Theresa Garnero is an accomplished diabetes nurse educator, author and cartoonist.

She is a health entertainer dedicated to facilitating the humor-health connection by combining her science and artistic talents to promote a positive laugh-learn experience. Author and illustrator of “Your First Year with Diabetes” and “DIABETease, a lighter look at the serious subject of diabetes,” Theresa is a former national diabetes educator of the year, awarded by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE). She is a current has-been and continues to dream about possibilities. Diabetes Cartoons

Her official credentials are APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE, which means a lot of school time! She is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management, with a Master of Science in Nursing, and Certified Diabetes Educator. Theresa has over 20 years experience as a nurse having cared for people with diabetes in most situations. She is a tireless champion of diabetes education causes and innovative approaches to help the diabetes community.

Highlights! In 2009, Garnero garnered 3 national awards for her interactive book, “Your First Year with Diabetes” published by the American Diabetes Association! Learn more.

For 2010, Dance Out Diabetes, a non-profit organization aimed at preventing and managing diabetes through dance will officially launch under her leadership.

Ongoing

2010	Award-Winner in the Health Organizer & Planner category of the 2010 International Book Awards for "Your First Year with Diabetes"
2010	Women In Government Foundation, Inc. cartoonist (National Diabetes Task Force Meeting)
2009	Founder, President and CEO of Dance Out Diabetes (officially a 5013c as of 12/11/09!)
2009	Manuscript reviewer for The Diabetes Educator
2009	International Society for Humor Studies member
2009	Board of Director, Diabetes ANd Gays — DANG Foundation
2007	American Institute of Graphic Design member
2007	Caring.com columnist
2007	Nurse Manager, Center for Diabetes Services at California Pacific Medical Center, S.F., CA
2006	San Francisco Bay Area chapter of AADE (SFBAADE) member
2005	Logo, iconography, symbols consultant for diabetes education/industry
2004	Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor gold member
2004	dLife columnist/cartoonist
2003	Defeat Diabetes Foundation columnist & cartoonist

Current and not so distant achievements

2009	Board of Director, American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE)
2009	Ben Franklin Book Awards finalist, National Health Information Silver Award, USA Book News Best Books Award winner for “Your First Year with Diabetes”
2009	Frameline anti-tobacco campaign for LGBT community “Queer as Smoke”
2008	Global Winner of Inspired by Diabetes, Healthcare Entry
2008	“Your First Year with Diabetes” published by the American Diabetes Association
2008	AADE Professional Development Committee
2006-2007	Director of Diabetes Services, Washington Hospital, Fremont, CA ( ADA certification in 9 months)
2006	San Francisco Comedy College graduate
2005	President of the California Central Coast Chapter of AADE (member since its inception)
2005	Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Nurse of the Year nominee
2004-2007	Diabetes Healthmonitor cartoonist
2004	Allene Van Son Award for best diabetes education tool (cartoons from DIABETease)
2004	Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE)
2003	Self-published “DIABETease: A lighter look at the serious subject of diabetes”
2003-2006	Illustrator/graphic designer/writer of a 10–series JCAHO education alert for Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula staff
2002-2005	Nursing Insight Editor-in-Chief, a Community Hospital quarterly nursing journal
2000-2003	Diabetes Interview cartoonist
1997-2001	Nursing Insight co-editor, writer, cartoonist

“Laughing lowers glucose and cholesterol- except when eating French fries!”