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HEAL Advisors

Ananta Addala

Dr. Ananta Addala is a pediatric endocrinologist and physician scientist addressing disparities in pediatric type 1 diabetes management and outcomes. Dr. Addala has a longstanding research and clinical interest to promote equitable care for youth with type 1 diabetes informed by biological, social, psychological, and systemic determinants of health. In addition to her training in pediatric endocrinology, Dr. Addala holds an MPH with a focus on behavioral drivers of health and epidemiology. As a physician with a background in pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, and behavioral health, she aims to build an evidenced based approach to addressing T1D disparities by systematically evaluating youth-, family-, provider-, and system-level barriers to optimal diabetes care in youth from low socioeconomic and racial/ethnic minority groups. To date, her publications have demonstrated that the disparities in pediatric T1D by socioeconomic status are worsening in the US, provider bias against public insurance is common, and public insurance mediated interruptions to diabetes technology adversely impact glycemic outcomes. She has also been leading the efforts to improve justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in research at Stanford University through her leadership at Stanford Pediatrics Advancing Anti-Racism Coalition (SPAARC).

Ashley Butler

Dr. Ashley Michelle Butler is a fellowship trained Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Psychology at Baylor College of Medicine, and serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. She is a behavioral scientist with expertise in implementation science and community-engaged research methods, health disparities research methods, and the development and evaluation of behavioral interventions to improve health and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric diabetes. Her research has been funded by the NIH National Institute on Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Disorders (NIDDK), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and several foundations including the Ford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Butler also leads national and local research education programs for social and behavioral science investigators to enhance the diversity of the scientific workforce. These programs have received funding from the NIDDK and the American Psychological Association. Dr. Butler is a member of the Behavioral Research in Diabetes Group Exchange and the American Psychological Association. She was a member of the APA’s Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, and previously served as the Committee Chair. Dr. Butler is the recipient of many distinguished honors and awards in her field, including the 2021 Society of Pediatric Psychology Diversity Service Award. Dr. Butler enjoys spending time with her husband and young son. Her hobbies include cycling, reading, listening to podcasts and enjoying live music. She’s also partial to tropical vacations.

Carla Demeterco

Dr. Demeterco-Berggren MD, PhD, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. She works as a pediatric endocrinologist at Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego where she serves as the Director of Quality for the Diabetes Clinic and leads multiple quality improvement initiatives. She has a broad background in both basic research in the field of developmental therapeutics for diabetes mellitus and in clinical pediatric endocrinology and diabetes. As a clinician and a scientist, her primary interest is improving diabetes care delivery and access for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Dr Demeterco-Berggren serves as the PI for the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative.

Z Colette Edwards

Z. Colette Edwards, MD MBA is the National Medical Director, Associate Health and Well-Being at Humana. She provides clinical and operational leadership to optimize the health, well-being, and benefits of Humana’s 52,000 associates. Humana has been a Platinum Award winner in NBGH’s “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles” recognition program from 2014 – 2020, ranked in the top 10 of “Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America” in 2017 – 2020, achieved Gold status in the AHA’s Workplace Health Achievement Index 2017 – 2020, and reached 20% healthier by 2020 Bold Goal (CDC Healthy Days) in 2018. With the arrival of COVID-19, Colette is the clinical lead for the associate population related to the development of policies, workflows, associate education, testing, return-to-work protocols, identification of benefits and support needs, and associate experiences. She also leads the Long COVID Workgroup, a multidisciplinary, cross-functional team focused on designing resources to support and make life easier for those suffering from long COVID or who serve as caregivers to loved ones with the condition. Dr. Edwards is a gastroenterologist and received a BA from Harvard University, an MD from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Wharton School. She completed her GI fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, has a graduate certificate in health and wellness coaching from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and is a graduate of the NIH Scholar Program in Translational Health Disparities. Finally, Colette is the Managing Editor for the Wharton Healthcare Quarterly, has written a McGraw-Hill GI text, is the author of Be Less Stressed, is a contributing writer to Thrive Global, and provides COVID-19 updates and resources as part of the Harvard Alumni/ae Community Helps initiative. Lastly, she is a board member of Bread for the City and an advisory board member for T1D Exchange.

Eddie Hammond

I have two children that are type 1 diabetics. My son who is 18 was diagnosed at the age of 3. He was my baptism by fire so to speak. My 16 year old daughter was diagnosed at age 9 but with her we were able to be better prepared thanks to Trialnet. We actually watched her pancreas start to fail as we went for labs every 6 months from age 7 to age 9.

Kristopher Leeper

Kris Leeper is a Global Supply Planning Manager at Nike living in Hillsboro, Oregon with his wife (Tierra) of 10.5 years. Kris was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2013 and has been a part of the Medtronic Ambassador Program since Spring 2020.

He has been using Medtronic pump therapy since 2017 starting with MiniMed 630G System because insurance would not approve the MiniMed 670G. Kris has most recently upgraded to the MiniMed 770G System + CGM in November 2020. Kris is always looking to push the agenda for better management of diabetes after being sent home from the hospital with vial of insulin, pack of needles and a prescription. He most recently was apart of Medtronic ASK Campaign to shed light on the disparities of POC and Technology usage managing T1D.

Kris holds a Manufacturing Industrial Engineering & Technology Degree from Tennessee Tech University and an MBA from King University. He enjoys golfing, hiking, traveling with his wife and eating good food.

Shideh Majidi

Dr. Majidi is an assistant professor at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes. She completed her training at University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado. Her primary clinical and research interests are in behavioral and social aspects of care in youth with type 1 diabetes. She heads implementation of behavioral screenings in clinic. She also runs the development and implementation of new clinical care models to help improve the barriers families experience that affects diabetes care in order to decrease disparities in diabetes care.

Faisal Malik

Dr. Malik is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, an investigator at the Center for Child Heath, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and a pediatric endocrinologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. His research focuses on developing and investigating the effectiveness of patient-centered interventions that improve self-efficacy and promote health equity in diabetes management and ultimately, improve health outcomes for youth and adults with diabetes. Dr. Malik leads the Improving Diabetes Outcomes Team at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and is also the Director of Research and Medical Co-Director of the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital Adolescent and Young Adult Diabetes Program.

Makaila Manukyan

Makaila Manukyan is a public health professional focused on racial justice and health equity to eliminate racial and ethnic health inequities. She is the Senior Project Manager for the Office of Equity, Vitality, and Inclusion at Boston Medical Center, where she manages multiple projects to advance racial justice, gender equity, and vitality among clinical faculty. Ms. Manukyan has a BA from Providence College and an MPP from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Margarita Ochoa-Maya

Dr. Ochoa-Maya is a disciplined and confident physician, healthcare practice executive, with Board Certification in Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, currently medically directly clinical research teams in the area of diabetes. Dr. Ochoa-Maya’s work has a special focus on pharmaceutical, diabetes technology, digital therapeutics, mobile Health (mHealth) and medical devices: glucometers and Continuous Glucose Monitors with a patient-focused approach to obtain real world evidence and outcomes via research. Dr. Ochoa-Maya’s has over thirty years experience in the practice of medicine in different environments including academic, private clinical practice, and pharmaceutical and medical device industries, extensive experience in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes care, diabetes technology, glucometrics, CGM research, insulin pumps and connected devices, obesity (prevention and management), cardiovascular disease in diabetes, metabolism, women’s health, PCOS, thyroidology and thyroid ultrasound. She also has over twenty years experience in clinical research, pharmaceutical and medical device development, academic research, product validation, health authority submission and post market medical affairs activities. She is the Senior Medical Director of Endocrine Medical Affairs at Ascendis Pharma, Adjunct Professor of Healthcare Management at the Girard School of Business at Merrimack College, and is a member of the T1D Exchange Board of Directors.

Gary Puckrein

Dr. Gary Puckrein is the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The mission of NMQF is to reduce patient risk by assuring optimal care for all. NMQF’s vision is an American health services research, delivery, and financing system whose operating principle is to reduce patient risk for amenable morbidity and mortality while improving quality of life. Dr. Puckrein received his doctorate from Brown University.

Jennifer Raymond

Dr. Jennifer Raymond (she/hers/ella) is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California. She is the Division Chief for the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism and Chair of the Virtual Care Committee at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). She received her medical degree and completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Kansas. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology and Master of Clinical Research at Oregon Health and Science University. She is also a mom, wife, social justice advocate, runner, and lover of young adult fiction.

Dr. Raymond’s main research and clinical interest is improving patient outcomes through novel clinical approaches and behavioral interventions, specifically in marginalized and historically excluded adolescents and young adults. She also has a particular interest and expertise in utilizing telehealth to increase the reach of clinical and behavioral interventions. Dr. Raymond is interested in sustainable and efficient clinical care models that can be replicated in multiple care settings, including racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse young people.

Janine Sanchez

Dr. Janine Sanchez is an Associate Professor In Pediatric Endocrinology and Director of Pediatric Diabetes at the University of Miami. Her primary research interests have focused on clinical, immune, behavioral, and psychosocial factors related to the diagnosis, management, and prevention of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents. She has participated in many projects related to these issues, including prevention trials, immune studies, pharmaceutical trials, ocular biomarkers, psychological interventions, diabetes care in school, interventions to improve self-care, and risk of developing diabetes. health behaviors such as regimen adherence, dietary intake and physical activity. She has served on intramural task forces on Racial Justice and Diversity Council.

Devin Steenkamp

Devin Steenkamp is an academic diabetologist with a focus on type 1 diabetes and atypical diabetes phenotypes such as monogenic diabetes. He is the Director of the Clinical Diabetes Program at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine and his clinical practice is focused on the use of diabetes technologies in care. In addition, he is the principal investigator on a variety of clinical trials related to diabetes pharmacotherapy and the application of novel diabetes technologies.

Rashida Talib

Rashida Talib is a Clinical Research Coordinator with the division of pediatric endocrinology at Northwell Heath, New York. She oversees multiple research projects which include contributing to the T1D Exchange since 2020. Rashida has a background in Medicine from India and a Master’s in Public Health degree from New York University. She is passionate about implementing clinical research as she believes it has the potential to enhance health equity and make a difference in people’s lives and in society on the whole by reducing the burden of illness and disability. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with family.

Tenishia Thurman

My name is Tenishia Thurman. I am a type 1 diabetic. I have been diabetic for 11 years. I like to travel and try new things. I am an Early Childhood Educator.

T1D Exchange Support Staff

Osagie Ebekozien

Osagie Ebekozien MD is the Vice President, Population Health and Quality Improvement at the T1D Exchange. In this role, he directs a learning health network of over forty endocrinology clinics. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and is an Associate Faculty with Ariadne Labs.   Dr. Ebekozien’s work uses health equity research, quality improvement, and implementation science to improve population health. He has received national awards for his work, including developing model best practices for advancing health equity. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences, his work has been featured by national media networks, and he has authored several peer-review publications.

Ann Mungmode

Ann (Henry) Mungmode is a committed quality professional with experience supporting organization-wide quality improvement, assurance, and accreditation in public health, behavioral health, and human services. She currently serves as the Quality Improvement Program Manager for the T1D Exchange, where she supports QI Collaborative sites in QI coaching and use of data, and manages an innovative, EHR-based data portal for metric reporting and benchmarking. In previous roles, she has supported health equity initiatives to challenge organizations to identify opportunities to improve equity in practice. Ms. Mungmode holds a Masters in Public Health from Boston University and a Bachelor of Science from Ithaca College. She is also a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.

Ori Odugbesan

Ori Odugbesan is the Manager of QI and Population Health at T1D Exchange where she works with 30+ endocrinology clinics to improve outcomes for their type 1 diabetes population. In recent times, her work has been focused on reducing disparities in access to diabetes devices for Blacks and Hispanics.

Before joining the T1D Exchange, she managed the federally funded Boston EMA HIV QI collaborative with over 30 clinical sites. A lot of her work at the city of Boston helped address inequities with access to care, nutritional support, housing, and mental health for people living with HIV. She is passionate about health equity issues and she is a voice in the space.

Nicole Rioles

Nicole Rioles, MA, joined the T1D Exchange in 2017. In her role as Director of Clinical Partnerships and Population Health, she is responsible for managing the organization’s relationships with care organizations joining and participating in the QI Collaborative. She brings over a decade of public health experience helping to improve health outcomes for populations in need.