Cynthia Rice, JDRF Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy
Cynthia Rice is senior vice president for Advocacy and Policy for JDRF. She is responsible for JDRF's advocacy to Congress, the executive branch, regulatory agencies, and health plans to accelerate therapies to cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes.
Ms. Rice joined JDRF in 2005 and led a cross-departmental staff team that developed the Artificial Pancreas Project. She was promoted to vice president, Government Relations in 2009 and to her current role in 2013. Ms. Rice has extensive experience leading complex advocacy projects in both the government and nonprofit sectors. In the White House from 1997 to 2000, she served as a Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, coordinating numerous high-profile policy initiatives involving experts from multiple agencies and employing various legislative, regulatory, and communications tactics.
Prior to joining the White House, she served in the mid-1990s in the U.S. Senate as a Legislative Assistant to two senior members of the Finance Committee, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Senator John B. Breaux. In those capacities she helped advance and amend a variety of budget, health, and domestic policy legislation. From 2001-2005, Ms. Rice served as Vice President for Policy at the New Democrat Network, where she led efforts to promote the group’s policy agenda to elected officials and the public.
Ms. Rice has a master’s in public policy from the University of California at Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.
John Walsh, PA, CDE
John Walsh, PA is a Physician Assistant and Diabetes Clinical Specialist with Advanced Metabolic Care and Research. He has provided clinical care for patients with diabetes for more than 30 years, including thousands of people on insulin pumps. He is co-author of Pumping Insulin, now in its 5th edition, Using Insulin, STOP the Rollercoaster, and The Pocket Pancreas. President of the Diabetes Mall, he is also webmaster of diabetesnet.com, a highly trafficked source of diabetes information and technology visited by 6,000 people a day, and opensourcediabetes.org. John is a consultant and advisory board member for pharmaceutical and device corporations and a frequent speaker on diabetes, insulin pump therapy, bolus calculators, infusion set design, glucose management, and the future of smart pumps, meters and continuous monitors. His recent research, published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, explores the dosing and behaviors that lead to successful glucose outcomes by pump wearers. John has worn nearly every insulin pump and CGM available and is a sub-investigator on numerous research studies on diabetes drugs and devices.
Andrew Deutscher, Speaker and Vice President of Business Development at The Energy Project
Andrew Deutscher is a passionate advocate for type 1 diabetes, serving on multiple committees for JDRF Georgia. Andrew is a parent of a type 1 boy, Gavin, diagnosed at 22 months. Andrew is Vice President for The Energy Project and has keynoted and led workshops for well-known corporate brands, including Coca-Cola, Marriott, Twitter, Genentech, Campbell's and many others. His experience speaking on the topic of sustainable high performance in major corporations worldwide, has allowed him to frame diabetes care in an empowering way and has earned him the respect as a trusted resource among peers and other type 1 individuals and families.
His recent book, typecast: Amazing People Overcoming the Chronic Disease of Type 1 Diabetes www.mytypecast.com is inspired by his
youngest boy who was diagnosed with the disease in 2009 at the age of 2. In addition to serving on multiple committees
for the American Diabetes Association and JDRF, he volunteers for outreach and advocacy efforts impacting both newly
diagnosed patients as well as government funding to advance diabetes prevention and treatment. Andrew lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Tara and their two boys, Jake (8) and Gavin (6).
Tomas Charles Walker, DNP, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE
Dr. Tomas Walker is the Director of Clinical Projects at Dexcom, Inc. where he is active in the Artificial Pancreas and other clinical projects. He has an extensive background in diabetes care including 15 years in Endocrinology practice and participation in more than 100 clinical trials. He has been a Nurse Practitioner for more than 17 years, is a Certified Diabetes Educator, and Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management as well as Family Practice. Dr. Walker has published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Journal of Diabetes Science & Technology and with the American Diabetes Association. He speaks on the topics Diabetes and Technology locally, nationally and internationally.
Stephen L. Newman, M.D.
Stephen L. Newman, M.D., Vice Chair served in a number of senior leadership roles at Tenet Healthcare Corporation including Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Tenet California. Before joining Tenet, Dr. Newman held executive positions at Columbia/HCA, Inc. and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. Prior to 1990, Dr. Newman was an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine, and Director of Gastroenterology and Nutrition Support at Children's Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Newman is Vice Chair of the JDRF International Board of Directors and serves on the JDRF Executive Committee.
Dr. Newman is currently a Strategic Advisor at Gryphon Investors, a member of the board of directors of Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Hansen Medical, Inc., Dr. Newman also currently serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Labor, Education and Healthcare Council and recently completed a five-year term on the board of directors of the Federation of American Hospitals. He holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, an M.B.A. from Tulane University and a medical degree from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Newman completed his internship, residency and fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine, and has also completed the Advanced Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Dr. Newman, his wife Debbie and 3 children live in Dallas.
Marie Wallace, M.A., LPC-I
Marie Wallace is an LPC-I licensed private practitioner, associated with Amity Psychological Services, located in North-Central Austin. Marie works with adolescents and youth from diverse backgrounds who are facing a variety of difficult challenges, including traumatic life experiences such as divorce, domestic abuse, neglect, as well as medical issues and related behaviors such as substance abuse, eating disorders, self-harm, depression, low self-esteem, bullying and lack of motivation. Marie was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of eleven and has a particular interest in counseling children who have been diagnosed with T1D and their families. Marie personally understands what young people living with T1D face and has learned it becomes necessary to redefine how you live your life. Marie has also proven that it need not prevent you from pursuing your dreams and living your life to its absolute fullest.
Marie has an MA in counseling/psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, where she held counseling internships at both LBJ/LASA High School and Texas State University. Marie has a BA from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she double majored in psychology and education/children’s studies. Marie travels extensively for study, volunteer work, and pleasure to such places as Denmark, Belize, Brazil, Europe, and the Mediterranean. She is a licensed scuba diver and has explored Wyoming on a horse packing/camping adventure. Marie encourages that anything is possible and that is her goal for anyone with Diabetes to know and experience for themselves!
‘Specially for Children, Pediatric Endocrinology is a sub-specialty group with Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Our practice is comprised of 6 Pediatric Endocrinologist’s, 5 Nurse Practitioners, 3 Dietitian’s, and 8 Diabetic Educators.
Today your presenters are Karmen Cunningham, RN, BSN, CDE; Shelley Knight, RD, LD, CDE; Sandi Spicer Moore, RD, LD, CDE, BC-ADM; Jackie Raleigh, RD, LD, CDE; Nancy Suknaic, RN, BSN, CPN and Kathryn Kangos RD, LD
Karmen Cunningham RN, BSN, CDE is a registered nurse with 32 years of experience and 8 years as a certified diabetes educator. Karmen is married and has 5 children and 2 grandchildren. In her free time, Karmen enjoys spending time with family, decorating, reading and gardening.
Sandi Spicer-Moore RD, LD, CDE, BC-ADM is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas and is Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management. She enjoys helping children and their families learn to manage diabetes. In her free time, Sandi enjoys yoga, cycling, reading and live music.
Shelley Knight RD, LD, CDE is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with 20 years of experience and 17 years’ as a certified diabetes educator. Shelley is married with 1 grandchild. In her free time, Shelley enjoys traveling and volunteering for various things in the community and at her church.
Jackie Raleigh RD, LD, CDE is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with 20 years of experience as a dietitian and educator. Jackie is married and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. In her free time, Jackie enjoys working out, walking, and reading.
Nancy Suknaic RN, BSN, CPN is a registered and board certified pediatric nurse with 29 years of experience. Nancy has 2 children. In her free time Nancy enjoys time with her children, tennis, and golf.
Kathryn Kangos RD, LD has been a registered dietitian since 2013. She graduated from the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at the University of Texas with a focus in pediatric nutrition. Kathryn enjoys walking, reading, and decorating in her spare time.
Brian Herrick, Manager, Strategic Communications at JDRF
Brian Herrick joined JDRF in 2010 as a member of the New York City Chapter, where he worked on Walk and Leadership Giving before joining the Strategic Communications team in 2013. He is currently Manager of Strategic Communications where he works with various departments internally to strategically communicate with staff and volunteers.
Brian has been living with T1D since he was diagnosed in 1993. In 2014, he participated in a JDRF-funded closed loop artificial pancreas trial in New York City, and currently has a mouse with his immune system being run through various tests at Columbia University. You can read about his clinical trial experience on JDRF.org. He has spoken on behalf of JDRF in US News and World Report and appeared on CBS, Fox News, and WGY in Albany, New York. This spring, he will participate in his first Ride to Cure Diabetes.
