Pat McFeeley

Keynote Research Speaker

Keynote Research Speaker

Patrick McFeeley and his wife, Shauna, became involved with Breakthrough T1D in 1999, shortly after their twin daughters, Ashely and Maddie, were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. (T1D) at ages one and two. Pat has served in various national volunteer roles. He has been a member of the Development, Executive, and Nominating Committees and has chaired several working groups. He has also been active in all aspects of his local chapter and served as president in 2005. In 2006, Pat and Shauna were awarded the JDRF T1D Volunteer of the Year Award. He is an active member of the JDRF Speakers Bureau and emceed various events for JDRF, now Breakthrough T1D. Pat was a member of the JDRF International Board of Directors from 2009 through 2014 and in 2016 and 2017. Pat is an active member of the Breakthrough T1D Ride to Cure leadership team and has ridden in 17 ride to cure events. For years, the McFeeley Walkers were among the most successful family walk teams in the country. Pat’s motto in regards to Breakthrough T1D has long been: “Think Big.

Elliott Fry

T1D, Health & Fitness

T1D, Health & Fitness

Elliott Fry was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of seven. His diagnosis did little to keep him off the soccer fields, football fields and ice rinks while growing up in Frisco, Texas.

Elliott attended the University of South Carolina from 2013-2016. While in Columbia he was active on campus helping create Dia-Buddies, a group on campus that gave those living with T1D a place where they could find support, understanding, and a vial of insulin in an emergency! Elliott was very involved with the Palmetto JDRF Chapter and would attend the Columbia Walk each year to meet recently diagnosed kids, many wearing his familiar #29 jersey.

Elliott served as the placekicker for the Gamecocks from 2013-2016. He graduated with a degree in marketing and the record for total points scored with 359! He took his talents to the NFL from 2019 -2023 and he now lives in Charleston with his wife Bailey and works as a Clinical Specialist, Neuromodulation for Abbott.

Renée Rayles

Women's T1D Session

Women's T1D Session

Renée Rayles is the founder of the T1D Women’s Summit, focused on helping women understand the crucial relationship between hormones and blood sugar. She is also the creator of HeyT1D, a social media platform focused on living transparently with Type 1 Diabetes. A former TV host and reporter, Renée was a finalist for the Atlanta Press Club’s Award of Excellence in TV Reporting for her coverage of the high price of insulin.

Emily Klein

Mental Health & T1D

Mental Health & T1D

Emily was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May of 2002, just before her 13th birthday. She first attended camp Kudzu when she was 17 and volunteered as a counselor and then camper life specialist after getting her masters in social work from UGA. She studied psychology at the college of Charleston and got her clinical licensure working in Atlanta doing community mental health for children in the public school system. After having her first child, she transitioned to a group practice doing individual, couples and family counseling with children and adults. She began receiving patients from Atlanta Diabetes Associates in 2019 and has since attended their monthly support group, launching her own private practice serving individuals, couples and families experiencing anxiety, depression and chronic illness. Emily provides a specialized service to those with type 1 diabetes tailoring individual therapy and group therapy models to those in need of support coping with, managing and sharing their illness. She believes connectivity is the key to longevity and mindfulness is the key to finding safety in the body.

Alice and Caroline Dorn

Let’s Talk All Things Advocacy!

Let’s Talk All Things Advocacy!

Alice and Caroline Dorn were introduced to Advocacy shortly after Caroline's diagnosis in 2013. Caroline has represented Breakthrough T1D as a Children's Congress Delegate, Government Day Delegate, and as a Young Adult Advocacy Council member. She now serves as the Advocacy Team Chair for South Carolina.  Caroline is Critical Care Registered Nurse in Columbia.  Alice has been an active advocate for Breakthrough T1D for many years having attended multiple Promise Meetings and Government Days.  She now serves as the Advocacy Team Chair for Georgia.  In her spare time, she teaches Algebra 1 to 8th graders in Evans, Georgia.

Aren Dodge

Type 1 and Technology

Type 1 and Technology

Aren Dodge is a dietitian and diabetes educator, who has been living with type 1 diabetes for 32 years! She juggles several other autoimmune diseases like celiac and EoE, as well as food allergies.

After wearing diabetes devices herself for more than 25 years, Aren is an expert with “diabetes robot parts” - like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors. She has her own business in Lexington, SC - Dodge Diabetes, LLC- and does device trainings, one-on-one consultations, and has even built an online course for advanced insulin users called "Be Your Best Pancreas".

Her favorite time of year is volunteering in the diabetes device room at Camp Adam Fisher, where she cheerleads campers to become more independent with their diabetes management using technology.

You can follow Aren on Facebook at Dodge Diabetes, LLC or on Instagram at Dodge_Diabetes for the latest diabetes tricks and nutrition hacks.

She enjoys being out in nature with her pups and spending time with her husband Jeff and two kids!

Walker Vivian

T1D After Hours

T1D After Hours

Walker Vivian was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, but that never slowed him down. A lifelong athlete, he played sports throughout his youth and transitioned into mixed martial arts and Muay Thai after high school. His passion for combat sports led him to live and fight in Thailand before continuing his professional career in Las Vegas.

Throughout his journey, Walker remained committed to Camp Adam Fisher, a summer camp for kids with T1D. He attended as a camper and has now been involved for 25 years—20 of those as a dedicated counselor.

Walker has since returned to his hometown of Florence, South Carolina, where he’s been married for five years and is a proud father of three. He owns and operates Carolina Kickboxing Academy, a Muay Thai and MMA gym that has been serving the community for six years.

He holds a black belt in Dutch kickboxing, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and is a retired professional MMA and Muay Thai fighter. Today, he continues to share his passion by training and mentoring the next generation of martial artists.