Breakthrough T1D Announces New International Board of Directors Leadership

Karen Shishino Jordan Named Chair and Carlton McMillan Named Vice Chair During a Period of Historic Type 1 Diabetes Scientific Progress

NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, today announced the election of Karen Shishino Jordan as Chair of its International Board of Directors (IBOD) and Carlton McMillan as Vice Chair. Both are long-time volunteers with deep personal connections to T1D and extensive professional backgrounds. Jordan and McMillan assume their leadership roles at a transformative moment for T1D, as accelerating scientific progress and breakthrough therapies reshape what is possible for people living with the autoimmune condition. 

"As the leaders of Breakthrough T1D's International Board of Directors, Karen and Carlton will ensure we continue to drive cures and other life-changing type 1 diabetes breakthroughs forward through scientific advancements, advocacy, and clinical care," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., CEO of Breakthrough T1D. "We are in a golden age of advanced medicine and are witnessing incredible progress in the research Breakthrough T1D supports." 

Karen became involved with Breakthrough T1D when her daughter Ali was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008. In 2023, Karen was diagnosed with T1D which has added to her unique and deep understanding of what it means to live with the disease. 

Karen has served on Breakthrough T1D's IBOD and several Board Committees for more than a decade. Karen has lent her time and expertise across the entire organization having served as Chair of the Research Committee, a member of the Audit & Risk Committee, and as the current Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee through June 30, 2026. In years prior, she served as Chair of IBOD's Funding Committee. 

Karen also serves on the Board of Directors of the T1D Fund: A Breakthrough T1D Venture, and on the Board for Breakthrough T1D's Northern California Chapters. She is a member of the Joint Steering Committee for The Breakthrough T1D Center of Excellence in Northern California, which combines the expertise of Stanford University's School of Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco. She is the inaugural recipient of Breakthrough T1D's John Brady Award for Innovation. Karen serves on the Board of Stanford Healthcare and is the recipient of the Stanford University Governor's Award. She is also a Board member of Stroke Onward. Her previous nonprofit work includes service on various boards, committees, and councils, including the Stanford Athletics Board, Stanford Medicine Community Council, and the Portola Valley School District. 

Karen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business from the University of California, Los Angeles; her Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business; and a Genetics and Genomics Certificate from Stanford Medicine. She is a member of Forward Global and has worked as an investment banker.  

"I'm honored to continue to serve Breakthrough T1D and the global type 1 diabetes community," said Jordan. "This mission is deeply personal, not only for my daughter and me, but for the entire T1D community. This community is the heart of Breakthrough T1D and the remarkable progress we've seen is due to the passion and dedication of these champions. Promising new therapies and innovations are transforming how we manage this disease and together we will continue to push forward toward our goals of curing, preventing, and better treating T1D." 

Carlton joined the IBOD in 2023. He previously served on the Finance & Investment Committee and currently serves on the Nominating and Governance Committee. He was also the Chair of Board Development and Nominating and the Chair of Corporate Development on Breakthrough T1D's Northern California Chapter Board, where he served for five years. He became involved with Breakthrough T1D through his wife Ansley, who was diagnosed with T1D at age five.  

In prior years, Carlton spearheaded a corporate partnership between Airbnb and Breakthrough T1D and served as Team Captain of Airbnb's Corporate Walk team. In addition, he and Ansley served as co-Chairs of the San Francisco Walk committee in 2016 and 2017.  

Carlton is Head of Finance & Operations at Watershed, an early-stage technology company focused on sustainability and carbon reduction for large global enterprises. Prior to Watershed, Carlton spent 10 years at Airbnb, where his time was split between scaling the company from its earliest stages through a public offering and building and launching Airbnb.org, a standalone 501c3 focused on emergency housing for the displaced. Prior to joining Airbnb, Carlton worked in public accounting and financial advisory services in Atlanta, GA. 

Carlton also serves on the Board of Directors and the Finance and Investment Committees of the San Francisco School in San Francisco, CA. Carlton received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). 

"Watching my wife navigate the daily realities of type 1 diabetes with strength and resilience has given me a profound appreciation for the urgency of advancing T1D research and improving care," said McMillan. "I'm honored to serve alongside such a dedicated board and look forward to helping build on the extraordinary momentum we are seeing in the field, so we can improve lives and move ever closer to cures." 

About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF 

As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition. 

About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) 
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts 9.5 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D. 

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SOURCE Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF