Tracey D. Brown is the Chief Executive Office (CEO) of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), a powerhouse organization in diabetes advocacy and research into prevention and treatment. She also lives with type 2 diabetes. Today, on her birthday, we reflect on her hard work, leadership and accomplishments in striving to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.
Tracey Brown holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business and has decades of leadership experience in various arenas. Tracey stepped into her role as the ADA CEO in the summer of 2018, following a long and impressive career in upper management roles at many large organizations, including Sam’s Club.
Notably, she is the first CEO of the ADA, who also lives with diabetes themselves. Originally diagnosed with gestational diabetes, she was later confirmed to have type 2 diabetes, which she has been managing for over fifteen years now.
Tracey first-hand understands the struggles that people with diabetes face and has described in various interviews that she wasn’t always on top of her management. However, motivated largely by her daughter, Tracey began to learn more about diabetes management and advocacy, later becoming empowered in optimizing her diabetes management and formally getting involved with the ADA.
Tracey Brown is passionate about many issues, in particular, continuously improving patient access (including affordable insulin) and education (including on low-carbohydrate diets, which she herself implements for her own management), as well as pushing forward towards a cure.
Last year, Tracey described the steps she had to take to achieve the results she wanted in her diabetes management, and how her experiences motivated her to help others living with diabetes:
“I became mindful of the foods I ate. I now eat fewer carbs and watch my sugar intake. I took it a step further and purchased a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which keeps me informed in real time on where my sugars are throughout the day, and which allows me to make better choices.
I am dedicating my life to helping as many people as possible thrive while living with diabetes, driving prevention of diabetes and continuing to fight for a cure to eradicate this disease! This is about serving a purpose bigger than myself: helping people and saving lives.
As the first chief executive officer of the ADA living with diabetes, I truly feel this is a role where my purpose meets my passion and position. I am where I am supposed to be during this season of my life. Our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all those affected by it. I work every day to meet that mission because, as someone living with diabetes myself, I feel an intense drive to help educate the world on diabetes, how to prevent it, and just as important, how to thrive with it.”
Today, on her birthday, we thank Tracey D. Brown for all she is doing to help the diabetes community.
Happy and healthy birthday, Tracey, and we look forward to seeing your efforts continue to reflect positively on patients living with diabetes for many years to come!
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