JDRF has appointed Lori Cornell of Bemus Point as development director in Western New York for the Upstate New York Chapter.

Cornell comes to JDRF with more than 20 years of experience in government and politics, having worked at every level of local, state and federal jurisdictions in both elective and appointed positions. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Notre Dame as part of the school’s Honors Program in Public Service, and later went on to achieve her master’s degree in Strategic Leadership from St. Bonaventure University.

She is a native of Western New York, and lives in Bemus Point with her husband, Chuck, and their four teenage sons: Ben, Nate, Zach and Nick.

“Lori brings to the job a strong background in fundraising, grassroots development and organizational management. But perhaps what makes her the strongest asset to JDRF is her firsthand passion for a cure, as a mother of two sons with Type I Diabetes. At JDRF, we work hard to be a lean organization and know we can count on Lori’s high energy and dedication to help advance our shared goal.”

In the role of Development Director, she will serve as part of the Upstate New York Chapter’s leadership team. Lori will play a key role in the Chapter’s overall fundraising strategy, in advocacy, and in providing support for families and individuals living with T1D.

“I am honored and grateful for this opportunity to help directly advance Type I Diabetes research and make a critical difference for my sons, Ben and Zach, and all those who live with this difficult disease every day. Since my sons’ diagnosis nearly six and four years ago, respectively, my family has come to rely upon JDRF as our conduit in tranforming diabetes care to date and our hope for a cure one day. We have been proud to fundraise, advocate, serve on the WNY JDRF community board, and volunteer for several diabetes clinical research studies. Now, to professionally be a part, is a dream come true for me,” Cornell said.

To learn more about JDRF research, visit www.jdrf.org/impact/research/.