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We educate and enrich members of the diabetes community on how to be advocates for themselves and their families through a number of events.
See EventsDPAC is co-founded and run by people with diabetes who understand that like diabetes, advocacy is a long-term process with no quick fixes. DPAC formed because the patient voice was missing from important policy conversations in Congress and the states. We identify what matters most and help empower advocates to take action. Share your story to help keep policy makers’ attention on people with diabetes!
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To ensure quality of and access to care, medications and devices for people living with diabetes; and to educate, inspire and empower patient advocates as well as lawmakers toward meaningful action on diabetes.
George is a founding member of the Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and currently serves as the CEO of both DPAC and DLC. He has been living with type 1 diabetes since 1983 and has 3 other family members also living with type 1. A passionate advocate for people with diabetes, George began volunteering with the American Diabetes Association in 1986 and served as the National Chair of the Board in 2009. George is also the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Theoris Group, Inc., a professional services firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana that provides technology solutions and software development services. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and earned his CPA in 1985.
Erin Callahan joined the DPAC team with a passion for our mission to ensure quality of and access to care, medications and devices for people living with diabetes. Her professional experience in social impact marketing, MedTech mentorship, program development, and policy, system, and environment change have strongly influenced her commitment to human-centered and individualized care. Since her T1D diagnosis in 1986, Erin hasn’t let diabetes slow her down and is eager to continue working on behalf of the diabetes community that inspires and motivates our team every day.
Julie is Babbage Cofounder’s Washington, DC lead and also works on state issues. In addition to years of legislative advocacy, Julie brings bipartisan Hill experience and relationships to DPAC. She spent two years in Deloitte’s federal consulting practice helping implement enterprise-wide transformations within several government agencies. Her interest in government began early, and she interned during college at both national and international levels – U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and for the U.S. Ambassador to England through the state department. Julie is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Lisa is the Director of Development for both DPAC and the Diabetes Leadership Council. Prior to joining DPAC, Lisa served as a director of development for Texas Christian University (TCU), Oklahoma State University, The University of Tulsa, and The Ohio State University. She began her career in fundraising with the I Know I Can college access program in Columbus, Ohio. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in history of art and architecture from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, a master’s degree in art education and a master’s degree in history of art, and began Ph.D. course work in art history at the Graduate School and University Center, CUNY in New York City. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1986.
Jacob is the Communications and Policy Lead for DPAC. His interest in government has brought him to work in internships on the county level up to the United Kingdom’s House of Parliament, including three Kentucky legislative sessions with Babbage Cofounder. With several loved ones living with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, Jacob brings his advocacy experience to engage stakeholders on DPAC’s advocacy efforts. He earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration with a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Kentucky.
Mike is the Managing Director of Blackbriar-LLC International Consulting with over 30 years of management experience in health care. He has worked globally with key thought leaders, professional medical associations, grassroots organizations, elected officials, and government agencies, to create enduring initiatives such as “Diabetes Awareness Days,” numerous national and international medical education conferences, and international advisory boards. In the U.S., he has advocated for passage of several state legislative measures to improve healthcare outcomes including the passage of a state licensure requirement for Diabetes Educators in the States of Kentucky and Indiana. He was the national Diabetes Care & Education Champion Award by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2014.
Bruce is a healthcare veteran with over 40 years of experience in senior sales, marketing, and health policy. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1980, diabetes isn’t just a professional assignment for Bruce but a disease that is personal and has demanded his attention 24/7/365 for over 40 years. He co-founded the Diabetes Care Project with the National Minority Quality Forum and actively participates on advisory boards across the community to address the worldwide epidemic of diabetes. Bruce earned his B.S. in Human Anatomy and Physiology from Baldwin Wallace College. In his prime, Bruce owned the distinction of world class powerlifter and qualified for the 1980 Olympic games. He is currently the Director of Government Affairs and Market Access at Dexcom.
Stewart is a prominent voice on diabetes in Kentucky and around the country. Stewart’s family has been dramatically affected by diabetes, and he himself was diagnosed with type 2 in 1990. A former Chair of the National Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association, he has been instrumental in passing Diabetes Action Plan legislation in over half of the country and continues to advocate on both a state and national level for legislation to improve the lives of all people with diabetes and their families. Since 1983, Stewart has been the co-owner of Perry & Perry State Farm Insurance, one of the largest agencies in the state of Kentucky. He sits on the board of Children with Diabetes and is Chair and a founding member of the Diabetes Leadership Council.
Jeff Hitchcock is the founder, president, and Chief Executive Officer of Children with Diabetes. After earning a degree in computational mathematics in 1981, Jeff worked in high tech and traveled the world, meeting Brenda, who would become his wife, in Africa. In September of 1989, their first child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of two. Jeff worked in defense related industries until 1995, when he started a small internet company and launched Children with Diabetes to share his family's experience caring for a child with T1D. Jeff received the 2021 ISPAD Hero Award for his work on Children with Diabetes.
Larry is the founder and manager of a national marketing research and consulting firm in Kentucky. Prior to starting his own company, Larry served as SVP, VP, and Director of Marketing at several high-value financial organizations in Kentucky and Virginia. Larry’s work with the American Diabetes Association is extensive, having served as both a member and the Chair of the National Board of Directors. He has also served as Chair of the Kentucky Affiliate and of the Southern Region and on committees including Inclusion, Marketing, Communications, CEO Selection, Income Development, and Diversity. Larry is a member of the board for the Diabetes Leadership Council. He became passionate about diabetes when his daughter was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 12.
Alissa is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who has vast experience and expertise within the diabetes arena for over 25 years. She began her career at the University Hospital of the Albert Einstein College prior to transitioning into industry as a Senior Medical Science Liaison at Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Alissa now heads the Advocacy and Government Affairs team at Insulet Corporation. She received her BS in Dietetics from SUNY Oneonta and a Masters in Strategic Communications and Leadership from Seton Hall University. Her work has been published in various journals such as Diabetes Self-Management and the Diabetes Educator and has presented at hundreds of patient and professional meetings related to her clinical, scientific, educational and advocacy expertise in diabetes.
Hunter is the Southeastern Counsel for the California Wine Institute with over 30 years of government experience. Having earned his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in 1982, he would go on to practice law before being elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 1997, Hunter became Chief Legal Counsel to Governor David Beasley. When his daughter, Leah, was diagnosed with diabetes on March 16, 2001, Hunter became an active volunteer for the American Diabetes Association, serving two terms on the National Board of Directors including as Chair of the Board in 2012. He now serves on the Board of Directors of the Diabetes Leadership Council.
Christina is the Founder and CEO of the College Diabetes Network. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 14, Christina became an active patient advocate while in college where she started CDN as a campus group in 2009. Due to the overwhelming response to the initial group, Christina expanded CDN into a national non-profit organization serving young adults with diabetes. After graduation, Christina worked at the Joslin Diabetes Center and consulted for the T1D Exchange. As CEO of CDN, Christina frequently shares her expertise on topics such as CDN’s programs, research on the young adult population and how to meet their unique needs, non-profit management, women in business, innovation, and startup organizations.
Will is a passionate advocate for people with diabetes. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during February of his senior year in high school, and went on to get involved with many diabetes organizations, including JDRF and the College Diabetes Network (now The Diabetes Link). He has lobbied for diabetes policies at the national and state level, and is excited to bring his perspective as a young adult with diabetes to DPAC.
He currently serves as the Program Manager for Leadership Development at The Diabetes Link where he runs the NextGen Fellowship, helping to shape the future minds of the diabetes care, research, and education landscapes.
Jake is the President of the Johnston Group, a federal lobbying firm based in Seattle, Washington and operating in Washington, D.C. Jake has worked as a federal lobbyist and public affairs consultant for twenty years after working in Congress for nearly a decade.
Jake is the Co-Founder of ConnecT1D, now T1United, a nonprofit organization providing social support to people impacted by Type 1 Diabetes. He was the volunteer camp director of the ConnecT1D Middle School Retreat and is the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Center for Chronic Illness. Jake actively participates in community organizations with an emphasis on environmental restoration, health access and gender equity and justice.
Jake has had Type 1 Diabetes for more than 40 years and is the parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes. Jake lives in Seattle, works in Seattle and Washington, D.C. and is pretty confident that he could change his CGM blindfolded if he had to in order to win a bet.
The members of the Patient Advisory Council (PAC) act as trusted spokespeople in all of DPAC’s advocacy efforts, promote DPAC’s mission within their communities, share perspective to shape organizational direction and much more. Interested in serving as a PAC member? Contact us!
DPAC is proudly affiliated with the Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC). As DLC provides policy expertise for lawmakers and advocates, DPAC turns knowledge into action through advocacy
We strategically partner with organizations across the diabetes community who share in our mission.
Our Partners
Too many Americans bear extreme financial burdens from our healthcare system. People with diabetes need affordable access to the tools that effectively manage their disease. Our job is to highlight gaps and shortcomings in our system while promoting policy initiatives that help people who need it most.
From the White House to the state house, our calls to action have been heard by leaders in Washington, DC and all 50 states. Learn more about some of our recent successes in our advocacy efforts.
Advocacy 101
Check out our YouTube page for past events and informational video resources!
Visit Our YouTube
Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that requires access to providers, medications, supplies and services to successfully manage. We work with legislators and administrators to develop policy solutions that break down barriers to quality diabetes care.
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