The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Karen Hooper will be joining our team as the new Executive Director (ED). Karen brings over 20 years of non-profit leadership experience at the local and national levels. In her most recent role as the Vice President of Program Development and Engagement of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Karen created a nationwide programmatic approach for mission delivery.

“Our new Executive Director brings significant expertise in building lifetime relationships, developing high performing teams and creating strategic partnerships.” said DRC’s Chair of the Board, C.C. King, Ph.D. He added, “We enthusiastically welcome Karen to DRC.  She is a strategic leader who will help increase our impact in the realm of patients and researchers who seek ways to prevent, cure and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).”

Dr. King was also happy to announce, “Casey Davis is our new Senior Director of Development. We are incredibly grateful for her exceptional service as DRC’s Interim Executive Director since August 2020, while the Board of Directors sought a full-time ED.”

As DRC’s new ED, Ms. Hooper will be responsible for organizational leadership, operations, and community engagement. She is passionate about serving the T1D community and is thrilled to join the DRC family.

“I am so grateful to have the opportunity to lead such an innovative, growing organization like the Diabetes Research Connection.  I am excited to be welcomed into the T1D community. I look forward to helping to fund critical research that ultimately will end T1D forever.”

Karen will officially assume her new role at DRC on March 15, 2021. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Karen now lives in Rancho Bernardo with her husband Ron and their daughter Karli. She holds a marketing degree from San Diego State University.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease. Nearly 1.6 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, including about 187,000 children and adolescents. DRC is a San Diego based 501(c)(3) charity, which supports peer-reviewed T1D research conducted by early-career scientists.  DRC expects to fund 42 research projects by the end of 2021.