CORE TEAM

Jessica Issler RD, CDE
Food & Fitness
Jessica Issler, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, has made motivating people to take care of their health her specialty. After acquiring her BS in Dietetics and Exercise Physiology from Miami University, she became an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and trained older woman wanting to get back on track with exercise while completing her Dietetic Internship at Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Following her work in Ohio, she moved on to Lansing, Michigan and worked in Sparrow Hospital’s Weight Management Center as well as the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic where she helped them become recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a Certified Diabetes Self Management Education Program. Having last worked at Maimonides Medical Center’s Infant’s and Children’s Hospital of Brooklyn, New York, in their Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic and Kids Weight Down Program, Ms. Issler has helped to empower hosts of children and adults with diabetes to take control of their disease. She continues to raise awareness as a consultant for Maimonides Medical Center, authoring a type 2 diabetes and obesity prevention curriculum to be utilized in New York City public middle schools. A similar program was conducted in coordination with Columbia University in the 2005-2006 school year and produced outstanding results and participation for seventh graders in Brooklyn.

Jeff Jones
Makeup & Beauty
Jeff Jones is a LA based celebrity Make up Artist who has worked within the entertainment industry for many years. Jeff's work has appeared in every major Beauty & Fashion magazine including EBONY, HARPERS BAZAAR, VOGUE, ESSENCE, MARIE-CLARE & ELLE to name but a few. He also works with notable Beauty & Fashion photographers - Charles William Bush, Matthew Rolston and Greg Gorman. His client list includes such talented stars as Anita Baker, Nancy Wilson, Melody Thomas-Scott, Lisa Rhinna, Jennifer Beals, Janet Jackson, Dakota Fanning, Garcelle Beauvois, Luther Vandross, Ronald Isley and OPRAH.

Winston Kerr
Photography & Archives
Winston Kerr is an L.A. based Fashion & Beauty photographer who has worked with celebrities Luther Vandross & Vanna White. He has worked on advertising campaigns for Alize Bleu, American International Industries and Jordana Cosmetic’s. Fashion is his Passion, Beauty is his Art.

Joy Pape, RN, BSN, CDE, WOCN, CFCN
Director of Education
Joy Pape is Registered Nurse, Diabetes Educator and Certified Foot Care Nurse specializing in Weight Management, Diabetes and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in New York City. She is also President of her own company - EnJOY Life! Health Consulting, LLC. She is the author of the upcoming book, The W Factor: Seven W's That Can Change Your Life and Health Forever. Joy has over 20 years experience as a Registered Nurse in Hospital, Residential Care, Outpatient, Public Health, and Home Health Settings. Her areas of expertise include Diabetes Education (Certified Diabetes Educator-CDE), Insulin Pump Training (Certified Pump Trainer-CPT), Consulting, Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing, Board Certified Foot Care Nurse-Foot Care, Home Health, Marketing, Business Development, Presentations, and Student Mentoring. She has provided numerous articles, interviews and presentations for radio, TV, and online web-journals You can read more at her websites: www.joypape.com and www.laughitoff.net

Doretta Reily, CFT
Fitness & Lifestyle
As a Type 1 diabetic for 38 years, Doretta Reily began strength training on a regular basis seven years ago. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was a child, she assumed for many years that she was limited in the types of physical activity that she could attempt. She found that strength training several times a week helped improve her health and maintain her diabetes, as well as her overall fitness level. Soon after, Doretta decided to pursue fitness trainer certification,which would help her train others and show how they could also get healthier and fit, no matter what kind of medical challenges they may face.
Certified in 2004 as a Fitness Trainer by the ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association), Doretta is also a member of the American Diabetes Association, the Diabetes Exercise & Sports Association (DESA), and New York Strength's Fitness Professionals International. She is currently completing course work for the International Center for Strength & Performance's Master Trainer Program, which is the only fitness certificate of its kind recognized by fitness, medicine, and holistic medicine.
Doretta is the owner of Atlanta based New Shape Fitness where she primarily trains with other diabetics and those challenged by other medical conditions. She currently trains both in-person and online, adding convenience for everyone choosing to include exercise in their lives. For more information, please check Doretta's websites, www.newshapefitness.com and www.onlinefitnesscoaches.com/Doretta.

Catherine Schuller, AICI, CIP
Image & Style Advisor
Catherine Schuller of CurveStyle, has been an actress, model, spokesperson, author and now promoter and marketer. Her quest to find opportunities to change the world’s perception of full figured woman continues to forge new projects and endeavors. Her desire and ambition is constantly rekindled as she finds ways to create new venues to help solidify the full figured femme as the image of the new fashion and real life woman icon.

Max Szadek
Executive Director
Max Szadek is the founder and executive director of DIVABETIC. Max began DIVABETIC in October, 2004 as a one-time t-shirt fundraising endeavor after his late boss, R&B legend Luther Vandross, suffered a stroke. Subsequently, the media attention that Mr. Vandross received as a stroke 'survivor' is what initially compelled Max to get involved in diabetes outreach. While attending a tribute concert to Luther Vandross, Max coined the word "divabetic" after watching Ms.Patti LaBelle reveal in her own sassy way that she was living with diabetes. Max wanted to create a clever and fun way to help people think about the importance of staying healthy and upbeat about their care rather than focusing on the potential for developing complications. Acting and thinking like a 'diva' seemed like it could help inspire the attitude necessary to encourage Luther's fans struggling with diabetes, to improve their mindset and elevate their level of care. That Luther’s stroke could have been prevented, has been the motivating force behind Max's efforts. At present, Max's work with the Diabetes Center of New Jersey and the Muhlenberg Foundation in Plainfield, New Jersey is to market, fundraise and promote the Center's outstanding diabetes outreach programming. The Diabetes Center of New Jersey is an affiliate of Solaris Health, and is recognized by the American Diabetes Association for meeting national standards for diabetes self-management education. For more information go to: muhlenbergfoundation.org

SUPPORT TEAM

Susan McCaslin
Design Director and Webmaster
As one half of Design Monsters, a graphic design studio based in Stamford CT, Susan has had the pleasure and the amazing opportunity to work with Max on DIVABETIC from its inception. "It's not often you get to work with a client and friend like Max. His vision and trust in Design Monsters has allowed us to push the limit. What a joy that is!"

At Design Monsters, Susan handles the web design and clients from the conference and event industries. Away from work, you will find her at the local printmaking center or in her studio, painting, drawing or tearing up books and magazines for collage.
www.designmonsters.com

George Corsillo
Design Director
The other half and founder of Design Monsters, George has worked with Max for many years. George designed the majority of Luther Vandross' CDs going back as far as 1980. He has known Max since 1991 and has many fond memories of Max and Luther together. "As soon as Max approached us with the initial idea of Divabetic, we were on board. It's amazing to think back to the time when we too were asking Diva what?"

At Design Monsters, George's other clients include John Mellencamp, Garry Trudeau / Doonesbury, and others from the publishing and entertainment industries. His greatest love though is designing new fonts and one of a kind self-promotional tees.
www.designmonsters.com

Edward Hillel
Image Director
As a community activist, photographer, filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist, Edward Hillel’s work examines the essence of humanity in all its many facets. He is represented in several important public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Museum of Photography (Belgium), the Museum of Contemporary Art (Montreal), the National Archives (France) among others. He has received the German Critics Visual Arts Prize (Berlin), The Golden Sheaf Film Award (Canada), the Prix Alain de Rothschild (France), and the Spiro Institute Arts Award (UK). In addition to several catalogues about his work, his photographs have appeared in international publications such as Le Monde, Esquire, Fortune, Interview, Newsweek and Paris Match. His clients include governments and universities, financial, media, pharmaceutical, retail and resource industries, among them American Express, Intercontinental Hotels, Mitsubishi, BBC, PBS, Novo Nordisk, Proctor & Gamble, the Royal Bank of Canada and Seagrams. Edward sees Divabetic as catalyst in diabetes advocacy and prevention, and is committed to beating the disease over the next twenty years.

James Szadek
Gardening & Divabetic Vendor Support
James Szadek is Horticulturist with a uniquely recognizable passion for plants. From his very first job as a teenager at a Clematis nursery in upstate New York, to working on an organic ranch in the high mountains of Colorado, James has always had his hands in the dirt, um? the soil! After graduating from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture, James went to work for one of the world's largest container plant producers, Monrovia Nursery Company. He then spent several years in Oregon, honing his horticultural skill. James left Oregon armed with valuable knowledge and incredible experience, to manage Cedros Gardens, an organic specialty nursery in Southern California. While there, he taught various horticultural classes on such topics as: Bonsai, Herb and Vegetable gardening, Container Gardening, Fruit Tree Production, Rose Care and Production and Organic Treatments for Plant Diseases. Presently, James is a freelance Horticulturist designing specialty landscapes and gardens throughout Southern California. He is the proud owner of the O.G. Diva Dog, Peanut... a Jack Russell Terrier with a heart as large as Mother Teresa, the athleticism of Mary Lou Retton and the wisdom and spiritual guidance only paralleled by the Dalai Lama, himself! James' introduction to Diabetes began five years ago when his oldest brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. His role on the "Divabetic" tour is to provide a healthy, fun, safe hobby for Divas living with or affected by Diabetes. His booth provides a plethora of fresh, living herbs, flowers, seeds and gardening supplies to help Divas learn or sharpen their gardening skills, in a hands-on and one-on-one approach. The goal is not only to teach a great new hobby but to help improve diet and overall wellness.

Rose Marie Szadek
Care Concierge & DIVABETIC Booth
Rose Marie, a wife, mother, grandmother, and former teacher‚ she is also DIVABETIC'S reigning "retail display and decorating specialist." Retired with her husband Stan, she lives in Columbia, SC (by way of Rochester, NY!) and is a proud officer of the Women's Club of Pittsford for which she chaired the club's annual fundraising event: The House Tour, and was proclaimed Woman of the Year, 1991 for her exemplary service.
Rose Marie has been affected by diabetes as a daughter and as a mother . First when her own mother, Mary Zinni was diagnosis with diabetes in the early 1950s and again when her eldest adult son was diagnosed as Type 1, five years ago while in his late 30s. It was then that she began to learn more about diabetes care and management so that she could "learn more, and fear less." Her early participation in Divabetic's first outreach effort, the annual Diabetes University Conference in South Carolina developed by her daughter-in-law, Laura Szadek (where the first Divabetic T-shirt was sold!). Rose Marie has volunteered her time to backstage efforts at dLife-TV tapings in New York City and has continued to support her sons by working at various Divabetic events ever since.
She wears multiple hats at our "Makeover" events as a member of our CARE CONCIERGE, the reigning display and decoration specialist and top retail specialist in the DIVABETIC booth. She is committed to raising awareness of diabetes and diabetes education in all communities. She'd like to urge families affected by diabetes, especially multi-generational families to work together as a team in order to avoid complications.

Seveda Williams
Original Divabetic & Spokesmodel
Seveda Williams is herself a type 2 Diva and has dealt first hand with the impact of diabetes on her family and community. She is the niece of the legendary 8-time Grammy winner, Luther Vandross, who also had type 2 diabetes. Though she has dealt with the loss of numerous family members due to diabetes and its complications, Seveda has turned a page in her own life and has become overtly active in raising awareness about the disease and prevention related to its complications. Her approach is through encouragement and positive thinking. Her focus is on how to improve your attitude and living a glamorous, fun and happy life and encouraging proper care while living with diabetes. She knows that when women come together as a community looking beautiful, they feel comfortable about asking questions and being honest about becoming proactive in changing habits or managing their diabetes care. Seveda believes that if she can help one of Luther’s fans feel better about their situation then she has helped an entire family. Seveda says “I am fabulous, gorgeous and apparently too sweet for my own good!” That amazing way of thinking is why she was and remains our ‘Original Divabetic.'

Toni Gadsden
Care Concierge & Volunteer Coordinator
Toni Gadsden has been a part of Divabetic since it's inception in 2003. She has lent an willing and helping hand in various aspects contributing to Divabetic's growth, from t-shirt sales for it's fundraising efforts to writing, editing and proofreading it's web content. She is presently responsible for coordinating the aid and efforts of Divabetic's "Care Concierge" level of volunteers who graciously give of their time at Novo Nordisk Presents Divabetic: Makeover Your Diabetes events, which are hosted by many cities all over the country. Care Concierge Volunteers are the volunteers that Divabetic utilizes as the 'first line of wellbeing" to participants, "the Divas," for whom the events are tailored for and designed to help. Toni coordinates the efforts of these volunteers who will ensure that 'the divas' understand the outline, design and meaning of the "makeover maze" - the key component to these fabulous events. Toni has 15+ years combined as an executive personal assistant and corporate special events liaison and gladly brings these skills to Divabetic. She owns her own virtual assistant company, SharpSkills, Inc., which provides virtual office assistance to individuals, non-profit organizations and entrepreneurial small businesses. Toni's commitment to Divabetic is emphasized by the fact that both her father and brother are Type 2 diabetics, allowing her a prominent role in helping them best manage their care.

Thomas Smith
Production Manager
Thomas Smith brings several years of theatrical design experience to his work with DIVABETIC. After several years of theatrical touring, he blends his own inspiration and creativity with practicality and function which help to bring the ideal stimulation and mood to Divabetic~Makeover Your Diabetes. Thomas is a graduate of the college of Charleston and holds a BA in theater. His other credits include: The G8 Summit, 2004 Inaugural Balls, VARIOUS Financial Institutions, Pharmaceutical meetings, and Event Solutions Idea Factory General Sessions. He has also been involved in varied progressive church installations and countless high profile events, meetings and galas.

Stanley S. Szadek, Jr.
Board Member
After a successful forty-year career as an insurance agent, Stanley has parlayed his formidable sales experience into the DIVABETIC
booth on our current Makeover tour by overseeing inventory shipment and display. Stanley coordinates shipping, set up, and load out of DIVABETIC supplies and merchandise. Now retired and living in South Carolina, Stanley’s community service and outreach credentials are honed by his participation as an active member of the Knights of Columbus and by serving on the board of his residential community. The blending of his excellence in sales and a father's passion for diabetes outreach has proven to be an unbeatable combination for building awareness and community involvement in the various cities our program has been featured.
Recently, he added his own personal experience as a father of an adult son living with diabetes to the DIVABETIC program. He hopes to
encourage other family members to take a more pro-active stance in their loved one's daily diabetes care. By providing the initial capital investment in DIVABETIC — the one-time t-shirt fundraising endeavor, he helped transformed it into DIVABETIC— the full-fledged diabetes outreach organization that it has become today.
Stanley's hope is to inspire other men to join us at our events and to always give support to the 'divas' in their lives, helping them to stay healthy and infinitely upbeat about their care.