About Us
Type 1 Diabetes is universal. Its educational resources are not. Knowledge is essential in T1D and can be the difference between life and death, and that difference should never be determined by how someone learns. For the neurodivergent community, that need has never been addressed — until now.
Our Story
The story of animaT1D begins in the summer of 2023 at a pediatric endocrinology clinic. At her daughter’s appointment, Molly mentioned the lack of comprehensive visual educational material for neurodivergent children with T1D. She was then connected with Radhika, a physician in the same group.
On obtaining feedback from the local community of neurodivergent children with T1D and their families, short visual stories emerged as a popular format for instruction. A search revealed that there was nothing out there in that format for T1D, and therefore, Molly and Radhika expanded their target audience to anyone interested in learning about T1D. They also realized that making animation videos was an expensive undertaking.
So, with a grand vision and no funding, and driven by their shared passion for T1D education, they taught themselves animation, launched social media platforms, built partnerships, and even learned how to start a nonprofit from the ground up. What began as a mission to fill an educational gap became a testimonial to their determination, adaptability, and commitment to making T1D education accessible to all, especially those for whom no comprehensive resource had ever existed.
Meet the Founders
Molly Barry
Co-Founder & Speech-Language Pathologist
Hello! My name is Molly Barry. I am a speech-language pathologist, Wilson dyslexia practitioner as well as the mother of a wonderful daughter who is autistic and has type 1 diabetes as well. I attended the University of Oregon, first as a student-athlete and then later to complete my Master’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences.
My journey with animaT1D is both personal and professional. I observed when my daughter was very young that visual and multi-sensory tools for learning were powerful for her. When type 1 diabetes showed up in November of 2019, I became acutely aware of the need to understand and manage this chronic condition and also noticed there was a lack of comprehensive educational materials in a visual format. After a conversation with my daughter’s endocrinologist, an idea was born. I was connected with Radhika to help create this resource and am honored to be on this journey together.
Dr. Radhika Purushothaman
Co-Founder & Pediatric Endocrinologist
Hi! My name is Radhika Purushothaman. I am a pediatric endocrinologist practicing in Portland, Oregon USA. I completed my training in pediatric endocrinology in 2009 and have been taking care of children with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and other endocrine diagnoses ever since. Portland has been my home since 2013, where I take full advantage of all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
I believe that knowledge is indeed power, and that it should be available to everyone, regardless of how they learn. As a pediatric endocrinologist, I have seen firsthand how the absence of accessible, tailored education affects outcomes for neurodivergent individuals and their families. That gap is what drove me to co-found animaT1D: to build the resource I wished I could hand every family walking out of my clinic.
Our Mission
We are a nonprofit closing type 1 diabetes knowledge gaps for neurodivergent communities through visual education.
Our Vision
Accessible Type 1 Diabetes Education for ALL
Meet the Board
Molly Barry
Board President
Dr. Radhika Purushothaman
Board Secretary
Alissa Heizler-Mendoza is a mission-driven healthcare leader with nearly three decades of experience across pharma, biotech, medical devices, and startups. She has built and led functions in patient advocacy, KOL engagement, medical society partnerships, and public policy, bridging science, strategy, and stakeholder engagement to drive meaningful outcomes. Alissa is passionate about embedding the patient voice across the full lifecycle of innovation, from R&D through commercialization.
A Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), she has dedicated much of her career to advancing care and support for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Her experience as a dyslexia advocate has reinforced her belief that people learn differently, shaping her commitment to AnimaT1D’s mission to deliver accessible, engaging, and evidence-based education. She believes strongly in the power of visual learning to make complex information more understandable and empowering, helping individuals and families feel more informed and capable in managing their care.
Alissa enjoys the outdoors, including gardening and hiking, and spending time with her husband, Michael, her 16-year-old son and two rescue pups.
Kate Schneider is a professional strategy, insights, and marketing leader with a decade of experience across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Kate currently works at Apnimed, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, as a founding member of the commercial team.
Prior to joining Apnimed, Kate built a career in strategic consulting, market research, and analytics. At the venture capital studio Redesign Health, she focused on developing next-generation healthcare companies, while her tenure at Magnolia Innovation involved supporting top-tier healthcare and pharmaceutical product launches through strategic insights and developing specialized clinical education training programs.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Business and Medical Anthropology, Kate is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of education. She believes that accessible, data-backed information is the cornerstone of patient empowerment and improved health outcomes. By leveraging her expertise in digital strategy and healthcare marketing, she is dedicated to ensuring that animaT1D equips every family with the information and confidence needed to manage Type 1 Diabetes.
Kate resides in New York City and loves to travel, perform as a singer, and volunteer as an urban beekeeper.
Board member since inception:
Lauren Barry is a Noblereach Scholar and Growth Associate at Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA).
She has a background in Social Entrepreneurship and Economics from Rollins College, where she gained expertise in systems thinking, AI-driven group model building, and social impact reporting to support pipeline development and innovation initiatives.
Her experience spans financial institutions, global impact hubs, and both international and national startups, where she developed skills in financial modeling, impact measurement, and strategic planning.
Combining data analysis, program evaluation, and stakeholder engagement, Lauren bridges technical skills with cross-sector collaboration to help organizations design frameworks that scale sustainable impact.
Lauren enjoys surfing, rafting, hiking, air plants, kombucha, and quality time with her friends and family!
Board member since inception:
Dr. Rachel Jeffres has extensive experience working with organizations and individuals as an Executive Coach and Leadership Development expert.
Rachel has worked with senior administrators and executives in various industries including non-profit organizations, customer service industries, government agencies, and numerous public and private universities.
Rachel earned an M.A. in Family Therapy from Hardin Simmons University and Ed.D. in Leadership Theory from Creighton University. When she is not working you will find her watching an Oregon Ducks football game or Dodger baseball game, going for a walk with her Doxie puppies, or working on a home renovation project with her husband, Eric.
Treasurer and board member since inception:
With a career spanning both basic science and clinical research, as well as leadership roles in large-scale national healthcare initiatives, Sandhya Subramanian brings extensive experience in scientific research, program administration, and operational leadership. She holds an M.S. in Microbiology and Immunology and has over two decades of experience leading research, regulatory, and operational efforts within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
As both a researcher and program leader, Sandhya has built her career around improving research communication, strengthening operational processes, and translating complex scientific and regulatory requirements into clear, usable frameworks for multi-site healthcare programs. She is passionate about helping bridge the gap between scientific research and meaningful health education so individuals and families can make informed decisions about their care with confidence.
Sandhya enjoys gardening and hiking in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. She is also actively involved in mentoring students through coaching a local high school robotics team, where she supports youth in developing STEM, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Our Annual Reports:
Browse our annual reports to see how your support is helping us drive research, raise awareness, and improve lives for those living with Type 1 diabetes.
Expanding Access: animaT1D en Español
Accessible type 1 diabetes education for ALL means all languages too. animaT1D en Español is our Spanish-language YouTube channel, created with bilingual diabetes educators, featuring its own cast and culturally relevant content, built for Spanish-speaking families navigating T1D.
¿Cómo Manejar Las Cetonas Con Niveles De Azúcar Normales En Diabetes?
¿Es posible tener cetonas en la sangre con azúcar normal en diabetes?
Aprende sobre la diabetes tipo 1 de forma DIVERTIDA y ANIMADA
¿Cómo manejar las cetonas con los niveles altos de azúcar?
¿Sabes que las cetonas NO siempre significan la cetoacidosis?
Cetonas ¿Qué son y que significa en diabetes tipo 1?
Aprende A Diferenciar Entre Carbohidratos Totales Y Netos Para La Diabetes
¿Como Impactan la Proteína y La Grasa a Tu Azúcar en la Sangre?
¿Por qué los cereales aumentan tan rápidamente los niveles de azúcar en sangre?
¿Por qué contar los carbohidratos es importante en la diabetes tipo 1?
Datos y consejos sobre las opciones de refrigerio para la diabetes tipo 1
Tengo Diabetes Tipo 1 ¿Puedo Comer Lo Que Quiero?
¿Qué es la hemoglobina A1C?
¿Qué es la glucosa?
¿Qué es la diabetes?: Aprende del experto!
¿Qué es la diabetes tipo 2?
Insulina y glucosa: ¿Qué hacen y cómo?
¿Qué es la diabetes tipo 1?
Power in Partnerships
animaT1D creates the education. Partners help us get it to the people who need it most. We’re proud to collaborate with T1D experts, nonprofits, and advocates globally who share our vision for accessible and inclusive diabetes education. From starting a Spanish language channel and content in Amharic for the Ethiopian audience, together, we’re shaping a world where everyone touched by T1D feels supported and informed.
What Our Community Says
Request a Video!
Got a T1D topic on your mind? Let us know, and we’ll create a video to answer your real-world questions—because if you’re wondering, someone else is too!
Want to Support Our Work?
animaT1D is a nonprofit initiative, and every donation, collaboration, and referral helps us create more free, high-quality educational content for the T1D community. Your support also ensures our content remains free and accessible to all who need it.
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