Sarah Auletta

Student at Giesel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College; Living with T1D since 2017

Session: Taking T1D Away from Home

Sarah is a 2024 graduate of Simmons University where she earned a B.S. in public health and a B.A. in Spanish. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in public health at the Giesel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Outside of academics, Sarah is the Program Coordinator for the Pediatric Transplant Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and is committed to expanding access to quality healthcare. In her spare time, she enjoys being active and exploring new (to her) areas of Boston where she is grateful to be close to her large support network.  

Brian Colton

Teacher, Providence, RI; Co-Chair, Community Engagement Committee, Breakthrough T1D Greater New England Chapter; Father of son living with T1D since 2013

Session: Taking T1D Away from Home

Brian is a 4th grade teacher in Providence, RI. He resides in Lincoln, RI with his wife Melissa, son Jackson (who lives with T1D) and son Aidan. Brian has over 11 years of experience with T1D both from the perspective of a father and a teacher. Brian has worn a number of hats for the Breakthrough T1D Greater New England Chapter but currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Community Engagement Committee and is the Rhode Island Advocacy Team Chair.   

Jackson Colton

Student, Lincoln High School; Living with T1D since 2013

Session: Taking T1D Away from Home

Jackson is a senior at Lincoln High School (Lincoln, RI) and has lived with T1D for over 11 years. Jackson was a Children's Congress Representative in 2019 and is a current member of the National Honor Society. Jackson has two State Championship rings (volleyball and basketball) and is currently deep in the recruiting process to play NCAA men's volleyball.  

Lauren Conners

School Nurse, Belmont Day School; Living with T1D for over 30 years

Session: Taking T1D Away from Home

Lauren is an elementary and middle school nurse at Belmont Day School. Previously she worked as an elementary school nurse in Medford Public Schools and Arlington Public Schools. There she served as the Diabetes Care Coordinator where she worked in collaboration with nurses, T1D students and their caregivers. Lauren assists in developing care plans for students with diabetes as well as monitoring adherence, effectiveness and progress of plans.  

In 2017, Lauren implemented a system where each student with T1D wearing a Dexcom CGM could be monitored via iPad from their school’s Health Office. Living with T1D for over 30 years allows her to share first-hand knowledge about all things related to T1D. In addition to a BSN, Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. 

Ali Fox

Executive Director, Camp Surefire; Community Board Member, Breakthrough T1D Greater New England Chapter

Session: Taking T1D Away from Home

Ali is the Executive Director (aka "Camp Mom") of Camp Surefire, the only camp in Rhode Island for children with type 1 diabetes. In her role, Ali works closely with campers, families, volunteers and staff to ensure a safe and fun overnight camp experience. In addition to her camp work, Ali also works as a learning and development consultant for a small firm in Boston. Ali lives in Bristol, RI with her husband, Gregory Fox, M.D. (a Rhode Island based pediatric endocrinologist and the medical director of Camp Surefire). Ali and Greg have two children (Joe and Anna) as well as hundreds of camp kids. Ali is delighted to continue her support of T1D families as part of the Breakthrough T1D Community Board. 

Amanda Gilchrist

Clinical Trial Education Volunteer, Breakthrough T1D Greater New England Chapter; Living with T1D since 2021; Mom of a daughter living with T1D since 2020

Session: Clinical Trials and Early Detection: Unlocking the Future of T1D

Amanda first became involved with Breakthrough T1D in 2020 when her then 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Following her daughter’s diagnosis, Amanda and her family were grateful for the community, education and resources they received from Breakthrough T1D. This support became even more important when Amanda was diagnosed with T1D the following year. 

After learning that many clinical trials are slowed down due to low participation rates, Amanda’s family became involved in this important step to move research forward. As one of Breakthrough T1D’s Clinical Trial Education Volunteers, Amanda is excited to share the importance of clinical trials in T1D research and to encourage others to learn about the many clinical trial options available to them, both locally and virtually. Now with two T1Ds in the family, the Gilchrist's have a lot of clinical trial experience to share! 

Carrie Sadd Khouri

Associate Director, Clinical Operations Associate Director, Clinical Operations Concentric Analgesics, Inc.; Living with T1D since age 4

Session: Aging with T1D

Carrie brings 30 years of experience in conducting and managing clinical drug and device trials for both large and small biopharmaceutical companies and clinical research sites. Clinical trials are the cornerstone for bringing technological advancements and new medications to populations in need.  

A type 1 diabetes diagnosis at the age of four propelled Carrie into this field and led her to be an early adopter of cutting-edge diabetes med-tech. Her family has been involved with Breakthrough T1D as fundraisers and volunteers since the late 1970s, and Carrie continues that commitment today with her role as Clinical Trial Education Volunteer and mentor to newly diagnosed individuals and their families. Outside of clinical research, Carrie loves gardening, agriculture, learning about winemaking and spending time with her husband and son. 

Alyssa Mankus

Student, Northeastern University; Living with T1D for 19 years

Session: Aging with T1D

Alyssa is a junior at Northeastern University (NU), majoring in English and Philosophy. She has lived with type 1 diabetes for 19 years. As a child she went to diabetes summer camp for eight years and now volunteers with Breakthrough T1D as an Outreach Ambassador. In her free time, she likes to paint, listen to music and support the NU community by serving on the executive board of Pride. She looks forward to sharing her experiences with T1D through the many stages of her life at this year’s Summit. 

Chrystina Soloperto, Ph.D, RN, CPNP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; Nurse Educator, UMass Chan Medical School; Living with T1D for 27 years

Session: Diabetes Preparedness: Ready for Anything

Chrystina has been a nurse since 2009 after graduating from Becker College with an A.S. in nursing. She went on to earn an MSN from Regis College in 2015 in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner track and a Ph.D. from Endicott College in nursing in 2021. Chrystina is a member of NAPANP, Pediatric Endocrine Society and Eastern Nurse Research Society.  

She has practiced exclusively in the pediatric setting including both inpatient and outpatient pediatric specialties. Her clinical and research interests surround patients with type 1 diabetes using novel technology. She practices in pediatric primary care, pediatric endocrinology and in the pediatric emergency department which informs her teaching. 

Chrystina is a board member of Thom Early Intervention, a Clinical Practice Volunteer at the Epworth Vaccine Clinic and has been living with type 1 diabetes for 27 years.  

Ryan Stuebe

Director, Fidelity Investments; President, Breakthrough T1D Young Leadership Committee; Living with T1D since 1997

Session: Aging with T1D

Ryan has been living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) since his diagnosis in August 1997, just weeks before his fourth birthday. A dedicated advocate and leader in the T1D community, Ryan has been actively involved in Breakthrough T1D events, including the Walk, Gala, and other initiatives for over two decades. Ryan is a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, a national philanthropic partner of Breakthrough T1D. In 2018, he joined the Young Leadership Committee (YLC) of Breakthrough T1D Greater New England—a network of driven young professionals committed to supporting Breakthrough T1D’s mission to cure T1D and improve the lives of those living with the condition. As President of the YLC, Ryan leads efforts to raise awareness and funds for the Greater New England Chapter through various fundraising, networking, and social events. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Quinnipiac University and currently works in financial services in Boston.