DECA 2025 International Diabetes Camping Conference Program – Diabetes Education & Camping Association
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DECA 2025 International Diabetes Camping Conference Program

Click here to view/download a PDF version of the conference schedule
Many sessions are being recorded - you will be told when recordings are available!

 

Speaker Bios

Sponsors

Have questions or need assistance during the conference?
Text us at 205-498-9560!

Sunday, Feb 16
6:00pm-8:00pm CST (GMT-6)

Networking Social

Networking Social at The Backyard Dallas
505 N Good Latimer Expy
Dallas, TX  75204

Jenna White, Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana, DECA

Come hang out at Backyard Dallas for fun, friendship, and good food! We will have a special area with appetizers and 2 beer/wine tickets per person. Other beverages and food are available for purchase. Also, have fun playing dozens of interactive games. Be there on time for a chance to win prizes!

Monday, Feb 17
7:15am-8:00am CST (GMT-6)

Check-In & Coffee

Monday, Feb 17
8:00am-8:10am CST (GMT-6)

Let's Hit the Ground Running: Essential Info Before the Fun Begins

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
8:15am-8:55am CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 1

Main Room
Character at Camp Initiative: Update and Q&A

Laurie Browne, American Camp Association

Laurie will share the latest information about the Character at Camp Initiative and answer questions from attendees.

Breakout Room
Protocol vs. Practice – Balancing Parent Expectations, Camp Operations, and Risk

Anna Albritton, Camp Kudzu & Stephen Dauchert, The Redwoods Group

Risk is present when protocol doesn’t match practice. How can we balance operations, parent expectations, and risk to lead successful, safe camp programs?
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
9:05am-9:45am CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 2

Main Room
Turning your Camp into a Year-Round Virtual Adventure

Jaren Smith, RN, BSN, Heroic Diabetes

In this session, Jaren will urge Diabetes camps to take the lead in Diabetes Education by helping families overcome common barriers to participation. As the founder of Heroic Diabetes, DECA’s first video game summer camp, Jaren will then express his vision to connect the virtual and real worlds by organizing his online camps based on DECA camps’ geographic locations. Doing so will connect your participants with each other year-round and allow families to earn rewards in the game for attending your events.
 
Preparation for this session:
Come ready to consider creative ways for improving your camp’s influence! This includes getting more kids to camp and improving camp experiences through combining the virtual and real worlds.

Breakout Room
Better Feedback, Better Camps: Designing Surveys That Help Your Camp Grow

Phyllisa Deroze, Director of Content Strategy, and Richard Wood, CEO and Co-founder, DQ&A

This session will help camp leaders learn best practices for designing impactful exit surveys. We’ll work together to brainstorm ideas for capturing meaningful camper feedback. We’ll also cover how to securely manage responses, including sensitive medical information, to support your camp’s growth and improvement.
 
Preparation for this session:
Attendees should have their exit survey easily accessible.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
9:45am-10:00am CST (GMT-6)

Break
(Optional In-Person Activity - Fun & Games with Game Based Gavin)

Monday, Feb 17
10:00am-10:40am CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 3

Main Room
Game Based Gavin: Adults Need You Too!

Gavin Griffiths, League of Diabetes

Can adults enjoy diabetes camps? Of course! Having set up the first camp for adults with Type 1 diabetes in the UK, Gavin Griffiths shares an insight on engaging the differing age groups that have ranged from 18 – 71, League of Diabetes’ adult focus on mental health empowerment at camp, and a “game based” approach of making the diabetes talk connect.
 
Preparation for this session:
This link shares further insight into what is being presented:

Breakout Room
Diabetes & Social Media: Navigating the Diabetes Online Community

Rob Howe, Diabetics Doing Things

Social Media has allowed millions of people with diabetes to connect with each other and this session will help you identify how social media platforms like youtube, instagram and TikTok can help you live well with diabetes. Explore the 3 C’s of the DOC – Creators, Content and Community with Rob Howe, global diabetes social media creator and marketing strategist with 15 years of social media marketing experience for global brands like American Airlines, Medtronic Diabetes, 7-Eleven and more. 
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
10:50am-11:50am CST (GMT-6)

General Session 1

Main Room
Fundraising Pitch – Reimagined for 2026

Marna S. Redding, American Camp Association; Theresa Parsons and Natasha Chitsazan, Insulet; Kyle Jacques Rose, DECA Board of Directors and IDF

When’s the last time you updated your elevator pitch for your organization? In this session we’ll explore a refresh on language and give you time to practice what you learn ~ and maybe prizes will be involved!
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
12:00pm-12:15pm CST (GMT-6)

DECA Strategic Plan Fireside with Lunch

Main Room

 

Lunch Break - this session will not be on Zoom

Monday, Feb 17
12:15pm-12:55pm CST (GMT-6)

Partner Speed Networking with Lunch

Main Room

 

Lunch Break - this session will not be on Zoom

Monday, Feb 17
1:05pm-1:45pm CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 4

Main Room
Best Practices for Family Camps

Marissa Town, BSN, RN, CDCES, Children with Diabetes

CWD has been hosting conferences for families living with type 1 diabetes for the last 25 years. Marissa shares some of CWD’s key learnings on programming for both children and adults with diabetes and their loved ones.

Breakout Room
Developing and Refining Education: Developmental and Therapeutic Considerations

Ashley Wunderlich, Camp Hertko Hollow

This session will explore the unique developmental and therapeutic considerations involved in providing education at camp from the perspective of a child life specialist. Attendees will gain insight into how to tailor educational approaches to meet the emotional, psychological, and developmental needs of children, while fostering a supportive and engaging environment. Practical strategies will be shared for creating inclusive, trauma-informed educational experiences that promote growth and well-being.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
2:00pm-3:00pm CST (GMT-6)

General Session 2

Main Room
The Key(s) to Health Camp Communities: Transition of Care

John Hamilton, Alliance for Camp Health

We all long to live in a healthy community. Sometimes knowing what we want, naming it, and bringing it to fruition are different things. We all must explore ways to guide parents and caregivers to address their own stress, find tools to support summer staff acting in loco parentis, and move beyond training to establish a community wide framework where trust is built and anxiety is reduced in the transition of care (ToC). This session will challenge us to discern how we can maximize the ToC to ensure safety, elevate care, and improve well-being in camp experiences.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

(Please note that while this session will be live on Zoom, it will not be recorded.)

Monday, Feb 17
3:00pm-3:15pm CST (GMT-6)

Break
(Optional In-Person Activity - Fun & Games with Game Based Gavin)

Monday, Feb 17
3:15pm-3:40pm CST (GMT-6)

DECApod Breakout Groups

Main Room

Anthony Myer, Camp Hamwi; Ashley Wunderlich, Camp Hertko Hollow

 

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
3:50pm-4:30pm CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 5

Main Room
Building the One-and-Only Strategic Partnership Transforming Diabetes Camps: Harnessing Your Value to Create Impact

Sarah Gleich, Nevada and California Diabetes Association / Views EMR

Discover why diabetes camps have the competitive edge in creating impactful community partnerships, and learn how to leverage that unique value to foster meaningful connections and collaborations. This session will explore how to identify and lean into the unique strengths of diabetes camps, showcasing their value while building strategic alliances that drive education, empowerment, and long-term impact.Learn how to connect the dots between the mission of diabetes camps and the broader community, creating a network where everyone feels linked to the transformative work being done in these programs.

Preparation for this session:
1. Identify Your Unique Value: Reflect on what sets your organization or program apart. What strengths, resources, or success stories make you a valuable partner?
2. Bring a List of Potential Partners: Think about organizations, businesses, or community groups that align with your mission and could benefit from collaboration.
3. Define Your Goals: Clarify what you want to achieve through strategic partnerships—whether it’s funding, resources, or broader community impact.

Breakout Room
Programming with Intention: Incredible, Year Round, Impact

Kyle Banks, Kyler Cares; Carla Cox, Weber State University_REACH

Overview of college based program that offers monthly hangouts for children/adolescents and families impacted by type 1 diabetes
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
4:40pm-5:20pm CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 6

Main Room
Expanding our Reach: How to Identify and Serve Underserved Communities in Diabetes Camps

Jennifer Stimpson, Commemorative Air Force Headquarters

This breakout session will explore strategies for diabetes camp leaders to better understand and reach underserved populations, both youth and adults, in their communities. Participants will learn how to identify gaps in service and assess their organization’s capacity for growth before implementing changes.  This session is adaptable to the unique needs of different camps and will offer actionable steps to extend camp opportunities to more individuals in need. This session will not be about type 1 diabetes specifically, but will explore gap analysis, and considerations for capacity building and program expansion so your camp may begin expansion in an intentional, meaningful and sustainable. 

Breakout Room
Creating Family Mental Well-being for Youth with T1D and their Families

Carla Cox and Eddie Hill, Weber State University_REACH

We are sharing preliminary findings of the burden of care among parents of youth with T1D. The research investigates the stressors and burden of parenting youth with T1D. Our goal is to use the evidence-based work to assist in programming.

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  811 4897 9411
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  862 6352 7859
PW: deca2025

Monday, Feb 17
5:30pm-6:00pm CST (GMT-6)

Camp Swap

Jenna White, Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana, DECA

Be sure to join us for the 4th Annual SWAG Swap! It is clear that the diabetes camp community gets passionate about wrapped surprises. You don’t want to miss out! This year, it is in the middle of the conference instead of at the end.

To participate:  bring a wrapped ‘gift’ to be swapped, stolen, and eventually unwrapped. Gifts can include anything with your organization’s logo on it. It can be a traditional/ official item: a t-shirt, hat, pen, etc. It can also be something you brand yourself. (Use a printed sticker or a sharpie.) Or feel free to come up with your own gift idea somewhere in between. Gifts can be funny (think Goodwill item with your logo slapped on it) or serious (travel mug that keeps your beverage at the perfect temperature for 92 hours.) 

Monday, Feb 17
7:00pm-8:30pm CST (GMT-6)

Networking Reception

Networking Reception at Bowlounge Dallas
167 Turtle Creek Blvd #103
Dallas, TX  75207

Anthony Myer, Camp Hamwi

We will be meeting at Bowlounge Dallas for a fun night of bowling, games and appetizers. Each attendee will also receive two drink tickets. Sponsored by our friends at Views EMR. Breakout groups – We’ll break out into groups based on our regional DECApods to have group discussions about all things camp!

Tuesday, Feb 18
8:00am-8:20am CST (GMT-6)

DECAPod Breakout Group Check-In & Coffee

Main Room

Anthony Myer, Camp Hamwi; Ashley Wunderlich, Camp Hertko Hollow

 

Tuesday, Feb 18
8:30am-9:10am CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 7

Main Room
Leadership and HR in Camps: Managing & Elevating Volunteers and Paid Staff

Rob Shaw, Camp Kudzu

How to strengthen teams, grow leadership (Staff and Volunteers) and manage expectations, improve performance and outcomes – and staying aligned to strategic goals!

Breakout Room
Inclusive Camp Cultures: Creating Meaningful Participation for Campers With Diverse Abilities

Lisa Drennan, MERGE Inclusion Consulting

Discover how to build inclusive camp cultures that foster meaningful participation for campers with diverse abilities. This session explores the principles of inclusion, 8 essential habits to create an inclusive environment, and strategies to cultivate authentic friendships among campers.
 
Preparation for this session:
Come with an open mind and an open heart. Optional: watch this video: https://youtu.be/GpzH7qQMXUo?si=PcpxH4EKhAPgMG2h
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID: 847 9459 6981
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
9:20am-10:00am CST (GMT-6)

Breakout Session 8

Main Room
Leaning Into Camp Pillars to Fundraise Beyond Diabetes

Ernie Fernandez, MD, Camp Sweeney

Using a clear message of strategy and outcomes to drive your philanthropic support. This session will explore a camp in North Texas developed their pillars and how they use them to share their mission.
 
Preparation for this session:
Review your camp’s objectives and what tool you use to enhance their growth.
 

Breakout Room
Supporting Campers With Diverse Abilities: Messaging, Intake Process and Working with Families Toward Successful Inclusion

Lisa Drennan, MERGE Inclusion Consulting

Join us as we dive into the key steps for fostering successful inclusion at camp. This session covers empowering messaging, an effective intake process with behavioral guidelines, and strategies for building strong communication and partnerships with families. No matter where you are on your inclusion journey, this session will equip you with practical tools to create a more inclusive camp experience.
 
Preparation for this session:
Come with an open mind and open heart. Optional: watch this video: https://youtu.be/GpzH7qQMXUo?si=uummCQqIpMub5nvZ
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID: 847 9459 6981
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
10:00am-10:15am CST (GMT-6)

Break
(Optional In-Person Activity - Fun & Games with Game Based Gavin)

Tuesday, Feb 18
10:15am-10:30am CST (GMT-6)

General Session 3

Main Room
Please Don’t Recreate the Wheel: ACA and ADA Resources for All Camps

Megan Castellano, American Diabetes Association;  Grechen Throop, American Camp Association

Explore ACA and ADA resources that will build confidence in you and your staff toward providing the best season ever for your campers, including professional education opportunities, staffing resources, and connection to your camp peers.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
10:30am-10:50am CST (GMT-6)

General Session 4

Main Room
NVF Presentation – Highlights from the 2022-2024 Cycle & Looking Ahead to 2025-2028

Katherine Bini and Caroline Martin, New Venture Fund

Preparation for this session:
For NVF grantees, please come with questions for NVF about the upcoming grant cycle and how best to maximize the effectiveness of your grant funds through the Resilia platform!
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
10:50am-11:10am CST (GMT-6)

General Session 5

Main Room
Resilia Overview

Sarah Victor, Resilia

This session will dive deeper into how Resilia can help with your fundraising and grant lifecycle efforts. Those were the most popular “needs” expressed by the T1D camps. We will review how you can build knowledge, learn from others, and achieve goals related to your fundraising efforts.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
11:10am-11:20am CST (GMT-6)

Break
(Optional In-Person Activity - Fun & Games with Game Based Gavin)

Tuesday, Feb 18
11:20am-12:30pm CST (GMT-6)

General Session 6 (with Lunch)

Main Room
Mind(re)set: Building Your Existing Capacity

Sarah Victor, Resilia

In this session, we will cover the 7 barriers to building capacity and tactics to address them. Additionally, each organization will be given a professional development worksheet so they can address the largest barrier that they are facing.
Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
12:30pm-12:45pm CST (GMT-6)

Thank Yous

Main Room

Thank Yous by:

Grechen Throop, American Camp Association
Lisa Gier, Diabetes Education & Camping Association
Deniz Dalton & Amy Pitts, Helmsley Charitable Trust
Sarah Noel, Lilly
Katherine Bini & Caroline Martin, New Venture Fund

 

Click here to join session on Zoom

Meeting ID:  861 7859 4879
PW: deca2025

Tuesday, Feb 18
12:45pm-1:15pm CST (GMT-6)

Table Discussions over Lunch

Main Room
Development, Medtech Protocols, Prof Dev/Resilia, Low-Income Outreach

 

Conference Sponsors

Diabetes Education & Camping Association

3597 E Monarch Sky Lane
Suite 240 #2909
Meridian, ID 83646

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