Lauren Christ

Senior Development Manager - Walk & Golf Classic

Lauren Christ joined JDRF in May of 2018. As Senior Development Manager, Lauren will oversee the JDRF Fore the Kids Classic and Corporate Sponsorships for the OC One Walk. Lauren has many years of experience working in the non-profit community in Orange County under her belt, and is truly excited to be part of the JDRF team.

Phone: 657.213.7638

Email: LChrist@jdrf.org

Catrina Cooper

Senior Development Coordinator

Catrina Cooper joined JDRF in October 2021 as a Senior Development Coordinator of the Southern California Chapter. She has a strong background in sales, marketing and development in Non-Profit Outreach, Division I Intercollegiate Athletics and Residential Sales. Her motivation for turning Type One into Type None is her niece, Madeira, who was diagnosed at the age of 6. Through her niece’s brave journey, she was introduced to the phenomenal T1 community in San Diego and the inspiring efforts of JDRF. Catrina is passionate about helping the T1D community and the JDRF mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. Along with her husband, Wes, a retired Naval Aviator, they are proud parents of daughters Anissa and Caley. She has her MA from CSU Long Beach and a BS from CSU San Bernardino, where she played collegiate softball.

Phone: 949.885.5022

Email: ccooper@jdrf.org

Chelsee Duran

Senior Development Coordinator

Chelsee Duran joined JDRF in September 2023 as a Senior Development Coordinator for the Southern California Chapter. Chelsee originated from Murrieta, CA and moved to San Diego, CA after playing Division 1 soccer for University California Riverside and graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 18 and is motivated more than ever to help find a cure for T1D.

Phone: 858.202.5132

Email: cduran@jdrf.org

Elisabeth Fleshler

Development Director

Elisabeth Fleshler has been working at JDRF since 2014.  She started as a volunteer and Walk team captain after her son Isaac was diagnosed with T1D at 18 months.  His sister Ava was diagnosed 2 years later at the age of 5.   Elisabeth joined the JDRF LA ride team in 2019 and continues to train and ride.  Elisabeth has a BA from NYU and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin and has been working in non-profit administration for over 18 years.

Phone: 213.769.6314

Email: efleshler@jdrf.org

Jane Gagne

Market Director

Jane Gagne joined JDRF Southern CA in August 2014 after relocating from New York City.  Her motivation and inspiration is her husband Dave, who has successfully been living with T1D for over 40 years.  She has a B.S. from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Jane lives in Oceanside with Dave and their 2 sons.

Email: 949.885.5024

Phone: jgagne@jdrf.org

Jen Haber

Development Manager

Jen Haber joined JDRF Southern California in July 2023. She will be working on the San Diego Gala and supporting other Chapter events in her role as Development Manager. Jen has 25 years of nonprofit fundraising experience and is passionate about raising awareness and funds for important causes. She has friends with T1D and has glimpsed how challenging it is to live 24/7, 365 days a year managing the disease. She is eager to get to know the San Diego JDRF community and work together on our shared mission to improve lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.

Jen has lived in San Diego since 2001, having moved here from her hometown in the Washington, DC area. She lives in Encinitas with her husband Dave and their 10 year old son Charlie. Jen has a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. She began her fundraising and event career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland in the late 1990’s.

Alex Hines

Development Manager, Signature Events

Alex Hines joined JDRF Southern California in August 2022 as a Development Manager for Signature Events. She has a B.A. in Business Administration with concentrations in both Marketing and Entertainment and Tourism Management from California State University, Fullerton. Alex has a background in nonprofit event planning, as well as business and relationship management, and is honored to utilize her experiences while working alongside the driven SoCal team. Although she does not have any personal connection to type 1 diabetes, she has become passionate about accelerating JDRF’s mission to improve lives and, eventually find a cure. Alex lives in Fullerton with her husband and Mini Australian Shepherd.

Phone: 949.885.5023

Email: ahines@jdrf.org

Ayla Hughes

Development Manager, Signature Events

Ayla Hughes is a Development Manager of Signature Events and Galas with the Southern California Chapter. Ayla graduated from California State University Northridge with a B.A. in Liberal Studies. Prior to her time at JDRF, Ayla worked with the YMCA as a Regional Director, overseeing multiple branches and developing and implementing programing. One of her closest friends has Type 1, and has made Ayla passionate about finding a cure for T1D. She lives in West Hills with her husband and daughter.

Phone: 213.769.6318

Email: ahughes@jdrf.org

Deanna Kasper

Senior Development Manager - Outreach, Walk, Ride

Deanna Kasper is the San Diego Senior Development Manager supporting the Outreach, Walk and Ride programs. Deanna worked for Father Joes Villages as a Resource Program Manager for several years before leaving to raise her 2 sons.  Prior to joining the JDRF San Diego Team in 2015, she worked as an Employment Counselor for Jewish Family Service. Deanna has been a part of the JDRF community since 2005 when her 4 year old son Al was diagnosed with T1D. Deanna has been a JDRF mentor as well as event volunteer and both Deanna and her husband Chris have been active in both the walk and ride programs. In 2013, Deanna helped start the San Diego Youth Ambassador Program which she continues to manage and is still very active today. She loves working with the T1D community, providing support to newly diagnosed families and working on the walk and ride. She is passionate about raising funds for T1D research for a cure for Al and everyone living with T1D.  Together Deanna and Al continue to support T1D research through their walk team Al’s Pals. Deanna has a BA in Communicative Disorders and an MS in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University.

Jules Kronberger

Development Manager, Community Engagement and Fundraising

Jules Kronberger joined JDRF in November of 2021. She is the Development Manager, Community Engagement and Fundraising for the Orange County community.  She has a degree in Business Management from UNR and is less than a year away from earning her MBA from Cal State Long Beach. She was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 27 but became even more motivated to find a cure for T1D when her 5-year old son, JD, tested positive for all 3 of the autoimmune antibodies. She is honored to be a member of the SoCal team and for the opportunity to work for JDRF!

Phone: 949.885.5026

Email: jkronberger@jdrf.org

Marcela Pallete

Development Manager

Marcela Pallete joined JDRF in January 2020 as a Development Coordinator after previously working in TV commercial production. She was a member of the Young Leadership Committee as a volunteer and participated in the One Walk prior to working at JDRF. She is excited to continue to support the YLC and Youth Ambassadors. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2004 at the age of 12. She has found an awesome community through JDRF and is excited to continue to meet and work with new families. She is a graduate of Gettysburg College, where she earned a B.A. in Psychology and played collegiate volleyball.

Phone: 213.769.6331

Email: mpallete@jdrf.org

Sue Pietrzak

Development Director

Sue Pietrzak is the Development Director of the Southern California Chapter. In this role, Sue works closely with the staff and JDRF’s network of amazing volunteers. Sue has been with JDRF since 2013 and her love and passion have been the JDRF One Walk.

Sue has a strong background in Sales and Marketing as a Regional Manager and began her career in the non-profit world with the American Cancer Society. An opportunity came to her with JDRF and she has never looked back.

Phone: 213.769.6320

Email: spietrzak@jdrf.org

Michelle Popoff

Executive Director

Michelle Popoff is Executive Director of the JDRF Southern California Chapter.  In this role, Michelle works closely with our staff, Board of Directors, our strong volunteer base, and our type 1 diabetes (T1D) community. Michelle has been with JDRF since 2005, when she was brought on board in Orange County to start the chapter’s outreach program.  Since then, the program has grown extensively and provides many resources, events and connections for the T1D community, including the Bag of Hope, annual TypeOneNation Summit, T1D Care Kit, Walking the T1D Tightrope events, Research Updates, Youth Ambassador program and more.  Michelle has served a variety of roles within the organization, including Outreach Manager, Senior Development Manager, Outreach Captain for JDRF’s West Region, Executive Director of the Orange County chapter and her current role as Executive Director of the Southern California chapter.

Michelle was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 11 and is passionate about helping the T1D community and the JDRF mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.  She is the proud mom of her son, Jake, who was her inspiration to get involved with JDRF when he was born.  Michelle graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Communications and is a die-hard Bruin!

Phone: 949.885.5025

Email: mpopoff@jdrf.org

Akane Sanchez

Development Assistant

Akane joined the Southern California Chapter of JDRF in November of 2022 as a Development Assistant. She has her BA in Communications, Public Relations from CSUF with a background and focus in social media management.

Akane was introduced to JDRF at the age of 5, during her stay in the ICU when she was newly diagnosed with T1D. Having had T1D for nearly her whole life, she is driven to help find the cure. She is very passionate about her sense of community and working for JDRF has only strengthened her commitment to aiding others.

Phone: 949.885.5023

Email: asanchez@jdrf.org

Rachel Spidell

Senior Development Coordinator

Rachel Spidell joined JDRF in August 2022 as a Senior Development Coordinator for the Southern California Chapter. She supports many of the Peer 2 Peer fundraising events (Walk & Ride) and works closely with volunteers in the Los Angeles area. She has held various roles in different non-profits throughout her career and loves being part of the JDRF SoCal team. Rachel holds a Masters in Music from California State University Long Beach, and a Bachelors in Music from The University of Arizona. She is originally from Colorado but made the move to Southern California in 2013 and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Phone: 213.769.6316

Email: rspidell@jdrf.org

Andy Altman

Board of Directors, San Diego

Andy is a San Diego native and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 13.  He has been connected to JDRF for nearly his entire life, with a sister, uncle, first cousin and his late grandfather all members of the T1D family.  Growing up, Andy went to school at La Jolla Country Day where he participated in basketball and football.  Andy went on to major in Symbolic Systems at Stanford University before coming back to San Diego and earning his MBA at University of San Diego while starting a music-technology startup called GigTown with his father, Steve.  Today, Andy works at FS Investors where he heads up product development efforts for a travel platform focused on African safaris.

Leslie Bercovitz

Board of Directors, Orange County

Leslie, along with her husband Jacob, became involved with JDRF in San Diego more than 20 years ago, shortly after their son Yaniv was diagnosed with T1D at age 9.  “Funding vital research to cure T1D is what inspires us to support JDRF in the hope that this disease becomes a thing of the past.”  She and Jacob have sponsored a table at the San Diego Promise Ball every year since then and were honored at the gala in 2017.  In  2020, Leslie chaired the JDRF San Diego Promise Ball and met the challenge of quickly adapting it to the chapter’s first Virtual Gala!

Since 2019, Leslie has been a member of the JDRF San Diego Board of Directors (now the San Diego Community Board of the JDRF Southern California Chapter).  Leslie is also actively involved with the Anti-Defamation League, building relationships with minority communities.

Leslie enjoys spending time with her family, which includes husband Jacob, their son Yaniv, daughters Elise and Ilana, son-in-law Alex, and new grandson Asher.  Her hobbies include painting and yoga.

Charlotte Blanck

Board of Directors, San Diego

Charlotte Blanck is a parent whose journey took an unexpected turn when her daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In the face of this challenge, she found strength, purpose, and a deep commitment to making a difference. She became deeply involved with JDRF, an organization dedicated to turning Type 1 into Type None. Simultaneously, Charlotte entered the diabetes industry, recognizing an opportunity to leverage her professional skills to drive innovation and positive change. Her work is now not just a profession but a calling—a chance to contribute to advancements in diabetes care, support, and ultimately, the quest for a cure.

Beyond her shift in professional direction, Charlotte and her family have become advocates, raising awareness and funds for research initiatives. Theyy feel privileged to be a part of a larger movement working towards a future where no family has to face the uncertainties of Type 1 Diabetes alone.

Evan Faulkner

Board of Directors, San Diego

Evan has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 1998. He began his involvement with the San Diego chapter of JDRF in 2021. Evan is a San Diego native and currently lives in Rancho Santa Fe with his wife and four kids. Evan is a Managing Director with Virtu Investments.

Katherine Griswold

Board of Directors, San Diego

Katherine Griswold currently serves as Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Engagement for the regional nonprofit Community HousingWorks (CHW), overseeing fundraising, marketing, and communications for the organization. With more than 18 years of nonprofit experience, Katherine has spent her career working with organizations that focus on health-related issues and fund research, but also place strong emphasis on public education, programming and policies that positively impact the communities served. Prior to CHW, Katherine served in leadership roles at two national health nonprofits and has a consistent record of revenue growth, strategic planning, and staff development. At the Parkinson’s Foundation Katherine served as Vice President of Individual Giving where she built the national major giving program and was instrumental in increasing fundraising revenue by more than 60% during her tenure. Throughout her 13 years with JDRF Katherine served in the local San Diego chapter as well as the regional leadership team, focused on expanding volunteer involvement and increasing revenue through events, corporate development, grants, and major gifts.

As part of the T1D community since the age of two, Katherine has long been a passionate champion for research, better care, and outcomes, and improving the quality of life for those living with T1D. Her family’s Walk Team, “Cure in Motion” has participated in 18 of the San Diego Walks, raising funds and awareness across the country.

Katherine holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Transylvania University and a Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Texas. She also received a Graduate Certificate in Women in Politics and Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts. Katherine currently sits on the NeighborWorks America Resource Development Advisory Committee and serves as a Mentor for the Alford Group Women’s Mentor Program with the National Association of Fundraising Professionals. She lives in San Diego with her husband and their three children

Nick Hundley

Board of Directors, San Diego

Nick is married to his wife, Amy, and they have two daughters, Allyson and Hailey.  Ally was diagnosed with T1D in October 2020 and Nick decided he wanted to do his part to raise awareness about T1D and help find a cure.  Nick played Major League Baseball for 12 years (for the Padres, Rockies, Giants, A’s and Orioles) before retiring in 2020.  He is now Team Freedom Director for a nonprofit organization fighting human trafficking called International Justice Mission and also works in the front office for the Texas Rangers as assistant to the general manager.

Matthew Jaime

Board of Directors, San Diego

Matthew Jaime has been living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) since 2012. As a sophomore in high school, he realized his mission in life was to obtain the education necessary to help others improve their relationship with food & nutrition, and he’s been working towards that mission since. While in Fresno for his education, Matthew found ways to connect to the diabetes community and play his part in increasing diabetes awareness by founding the Diabetes Coalition at Fresno State and co-founding the Central California Type 1 Pricks. In 2019, he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Food & Nutritional Science – Dietetics & Food Administration with a minor in Gerontology (the study of aging). He went on to complete his 1200 hours of supervised practice as a Dietetic Intern at UC San Diego Health, graduating in April 2020. Soon thereafter, Matthew sat for the national board registration examination by the Commission on Dietetic Registry, passed and received the medical credential, “Registered Dietitian.”

Danica McAdam

Board of Directors, San Diego

Danica was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 13-years-old. Her mother, Beverley Lawrence was diagnosed when she was only 6 years old. Her mother worked hard to control her own T1D for 57 years before she died in January 2018 after suffering from a sudden heart attack. Her mom always said to Danica, “There might not be a cure in my lifetime but there will be in yours.” Danica believes her mom is working hard from heaven to make that wish come true. Danica has been an advocate for T1D awareness since she was a teenager and worked hard to raise money to find a cure. Danica has volunteered with other JDRF chapters across the country for over a decade, and she was a Communications Board Chair at JDRF Mountain Valley Chapter for two years in Utah. During her time there she emceed several fundraising events, including but not limited to the JDRF One Walk, research summits and their chapter’s inaugural 2018 Hope Gala. Her husband, Jeff McAdam also emceed the gala with her and her father attended and donated in honor of his wife, Danica’s mother, Beverley. Danica has spent her career as a TV news anchor and reporter across the country for more than 13 years. She has covered major events from politics, natural disasters to military reports, local weather and even light-hearted lifestyle segments. Since the birth of her son, Danica has transitioned into a public relations role as an account executive based in the San Diego area, giving her more time with her family. She and her husband have a one-year-old son named Landon Luck McAdam and a new baby daughter is on the way! Danica hopes her passion to help other families struggling to understand T1D and volunteering to help fund research to cure T1D influences her own children to find their passion and give back to their communities one day.

Kathy Overskei

Board of Directors, San Diego

Kathy and her husband David have been involved with JDRF since 2000, when their daughter, Erica, was diagnosed with T1D at age 16. Since then Kathy has worked on various JDRF committees and activities, and in 2020 joined the JDRF San Diego Board of Directors.

Kathy worked as a vice-president for Human Resources with a major company prior to her retirement. These days, in addition to her work with JDRF, she enjoys tutoring grade schoolers in reading, studying Spanish, and international travel.

Neeta Sharma

Board of Directors, San Diego

Neeta Sharma, MS, is the vice president of global regulatory affairs at Dexcom. She oversees all regulatory affairs activities for Dexcom’s continuous glucose monitoring technology. Neeta has over 15 years of strategic and executive regulatory leadership experience at leading medical device companies, including Philips, Edward Lifesciences, and Medtronic, and across multiple fields, such as diabetes management and cardiovascular.

At Dexcom, Neeta and her team are responsible for securing product approvals of Dexcom’s CGM systems globally. Neeta’s most notable accomplishment includes working with FDA to secure the clearance of the first iCGM device (G6 CGM) and helping usher a new era of interoperability of diabetes devices. In her role, Neeta understands the needs of people with diabetes, works with urgency with regulators and internal teams and helps to bring new technological advances to those who greatly benefit from them.  Neeta has a deep-rooted connection to diabetes. She knows how devastating the disease can be since the unfortunate early passing of her mom due to uncontrolled type 2 diabetes coupled with lack of appropriate glucose monitoring technology available in an affordable manner. Neeta herself was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her two pregnancies and found it extremely challenging to maintain her time in range and normal blood glucose levels as recommended by her endocrinologist. During this time, her appreciation for continuous glucose monitoring technology for use in gestational diabetes greatly increased. In fact, her love for continuous glucose monitoring technology goes back to her graduate studies at University of Southern California where she personally worked on developing continuous implantable glucose sensors and making them easy to use.

Neeta is an avid exercise enthusiast and a runner who believes that exercise and diet are the key to a long happy, healthy life. She is married and has two children.

Randy Wussler

Advocacy Team Chair, San Diego

Randy and his wife, Tish, are the parents of Lexie—who was diagnosed T1D at 8 months in 1997—and Bailey.  The family was involved with JDRF throughout Lexie’s childhood with active participation in the San Diego chapter’s support group for T1D families, JDRF One Walk, local conferences, and other fundraising events.  As part of his cross-country bike trek in 2022, Randy raised more than $21,000 for JDRF and increased T1D awareness via media coverage in multiple cities across the U.S.

Randy spent his career leading the conception, development, and execution of product strategies at large data and analytics firms in the technology and real estate sectors.  Prior to retiring in early 2022, he was the senior vice president of product management at Green Street, a research firm that provides insight to large commercial real estate investors and stakeholders. In this role, he guided the firm’s product development and mergers & acquisitions strategies. Prior to Green Street, Randy held similar positions at CoreLogic, DataQuick, and Harte-Hanks. He holds a B.A. in psychology from Penn State and an M.B.A. from San Diego State University.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Society of the College of Liberal Arts at Penn State which focuses on career preparedness and alumni engagement.  He’s also a mentor for current Liberal Arts students.

An accomplished endurance athlete, Randy has completed a full Iron Man and 15+ marathons.  Randy and Tish also travel extensively, enjoy the arts, and remain passionate about Nittany Lion football.

Bob Wyrick

Board of Directors, San Diego

Bob Wyrick has been associated with JDRF for over two decades. He initially participated in the annual One Walk and Gala events, but when his son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, he began playing a more active role in the organization. Bob was on the Gala Committee and later became a member of the Southern California Chapter Board of Directors.

Originally born and raised in Chicago, Bob has lived all over the US (and internationally) before making San Diego his home. He was a captain in the Army before being a part of several Fortune 100 companies throughout his career (the primary reason for living in multiple locations), all of which have been great supporters of JDRF. His wife, Colleen, two sons, Ryan and Ethan, and thiw dog Alexandra keeps Bob honest on most days.

Eric Brin

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

With a decade of successful litigation experience in New York and Los Angeles, Eric is a seasoned legal professional. He actively support JDRF through their brother, who is the Executive Director of the Austin, Texas chapter, by participating in JDRF walks and the Gala. As a Type 1 Diabetic diagnosed at age 7, he has been involved in support groups and served as a diabetic support counselor at Northwestern University. His interests in JDRF involve fundraising for the Walk and Gala, and identifying corporate sponsors to advance diabetes research.

Ali Dianaty

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Ali Dianaty is the Vice President of Product Innovation for Medtronic Diabetes.  In this role, he is responsible for leading all product development efforts and establishing the roadmap in support of our long-term goal of making Diabetes disappear using medical device technologies.  This includes R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, and Program Management functions across the Diabetes group.  Prior to Medtronic, Ali served in roles of increasing responsibility at St. Jude Medical (now Abbott) and the Boeing Company. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Northridge and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Philip Dear

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Philip Dear was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1995 at age 6. Originally from Connecticut, where he grew up attending JDRF Walks, auctions (where his parents graciously bid on and won a DVD set of early seasons of South Park – then his favorite new TV show – autographed by Matt Stone and Trey Parker) and various other fundraising and awareness-spreading events, he eventually moved to Los Angeles to attend law school at USC.  He is currently practicing securities/capital markets law, helping private and publicly traded companies raise capital, at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles. He is excited to leverage his broad personal and professional network in So Cal to help drive fundraising, awareness, and participation initiatives for JDRF.

Philip is a passionate advocate for technological advancement in type 1 diabetes treatment and will be a dedicated resource for the JDRF organization and the broader T1D community in So Cal and beyond. He is currently serving on the One Night Los Angeles Gala Committee and plans to be involved in every way he can, including coffee chats, serving as an Outreach Ambassador, participating in the TypeOneNation Summit in Pasadena, the Walk and the Gala.

Philip currently lives in Santa Monica with his fiancé, Liz, a healthcare management consultant at BCG with a similar passion for technological advancement in diabetes care and keeping Philip’s blood sugar between 70 and 120.

Matt DiPaolo

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Matt has T1D and is the president of the LA YLC. He’s the liaison for the YLC and the BOD and does not have a give/get.

Greg Girvan

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Greg lives in Woodland Hills with his wife, Barri Worth Girvan, and their three children, Mila, Leah, and Caleb. He is a lifelong resident of the San Fernando Valley.

Greg’s interest in JDRF arose in August 2021, when Leah, then 15 months old, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Leah was in severe DKA when she was diagnosed. During eight long days and nights in the pediatric intensive care unit, the JDRF network spung into place to assist Leah and the entire family at the start of an unexpected journey of life with T1D.

Since Leah’s diagnosis, Greg and his family have been committed to giving back to the organization that helped so much during a time of profound need. Greg and Barri have participated in the annual JDRF run, secured sponsorships for the annual Gala, and attended the local Type One Nation Summit.

Professionally, Greg is a Certified Family Law Specialist, and partner at Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt & Klein, LLP. His practice exclusively focuses on family law including divorces, contested child custody proceedings, drafting and negotiating prenuptial agreements, and litigating domestic violence cases.

Greg earned a law degree from Loyola Law School, and completed his undergraduate studies at UC Davis.

Ben Harris

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Ben currently represents Afrezza as the Head of Marketing with MannKind Corporation.  Ben is passionate about supporting people living with diabetes and is proud to work for a company with a unique solution.  He was previously with Medtronic for 17 years and most of that time was with the Diabetes division where he launched MiniMed 630G and MiniMed 670G.  He got involved with JDRF events through his work in sales and marketing by attending walks and local events.  He was invited to join the Medtronic team for a JDRF Ride in Amelia Island and had a wonderful experience that drove him to continue attending several more Rides over the years.  Now, with MannKind, Ben is focused on launching the Ride program within the company and across the So Cal Region. He and his wife Laura are proud parents of their 4 children, ages 10, 9, 6, and 2.  Ben is looking forward to seeing all of you on a future ride!

Maura Hudson

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Maura Hudson is Senior Vice President of JLL, a leading provider of commercial real estate strategy, services and support to organizations around the globe. Ms. Hudson is responsible for sales and marketing operations for its Corporate Solutions organization, representing over a third of total fee revenue and more than 4 billion square feet of managed properties and facilities. Maura and her husband Gerry Speirs are the parents of Miranda, 10, diagnosed at age 3 with Type 1 Diabetes, and Quinn (5). In addition to her LA board relationship, Maura also serves as Walk Chair for the Long Beach OneWalk, supports the Outreach Committee, and actively visits local congressional representatives as part of Government Relations Advocacy. Her direct volunteer efforts have contributed to over $400,000 in fundraising for a cure and better management of T1D.

Kevin Kaiserman, MD

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Dr. Kaiserman currently works with children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes in private practice at SoCal Diabetes in the LA area. Prior to entering private practice, Dr. Kaiserman was Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Director of the Clinical Diabetes Program at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Kaiserman earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk and completed his internship and residency in the Department of Pediatrics and his fellowship in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kaiserman is a member of the American Diabetes Association and the Pediatric Endocrine Society and was on the LA Board of the American Diabetes Association and JDRF, as well as the Board of the Diabetes Education and Camping Association. Dr. Kaiserman is active at his local diabetes camp, Camp Conrad-Chinnock, where he serves as the camp medical director and member of the Board. Kevin was honored at JDRF LA as Diabetes Champion, 2012 and has helped raised funds for the APP.

Dr. Kaiserman serves on the JDRF Los Angeles Board with his current term beginning in 2015.

Michael Kromnick

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Michael Kromnick has three decades of brand building experience. As COO, CFO and CEO he has had the ability to evaluate complex business situations in all verticals of an organization. This has allowed him to successfully participate in a multitude of company transactions, including raising capital, debt financing and selling enterprises.   He has been pivotal in structuring strategic growth initiatives in various size companies with his broad range of industries.

Michael’s ability to link Brands with their fans and increase their bond has been key to his success.

Michael has extensive experience with business valuations and reorganizations.   He earned his MBA from Pepperdine University in Strategy and Implementation, and a BA from The George Washington University in Corporate Finance.

Michael was diagnosed with T1D almost 50 years ago at age 11.  His mother was an early board member of JDF shortly after Lee Ducat founded it in Philadelphia.  He has seen firsthand how the supported research has dramatically improved the lives of people with T1D worldwide.  More recently, Michael’s 12-year-old son was diagnosed with T1D.  Over the last two years, he has learned, that it is easier to have T1D himself, than to be the parent of a child with T1D.

When Michael was diagnosed, the only blood glucose tests were administered in a hospital lab, and they received the results a few days later.  Now both he and his son wear a Dexcom CGM and an Omnipod Dash and they loop.  It is the dedicated researchers and the JDRF funding that make this possible.

Jacqueline Leitzes

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Jacqueline “Jackie” Leitzes has been a Development professional for over two decades and is
currently the Director of Development for Pediatrics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In this role,
she oversees fundraising efforts and helps to cultivate and steward donors within the Cedars-
Sinai pediatric community.

A native New Yorker, Jackie has worked for several reputable non-profit organizations in
Manhattan — Mount Sinai Medical Center, The Dwight School Foundation, American Jewish
Historical Society, Allen-Stevenson School, Summer Play Festival, and New York University —
where she helped to raise tens of millions of dollars through principal and major gifts, capital
and annual campaigns, board development, and special events.

Jackie serves on the Board of Directors of the Hackley School Alumni Association (her high
school alma mater) and graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University. She is also a
member of the NextGen Committee at Selfhelp Community Services, an organization that
promotes independent living to Holocaust survivors in New York.

While Jackie only recently became an official Los Angeles resident, residing in the West
Hollywood/Beverly Hills area, she has close family roots here and has visited frequently for the
past 30 years.

Tony Marks

President, Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Tony Marks is an Attorney at Law at Bryan Cave LLP, and his son, Jonah, has TID. He has served two terms on the BOD. His family has had a walk team The Mark’s Family Marchers and has raised over $185K for the Walk. His wife Lori has been a family coach for nine years as well as an outreach volunteer.

Audrey McConnell

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Audrey McConnell, PhD is a collaborative, innovative, results driven leader with 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry.  In her current role as Vice-President of Business Development at OptimizeRx, she leads business development, partnerships, and strategy for OptimizeRx’s Access and Specialty solution technologies.  She also serves as the Marketing Lead for the business unit.  Audrey is committed to revolutionizing the way patients access medications through technology to ensure that patients can readily and affordably access the medications they need, and to simplify the prescribing process for Providers.

Previously, Audrey held project leadership roles in the R&D organizations at Amgen and at Eli Lilly.  At Amgen she led a “next-generation sequencing” group to discover and optimize biologics for the treatment of cancer and auto-immune disease.  At Lilly, she led an “insulin innovation” team of scientists to develop cutting-edge treatments for diabetes including rapid-acting, long-acting, and glucose-sensing insulins.

Audrey’s father was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in his late-thirties, and she grew up experiencing first-hand what it is like to live with the disease.  She is inspired by recent advancements in available medications and technology that has improved her father’s, and many others’, quality of life.  She is passionate about pushing scientific boundaries and ensuring scientists are supported in their efforts to develop better therapies for the future.  Audrey and her husband, David Kendall, are committed to continuing to support JDRF and its mission.

Audrey also serves as the Programming Director for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Healthcare Business Women’s Administration (HBA).  Audrey has been an advocate for the advancement of women in healthcare throughout her career—prior to joining HBA, Audrey was a founding member of Eli Lilly’s Women in Lilly Discovery and Development to support the advancement of women in technology and science, and also served on the Leadership Team for Amgen’s WE2 organization.

Audrey holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Washington.

Angie Platt

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Angie Platt, CPA, was the 2011 JDRF Children’s Congress Chair.  Her son Jonathan was diagnosed with T1D at age 6.

Morgan Rector

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Morgan Rector, President of the Comerica Entertainment Group, is a veteran of the production scene and one of the most respected names in independent film financing.  During the past two decades, he has arranged the financing for more than 750 independent feature films.

Morgan began his career at City National Bank, where he was responsible for managing the portfolio of commercial clients within the bank’s Entertainment Lending Division.

In 1989, Morgan was hired as vice president by Imperial Bank to start the  new Entertainment Group, and became its President five years later.  Under his leadership, the division became the most prolific financier of movies and television in the world.

In 2001, Detroit-based Comerica Bank acquired Imperial Bank and named him president of the combined Entertainment Banking groups.  Comercia Entertainment Group is a leader in global entertainment finance, with clients ranging from independent film producers to film/television production and distribution companies.  Recent notable films range from Oscar winner, “Crash,” to “Iron Man”.

In 2004, Morgan was named Regional Manager for Comerica’s Los Angeles and Ventura County Wealth and Institutional Management groups, assuming responsibility for the area’s private banking, brokerage, trust and investment management staff.

Born and raised in Carson, California, Morgan graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Economics, and received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1990.

Christina Reh, MD

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Dr. Christina Reh is a pediatric endocrinologist who practices in Westwood and Calabasas locations. She is the Clinical Director of the Pediatric Diabetes program and specializes in diabetes care for children and adolescents. She has vast experience in many types of diabetes including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, steroid-induced diabetes, and cystic fibrosis related diabetes. She in well versed in diabetes technology and has been involved in many clinical trials related to advancing diabetes care and monitoring.

Dr. Reh is committed to quality medical education and has been mentoring medical students, residents, and fellows in pediatric endocrinology for over 15 years.

Dr. Reh earned her undergraduate degree from UC San Diego and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She received her medical doctorate from the Loma Linda University, School of Medicine. She then completed her pediatric medicine residency at Children’s Hospital Orange County and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Childrens’ Hospital, Los Angeles.

Dr. Reh is an associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and clinical medical director of the Pediatric Diabetes program at Westwood and surrounding UCLA centers. She is also a member of the American Diabetes Association and the Pediatric Endocrine Society.

Rae Sanchini

Research Information Volunteer, Los Angeles

Rae has a son currently pursuing his education while battling Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), Rae’s personal connection to the cause is profound. Her previous career as a movie producer, collaborating with the likes of James Cameron, has provided her with unique insights into effective communication and storytelling.

Armed with a background in pre-medical studies, Rae excels at translating the latest research developments into easily digestible and comprehensible updates for our Board of Directors. This valuable skill ensures that the organization remains well-informed and equipped to make informed decisions.

Beyond her role as the research chair, Rae is an integral part of THE advocacy team. She, alongside her colleague Laura Mecoy, is set to play a pivotal role in this year’s promise meetings, further strengthening our commitment to the cause.

Rae and her husband have also demonstrated their unwavering support by championing the Hero’s Campaign, a testament to their dedication and passion for our mission.

Paul Shapiro

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Paul Shapiro has over 30 years of experience in financial and accounting services, and is a California CPA. A specialist in providing accounting and business consulting services to start-ups in the tech industry for almost 20 years. As of 2014, Paul joined a division of Verizon after they acquired his long-term client, EdgeCast Networks, Inc.

Paul came to JDRF after his daughter Jessica was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2002. He has been on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the JDRF since 2006, and has served in executive positions and multiple committees for the Board. His family walk team – Jessica’s J-Walkers – has raised almost $450,000 for JDRF in 13 years.

Paul is a native of New Jersey and a graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. He moved to California to marry his college sweetheart Janice. He is also a former board member of the LA Chapter of the California Society of CPAs and past chairman of the LA Members in Industry Committee. He also sits on the Advisory Board for Santa Monica College’s Business department and for 20 years, he volunteered with KCRW-FM’s Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Cary Walker

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

Cary Walker and his wife Laura Mecoy have been active with JDRF for more than two decades. They became involved with the organization in 2000, shortly after learning that their 7-year-old son Ryan had type 1 diabetes. Ten years later, their daughter Grace was diagnosed with the disease.

Today, both Ryan and Grace are successful young adults who have benefited from the scientific advances funded by JDRF.

Cary is a skilled communications strategist specializing in change management and corporate communications. For more than three decades, he has been advising CEOs, business leaders and government officials, helping them to articulate growth strategies, define their social impact, solve problems and achieve success.

In the United States and abroad, Cary has helped major organizations through significant changes caused by rapid growth, landmark mergers, executive transitions, technological change and corporate restructurings. He has extensive crisis communications experience, and has worked with companies facing pandemics, workplace violence, cyber-attacks, regulatory action, closure and liquidation.

Cary combines public and private sector experience and has written hundreds of high-profile speeches for CEOs, governors and U.S. Cabinet officials.

For 20 years, Cary was senior vice president and director of corporate communications and investor relations at City National Bank, where he provided senior management with strategic counsel and directed the company’s media relations, executive speech writing, employee communications, market research and government affairs.

Cary helped to advance the company’s strong reputation, even during the 2008 financial crisis that hobbled hundreds of financial institutions across the United States. He oversaw the bank’s internal and external communications, including its quarterly earnings presentations and annual reports, the announcements of more than a dozen corporate acquisitions, an $11 billion community lending and investment initiative and the company’s 2015 merger with the Royal Bank of Canada. Cary also managed City National’s communications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kevin Wehrenberg

Board of Directors, Los Angeles

In 1993, Kevin made the transition from Wisconsin to Los Angeles, commencing a journey in the entertainment industry as an intern. His relentless determination propelled him from that starting point to a distinguished career as a producer, contributing to an array of television shows like “Later with Greg Kinnear,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” “It’s a Miracle,” “Fear Factor,” and “Wipeout.” Over the course of a decade, he has been actively involved in the Academy of Television, Arts, and Sciences Foundation program, where he annually hosts and mentors an Academy Intern for an eight-week program connected to his television production. Simultaneously, he actively participates in the Academy’s college awards program.

Kevin’s philanthropic endeavors began in 2008 when him and his family joined the JDRF Walk to Find a Cure, achieving the third spot in fundraising for his son’s team, “Charlie’s Angels.” Eagerly looking forward to sustained involvement, he is committed to supporting the quest for a cure for Type One Diabetes, a cause that hits close to home as his son, Charlie, was diagnosed with the condition in 2008. Leveraging his professional skills, which include budgeting, organization, and scheduling, Kevin expresses a particular interest in contributing to areas such as the Walk and the annual JDRF Gala. Furthermore, Kevin’s dedication to JDRF’s ongoing mission to find a cure for Type One Diabetes remains unwavering.

David Ahn, MD

Research Information Volunteer, Orange County

Dr. David Ahn is an Endocrinologist and Program Director of the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. He trained at UC San Diego and previously worked as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA. Dr. Ahn’s primary clinical interest is health technology, especially relating to Type 1 Diabetes. Until there’s a cure, his mission is to empower patients to live their fullest life while minimizing the mental, financial, and emotional burden of this chronic condition. He is a proud father to a 2 year old (Matthew), and is an avid LA sports fan (especially the LA Kings).

Erik Anderson

Board of Directors, Orange County

Erik Anderson is a Vice President & Assistant Controller for Aviation Capital Group.  He began his involvement with the Orange County chapter of JDRF in 2010 and served on the Board from 2012 – 2018.  He has been an active member of the golf committee over the years.  His sister-in-law was diagnosed with Type 1 nearly 35 years ago and is the inspiration to continue supporting the fight to turn type one into type none.  Erik lives in Ladera Ranch, with his wife, Kathryn, and his nine year old son and six year old daughter.  When not coaching, refereeing, or watching his kids’ athletic endeavors, he enjoys spending time with family and friends not far from the BBQ or smoker.

Rose Bauss

President, Board of Directors, Orange County

With a distinguished 35-year career at Toyota Motor North America, Rose possess versatile skills in leadership, organizational change management, project management, and supply chain logistics. Her academic credentials include a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri – Columbia.

Beyond her career, she has actively supported Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation since 2011, serving as a Board Member for the Dallas Chapter  and the Orange County Chapter. During her tenure, she has made substantial contributions in finance, nominating, advocacy, outreach, and so much more, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to the pursuit of a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Tracy Buchholz

Board of Directors, Orange County

Tracy Buchholz is a passionate supporter of JDRF’s mission to find a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D). She is an active member of the JDRF Southern California chapter, serving on the Orange County Dream Guild Board of Directors and participating in various fundraising event committees.

Touched by the courage of those that struggle with this disease and the families that support them, Tracy is inspired by the organization’s commitment to finding a cure and supporting those living with the disease. She is impressed by the effectiveness of JDRF in achieving its mission. Tracy’s commitment to JDRF is unwavering, and she dedicates many hours and resources to support the organization’s efforts to improve the lives and find a cure for those with T1D.

Tracy works as a controller for SaaS-based businesses in the local business community and is a big four accounting firm trained Certified Public Accountant. Tracy was raised in Orange County and currently lives in Laguna Beach with her husband, Brad, who joins her in her support of JDRF.

Rich Cocuzzo

Board of Directors, Orange County

Rich Cocuzzo is the Founder and President of Sales Velocity Advisors. He has co-chaired the wine auction at the annual “Dream Gala” for several years.  This year Rich was honored at the Gala as one of the “Wine Guys” who have helped to raise over $350,000 since the inception of the wine auction in 2006. Rich has been married to his wife Jodi, since 1989, and they have lived in Laguna Niguel since 1999. They are parents to three adult daughters. They enjoy spending time with friends and family, love to travel, and enjoy all things that are food and wine related.

James Collier

Board of Directors, Orange County

James hails from North Carolina but lived in various places throughout his upbringing due to his father’s service in the Army. Following in his father’s footsteps, he embarked on a journey in the Army Reserves after college and achieved the rank of Captain. With a dedicated commitment to FedEx, he has forged a remarkable career, spanning over three decades, starting as a Package Handler during his college days and progressing through various roles. Alongside his professional achievements, he shares a fulfilling 30+ year marriage with his wife, Kimberly, and they are proud parents to a vibrant son.

Cami DiRoberto

Board of Directors, Orange County

In June of 2017, Cami’s daughter was shockingly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  Having very little prior knowledge of the condition, she immediately began leveraging the resources of the JDRF and has been passionately devoted to the cause ever since.  She is fearless in her advocacy efforts and joins us on the Board to continue our fight toward a cure.

Cami graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Communication. She and her husband, Torrey, own a full service corporate real estate firm, Sidra, which is headquartered here in Orange County.  Together, they have 3 children and live in North Tustin.

Mike Fahrney

Board of Directors, Orange County

Mike Fahrney is a native to California.  He attended college at Oklahoma State University studying electrical engineering.  He also earned a B.S. in Aerospace to include minors in Meteorology and Aviation Safety, as well as a Masters of Science in Aeronautics.  After spending 7 years in the United States Air Force, Mike began his employment with McDonnell Douglas and then transitioned to The Boeing Company.  Mike has been with Boeing for 33 years having been the Director of Flight Operations for Airlift, Chief Pilot for Airlift, and led multiple military aircraft programs.  His time at Boeing has seen him qualify in several different models of aircraft to include the C-17, C-40 and 737.  Mike currently resides in Ladera Ranch with his wife Tessa and their two Alaskan Malamutes.  As a pilot, Mike is a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA).   Golf is a new passion for Mike and Tessa, with both spending weekends on their local course.  In addition to golf, Mike is a wine collector and enjoys sharing his wine with friends.  As one of the JDRF “Wine Guys” he has assisted in efforts with the team to support JDRF wine auctions.  Mike also supports canine cancer research and other charitable causes through work and personal donations.

Tom Giddings

Board of Directors, Orange County

Mr. Giddings is responsible for developing and managing client portfolios and bringing a broad array of other services to high net worth individuals. He specializes in working with affluent families going through liquidity events with their businesses and real estate as well as working with corporate executives, divorces and inherited wealth.

Mr. Giddings spent 20 years with several investment management, investment banking and trust companies. Most recently, he was a Managing Director for Lehman Brothers where he opened Lehman’s office in Newport Beach, California in 2007 with over $350 million in client assets.

Previously, Mr. Giddings led a team of 26 professionals for the US Trust Company office in Costa Mesa as Managing Director. During his 14 years at US Trust he worked in both client relationship management, business development and management of the office. Mr. Giddings and his team handled all aspects of wealth management for his clients, including proprietary and external best of class money management, trust and estate planning, financial planning and private banking services.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Giddings worked in business development, lending, strategic planning and marketing for several divisions of Security Pacific Bank in Los Angeles and Newport Beach.

Mr. Giddings graduated from Boston University in 1990 with a major in Finance.

Tom’s daughter, Haley, was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 10 in 2009, sparking his interest in JDRF. Since then, he has had unwavering support for find the cure, even have becoming the honorees of the 2014 JDRF Dream Gala.

Andrew Guarni

Board of Directors, Orange County

Andrew Guarni is an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Hoag. In this role, Mr. Guarni oversees all hospital accounting, including general accounting, payroll, accounts payable, and treasury for Hoag. He is responsible for the finance and accounting, supply chain, materials management, revenue cycle, risk management, health information management, cyber security, contracting and contracting.

Throughout his 38-year career in healthcare finance and administration, Mr. Guarni’s experience includes tax exempt and asset-based financing, hospital consolidation and closure, M&A (hospital and physician practice), turnarounds, revenue cycle enhancement, physician practice management, fundraising, strategic planning and asset purchase agreements.

Mr. Guarni has served as chief financial officer for integrated delivery systems with $1 billion in annual net revenues. He has led revenue cycle improvements which have tripled daily cash collections and reduced Days in AR to AA benchmark levels. He has also led hospital system and physician practice acquisitions from initial discussions to post acquisition integration, including the recent acquisition of the largest provider of Emergency Room Management services in Los Angeles County by a Northern California company.

Mr. Guarni has a Bachelor of Science from West Chester University in Pennsylvania, is a Certified Public Accountant, and a fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Julie Hellmers

Board of Directors, Orange County

Julie graduated from Cal State University Fullerton. She sold pharmaceuticals for Merck for 10 years. She and her husband Michael have 3 children: Ryan, Brennan, and Katherine. Katherine was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 4 and Brennan was diagnosed with type 1  at the age of 12. Her involvement with JDRF began in 2007. Julie has previously served on the JDRF Orange County Chapter Board, has been the Dream Guild President and Board Member, and has also served as Gala Chair twice and on the Gala Committee each year. She looks forward to once again joining the Chapter Board.

Kristan Hinman

Advocacy Team Chair, Orange County

Kristan has been a JDRF volunteer since her daughter Kalee was diagnosed in 2013.  Over the years, Kristan is a regular volunteer at many JDRF events including, helping with Youth Ambassadors, speaking at Type One Nation and participating in One Walk annually.  She currently serves as a member of the Outreach Committee and as Coordinator of the MOD Coffee Club.  Through her involvement, her knowledge and interest in Advocacy has grown and she is excited to serve as ATC and the opportunity to advocate for our T1D community to Congress.

Marie Hogan

Dream Guild President, Orange County

Marie Hogan, along with her family, has been committed to finding a cure for T1D since her daughter, Mckenzie, was diagnosed in 2016 at the age of 2.  JDRF gave Mckenzie’s family hope that T1D will be cured one day – and JDRF would be leading the charge in making that happen.  Marie has been involved with JDRF since her daughter’s diagnosis, participating in Galas and Walks, co-chairing very successful 2019 and 2023 Galas, and now currently beginning her term as the 2023-2024 Dream Guild President.

Cheryl Jacob

Board of Directors, Orange County

Cheryl Jacob is a Registered Nurse with over thirty-seven years of healthcare experience with MemorialCare both at the Saddleback and Orange Coast campuses. She retired in 2018 as the Chief Operating Officer and was recruited back in a consultant role this year. She lives in Dana Point with her husband John Wilson. They have five children and five grandchildren. The oldest granddaughter, Paige, is a youth ambassador with T1D and refuses to let it hold her back!  Cheryl was attracted to JDRF as she relates to its Mission:  Improving lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.

Marty Jaques

Board of Directors, Orange County

James “Marty”  Jaques has worked in the IT industry for the past 35 years in global sales executive roles for HP, Dell and Gartner leading teams supporting companies in the Media & Entertainment, Health Care, Semiconductor industries and the U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories.  James is also an accomplished musician having been the Assistant Principal Cellist for Orange County’s Opera Pacific Orchestra from 1993-2008.  As a member of local JDRF “Wine Guys” he has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars since the inception of the wine auctions as part of the Gala in 2006.  James has been married to his wife Chris, since 1986, and they have lived in Laguna Niguel since 1989.  They are parents of three adult children.  They enjoy traveling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Julie Mansfield

Board of Directors, Orange County

Julie’s connection to JDRF began in 2004, just after her son, Robby, was diagnosed with T1D at age 11.  Julie has been involved by volunteering to assist the chapter with many events, has ridden in two Ride to Cure Diabetes events (alongside Robby), is an outreach committee member and past Advocacy Team Chair.

Since Robby’s T1D diagnosis, Julie has seen incredible advancement in T1D treatments and technology.  She is hopeful and confident in JDRF’s mission that one day, through their extraordinary commitment to research, a cure for type 1 diabetes will be a reality.

Born and raised in Orange County, Julie resides in Newport Beach with her husband, Robert.  They have two children, Robby and Amanda.  Robby and wife Tina recently added to their family with baby Blake, Julie’s first grandbaby and she couldn’t be any more smitten with him.  Daughter Amanda is pursuing her dreams in Tennessee.  Julie is a successful Realtor serving Orange County communities and beyond.  Her passion for real estate was instilled in her at a young age by her dad, who she claims is the “original property flipper.”

Samantha Markovitz

Outreach Chair, Orange County

Samantha became involved with JDRF after her diagnosis in 2014. She has been a One Walk family team coach, T1D Connections volunteer, Outreach Committee member, and now serves as the Outreach Committee Chair. Advocating for improvements in therapies, quality of life, and ultimately, a cure for T1D, is a key piece of Samantha’s personal and professional objectives. She is a Mayo Clinic-trained, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach that specializes in working with people living with T1D. As a coach, author (“Type 1 Diabetes Caregiver Confidence”), and speaker, Samantha works to help people living with diabetes thrive. She manages her private wellness practice, GraceMark Wellness & Lifestyle Coaching, and also serves as the Health & Wellness Coach at the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital.

Brian Novak

Board of Directors, Orange County

Brian was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over 25 years ago.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in an effort to better understand the disease.  He then went on to get a graduate degree in analytical chemistry under a Nobel Prize winner studying exhaled human breath in an effort to determine blood glucose and reduce finger sticking.  Brian also earned his law degree and is now a patent attorney at K&L Gates.  He works on many diabetes-related technologies, including much of the intellectual property for Mannkind’s Afrezza inhaled insulin.  He also serves on the Executive Council for UC Irvine’s Diabetes Center and says he is “all in for diabetes!”

Mark Oshima

Board of Directors, Orange County

Mark lives in Irvine, California with his wife Stacie and three sons, Tyler, Evan, and Andrew. Evan was diagnosed with T1D when he was six years old.

Mark has been involved with JDRF since Evan’s diagnosis. Evan and his team (Evan’s Evangers) have been active fundraisers for JDRF Orange County’s OneWalk, raising over $100,000 over the last five years. Evan is also a Youth Ambassador and had the honor of representing JDRF in Washington, D.C. as a Children’s Congress Delegate in 2017.

Mark has also done some pro bono consulting work for JDRF’s former Chief Human Resource Officer based in New York when he was in his consulting role at Aon.

Rupali Pai

Board of Directors, Orange County

Rupali Pai was born and raised in Newport Beach, CA.  She graduated from Chapman University with a BA and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine. Before becoming a full-time homemaker, Rupali was the head marketing executive for Taco Bell International while living in London.  She was responsible for the vision, strategy, and international expansion of Taco Bell in Europe.  Her passion for JDRF began in 2022 when her six-year-old son, Rian, was diagnosed with T1D.  Rupali would be honored to be on a board with others who are equally passionate about finding a cure and prevention of T1D as she is.  She hopes that one day no child will have to suffer from this relentless disease.

Jenny Rodriquez

Board of Directors, Orange County

Jenny Behrstock Rodriquez grew up in Newport Beach and currently lives there with her husband Jesse, her son Dylan, and her daughter Sophie.  Jenny has volunteered and supported JDRF for many years – her brother was diagnosed with T1D at age 11, followed by her niece at age 5 and her daughter at age 3.

John Stoner

Board of Directors, Orange County

John, along with his wife, Barbara, and children, Matt and Tommy, have been involved with JDRF since Tommy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2006. John also has diabetes on his father’s side of the family, and his mother and several of his siters were type 1 diabetic.

John has been practicing law for more than 20 years in Orange County and is currently a financial services partner at Stoner Fox Law Group, LLP. He has participated in numerous fundraising campaigns for the Boy Scouts, including raising money for the Sea Base and for the Outdoor Education Center.

John has a bachelor of Business Administration/Marketing (cum laude), University of Texas at Arlington, and a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University.

Ann Winthrop

Board of Directors, Orange County

Ann Winthrop has been personally committed to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) since her daughter was diagnosed with T1D in 1995 at the age of 8. Along with her husband, Marc she has been intimately involved with the JDRF Orange County Chapter for years, volunteering at a number of levels, including holding two terms as Executive Board  President, Chapter Walk Chair, Gala Chair and Guild President.  Ann served as a Regional Chapter Services volunteer supporting 14 chapters in the western region.

Professionally, Ann has worked in the Human Resources area for companies in the pharmaceutical, automotive and technology sectors.  She has also worked as a professional fundraiser.

Greer Wylder

Board of Directors, Orange County

Greer has been covering Orange County lifestyle for the past 30 years for the Los Angeles Times Community News, magazines, and with her own online publication and newsletter, Greer’s OC that covers fashion, dining, events, and trends. She’s also a mother of four boys, and the Executive Producer of a documentary in production about the quest for a cure to type 1 diabetes. In her spare time, Greer runs marathons and loves to cook.