The Donna Goll Allen 15th Biennial Diabetes Symposium: 2026, The Pillars of Diabetes Management

Oakbrook Terrace, IL US
September 30, 2026

The Donna Goll Allen Diabetes Symposium is a biennial symposium created in honor of Donna Goll Allen; she was a young woman who lost her battle against diabetes. Its purpose is to promote a better understanding of diabetes and its complications to current and future healthcare professionals to improve the quality of life for people with this disease.

 

This conference is being held in person.

NOTE: Please note this activity will be presented 7:00am – 4:30pm CST / 8:00am - 5:30pm EST

Target Audience

This conference is designed for nurses, dietitians, certified diabetes care and education specialists, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pharmacists.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, learners should be able to:

  • Provide a practical, multidisciplinary framework for recognizing and managing HFpEF across clinical specialties. 
  • Explore the current technological options available in diabetes care to develop a better understanding.
  • Describe updates within the latest ADA diabetes guidelines that influence pharmacotherapy decision-making.
  • Identify hypercortisolism as an often-overlooked contributor to difficult-to-control Type 2 Diabetes and Resistant Hypertension and take appropriate steps toward evaluation.
  • Identify nutritional deficits in patients and counsel patients on preventing malnutrition.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 6.50 Attendance
    Attendance Credit
    • 6.50 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.50 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)
    Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 6.50 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
    • 3.00 APRN Pharmacotherapeutic Contact Hours
  • 6.50 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE)
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.50 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) Pharmacy Technician
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
Course opens: 
06/30/2026
Course expires: 
12/31/2026
Event starts: 
09/30/2026 - 7:00am CDT
Event ends: 
09/30/2026 - 4:30pm CDT
Cost:
$30.00
Add to calendar: 
Rating: 
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AGENDA
 

Time

Program (Topic and Speakers)

7:45 – 7: 50 am

Welcome / Overview
Stanley Pedziwiatr, RPh, Clinical Pharmacist at Advocate Health

 

7:50 – 8:00 am

Opening Remarks
Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, RN, CRNA, CENP, EBP‑C, Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive (Chief Nursing Officer) at Advocate Health and MaryAnn Moon, MSN, RN, APRN, APNP, ACNS-BC, Nursing Excellence Practice Manager at Advocate Health

 

8:00 – 9:00 am

Technology in Diabetes Management Speaker**
David J. Kats RD, LDN, CDCES, Diabetes Educator, Registered Dietitian at Advocate Health

 

9:00 – 10:00 am

Pillars of Physical Activity: Evidence-Based Principles for Developing an Exercise Program
Michael Ward, M.D., Physician for Advocate Health

10:00 -10:30 am

Break - Exhibits

10:30 – 11: 30 am

Food for Thought: Strategies to Assess and Meet Nutritional Needs for Healthy Loss with GLP-1 Medications
Tessa Singer MSPH, RD, Diabetes Educator Dietitian at Advocate Health

11:30 – 12:30 pm

Cardiometabolic Obesity-Related HFpEF: Cardio-Kidney Metabolic Syndrome in Clinical Practice**
Vinh Quoc Chau, MD, FACC, Advanced Heart Failure Cardiology at Advocate Heart Institute

12:30 – 1:30 pm

Lunch (provided) – Exhibits

Hypercortisolism: A Potential Driver of Difficult-To-Control Type 2 Diabetes and Resistant Hypertension*
No credit will be provided, and the session will take place in a separate room from the main lecture space.
Jennifer Ali, AGNP-BC, BC-ADM, Nurse Practitioner and Medical Science Liaison at Corcept Therapeutics

1:30 – 2:00 pm

“Living with Diabetes” Panel
Jill Byrne, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist at Advocate Health, "Living with Diabetes" panelist
Edward Conlin, PharmD, MBA, Director of Pharmacy Relations at Advocate Health
Mr. Joash Ebeywa, "Living with Diabetes" panelist, Sophomore at Mount Carmel High School
Mr. Michael Young, "Living with Diabetes" panelist

2:00 – 3:00 pm

Beyond Glucose Lowering: The 2026 Diabetes Pharmacotherapy Update**
Susan Cornell, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, FADCES, Pharmacist at Midwest Pharmacy

3:00 – 4:00 pm

Stress Less, Live More: Protecting Your Mental Health on the Diabetes Journey
Felicia Houston, MA, LCPC, Faith and Mental Health Program Specialist at Advocate Health

4:00 pm

Closing – Raffles, Passport Prizes

*  No credit will be provided, and the session will take place in a separate room from the main lecture space.

**   3 ANCC pharmacy hours

Drury Lane
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
United States

Faculty
 

  • David J. Kats RD, LDN, CDCES, Diabetes Educator, Registered Dietitian at Advocate Health
  • Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, RN, CRNA, CENP, EBP‑C, Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive (Chief Nursing Officer) at Advocate Health
  • MaryAnn Moon, MSN, RN, APRN, APNP, ACNS-BC, Nursing Excellence Practice Manager at Advocate Health
  • Michael Ward, M.D., Physician for Advocate Health
  • Tessa Singer MSPH, RD, Diabetes Educator Dietitian at Advocate Health
  • Susan Cornell, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, FADCES, Pharmacist at Midwest Pharmacy
  • Vinh Quoc Chau, MD, FACC, Advanced Heart Failure Cardiology at Advocate Heart Institute
  • Felicia Houston, MA, LCPC, Faith and Mental Health Program Specialist at Advocate Health
  • Mr. Michael Young, "Living with Diabetes" panelist
  • Pamela Kontos, DNP, MS,  ACNP-BC, BSN, BS, Nurse Practitioner at Advocate Health
  • Mr. Joash Ebeywa, "Living with Diabetes" panelist, Sophomore at Mount Carmel High School
  • Edward Conlin, PharmD, MBA, Director of Pharmacy Relations at Advocate Health
  • Jill Byrne, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist at Advocate Health, "Living with Diabetes" panelist
  • Elizabeth Ebeywa, DNP, BCADM, CDCES, APRN- BC, Nurse Practitioner at Advocate Health
  • Rosie Bernard, MSN, MPH, RN, Diabetes Educator at Advocate Health
  • Carol Victor, APRN, CDCES, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Advocate Health
  • Gwendolyn Woodruff, MBA, RD, CDCES, Registered Dietitian at Advocate Health
  • Amanda Auger, RD, Diabetes Program Coordinator at Advocate Health
  • Stanley Pedziwiatr, RPh, Clinical Pharmacist at Advocate Health
  • Varsha Bhan, MD, Director of Medical Care Management and Physician Advisor at Advocate Health

 

Disclosure

 

Faculty disclosures are being reviewed and will be presented to the audience in advance of the program.

 

Accreditation Statement
 

In support of improving patient care, Advocate Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Credit Statement(s)
 

American Medical Association (AMA) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.50 ANCC contact hours and 3 ANCC pharmacy hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum 6.50 hours of CPE credit for (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians). CPE credit can be claimed on the AAH CE platform within 60 days of activity completion and information will be provided to CPE Monitor. Participants should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 
Pharmacy UAN: JA0006327-0000-26-116-L01-P
Pharmacy Technician UAN: JA0006327-0000-26-116-L01-T

 

 

Available Credit

  • 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 6.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 6.50 Attendance
    Attendance Credit
    • 6.50 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.50 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)
    Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 6.50 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
    • 3.00 APRN Pharmacotherapeutic Contact Hours
  • 6.50 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE)
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.50 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) Pharmacy Technician
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

Price

Cost:
$30.00
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How to Register
 

Complete the form above and click "Add to cart."

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 FEE
Registration Fee$30.00
Student Registration Fee Free

Payable by credit card only

Registration for this activity can only be completed through the CE Learning Platform. Attendee registrations made through any other sites cannot be honored. 

Cancellation and Refund Policy


Cancellation/Refunds/Substitutions

  • Cancellations must be in writing (email)
  • Registrants cancelling between two weeks and five full business days prior to the first day of the event are "refunded at 70% of the registration fee subject to a minimum $25 cancellation fee."
  • No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received less than five full business days prior to the event.
  • No refunds or credit will be given for no-shows.
  • No vouchers will be issued in lieu of a refund.

For Further Information
 

If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact [email protected]

If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact the IPCE Office at [email protected]

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