The Exhibit Hall Team
Our Exhibit Hall Team helps you have a great experience in the Exhibit Hall
Rich Meredith is dad to Jeremy (dx'd May 2000), Bailey, and Chelsea. He has been involved in CWD since the family attended their first conference in 2003. His day job is working in IT, but on the side he makes "big bowls," hand thrown pottery pieces which have been found at diabetes and community art related fund raising auctions. Rich coordinates the load in and load out of all conference materials. He also oversees the exhibit hall, from set-up to tear down and everything in between for the FFL conference. Children with Diabetes has been a huge part of his family’s life, and they have all made lifelong friendships here.
Chris Pawlowski is a proud Mom of Melissa (who was diagnosed with type 1 in 1995), Sarah, Kayla, and Matthew (who was diagnosed with type 1 in 2002), and wife to Dave. They live in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Her family has been attending/volunteering at every FFL Orlando conference since 2003. FFL conferences have made a huge impact on her family. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and being a Grandma.
Dave Pawlowski is married to Chris and Dad to Melissa, Sarah, Kayla, and Matthew who are all members of the CWD FFL Staff. Dave and his family first attended Friends for Life in 2003 and have attended every year since, both as attendees and volunteers. Attending FFL is a family tradition. When not working as an Attorney in Wisconsin, his time is enjoyed with family and being a Grandpa! Dave is also a fan of all Wisconsin sports teams.
Connie Chitwood-Vu, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES, BC-ADM, is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with expertise in diabetes technology such as Insulin Pump Therapy and CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring.) She has more than 25 years of clinical diabetes experience and works with adults and children. Connie is a passionate patient advocate who works collaboratively to provide state-of-the-art options to those living and caring for those with diabetes. She has lived with T1D for almost 50 years!
Kevin Clemson is married to Nereida and is the father of Natalene, Keira (who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2015), and Kiel. The family resides in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with their two Shichon dogs, Belle and Ace. They have attended every Friends for Life (FFL) Orlando conference since 2015. Kevin is also involved with the DoFFLs and is excited to volunteer for the first time this year. He is a Customer Service Specialist at The First National Bank and Trust Company of Newtown. You can often find him on the soccer field, supporting his children multiple times a week and cheering for the Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers. Kevin is eager to give back to an organization that has supported his family for so many years.
David Deltano has been attending Friends for Life Orlando since 2018 and is a proud father to two young adults living with type 1 diabetes. Abby was diagnosed first at 11 years old in 2016 and is a recent high school graduate, talented artist, entrepreneur and veterinary assistant. Matthew was diagnosed in 2017 and is a rising junior at Florida Polytechnic University focusing on computer science. David is a marine engineer who appreciates FFL for the opportunity to learn about new technology, meet people from all over who share the same bond and gain knowledge from a variety of experts in the diabetes community.
Carolyn Freligh is Emma’s great aunt and a devoted supporter of the Friends for Life community. Her connection to type 1 diabetes runs deep—her younger sister, late grandmother, and great-grandmother all lived with T1D, and she has walked closely alongside her niece Wendi and great-niece Emma since Emma’s diagnosis in 2018. Carolyn began attending the conference shortly after and has returned each year to support her family. With a professional background in corporate customer service and administrative support, she brings warmth, structure, and a steady presence to those around her. Volunteering at Friends for Life is a meaningful way for Carolyn to honor her family’s legacy while giving back to a community that has meant so much to them.
Ed Grand, along with wife Shelley and son Parker (diagnosed in 2002 at age three), has attended every Friends for Life July conference since 2003. Ed credits FFL for Parker’s successful diabetes management and for his success in the start of his journey in life. Ed states, “For that, we are grateful and volunteer in hope that others may have the same successes." Besides the night time BG monitoring, Ed works as a banker, is an avid runner, and enjoys volunteering for California’s La Purisima Mission State Historic Park.
Celeste Hogan is mom to Stella (age 19, dx’d in 2014) and to Ethan (age 24, currently participating in a clinical trial at the University of Florida to delay the onset of type 1). They attended their first Friends for Life conference just 28 days after Stella’s diagnosis, and have been coming ever since. Celeste enjoys yoga, reading, and going to Disney with her family. She’s very much looking forward to volunteering full time with the Exhibit Hall Team!
Randy Smith has been involved with Children with Diabetes since 2004, following the diagnosis of his son Josh, in October of 2003. Randy, his daughter Kylee, and Josh’s mother all volunteer at Friends for Life, along with Josh’s grandmother, Betty Parker. Randy has participated in events and conferences in California, Washington, DC, and Orlando, with the primary intent of being a better caregiver and dad. CWD is at the heart of medical support as well as the much needed human support side of this equation. "We look forward to continued improvement and therapies until such time as diabetes has been resolved and our children can live a diabetes free life. Until that time, we will be ever diligent with support to the medical community and CWD."
Claudia Vazquez lives in Chuluota, Florida, with her husband Daniel and their girls Maria and Lauren (diagnosed at the age of three in 2009). They decided to make the big move to Florida from New York in 2018 and the first thing on their agenda was to attend their first ever Friends for Life Conference. At the end of the week hearing their daughter say “these were her people” and seeing a smile they hadn’t seen in while, made the wait worth it. They now look forward to FFL and have attended every year since. Claudia is looking forward to helping other families feel at home and their their people like their family did.
Cristina Williams is married to Don Williams, who lives with type 1 diabetes. Through their good friends, the Merediths, Cristina and Don were introduced to Friends for Life Orlando. She states that "We have been learning and making friends for life through Children with Diabetes since 2008."
Don Williams was born and raised in Chicago. He transplanted to Florida in 1977 and was diagnosed with T1D as an adult in 2006. Don was introduced to CWD and Friends for Life in 2008 by his great friends, the Meredith family. He and wife Cristina have participated in FFL ever since. Don is thrilled to volunteer this year as part of the Exhibit Hall team.
Indicates Exhibit Hall Team member with diabetes