Ali Dianaty leads Product Innovation for the Diabetes business at Medtronic with end-to-end responsibility for all elements of diabetes technology innovation — from design to generating clinical outcomes through commercial approval. Ali joined the Diabetes business in 2016 to lead the R&D organization. In this role, he was responsible for leading R&D efforts and establishing our technology roadmap in support of our long-term product portfolio strategy. Prior to Medtronic, Ali served in roles of increasing responsibility at St. Jude Medical and the Boeing Company. Ali earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Northridge and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

 

 

 

Michelle Litchman, Nurse Practitioner, Researcher, and Assistant Professor, University of Utah

Michelle Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FADCES, FAANP is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, and Nurse Practitioner at the Utah Diabetes and Endocrinology Center. She serves as the Medical Director of the Intensive Diabetes Education and Support Program at the University of Utah, a multidisciplinary diabetes self-management education and support program that integrates shared medical visits. Her NIH and foundation-funded research is focused on: 1) adapting and testing diabetes self-management interventions for underserved and underrepresented populations (e.g., Deaf, Spanish-speaking, rural), 2) examining the social context of diabetes self-management in family (romantic partners, parents) and online environments, and 3) the impact of technology-augmented clinical interventions (Diabetes Online Communities, continuous glucose monitoring) on diabetes outcomes. Her research has been highlighted across national media outlets, including NPR Science Friday, CNN, and The Doctors. Dr. Litchman has worked closely with legislators and national professional organizations, where her research has influenced policies and practice. Dr. Litchman received her research doctorate and master’s degree from the University of Utah and undergraduate degree from Weber State University. Dr. Litchman is a Jonas Scholar, American Psychological Association LEAP Fellow, and Betty Irene Moore Nurse Leader and Innovation Fellow. She has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and American Academy of Nursing.

 

Rachel Sánchez-Madhur is the executive vice president of product, programs, and engineering at One Drop, a precision health company disrupting the traditional healthcare system. Powered by continuous health sensing, One Drop combines real-time data, artificial intelligence, and on-demand telehealth to empower people to take proactive action for better health outcomes. Before One Drop, Sánchez-Madhur led a successful career in intellectual property law and patent litigation. In 2015, she joined One Drop as employee number five. Today, Sánchez-Madhur oversees product strategy, road-mapping, and execution, drawing on her own experience living with type 1 diabetes to build person-centered, data-driven solutions that she believes will transform the future of health. Rachel holds a JD from Harvard Law School and is a founding member of the Women@Austin Angel Network.

 

 

 

Marc Taub, Ph.D., is divisional vice president of Technical Operations for Abbott's diabetes business, based in Alameda, California. Since joining Abbott in 2004, Dr. Taub has been one of the driving forces behind the development of the FreeStyle Libre system, a sensor-based glucose monitoring solution that’s transforming glucose monitoring for people living with diabetes. Throughout the product’s development, Dr. Taub led a diverse team of engineers and scientists across two global research and development sites, and was responsible for all aspects of the product design. Dr. Taub holds a number of patents for devices and systems for diabetes monitoring. He is a published researcher whose work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed publications, including the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. In recognition of his contributions, Abbott inducted Dr. Taub into the Volwiler Society, a group of the most distinguished scientists in the company. Dr. Taub holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University and master's and doctorate degrees from Stanford University.

Julie Heverly has devoted that last decade of her career to the diabetes ecosystem in progressive leadership roles at the American Diabetes Association and currently with the diaTribe Foundation. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after her junior year at Washington & Jefferson College. After graduation, she provided public affairs and PR counsel to clients like the Eisenhower Presidential Museum, The National Center for Victims of Crime, and Americans for Alaska.  She eventually earned a position at Burson Marsteller, where she consulted a Fortune 500 company on government and community affairs. Compelled by her own experiences navigating a non-traditional diagnosis and journey with type 1 diabetes, Julie has become a patient advocate and champion, adding her voice to local and national social media campaigns and providing patient perspective with the hope of improving the lives of others also living with diabetes.