Throughout her career, Ms. Valentine has provided professional education at the state, national and international levels. Currently, she serves as a Diabetes Specialist at Clinica La Esperanza in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she manages a wide variety of diabetes clinical challenges in a primary care center. She holds faculty appointments with the University of New Mexico and serves as clinician faculty for the Endocrinology TeleECHO Clinic (Endo ECHO), which trains and supports primary care providers in rural and underserved communities to improve their knowledge and skill in endocrinology care.

“Congratulations to Ms. Valentine for her exceptional dedication to ensuring diabetes patients receive the care they need, particularly in underserved areas,” said the ADA’s 2019 President of Health Care and Education Gretchen Youssef, MS, RD, CDE. “Thank you for your efforts to ensure people with diabetes have somewhere and someone to turn to for support, especially for many in high-risk, vulnerable populations.”

Ms. Valentine is an Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) Fellow, has been recognized with the AADE’s Distinguished Service Award and is a member of the Advanced Practice Advisory Board for the New Mexico Board of Nursing. She has also served on the editorial board for Clinical Diabetes; is currently an editorial board member for the Canadian Journal of Diabetes; and serves on the advisory board for The diaTribe Foundation. In addition to authoring numerous journal articles, Ms. Valentine co-authored Diabetes: The New Type 2 and is a contributor to The Art and Science of Diabetes Self-Management Education Desk Reference and The Complete Nurses Guide to Diabetes Care, 3^rd Edition, all published by the ADA.

The American Diabetes Association’s 79th Scientific Sessions, the world’s largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention and care, will be held June 7-11, 2019, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Nearly 15,000 leading physicians, scientists, health care professionals and industry representatives from around the world are expected to convene at the Scientific Sessions to unveil cutting-edge research, treatment recommendations and advances toward a cure for diabetes. During the five-day meeting, attendees will receive exclusive access to more than 850 presentations and 2,000 original research presentations, participate in provocative and engaging exchanges with leading diabetes experts, and can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) or Continuing Education (CE) credits for educational sessions. The program is grouped into eight thematic areas: Acute and Chronic Complications; Behavioral Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Education and Exercise; Clinical Diabetes/Therapeutics; Epidemiology/Genetics; Immunology/Transplantation; Insulin Action/Molecular Metabolism; Integrated Physiology/Obesity; and Islet Biology/Insulin Secretion. Gretchen Youssef, MS, RDN, CDE, President of Health Care and Education, will deliver her address, “It’s All about Access!,” on Saturday, June 8, and Louis H. Philipson, MD, PhD, FACP, President of Medicine and Science, will deliver his lecture, “Precision Medicine—Addressing the Many Faces of Diabetes,” on Sunday, June 9. Join the Scientific Sessions conversation on social media using #ADA2019.

About the American Diabetes Association

Approximately every 21 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly half of the American adult population has diabetes or prediabetes, and more than 30 million adults and children are living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization on a mission to prevent and cure diabetes, as well as improve the lives of all people affected by the disease. For nearly 80 years, the ADA has driven discovery by funding research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. Magnifying the urgency of this epidemic, the ADA works to safeguard policies and programs that protect people with the illness, those at risk of developing diabetes and the health care professionals who serve them by initiating programs, advocacy and education efforts that can lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit us at diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish. Join the conversation with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).