Matthew Cohn of Philadelphia will head the non-profit’s volunteer-led Global Mission Board which focuses on special initiatives in type 1 diabetes research, fundraising, community engagement, and advocacy
NEW YORK, July 10, 2024— Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, today announced the appointment of Matthew Cohn as the new chair of the non-profit’s Global Mission Board. Breakthrough T1D’s Global Mission Board is a volunteer-led group, appointed by the organization’s board of directors, that focuses on special initiatives in type 1 diabetes research, fundraising, community engagement and advocacy. Matthew is the father of two daughters, Sydney and Mackenzie Skylar, who live with T1D, and has been a Breakthrough T1D volunteer since 2007. He is vice chairman of the ASI family of companies, the leading media, information and technology company serving the promotional products industry.
“Breakthrough T1D is fueled by thousands of engaged and passionate volunteers. Our Global Mission Board harnesses the talents of some of our most prolific volunteers and is an essential part of our organization,” said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Breakthrough T1D. “We are thrilled that Matthew is taking on the role of chair of Breakthrough T1D’s Global Mission Board. I look forward to his partnership as we move closer to a world without type 1 diabetes.”
In addition to his work with the Global Mission Board, Matthew is a past member of Breakthrough T1D’s International Board of Directors and has served as president of Breakthrough T1D’s Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter.
“I have been a Breakthrough T1D volunteer for nearly 20 years and have seen amazing progress driven by the volunteers and staff of the organization. I am honored to have been chosen to continue the great work of outgoing chair, Jennifer Bennett and step into the role of chair of the Global Mission Board,” said Matthew Cohn. “Working in partnership with my fellow board members, I look forward to leveraging our volunteerism as we support Breakthrough T1D’s incredible mission of accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications.”
Matthew, who is married to his childhood sweetheart Lea, is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania and brings a depth of successfully business and volunteer leadership experience to Breakthrough T1D. He was named one of the “Top 100 People to Watch” by Business Philadelphia magazine, as well as one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the trade-show industry by Tradeshow Week. He has founded and helped lead organizations in diverse industries, including technology, media, events, medical information, fintech, and banking, and led the ASI Show to be twice named to the INC 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in North America. Matthew is a Director of The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK), a technology bank / Fintech, which in 2020, ranked number 28 on Fortune’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies – the list ranking the world’s top performing, publicly traded companies. At Bancorp he serves on the Audit, Compensation, & NomGov committees and is chair of the ESG committee.
In addition to his non-profit board experience with Breakthrough T1D, Matthew has been on the boards of multiple other leading non-profit organizations, including: the international board of YPO, the Young President’s Organization as International Event Chair and winner of YPO’s 2018 Best of the Best Award; the Society of Independent Show Organizers; and as president of the Philadelphia chapter of YEO, the Young Entrepreneurs Organization.
Like tens of thousands of other Breakthrough T1D volunteers, Matthew is passionately committed to helping to create a world without T1D.
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About Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF)
As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition.
About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D.
