Breanne (Bre) Colella is one of the most energetic and passionate volunteers we’ve ever met. When she signs up to do something, she does it with gusto and genuine warmth. She believes in the power of a strong community and joining forces as a team. Recently, Bre came across the Tom Rath book StrengthFinder. She was excited to share it with our staff, knowing that we would benefit from discovering each other’s natural abilities and talents. But she did not simply recommend the book to us. She assigned it to us. She did not stop there either! Bre asked that we report our findings to her and then she organized a workshop. Imagine the boost we got when we walked into our meeting room – which, by the way, was lit with soothing candles and strewn with dark chocolate-covered power berries – and found our seat assignments labeled with a framed list of our personal top five strengths! The workshop invigorated our team and has held a lasting impression in our office.

Bre’s involvement with JDRF began many years ago when she was on staff as Special Events Coordinator. She had been focused on the healthcare industry prior to that, first working for Stryker Endoscopy, an international medical device manufacturer, and then for an advertising firm representing LifeScan, which was launching an international educational campaign for their new One Touch Ultra Blood Glucose Monitor. “It was during this time that I learned about T1D and was deeply moved by what it is like for children and adults to live with this disease,” Bre says. “I knew I wanted to devote some time to the cause so I researched local non profits which specialize in T1D, and this led me to JDRF Greater Bay Area.”

“The caliber of staff, board members and committee members fuels and inspires me to commit to JDRF for the long haul,” Bre says. “The people piece of our Chapter is my hook and the second element that keeps me inspired is the strength of how our funds are managed and invested.”

After taking leave to have her first of three sons, Bre returned to JDRF in Spring 2009 to volunteer on the Spring Fling Committee. Since then, she has volunteered as Spring Fling Auction Chair and Ladies Luncheon & Boutique Chair and as a Committee Member for the 2011 Pixar Cars 2 Gala. Today, she serves on our Executive Board of Directors as our VP of Signature Events. In this role, she plans to help maximize the fundraising potential of each event. “I believe and feel fully confident in asking people multiple times a year to invest their hard earned dollars in such a fiscally responsible organization that fuels cutting edge research which will absolutely bring us a cure in this lifetime,” she says. With Bre cheering us on, we feel confident too!

Would you like to volunteer with JDRF Bay Area? Click here to learn how!