Lori Reiner Rovins

Gala Chair

Since their daughter, Sami, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) just after her fourth birthday, Lori, and her husband, Jay, have been fighting tirelessly for the cure. Over the past 30 years, Lori has been a dedicated volunteer within our community, taking on various leadership roles, including as South Jersey Chapter President, VP Government Relations, SJ Walk Chair, SJ Gala Chair,  and now serving as this year’s Greater Delaware Valley Gala Chair.

Her unwavering mission aligns perfectly with Breakthrough T1D’s: to find cures for T1D and improve the lives of those battling this disease! She is incredibly thankful for the tremendous improvements in care and treatment of T1D which she has seen directly resulting from the overwhelming generosity of our supporters!

Lori and Jay live in southern New Jersey, where, together with their son, Max, they run a small family business. Thanks to groundbreaking advancements in T1D management, Sami is doing great! She manages her T1D with resilience and optimism while holding out hope for the eventual cure!

Karen Rogers

Emcee

Karen Rogers is the meteorologist for Action News Mornings and Action News at 10 A.M. Karen earned her seal of approval from the American Meteorological Society. She holds a certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University following three years of studies in atmospheric sciences and geosciences.

Karen also holds degrees in Communication and Sociology from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where she was valedictorian of her communication class and the class speaker for commencement. Karen is listed in “Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities”. After graduating with honors, Karen traveled to the United Kingdom as a Rotary International Scholar where she pursued her graduate studies in Broadcast Journalism. After graduation, Karen briefly worked at WHSP-TV in Vineland, NJ where she anchored daily news cut-ins, interviewed political leaders for her monthly show, Congressional Report, and hosted weekly talk shows.

Karen was born and raised in New Jersey along with her nine brothers and sisters. She says she grew up watching Action News and never imagined she would one day be a member of the Action News Team. She joined the station in 1996 as a reporter and producer for the show AM/Philadelphia. Karen quickly joined the AccuWeather team and found her true passion in weather forecasting.

Along with her role in news, Karen was a longtime host of FYI Philly, and is part of 6abc specials including The Auto Experience, the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Philadelphia Flower Show Special. In addition to her work at 6abc, Karen is active in supporting young people. She says one of her most rewarding experiences was working with the Child Assault Prevention Program teaching elementary school students empowerment skills for reporting and preventing abuse. Karen says she drives to work every morning feeling blessed to work.

Shelby Stokes

Auctioneer

Shelby Stokes has a rich history as a multi-generational auctioneer. His grandfather and father are both well-established auctioneers both with successful auction companies.  Shelby began his journey at a young age attending and volunteering with a variety of auctions. In the summer of 2002, he attended the Western College of Auctioneering to officially attain the title as Auctioneer.

With a personality that exudes positivity, Shelby is able to connect with guests and create a charitable environment that is filled with humor. For Shelby, each event is a brand new opportunity to bring people together to support their cause. He believes that it’s important to treat each event as if it is the first and only opportunity to raise funds and so he strives to put on the best show guests have seen at an auction.

Shelby doesn’t only share his mastery of the stage with organizations, he also shares his expertise with the future generations of auctioneers at Western College of Auctioneering.

When he is not celebrating with organizations or teaching the next generation of auctioneers, Shelby is celebrating life with his wife Kayla and their two daughters. He greatly enjoys being able to teach his girls about life and the world around them.