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Peter Van Etten, JDRF's President and CEO, has worked as an Executive for hospitals and universities around the country, including the University of California at San Francisco, Stanford University and University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He joined the staff of JDRF in January 2000. Now, as President and CEO of JDRF, he is leading JDRF in the mission to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
CureNow: What is a typical day like for you as President and CEO of JDRF?
Peter Van Etten: There probably isn't a typical day. I spend probably half my time in my office.
When there, I spent probably half my time in meetings with staff and
volunteers and the rest doing email writing letters, or on the phone. When
not in my office I travel around the country, and occasionally overseas.
When traveling I meet with volunteers and staff in some of our 100 chapters,
visit potential donors or corporate sponsors, visit research laboratories,
attend fund raising events such as walks, galas, or receptions. One of the
things I like about my job is that it is unpredictable!
How did you get involved with JDRF and diabetes advocacy?
I was immediately attracted to JDRF after an initial meeting with the Committee
charged with finding a new President. I have worked in Executive positions
in a number of Hospitals and Universities. I had never seen an organization
that was driven by such passion for a cause as I have experienced at JDRF.
The passion for a cure, felt particularly by volunteers, makes JDRF a unique
place to work. JDRF is different because its founders wanted the
organization to not focus on making live better for people with diabetes
today but rather to find a cure and then go out of business. Hope for a
cure is a very appealing and infectious motivator.
What's your favorite part about being president of JDRF?
Working with
volunteers and seeing the extraordinary research progress that has taken
place in recent years.
What has been your most memorable experience at your job?
One of the most
memorable experiences occurred at our annual conference last year. We asked
a woman who had been cured of diabetes with islet transplantation after some
20 years to speak. At the end of her talk the entire audience rose and
cheered. It was an extraordinary experience.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
and Peter Van Etten at the
30th Annual Conference.
What are JDRF's goals for the new year?
Our primary goal for every year is
to find a cure. We have 10 other goals this year:
1. Implement a revised prioritization and evaluation program for our
research program
2. Revitalize our major giving program
3. Restructure and fundamentally improve our Information technology programs
4. Implement more effective financial planning programs focused on
supporting our chapters
5. Advocacy in Washington to support stem cell research and more money for
Type 1 from NIH
6. develop a comprehensive communications plan
7. Increase revenue from outside the US
8. Develop a plan to increase our revenues to $200million annually
9. Create and implement succession planning programs for staff and
volunteers
10. Develop a comprehensive "Washington Initiative" focused on our
Children's Congress
How do you think the September 11th attacks with affect fundraising and
advocacy for diabetes? How can people overcome or avoid setbacks?
We
originally estimated that 9/11 would result in a 29% drop in budgeted
revenues, or $34 million. To address the challenge we cut expenses
throughout the organization and initiated a number of new fund raising
programs. Now we estimate the drop may be only 10%.