brown
Candice Epp
Debra Feiler
Lynel Katz
Michele Loskant
Jan Miller
Jamie Weinstein
Dr. Richard Weitzman
Ruth Weitzman
Tracie Wilk
Chapter Board of Directors
Andy Drechsler: President
Greg Angelillo
Ari Aufgang
Sapna Bhambhani
Lucas Calhoun
Cathleen Callinan
Travis Epp
Scott Fishbone
Kathleen Fitzpatrick
Audrey Geiger
Dave Goodes
Matt Kelly
Eva Kohn
Dina Madonick
Lulu McCartin
Joe McHale
Carolyn Sansevere
Chrisie Scott
Sumita Singh
Lori Wagman
Jon Wilk
Auction
Are you interested in donating to our auction? We have many different opportunities to donate to our auction this year!
- Click the Auction Donation tab on the right-hand side of the screen to submit an item via our webform. A staff member will be in contact with you to make arrangements to collect the item.
- If you are short on time or live far away, but would like to support the auction, we have an Amazon Registry full of items. If you purchase from the registry, the item will ship directly to our office.
- Another option for those of you who would like to contribute but do not want to choose any items, we have a monetary donation link for you. All money collected from this link will go towards auction items.
- New this year to our cocktail hour, the Bubbly Bar! We are looking for donations of champagne at all price points.
- For anyone/any family affected by T1D we offer the opportunity to create a Dream Basket. These baskets can be themed to reflect your hobbies and interests. Each basket should be a minimum of $250 and will be displayed in our Dream Basket category during the event. Each basket will have a special recognition tag with information about the donor and their dream of a world without type one diabetes.
If you have any questions, would like to discuss donating to the auction, or need to arrange auction item pick up, please contact Danielle Hunt at dhunt@jdrf.org.
Bidding on the Silent Auction items will be through the Greater Giving Mobile Bidding Platform. Any Live Auction bidding will occur live at the Gala. All bids are final and non-retractable. There will be no exchange or refund on items unless otherwise specified. Please make payments in full this evening. We accept cash, check, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. DAF payments are not allowed for auction items.
Please carefully check envelopes containing gift certificates before leaving. JDRF is not responsible for replacing gift certificates lost after you leave the event. JDRF is under no obligation to extend, modify or change items or restrictions on items/certificates. Please pay careful attention to all condition, restrictions, and expirations on items and services. Unless otherwise stated, gift certificates exclude alcohol, tax and gratuity. Unless otherwise noted, all auction items and services must be used within one year of May 4, 2024. We appreciate your strict observance of these restrictions, as future donations depend upon it.
JDRF cannot ship alcohol. You must be 21+ to purchase any package with alcohol items include.
Dates for all trips and similar events must be mutually arranged with donor, unless noted. All reservations should be made at least one month in advance. All tickets in travel packages are for coach travel, unless otherwise specified. No refunds are permitted for canceled, lost, or unused tickets and/or accommodations. Airline blackout dates apply to all tickets, regardless of airline, unless specifically noted. Blackout dates are subject to change. Tickets cannot be reissued or refunded.
All completed sales from this event are considered transactions solely between the purchaser and the donor of the auction item. All gift card usage is the responsibility of the buyer. Although the gift card and amount is currently valid, JDRF is not responsible for unused gift cards at businesses that may cease to operate before the expiration date. Auction items may not be transferred from the original buyer to another auction outside of JDRF without prior written consent from the donor.
JDRF has endeavored to catalogue and describe the auction items correctly on-line, in the ballroom, and the electronic bidding devices, but all items are sold “as-is”. No statements contained in the program or made orally at the sale or elsewhere shall be deemed a warranty, representation or assumption of liability. Bidders should carefully note the specific restrictions, conditions, and expiration dates for items purchased. Items depicted in the slide presentation, auction display and on electronic devices are for illustration purposes and may not be actual auction items.
JDRF reserves the right to withdraw any item from sale.
Event Details
Dr. Eleanor Ramos
Honoree
Read MoreDr. Eleanor Ramos
Honoree
Leni Ramos, MD, is the former Chief Medical Officer of Provention Bio where she led the clinical and regulatory team that facilitated the FDA approval of teplizumab (TZIELD) for the delay in the onset of clinical diabetes in patients with Stage 2 T1D.
She is a transplant nephrologist by training and has been in the biopharma industry for almost 3 decades developing novel therapies in the areas of solid organ transplantation, autoimmunity, virology (influenza and CMV) and hematology (sickle cell disease). Prior to Provention (acquired by Sanofi), Leni was employed in positions with increasing scope and responsibilities at BMS, Roche, ZymoGenetics (acquired by BMS), Theraclone Sciences and Global Blood Therapeutics (acquired by Pfizer) where she supported the clinical development of mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), daclizumab (Zenapax), belatacept (Nulojix) and voxeletor (Oxbryta).
If you would like to make a Fund A Cure donation in honor of Leni, please visit her donation page.
Dr. Francisco Leon
Honoree
Read MoreDr. Francisco Leon
Honoree
Francisco Leon, MD, PhD, is the Founder and CEO of Tolerance Bio, focused on restoring and preserving the function of the thymus, which has the potential to prevent and treat T1D. He is also the Co-founder and Chairman of Paulex Bio, focused on prevention and treatment of T1D and T2D.
Francisco is a clinical and basic immunologist with a long career in academia (NIH), biopharma (BMS, MedImmune/AZ, Janssen/JNJ) and as an entrepreneur – as CEO, CMO and CSO of several companies.
He has led or participated in the development of 6 drugs which reached the market, most recently teplizumab (TZIELD®) for the delay or prevention of the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes, as C0-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Provention Bio, acquired by Sanofi in 2023.
If you would like to make a Fund A Cure donation in honor of Francisco, please visit his donation page.
The Madonick Family
Honoree
Read MoreThe Madonick Family
Honoree
The Madonick family lives in northern NJ. Brian has worked on Wall Street for over 30 years and he is currently a senior research analyst with Voya Investment Management. Dina worked in the financial services industry prior to having children. Since 2008, in addition to raising her children, she has held numerous volunteer positions in her children’s schools, her local synagogue, and, most importantly, JDRF. Brandon is 16 and a high school sophomore, and Sabrina is 14 and a high school freshman. They are both basketball fanatics and play on their high school teams as well as club teams in the off-season. Macy, a King Charles Cavalier puppy, is the newest member of the Madonick family. She joined the family last August and brings so much joy to everyone she encounters.
The Madonick Family has been a part of our chapter since 2014 when they attended their first gala and participated in their first walk as the Madonick Monsters. The positive experiences they had at these events encouraged them to participate in more opportunities and their involvement with JDRF grew exponentially! Dina has been a member of the chapter Board of Directors for the past 7 years and currently co-chairs the Gala auction committee and the All in for our Heroes committee. In 2018, Brian and Dina co-chaired the Gala at Met Life Stadium, and Brandon has served as a Youth Ambassador for 4 years, sharing his T1D story and volunteering at chapter events. Their entire family is committed to helping JDRF achieve its goals and they are so grateful to their family and friends who have joined them on this journey. To learn more about the Madonick Family’s story or to make a Fund A Cure donation in their honor, please visit their donation page.
Lindsay
T1D Gala Champion
Read MoreLindsay
T1D Gala Champion
Lindsay is a graduating high school senior from Monmouth County, New Jersey, and has been a proud Type One Diabetic since the age of six. A dedicated thespian, debater, and advocate, Lindsay represented New Jersey as a delegate at the 2023 JDRF’s Children’s Congress, acting as a correspondent and speaking with senators and state representatives about the Special Diabetes Program and the Insulin Affordability Act. In addition to serving as a Youth Ambassador, Lindsay’s walk team, Team WHATEVER: Doing WHATEVER It Takes To Find A Cure, participates in the Avon-by-the-sea walk, where Lindsay has sang The National Anthem at the start of for numerous years, and has raised over $250,000 over the past ten years. This coming summer, you can find Lindsay performing on the Paper Mill Playhouse stage in New Voices 2024: Endless Ovations.
To support Lindsay’s dream of a world without type 1 diabetes, visit her donation page at http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/LB
Kerry
T1D Gala Champion
Read MoreKerry
T1D Gala Champion
Kerry is from Long Island, New York, and is a senior at Seton Hall University. She will be graduating in May with a degree in biology with a chemistry minor. She has been a type one diabetic for 10 years and has been involved with JDRF ever since. Kerry has been a volunteer lead for the YA program since 2022 for the New Jersey Metro & Rockland County chapter. She has also been involved in the Advocates in Action Council since the program’s creation. She intends to continue her education in physician assistant school to specialize in endocrinology or dermatology. . If you would like to support Kerry on her journey to create a world without T1D, please visit her donation page: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/KS
Arianna
T1D Gala Champion
Read MoreArianna
T1D Gala Champion
Arianna is graduating First in Class from Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. During her time at Stevens, Arianna co-founded a company, Daia, where she is currently developing an app. The goal of Daia is to give diabetics more control in who they share their blood sugar with, and give the emergency contacts enough information to help during an emergency. She has also been involved on campus in organizations including the engineering honor society and the school newspaper, and researched in a laboratory studying deep brain stimulation. After graduation, Arianna is planning on attending graduate school to earn a Master’s Degree. If you would like to support Arianna on her journey to create a world without T1D, please visit her donation page: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/Arianna
Maanya
T1D Gala Champion
Read MoreMaanya
T1D Gala Champion
Maanya is a high school senior and JDRF Youth Ambassador. Maanya has been an integral part of our Youth Ambassador program, since its inception in 2018. The Youth Ambassador program was started to give our youth with T1D a chance to volunteer and support the community. Maanya has led the way with countless volunteer hours and fundraising efforts. Maanya has had type 1 diabetes for 15 years and has learned to adapt to its challenges and persevere. She is committed to raising funds for research towards finding a cure. If you would like to help Maanya create a world without T1D, please visit her donation page: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/MC
6:30pm: Arrive at Pleasantdale Chateau and enjoy the silent auction during our cocktail hour.
7:30pm: Journey to the Ballroom through our T1D Champions display.
7:45pm: Program remarks by our Co-Chairs, Ruthi Byrne and Dr. Colette Knight. Followed by dinner.
8:30pm: Get your paddles ready for our Live Auction, you might be the lucky winner of an amazing trip!
9:00pm: Our evening culminates with our Fund A Cure mission moment. Every dollar raised during this time goes 100% to diabetes research and finally having a world without T1D.
10:00pm: Dessert and Live Band
Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Mission Sponsor
Underwriting Supporters
