DiabetesSisters Appoints Shelby Kinnaird, PODS Meetup Leader, to Board of Directors
DiabetesSisters is pleased to announce the addition of Shelby Kinnaird of Richmond, VA to the Board of Directors as the Part of DiabetesSisters (PODS) Meetup Liaison, an ex officio member. Ms. Kinnaird will join the Board of Directors on January 1, 2019.
RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- DiabetesSisters is pleased to announce the addition of Shelby Kinnaird of Richmond, VA to the Board of Directors as the Part of DiabetesSisters (PODS) Meetup Liaison, an ex officio member. Ms. Kinnaird will join the Board of Directors on January 1, 2019.
Since 2010, PODS Meetups offer monthly support to women living with any type of diabetes or prediabetes, providing a nonjudgmental place to discuss the successes and challenges of living with diabetes. Led by women living with diabetes, the groups offer true peer support focused on women and diabetes. The PODS Meetup Program reaches more than 1,300 women annually in person and online. Women age 18 and over, living with any type of diabetes or prediabetes, are invited to attend PODS Meetups.
Ms. Kinnaird has been involved with DiabetesSisters since late 2016, starting and leading two active PODS Meetups in West End and Chesterfield. Both PODS Meetups have members who live with type 1, type 2, or LADA. According to Shelby, "DiabetesSisters is the best peer support organization I have found. I am thrilled to be a PODS leader and honored beyond words to have the opportunity to represent the community to the Board of Directors."
Ms. Kinnaird's nomination was unanimously approved in November by current directors Deb Greenwood, Rita Kalyani, Diana Karczmarczyk (Past Chair), Frank Lavernia, Vicki Norris (Secretary), Donna Rice (Chair), and David "Dink" Warren (Treasurer). In the Liaison role Ms. Kinnaird has the opportunity to share her perspective, the perspectives of the fifty other PODS Leaders, and her own experience as a woman who has lived with type 2 diabetes for 19 years.
"We happily welcome Shelby to the Board of Directors," said Donna Rice, Board of Directors Chair. "The perspective of our PODS Meetup leaders allows our Board to further understand the needs of women living with diabetes so that we may better serve our members."
In addition to volunteering as a leader of two PODS Meetup peer support groups, Ms. Kinnaird has authored many guest blog posts for diabetessisters.org. Ms. Kinnaird is the voice behind the Diabetic Foodie blog (blog) that she created several years ago. She authored one book entitled The Pocket Carbohydrate Counter Guide for Diabetes, and is working on a second book to be published in 2019. She attended the 2017 and 2018 Calls to Congress sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, participates on the ADA's Virginia Advocacy and Community Outreach committees, and was a featured speaker at the 2018 American Association of Diabetes Educators Annual Meeting. Her previous careers include software engineering, project management, strategic planning, and web design.
"Shelby has made a major impact on DiabetesSisters in her leadership of two active PODS Meetups and in her guest blog posts at diabetessisters.org. Her passion for improving the lives of women living with diabetes is inspirational, and her perspectives will add to the expertise of our Board," says Anna Norton, DiabetesSisters CEO.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, DiabetesSisters is the only organization nationwide focusing exclusively on women living with diabetes. Our mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women living with and at risk of diabetes and to advocate on their behalf. DiabetesSisters has a 20,000+ member peer network that unites women with diabetes for the purpose of support, education and advocacy. Signature programs include monthly peer support meetings (PODS Meetups); the Minority Initiative Program; online blogs, forums, and expert resources; and conferences throughout the US. For more information, visit diabetessisters.org.
SOURCE DiabetesSisters
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