DECA 2024 Diabetes Camp & Retreat Medical Conference – Speaker Bios

Click on a Presenter’s name to be taken to their bio on this page:

Ryan McDonough, DO – Medical Conference Chair
Tiffany Addington, MD, FAAP
Natalie Bellini, DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, ADCES
Carla Cox, PhD, RDN, FADCES , CPT
Stephen Dauchert
Heather Feingold, MSW, LSCSW, LCSW
Tracey Gaslin, PhD, CPNP, FNP-BC , CRNI, RN-BC
Nate Gibson
Sarah Gleich
Rayhan Lal, MD
Steve Russell, MD, PhD
Jenna White

Ryan McDonough, DO – Medical Conference Chair

Dr. Ryan McDonough received his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, from Creighton University in 2006. He then attended Des Moines University, where he received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. Following completion of medical school, he completed a General Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes Fellowship at Children’s Mercy – Kansas City. He joined the faculty in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at Children’s Mercy in 2016. He also serves as the Senior Medical Director & Chief Medical Informatics Officer – Health Informatics.

Dr. McDonough has appointments as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri Kansas City, and as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center. In addition to his academic roles, he serve at the Co-Medical Director of the Children’s Mercy Diabetes Center, which provides care to over 2700 children with all forms of diabetes. He is triple board certified in General Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology/Diabetes, and Clinical Informatics.

Tiffany Addington, MD, FAAP

Dr. Addington completed her medical education at University of Kansas School of Medicine and pediatric residency at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City (CM). She is currently a pediatric urgent care physician with Children’s Mercy Kansas City. She is the Medical Director for Children’s Mercy Kansas City’s East Urgent Care and the Director for Professional Development and Engagement for the Division of Urgent Care. In the professional development role, Dr. Addington is actively involved in mentoring pediatric urgent care providers through academic promotion. She is also working in the area of provider wellness to develop real-time data monitoring as well as incorporate individual-initiated methods to support wellness during the clinical workday.

Natalie Bellini, CNP, FNP, ADCES

Natalie Bellini, DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and Endocrine Nurse Practitioner at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio where she is the Program Director of Diabetes Technology following approximately fifty-five thousand people with diabetes. Dr. Bellini earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Drexel University and Family Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice from D’Youville University. Dr. Bellini holds board certifications as a family nurse practitioner and in advanced diabetes management. She has published studies on topics including the use of GLP-1 agonists in patients with Type 1 diabetes as well as the use of technology in diabetes management. She has been a speaker nationally and internationally regarding diabetes management and the impact of technology on diabetes care and outcomes.

Natalie co-hosts podcast Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real Word Perspectives with colleague Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, BC-ADM, CDCES, through HCPLive at https://www.hcplive.com/clinical/endocrinology.

Carla Cox, PhD, RDN, CDCES, CPT

Carla is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. She has worked for over 40 years in the field of diabetes, with special emphasis in type 1 diabetes, children and adolescents and the use of insulin pumps and sensors. She also provides medical nutrition therapy and diabetes education to children, teens and families. She has been a member of both the research and practice committees of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and is a yearly volunteer supporting children with diabetes at multiple ADA summer youth camps and Riding on Insulin winter ski and summer surf camps and REACH camps based at Weber State in Utah. Carla has written multiple articles on diabetes technology and provided talks to local, state and national organization and has authored tip sheets for all pumps and sensors for ADA camp medical personal. She recently was the lead author on the Pediatric Diabetes practice paper for ADCES: The Role of the Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in Pediatric Diabetes Regardless of Etiology. Her favorite volunteer work is coaching diabetes management for children and teens with type 1 diabetes while adventuring in the great outdoors. She presently works at Mountain Vista Medicine/Pediatric Endocrinology in Utah.

Stephen Dauchert

Stephen Dauchert is the Chief Marketing Officer at The Redwoods Group. Stephen earned his Master’s in Business Administration from Duke University and his Bachelor’s in Spanish from University of Georgia. He has over fourteen years experience in marketing from his time with The Redwoods Group. Stephen is on the board of Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, and acting as the Chairman of the Philanthropy Committee. He is also a Campaign Volunteer for the YMCA of the Triangle, a Staff Parish Chairman at St. Marks United Methodist Church, and is a Certified Trainer for Darkness to Light. He lives in Raleigh with his wife, Leigh, and three children, Sibyl, and identical twins Margaret and Elizabeth.

Heather Feingold, LCSW, LMSW

Heather Feingold, MSW, LSCSW, LCSW, is a seasoned clinical social worker with a deep commitment to enhancing the lives of children and adolescents grappling with medical challenges. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Holyoke College.

With over a decade of experience in the Section of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics in Kansas City, Missouri, Heather contributes to the hospital by conducting psychosocial assessments and mental health assessments, as well as providing clinical interventions for patients and families affected by diabetes and other endocrine disorders.

Heather serves the hospital as a social work team leader and previously as an interim social work manager. She is dedicated to staff development, education and quality improvement earning her recognition as Mentor of the Year and Student Educator of the Year within the hospital’s Department of Social Work.

For the past thirteen years, Heather has been a member of the American Diabetes Association Camp Planet D, serving as the camp’s social worker. She has been involved in planning, training and providing mental health support to both campers and staff.

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Heather is actively involved in research and education, contributing to publications and presentations focused on enhancing healthcare processes for pediatric diabetes patients. She also serves as a social work clinical supervisor and coordinator for social work students, imparting her knowledge and skills to the next generation of medical social workers.

Tracey Gaslin, PhD, CPNP, FNP-BC, CRNI, RN-BC

Dr. Gaslin completed her PhD in Educational and Organizational Leadership and taught for 10 years specializing in pediatric development, service leadership, and research on gratitude. Dr. Gaslin publishes the majority of her work in the areas of pediatrics, camp nursing, behavioral health, and service leadership and has co-authored several texts. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Alliance for Camp Health where she travels and trains individuals regarding health services and well-being of youth and young adults. She continues to be an active speaker, writer, and publisher representing the Leading Voice in Camp Health to promote hope and healing in youth serving programs across the US and Canada.

Nate Gibson

Nate is the Programs Director of the Nevada and California Diabetes Association and Director of ViewsEMR software system (formally CampViews). Nate has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 26 years and attending diabetes camps for the same amount of time in both Nevada & California. Nate has been authored on studies and publications in the Journal of Diabetes Sciences and Technology, International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes, American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics. Nate has been to diabetes camps all over the world including 26 different camps ran by 22 different organizations globally. Nate is a father of two children Emma & Tommy, from the Northern California area, now living in Reno, Nevada and spends his free time playing, watching or coaching sports.

Sarah Gleich

Sarah is the Chief Executive Director of the Nevada and California Diabetes Association and Founder of CampViews (Views EMR) software system. Sarah has been livng with type 1 diabetes for 36 years and attending diabetes camps for 35. She has been a DECA member since 2010. Advances degrees include: the University of Nevada with a BA in Communications, a BS in Business Administration and Economics and Advance Degree Certification in Nonprofit Executive Management. Sarah has been first author on studies and publications in the Journal of Diabetes Sciences and Technology, International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes, American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, USA Today, HealthCare Finance News, Reno Gazette Journal, Las Vegas Sun. Sarah’s board memberships and presentations include Nevada Pediatrics in Endocrinology, Delta Gamma, Influential Women of the Sierra Nevadas, Ghanaian Ministry of Health. Sarah is a mom of two children Jack and Kennedy, lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and loves to travel.

Rayhan Lal, MD

Dr. Rayhan Lal has lived with type 1 diabetes for several decades and studied electrical engineering and computer science at U.C. Berkeley. During his work in engineering his two younger sisters developed T1D and he decided to become an adult and pediatric endocrinologist. As an engineer and physician-scientist with diabetes, his primary research interest is the design, development and testing of new diabetes technology. Rayhan collaborates with members of the Stanford Diabetes Research Center, industry, and open-source diabetes community to bypass the biological, technological, and human factor limitations of existing devices.

Steve Russell, MD, PhD

Dr. Russell is an endocrinologist and diabetologist with 20 years of experience managing diabetes. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Beta Bionics, Inc., a clinical stage medical technology company focused on the design, development, and commercialization of its iLet bionic pancreas. Beta Bionics is a for-profit public benefit corporation and Certified B Corporation. Dr. Russell is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (part time) and an attending physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Diabetes Associates in Boston where he maintains a clinical practice managing diabetes in the outpatient and inpatient settings on a part-time basis.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Trinity University in San Antonio, and both a PhD in Biological Chemistry and an MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at the MGH, and a postdoctoral fellowship studying insulin and aging at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

Dr. Russell’s research at the MGH was focused on the application of new technologies to improve the care of people with diabetes, including the collaboration with Dr. Ed Damiano’s research group at Boston University to develop and test a wearable bionic pancreas for automated blood glucose control in diabetes. This work led to the founding of Beta Bionics in 2015. Dr. Russell has directed nearly all the bionic pancreas clinical trials, including 20 studies in type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and cystic fibrosis related diabetes. He was the Clinical Director for the Insulin-Only Bionic Pancreas Pivotal Trial, the results of which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in September, 2022. He joined Beta Bionics in November, 2022.

His other projects have included evaluation of continuous glucose monitoring technology, methods for automated management of glucose in hospitalized patients, investigations of methods to improve insulin pharmacokinetics, and investigations of stable formulations of glucagon. Dr. Russell’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Banting Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Jenna White

Jenna White is the Executive Director of the Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana. She has been in her current role for the past 13 years. She started as a counselor after being diagnosed with Type 1 at age 17. She graduated with a degree in Business Management from Krannert at Purdue University. She also has a daughter with Type 1 diabetes, who now attends DYFI Camp. Jenna also serves on the Board of Directors for DECA. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school with the PTO and Youth Cheerleading Program. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for Diabetes Camp Collaborative and Lindsay’s Cheer Foundation. Jenna enjoys spending time with her family and empowering youth.

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