Meet our speakers

Dr Keely Bebbington is a clinical psychologist and senior research fellow at the Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre, a Breakthrough T1D Centre of Excellence at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Supported by a Breakthrough T1D Rebecca Davies Fellowship, her work focuses on the mental health and wellbeing of children living with type 1 diabetes and their families.

Dr Bebbington leads research to better understand the emotional burden of T1D and is currently developing and testing a preventative program for parents, designed to reduce anxiety in children from the earliest stages of diagnosis.

Dr Keely Bebbington will be facilitating Real talk: Honest conversations about life with T1D at Type 1 Summit. 

Prof Jennifer Couper is a highly respected paediatric endocrinologist and leading voice in children’s health and T1D. Her clinical research has focused on 2 areas in T1D: the prevention of T1D and the prevention of cardiovascular complications in children with the condition. She led the first investigations of the ENDIA study, which is at the forefront of groundbreaking research exploring the environmental determinants of autoimmunity in T1D.

With more than 2 decades of leadership at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, including 20 years leading the Diabetes and Endocrinology Department, Prof Couper has played a vital role in advancing care for children living with T1D. Since 2024, Prof Couper has also led the Breakthrough T1D national monitoring program for early T1D in children, and is a co-chair of the ISPAD international working group for early T1D.

Prof Couper’s work represents hope and progress for families and communities impacted by T1D.

See Prof Jennifer Couper at Hope in action: The research changing T1D

Melanie Cullen is a registered psychologist and works at Breakthrough T1D as the Mental Health Lead. She’s also the Lead for the Insulin Pump Program.

Melanie has a long history of working in the diabetes field, both in the public and private sectors. Having worked as a paediatric psychologist at Nepean Diabetes Service for over 10 years, she then completed her Graduate Certificate in Person-centred Diabetes Care and Education.

As the facilitator of Breakthrough T1D’s Let’s Talk T1D chats, Melanie is dedicated to supporting those living with T1D and their loved ones.

As Melanie’s son was diagnosed with T1D at age 2, she also understands and recognises the demands and psychological burden that a diagnosis can place on all members of the family.

Melanie Cullen will be facilitating the kids and teens sessions at Type 1 Summit. 

Jye Hawkins is a Newcastle based Diabetes Educator with over 6 years of experience in diabetes care. He has lived with T1D himself for 25 years.

You might recognise him from social media, under the username @Jyabetes, where he posts light-hearted and relatable T1D content online.

Jye will be facilitating the kids & teens program at Type 1 Summit.

Dr Ali Murphy is a general practitioner with over 20 years of experience, having graduated from medicine at The University of Queensland in 2000.

She currently runs her own General Practice, Diabetes Base Camp, providing specialised care for people with diabetes and their families based in QLD.

Having lived with T1D herself for more than 40 years, Dr Murphy brings empathy, expertise and personal experience to her practice.

See Dr Ali Murphy’s at Real talk: Honest conversations about life with T1D

Dr Ben Nash is a Melbourne-based consultant endocrinologist.

Dr Nash is the Diabetes Lead of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, Victoria’s largest emergency department, and Medical Director (Asia-Pacific) at MiniMed.

Having lived with T1D for more than two decades, he combines his clinical training and lived experience to support and empower people living with diabetes. He is also a passionate advocate for equitable access to diabetes tech.

See Dr Ben Nash at Real talk: Honest conversations about life with T1D

Daniela Nash is a Nurse Practitioner and Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) with over 20 years’ experience in diabetes care across hospital, community, and private practice settings.

She has led the South Australian Branch of the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) since 2019, and is recognised as a leader in the field, having been awarded CDE of the Year (SA) in 2023.

Daniela brings deep clinical expertise, strong sector leadership, and a passion for improving access and outcomes for people living with diabetes.

See Daniela Nash at How to make your T1D technology work for you

As Breakthrough T1D Australia’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Pawlak focuses on developing strategic approaches towards finding cures, treatments and preventing T1D.

Dr Pawlak is a member of Breakthrough T1D’s Executive Team, previously managed the federally funded islet transplantation program, and for the last 10 years developed and managed the Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network. She is also responsible for international partnerships with world-leading government, non-government, foundation and commercial organisations.

See Dr Dorota Pawlak at Hope in action: The research changing T1D

Dr Jacqui Schiesser is a senior research officer in the Immune Development group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).

She completed her PhD in 2013 studying human stem cell differentiation and pancreatic development, before undertaking postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of James Wells at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Dr Schiesser’s current research focuses on the use of stem cell models of type 1 diabetes and the identification of cell-surface markers for the quantitative analysis of human islet cellular composition.

See Dr Jacqui Schiesser at Hope in action: The research changing T1D

Dr Jennifer Snaith is clinical researcher and staff specialist endocrinologist who leads the Diabetes in Youth service at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. She has a special interest in how non-insulin add on therapies can improve the lives of people living with T1D.

She conducts clinical trials through the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney. Projects have included the INTIMET study (metformin), RESET1 (semaglutide), TIRTLE1 (tirzepatide) and TIRTLE2 (tirzepatide).

Dr Snaith was awarded the UNSW Dean’s Award for her PhD work, a study of the effect of metformin insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes. Jen’s post-doctoral work is a supported by Breakthrough T1D Australia.

See Dr Jennifer Snaith at Hope in action: The research changing T1D

Rachel Woods is a a credentialled diabetes nurse educator, with over 37 years of experience working in diabetes.

Rachel has been living with T1D for 55 years, and also has a son diagnosed at 7 years and a niece diagnosed at 15 years of age.

Having lived with T1D for 55 years, Rachel brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her role. T1D has also touched her family, with her son diagnosed at 7 years-old and her niece at 15.

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends.

See Rachel Woods at Making your T1D technology work for your family: tips and tricks

Sydney Yovic joined Breakthrough T1D Australia as CEO in 2024.

Sydney has extensive experience in the T1D space, following 12 years with Breakthrough T1D in the United States. She spent 8 years in the research department of the organisation, and most recently held the position of Head of Strategy and Chief of Staff.

Breakthrough T1D’s mission is also personally important to Sydney, as her uncle Jimmy was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 30, and tragically passed away from T1D complications just 5 years later.

Alice Bradley was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 13 and has been living with the condition for nearly 2 decades. Now a new mum, she is navigating the joys and challenges of parenthood while managing T1D. A passionate advocate for the T1D community, Alice has taken on unique challenges to raise awareness, including skydiving alongside her brother, Andrew, as part of Breakthrough T1D Australia’s Jump for a Cure campaign. An avid athlete, she is passionate about showing that T1D doesn’t have to stand in the way of living a full and active life.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“For me, it means doing all of the activities in life that I want to do without T1D stopping me. This does mean some extra planning along the way to ensure my T1D is being managed. It also means reducing the risk of any complications arising in the future. I want to live a fun, active life with my family where T1D doesn’t get in the way of that.”

See Alice Bradley at Real talk: Honest conversations about life with T1D

Alexandra Buchanan is a dedicated T1D advocate and proud mum to her 4-year-old son, Fletcher, who lives with T1D. From navigating the day-to-day challenges to celebrating the milestones, Alexandra is passionate about sharing her family’s experiences and connecting with others on a similar journey.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Living well with T1D for our son means living a life not defined by type one or letting it get in his way of reaching his dreams. Through a nutritious diet and active lifestyle living with type one is manageable with the right support around you.”

See Alexandra Buchanan at Building confidence and resilience: practical tips for raising kids and teens with T1D

Jess Byrne has lived with T1D for 18 years.  She currently  uses the Ypsomed insulin pump with CamAPS and Dexcom G7 to manage her diabetes.

Outside of diabetes, she enjoys endurance horse riding, fishing on the Murray River, arts and crafts, and watching the footy.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Living well with Type 1 Diabetes means having the freedom to live my life without diabetes dictating every decision. It means feeling confident that I can pursue my career as a midwife, stay active, travel, and work towards important life goals while managing my diabetes safely.

Right now, living well with T1D also means preparing for a healthy pregnancy. I have spent a lot of time learning about diabetes technology, refining my glucose management, and working towards pregnancy targets so I can give a future baby the best possible start. To me, living well is not about being perfect, it is about having the knowledge, support, and tools to make informed decisions and live a full life despite the challenges that come with Type 1 Diabetes”

See Jess Byrne at How to make your T1D technology work for you

Kylie Greenfield is a passionate advocate for T1D and the proud mum of Ethan, who has been living with T1D for the past 11 years. Since her son’s diagnosis, her family’s journey with T1D has fuelled her dedication to advocacy, raising awareness, and supporting other families living with the condition.

She is passionate about connecting with other people living with and impacted by T1D, hearing their stories, and learning from their experiences.

What does living well mean to you?

“Living well with T1D means finding a balance between managing diabetes and living life to the fullest. It means being organised, prepared, and staying one step ahead where possible to prevent difficult situations, while not letting blood glucose numbers rule your world.”

See Kylie Greenfield at Building confidence and resilience: practical tips for raising kids and teens with T1D

Rebecca Ireland is mum to 8-year-old Stanley, who has lived with T1D since birth. As a parent navigating the unique challenges of raising a child with T1D, Rebecca has embraced the role that diabetes technology plays in supporting Stanley’s health and independence.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Living well with T1D means recognising that it’s always part of our life, but it doesn’t always have to be the centre of it. It means staying aware, taking care of Stanley, and making informed choices — while also giving ourselves permission to let diabetes take a back seat at times so we can be fully present in the moments that matter. It’s about balance, flexibility, and not letting T1D define every decision or every day.”

See Rebecca Ireland at Making your T1D technology work for your family: tips and tricks

Kayla Jansen is mum to Gemma, who was diagnosed with T1D just over a year ago. Since Gemma’s diagnosis, Kayla and her family have experienced the challenges and triumphs of adapting to life with T1D. Passionate about the value of community, education, and support, Kayla is committed to connecting with and encouraging other families on their own T1D journeys.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Living well with T1D to me is being able to balance the sense of urgency and heaviness that I felt, when my daughter first got diagnosed into a more manageable day to day routine that allows for normalcy and fun to return again.”

See Kayla Jansen at Making your T1D technology work for your family: tips and tricks

David Keenan has lived with T1D for more than 16 years, having been diagnosed as an adult. Since then, he has been a passionate advocate for raising awareness and supporting life-changing T1D research. As a member of the organisation’s Finance and Audit Committee, David is committed to helping drive progress towards a better future for everyone living with T1D.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Not having to worry about it all the time, or what the future complications could be as I get older. If you can limit the fluctuations and the impact on your wellbeing then your winning.”

See David Keenan at How to make your T1D technology work for you

Oliver O’Dell has lived with T1D for over 11 years and is a basketball coach with the Norwood Flames in South Australia. Passionate about raising awareness and inspiring others, Oliver is committed to showing that T1D doesn’t have to stand in the way of achieving your goals. His dedication has seen him take on extraordinary fundraising challenges, including completing Breakthrough T1D Australia’s 24-hour run challenge, where he ran 6 kilometres every hour for 24 hours, in support of life-changing research.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“It means T1D doesn’t prevent me from doing anything any other person would think of doing. There are always ups and downs, but you need to be kind to yourself and try your best to regulate what is a very hard condition to live with.”

See Oliver O’Dell at How to make your T1D technology work for you

Sevanah Pantelis has lived with T1D for more than 20 years, having been diagnosed just a few years after her sister, Georgia. Since her diagnosis, Sevanah has dedicated much of her time to raising awareness and supporting others living with the condition, and was named Breakthrough T1D Australia’s South Australian Volunteer of the Year for 2026.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“Not being restricted in life! I want to experience it all, and don’t want a diabetes diagnosis to hold me back.”

See Sevanah Pantelis at How to make your T1D technology work for you

Mark’s son, Joshua, was diagnosed with T1D at 2-years-old. Josh has now been living with T1D for 12 years and uses the Medtronic 780G insulin pump alongside the Guardian 3 CGM to manage his diabetes while leading an active lifestyle.

Mark is looking forward to meeting others in the T1D community, exchanging experiences and advice, and learning about the latest advances in diabetes technology.

What does living well with T1D mean to you?

“We have a motto – “Diabetes Can’t Stop Me”. Our philosophy is that T1D is not a barrier to achieve his dreams, it just just requires extra planning/effort. With the advances in technology, anything is possible! We make mistakes, learn and improve, but we rarely say no. My son, Josh, who is 14 years old, has competed in Multiple Interstate National Basketball Tournaments, involving 5-6 intense games in 2-3 days – so much Powerade!. We’ve also been on 4 day hikes in remote regions of Tasmania. All without a major hitch. On the hike we carried about 1kg of spare diabetes gear. It was challenging, but so worth it.”

See Mark Thyer at Making your T1D technology work for your family: tips and tricks