About Us
About Us
Our Mission
The Diabetes Education & Camping Association (DECA) unites and advances the diabetes camp community with networking, education and innovation.
Our Vision
A World Where Everyone with Diabetes has a Place to Belong!
Core Values
Dedicated
We are dedicated to persons living with diabetes and to the diabetes camp and retreat community. We provide personal and professional experience and knowledge about diabetes, and support to the diabetes camp and retreat community.
Equity & Inclusion
We welcome all who are impacted by diabetes and are committed to listening, learning and ensuring that opportunities at diabetes camps and retreats meet unique individual needs. Our vision is a world where everyone with diabetes has a place to belong.
Collaboration
We are a robust infrastructure of collaboration, training and best in class resources that facilitates cutting edge diabetes camp and retreat communities. We are a network of passionate individuals and organizations that understand the value and importance of camp for all who live with diabetes.
Authentic
We bring and welcome authentic and passionate leadership to the diabetes camping community grounded in honesty, integrity and quality.
DECA Leadership
Officers
Stephen Dauchert
Board Chair
- The Redwoods Group, Chief Marketing Officer
- Durham, North Carolina
Bill Vierbuchen,
Vice Chair
- Executive Director, Camp Nejeda Foundation
- Stillwater, New Jersey
Jenna White, BS,
Board Secretary
- Executive Director, Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana
- Indianapolis, Indiana
Derek Rowley, MBA, Board Treasurer
- VP Operations, Form Health
- Mill Valley, California
Directors
Ilana Neftin
Ilana Neftin brings both personal experience and industry expertise to DECA’s mission of expanding community camps for people with diabetes. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13, Ilana felt the isolation that so often comes with a chronic diagnosis, until she found community through the JDRF chapter in Boston, where her boss at Fidelity Investments first connected her. That experience sparked a career shift: she left finance to pursue her MBA at Stanford, then spent the next decade-plus building a career in diabetes and metabolic health.
Ilana brings this blend of financial acumen, industry knowledge, and lived experience to her role as Treasurer, helping guide DECA’s growth so more people with diabetes can find the same sense of community that changed the course of her own life. She lives in San Diego with her husband, son, and dog.
Kelsie Augustin
“Kelsie J. Augustin is a Sr. Strategic Partnerships Manager at Amazon and a lifelong advocate for the diabetes community. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 4, her passion for advocacy started early—from taking a childhood road trip to Washington, D.C. with her mother and grandmother to meet their congressman about insulin affordability, to finding a transformative sense of community as a camper at Camp Ho Mita Koda.
Over her nine-year tenure at Amazon, starting on the warehouse floor and rising to lead global employer brand strategies, Kelsie has consistently driven systemic impact. Her track record includes designing accessibility frameworks scaled to 60,000+ employees, securing $3M in funding for global ERGs, and building recruitment marketing infrastructure across North America, Europe, and APAC.
Kelsie is honored to join the DECA Board, combining her personal T1D journey with her professional expertise in partnerships, scale, and communications to support the next generation of diabetes camps.”
Kimberly Woods
Kimberly Woods is a Medical Operations leader with 8 years of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical experience, driving strategic initiatives and cross-functional programs that advance Medical Affairs. She is passionate about operational excellence, building impactful partnerships, and using her voice and leadership to raise awareness, influence meaningful change, and create lasting impact for patients and communities.
Kyle Jacques Rose, MA
- Founder & Managing Director, Delta PM Diabetes
- Lawndale, California
Maggie Pfeiffer, BA
- Associate Director, Strategy and Operations, Eli Lilly
- Indianapolis, Indiana
Melissa Rearson,
MSN, CRNP
- Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Ryan McDonough, DO, FAAP
- Pediatric Endocrinologist & Co-Medical Director, Children’s Mercy – Kansas City, Diabetes Center
- Kansas City, Missouri
Sarah Balch
- Director, Corporate Brand and Digital Communications at Insmed
- Ramsey, NJ
Phyllis Kaplan
- Community Engagement Manager, JDRF
- Camp Nejeda Alumna
- Boston, Massachuetts
Staff
Lisa Gier
- Executive Director
- Boise, Idaho
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
At DECA, our mission is to help everyone find their place in the world of diabetes camps. Diabetes finds its way into all walks of life, and therefore, diabetes camps must strongly commit to welcome all into their services and programs. We are dedicated to staying true to our mission by ensuring our camps are seen as anyone’s camp.
DECA will continue to remain current with the knowledge needed to remain sensitive to the impact of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity. We value and understand the need to actively promote and enhance diversity, equity and inclusion among our campers, counselors, and staff.
This commitment will make our camps and the world a better, stronger place.
Corporate Information
Private Non-Profit Corporation
The Diabetes Education and Camping Association is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3, private non-profit, charitable corporation.
View our IRS Determination Letter of Charitable Status.
View our IRS Form 990.
Florida Registered Charity – A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling Toll-Free 1-800-HELP-FLA or online at www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State. Registration #: CH47189.
For more information, please contact us at info@diabetescamps.org.