Manny believes no one should navigate diabetes alone.
Originally from Venezuela, he moved to the US in 2000 and was diagnosed with diabetes in 2002. Over the past 25+ years, what started as a career in consumer goods at Procter & Gamble became a mission to build communities where people with diabetes find belonging, purpose, and support.
Before The Link, Manny co-founded the Diabetes Hands Foundation, a pioneering voice in diabetes advocacy that touched millions. He helped scale Livongo through three acquisitions and an IPO, and led people-focused teams at Tidepool and Thrivable. Every role reinforced the same truth: when you invest in community, impact follows.
Manny serves on the board of Life for a Child and on the National Advocacy Committee at the American Diabetes Association. In 2019, he received the International Diabetes Federation's Award for Living with Diabetes.
Outside of work, Manny is a writer. He published two poetry books in Spanish, Laberinto: Poemas (2023) and A Un Respiro de La Orilla (2025), and is working on his first poetry book in English and his first novel.
Caitlin graduated from Simmons College (now University) with a degree in Public Relations, Marketing Communications and Graphic Design. She has spent a majority of her career in the non-profit sector working with mission-based organizations to tell their stories, advance their missions and dramatically expand their impact.
Caitlin enjoys dance parties with her daughters, walking outside in the spring and fall, decorating for Christmas very early, making lists of things she forgets to do and writing.
Diane holds a BFA in Arts Management and a BA in Dance from the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University. After a brief stint as a professional dancer, she spent almost two decades managing programs and large-scale events for one of the country's leading youth dance education organizations, with a 25+ city national tour. Her shift into the diabetes space was inspired by her daughter's diagnosis with type 1 at age 10. She was instantly struck by how much young adults (and their families) needed their own real-life support, and felt the similarities in her work with young dancers heading to college or starting their career.
As Director of Programs and Community, Diane leads The Link's community building efforts for young adults living with diabetes and their support networks.
When she's not working, she's probably at a Broadway show or the ballet, in a pilates class, or curled up with her mini schnauzer named Couscous.
Marianne is the Director of People and Business Operations at The Diabetes Link, where she leads HR, workforce development, and the internal systems that keep the organization running well.
Marianne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University and dual Master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in Public Administration and Criminology. That combination shapes how she approaches people operations: she’s as interested in the human dynamics as she is in getting the process right. Before joining The Diabetes Link, Marianne built experience across administration, training, and data management, with a steady focus on building teams and improving how organizations function from the inside out.
Outside of work, Marianne enjoys delicious food, time with friends, and watching a lot of reality TV with her chihuahua, Squirrel.
Kat graduated from The Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Writing. After a decade in consulting, Kat joined The Link to connect her professional experience with the deeply personal experience of living with type 1 diabetes. Diagnosed at 18, she brings a certain “woulda been cool to have all these amazing resources” vibe to the function.
Kat enjoys snuggling with her needy Australian Shepherd (a full time job, she’s so busy!), taking a good walk break, and making her own pasta sauces with a lemon Spindrift in hand.
Abby graduated with a BS degree in Public Health from Ohio State University and an MS in Nonprofit Leadership from University of Pennsylvania. Diagnosed with LADA at 26, she draws on both her training and lived experience to build community, resources, and support systems for people with diabetes, especially young adults. Outside of The Link, Abby enjoys spending quality time outdoors, trying new coffee shops, and reading a new book alongside her dog, Orla.
Valeria studied Social Work at San Diego State University and has spent her career in the nonprofit world ever since. She joined the Peace Corps after college and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 23 while serving in Costa Rica. Being diagnosed as a young adult is a big part of what drives her work at The Diabetes Link and her commitment to the young adult community. She took time to travel on her own and figure out what her relationship with diabetes was actually going to look like, and that's when she found her real calling. She went back to school, became a certified integrative health coach and began working with women living with type 1 diabetes. Valeria believes community is one of the most powerful parts of living with diabetes. You don't have to do it alone. Outside of work, she's usually laughing with her husband, playing games with her dog, tending to her plants or finding her next spot in nature.
Lissie graduated from Penn State with a degree in Energy Engineering, but after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 19, she felt a new calling. She fell in love with the diabetes community after starting The Link chapter at PSU and found herself working in the space professionally. Over the years she has built her own diabetes health coaching company, worked as the Director of Marketing at Skin Grip and Digital Marketing Strategist at Tandem Diabetes Care. Now, years later she has found herself back with The Link as a full-time employee. When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her hanging out with her husband and daughter, hiking, or hunting down a new local coffee shop.
Andrea graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
She has worked in the diabetes industry for the past 6 years and passionate about supporting the chronic illness community. Prior to joining the Link, she has a background in corporate recruiting and social media marketing
She is a Massachusetts Native and can be found cooking, hiking, and going on side quests.
Mary Jane earned her BA in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and her MS in Health & Wellness Management from Merrimack College. At The Link, Mary Jane has the opportunity to combine her passion for community health education with her lived experience with diabetes. After being diagnosed with T1D at age 21, she found her place in the diabetes community and felt called to advocate for other people just like her.
Mary Jane enjoys creating art, attending (too many) concerts, and hanging out at her local coffee shop with an iced chai in hand.
Peyton Skoczylas graduated from Fordham University in NYC with a BA in English and Japanese Studies. She is passionate about storytelling and building community and has been involved in disability advocacy for as long as she can remember. She helped found Fordham’s CDN chapter and is so excited to continue helping other T1Ds find a sense of community!
Toni graduated from Niagara University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. She also has a Master's degree from Long Island University in Public Administration. She has spent the majority of her career in the non-profit sector in varied roles and brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of fundraising, finance, operations and Board management.
Toni enjoys reading, roller skating and spending time with her daughter and their menagerie of animal friends.
Anais Ortiz is a PhD student in Public Health at UC Irvine, with a focus on population health and disease prevention. She is originally from Chicago, but has spent most of her life in Southern California. She has been living with type 1 diabetes for 13 years, and each year has brought new knowledge about herself, living with this condition, and developing deeper resilience. Her work centers on designing and implementing research that addresses the structural and social drivers of health inequities, with a focus on the social determinants of health, chronic disease management, and equitable access to care. She is passionate about connecting individuals with resources and making the healthy choice the easy choice. After completing her doctoral degree, she hopes to design sustainable and equitable clinical research projects and programs that benefit those in need. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, traveling, and spending time outdoors with her service dog, Brooke.
