Samantha Willner
New York, NY
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when I was one year old. Through community outreach and fundraising for T1D research, my goal is to empower others affected by T1D until the day a cure is found. I'm currently the Donor Relations Director for JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) in New York City, as well as an ambassador and contributing writer for the T1D advocacy organization Beyond Type 1.
In addition to my work in the diabetes world, I'm also a passionate writer and world traveler. In 2013, I founded Lucy Bird (www.lucybird.net); an experiential travel website chronicling my adventures abroad. Today, Lucy Bird has evolved to include both fiction and non-fiction short stories, poetry, and inspirational content for travelers and creatives alike.