Editor’s Note: The bulk of eFYI’s articles are devoted to highlighting key news and resources to keep you informed of the educational, social, political and practice trends that impact diabetes education.
eFYI is pleased to take a moment to present a good-natured look at the lives of AADE Board members who are making significant contributions to the organization and specialty.
In this issue of eFYI, we present to you 2017 Board members Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN; Nathan Painter, PharmD, CDE; and Sara (Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM.
We look forward to profiling the entire Board over the course of 2017.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN has been a member of AADE for 23 years and has worked in diabetes education for 29 years.
As president and owner of CBR Nutrition Enterprises, I operate a multi-pronged company that focuses on providing complete medical nutrition therapy to patients. I also provide training and education for laypeople and healthcare professionals, as well as consultation services to industry, physicians, fitness centers, churches and other corporate and community organizations. Additionally, I am an author and freelance writer.
I wanted to become an AADE Board Member because: Volunteering, networking and helping others is one of the greatest ways to foster personal growth and development. As a member of the Board of Directors, I have the opportunity to advocate for continued policies, research and evaluation to ensure our members are recognized as key players in the diabetes arena.
The best thing about being a diabetes educator is: The ability to improve people’s lives. Through the spoken and written word, I help people take diabetes seriously without fear or mythology. I love to answer their questions, clear up their confusion, ease their fears and most of all, help them create action plans for living well with diabetes.
The best dish I cook is: According to my family, the best dish I make is potato salad. Whether it's a summer cookout or holiday dinner, the family insists I make potato salad.
My all-time favorite movie is: Without a doubt, The Ten Commandments is my all-time favorite movie! I grew up watching The Ten Commandments every Easter. As a child, I was fascinated by all the special effects – particularly the parting of the red sea.
An interesting fact about me: I've been singing the National Anthem at state and national conferences yearly since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. To this day, I'm a nervous wreck and can't eat before I sing.
Nathan Painter, PharmD, CDE has been an AADE member for 10 years and has worked in diabetes education for 13 years.
I am an Associate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. I am a CDE and manage a pharmacist-run clinic at the UCSD Family Medicine Clinics where I collaboratively manage patients with a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, anticoagulation therapy, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
In addition to my service at AADE, I am actively involved, both locally and nationally, with the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and the American Pharmacists Association. I serve as co-coordinator for a pharmacy practice course, which introduces early principles of pharmacy and focuses on over-the-counter medications and products. During this course, students receive certification in immunization delivery and smoking cessation.
My other interests include Medicare Part D; measuring the impact of pharmacist interventions in diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, collaborative care; a safe medication usage in patient populations, as well as prescription drug abuse prevention and outreach.
I wanted to become an AADE Board Member because: I wanted to make a difference for people with diabetes on a more broad scale than my daily work.
The best thing about being a diabetes educator is: Being trusted to be part of the healthcare team to help people with diabetes.
My all-time favorite movie is: The Goonies - the truffle shuffle! Or… Shawshank Redemption – the ultimate good prevails story! Or… Star Wars - because it's awesome!
The best dish I cook is: I make this Italian sausage stuffing for Thanksgiving that I dream about during the year.
Sara (Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM has been an AADE member and worked in diabetes education for 12 years.
I am the Vice Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice at the Georgia Campus PCOM School of Pharmacy. My practice site is at The Longstreet Clinic and Hall County Health Department in Gainesville, Georgia. I work via collaborative practice agreement with OB doctors to manage pregestational and gestational diabetes patients, as well as with patients on insulin pump therapy. Additionally, I provide general diabetes education services and management of diabetes drug therapy.
I wanted to become an AADE Board Member because: I desired to give back to my profession of diabetes education and to be a voice for my fellow educators.
The best thing about being a diabetes educator is: Working alongside patients to empower and assist them in managing their diabetes and in reaching their diabetes related goals.
A great book I would recommend is: The Boys in the Boat, as it is very inspiring story of the University of Washington men's rowing team's quest for gold in 1936 Berlin Olympics.
The best dish I cook is: Chocolate chocolate chip cake because I LOVE chocolate!
I seriously collect: Tea pots (love, love drinking hot tea)