Please see below for our list of speakers for the June 2022 Diabetes Wellness Expo on Tuesday, June 20 at Delaware Technical Community College – Terry Campus – Dover. This event and program is free to the community.
Keynote Speaker
Christopher M. Manieri, DO | Beebe Healthcare
Dr. Manieri is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. His post-graduate clinical training began at ChristianaCare Health System in Newark, Delaware, where he pursued a clinical rotation internship, before later completing a general surgical residency. Dr. Manieri’s clinical training concluded with a bariatric and minimally invasive surgical fellowship at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia.
He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.
Dr. Manieri practices at the Beebe Center for Weight Loss Surgery, located in Georgetown, as well as at the Beebe General Surgery Center, located in Lewes. Patients who opt to pursue bariatric surgery undergo an extensive planning and preparation process, often taking place over a period of several months. Following surgery, bariatric patients continue seeing their surgeon on a regular basis for approximately one year, and sometimes even longer. Dr. Manieri values the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and bond with his patients, as these processes take place.
Session Time: 12:30 PM
Session Location: Del-One Conference Center
Full Speaker Lineup
Leena Amin, RPH | Camden Pharmacy
Leena Amin has over 20 years experience in community, retail pharmacy. Leena was a Pharmacist-In-Charge at Walmart for 17 years before transitioning into ownership in 2020. Located in Camden, Delaware, Leena’s pharmacy has become an integral part of the community, playing a critical role in patient care. Leena is committed to listening to her patients and addressing their needs with compassion and empathy. Leena serves as an educator, continuously seeking out creative ways to empower individuals on their journey to better health outcomes and an improved quality of life. Leena holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Pune University in India and enjoys reading and cooking during her spare time.
Session Title: Diabetes, Big Diagnosis – Managing Life with Diabetes and Patient Goals
Session Time: 9:30 AM & 10:45 AM
Session Location: Classroom 714
Leah Brown, RDN | Food Bank of Delaware
Leah Brown is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), licensed in the State of Delaware. She is currently a Leadership Delaware, Inc., Class of 2023 Fellow. Leah received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Delaware and her Master of Science in Kinesiology from James Madison University. She completed her Dietetic Internship, to become a Registered Dietitian through the University of Delaware’s Dietetic Internship program, in 2012. She has been a Registered Dietitian for over10 years and has over 15 years of experience in the field of Nutrition, including clinical nutrition, food service management, private practice, and community nutrition.
Leah decided to be a Registered Dietitian at the age of fifteen. Her father was a diabetic and a dialysis patient. When she noticed how the foods her family ate changed when her father was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease she became interested in Nutrition. Her goal is to help those suffering from chronic conditions and their families have a better quality of life through healthful nutrition. As well as educate the community about nutrition to help prevent the onset of poor health.
Leah is currently the Community Nutrition Director at the Food Bank of Delaware (FBD). She began her career at the FBD in 2013, first as the Child Nutrition Production Manager and was promoted to Lead Community Nutritionist. As Lead Community Nutritionist she was responsible for management and implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) grant. After three and a half years with the FBD Leah went on to gain nutrition counseling, private practice experience and additional medical nutrition therapy experience in clinical nutrition. She was asked to return to the FBD in 2021 and now oversees the management and implementation of both the SNAP-Ed Grant, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Education and Outreach Contract, and works with her team and other FBD departments to include nutrition initiatives throughout food distribution operations.
In the past she has served as a Board Member of the Delaware Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She also serves as a Dietetic Internship Preceptor for students from local universities who complete their Community Nutrition rotation at the Food Bank of Delaware.
Session Title: Eating and Enjoying Life with Diabetes
Session Time: 9:30 AM & 10:45 AM
Session Location: Classroom 716
Bethany Hall-Long | Delaware Lt. Governor
From 2002-2017, Bethany served as a member of Delaware’s legislature, first as a Representative and then as a Senator. She served as the chair of the Health and Social Services committee where her efforts were aimed at ensuring a stronger, healthier Delaware by combating addiction, focusing on a stronger mental health system, fighting cancer, and health inequities in our state. She also served as a member of the capital budget Bond Committee where Bethany focused on building Delaware’s infrastructure, modernizing our schools, repairing our highways, and protecting our environment and open space. Descended from Colonel David Hall, a judge, lawyer and 15th Governor of Delaware (1802), serving the community is in her blood. Her great-grandfather, David C. Hall, was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives (1916-1920). Bethany has always been, and will continue to be a strong voice for all of Delaware.
Session Title: Diabetes in Delaware
Session Time: 12:00 PM
Session Location: Del-One Conference Center
Shekinah Mast, AuD, CCC-A | Mast Audiology Services, LLC
Dr. Mast completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology & Audiology in 2010, and her Doctorate in Audiology in 2014, both at Towson University. Dr. Mast has obtained her Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Dr. Mast was part of a national task force with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for the creation of an Audiology Assistant Certification from 2019-2020 and is currently serving on ASHA Practice Management Member Advisory Group.
Originally from Dover, Delaware, Dr. Mast moved to Seaford in the summer of 2017. She currently resides here in Seaford with her husband and three children. With prior experience in both Ear, Nose and Throat and private practice settings, Dr. Mast is the owner of Mast Audiology Services, LLC in Seaford, Delaware. An active member of her community, she is committed to improving communication and overall health using hearing aid technology that improves relationships and quality of life for all of her patients.
Session Title: Audiology Management in Diabetes Care
Session Time: 1:30 PM
Session Location: Classroom 714
Nina Pletcher, MEd, RDN, DCES | Bayhealth Medical Group
Nina Pletcher is a registered dietitian for more than 50 years and has developed her passion for diabetes education as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist for more than 30 of those years concurrently. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Penn State University. She is currently employed at Bayhealth Medical Group in Population Health and specializes in caring for and educating both people with diabetes and the health care team with whom she works.
Nina is a mother of two and grandmother of two beautiful granddaughters.
Session Title: Technology Assisted Living with Diabetes (panel)
Session Time: 1:30 PM
Session Location: Classroom 716