I've been type 1 since I was 9 years old. For the past 22 years I have been involved with camp. I created MYDA with the help of Karen Giesy in November of 2019. In March of 2020, the 9-person board and 34-person committee was brought together to ultimately form the best non-profit volunteer group one could ask for. 

I have had type 2 diabetes for 20 years.  I was born and raised in Havre, Montana and now live in Kalispell.  I  have had a varied work career including jobs in gas and oil exploration, machinist for the BN Railroad and worked in the IT field for the last 25 years in various industries. I retired from paid work in 2019 and have been dedicating my time trying to make my community and Montana a better place.  I have been involved with diabetes charities through the Lions Club since 2005.  It is a great pleasure to be involved with MYDA.

Hi, I’m Jodie. I have had type 1 diabetes for 41 years and now work as a PA in diabetes.  I was a camper as a child and credit my camp experiences for much of my success with my own diabetes. I continued to work as a volunteer as a young adult until I took some time off to raise my three amazing boys, Riley, Braden and Kade with my husband, Corey. I feel passionately about helping kids with diabetes and am excited to serve as the medical coordinator for MYDA and help make Camp MYDA the best experience possible.

I am the father of a 15-year-old Type One Diabetic named Thaymen. I am the general manager of Grizzly Gold and Silver in Great Falls, and I enjoy long walks on the beach. I am active on many of the Online T1 parent support groups and have been a repeat guest on the Juicebox Podcast. My only goal is to make sure my son's life is as full as possible.

Hello! I am Mary, and I have had T1D for 26 years! Camp has been such a passionate thing in my life as I was a camper myself at a young age. I am here to share my life experiences with other kids as well. I have other passions as well, like hunting, fishing, camping, and my family. I have been a cosmetologist for 12 years and an owner of a salon for 6 years, and although T1D can be challenging, I choose to live my best life and have control of it the best I can!

I became involved with Type 1 when my son was diagnosed as a young adult in 2016. I feel camp experiences can be some of the best memories and learning experiences available when you are a child.  I want to ensure that all kids with T1D can also have an opportunity for those experiences. That is why I am so excited to be involved with MYDA.

My name is Karen Giesy.  My grandson Jayden was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9 and my life changed forever! It was my goal to do what I could to help Jayden have a promising future. That’s when Tonya and I decided to start a nonprofit to assist kids and families with TID.

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I grew up in Rudyard, MT where helping your neighbors was a way of life.  It was my good fortune to spend my career working in Glacier National Park.  I am now retired and giving back to the community however I can.  My life is great with my husband Roger, son Ryan and his fiancé Janay, our daughter, Abreon and her husband David, along with our three amazing grandchildren Jayden, Jazmine and Dominic.

I am a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. My career has been entirely with the diabetes world for 31 years now. In addition my husband of now 30 years, was diagnosed a couple years after we were married. I currently work for the MT Diabetes Program at the state health department. My role includes helping increase access to diabetes care and education across the state. I also lead a statewide workgroup on diabetes care at schools.  We are blessed with two sons- Andy and Sam. I enjoy hiking and fishing in north Helena.

Michele is an endocrinologist who has been in practice in Missoula since 1999. She is a Montana native who moved back home after completing her medical training in Seattle, Portland and San Diego. She is a big fan of all of the outdoor opportunities western Montana has to offer and is thrilled to be part of MYDA and helping make Camp MYDA an unforgettable week to look forward to every summer!

Susan M. Nicosia, was appointed city manager of Columbia Falls in June 2011. She has over 30 years serving local governments in different capacities, including external and internal auditor, finance director, elected official, and consultant. She holds a B.O.S Business Admin. Degree and a Master of Public Administration Degree and is a Certified Public Accountant. Her daughter was diagnosed with type 1 at a young age. She has since then become an advocate for kids with type 1 as she knows how important it is to have the utmost support for these kids and their families. 

Jen is the Visual Design Manager for the Biomimicry Institute and its initiatives. She is a web and graphic designer with deep roots in communications and storytelling. Her work began in 2009 as the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for spectrUM Discovery Area, a not-for-profit science museum located at The University of Montana, where she holds a Bachelor's in Communicatios. After, she went on to run a successful Web, Graphic Design, and Communications company where she supported independent businesses, non-profits, and public schools with their online presence and communication efforts. She and her husband live on a 20-acre homestead with their four children and a myriad of pets. She also volunteers in her community as the President of the Alberton Booster Club and lead planner for the annual Alberton Railroad Day Festival.

Her daughter, Marley Nola, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in February of 2020, and has attended Camp MYDA since 2022.

I am Teresa Jordan. I am a mother of an amazingly strong, brave, resilient, beautiful daughter who lives with Type 1 diabetes, Stella Catalina Jordan (14). With my husband, Robert Jordan we have two more daughters, Cheyanna (23) and Claira (12).

We own our own construction company, Jordan Construction MT LLC. building custom homes in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley for the past 15 years
We are very much an outdoor family that loves to hunt, camp, and just enjoy beautiful Montana.