Meet Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill: The Advocate Bridging Research and Care

When Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill's oldest child was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it marked a turning point in her career. At the time, she was working as a marketing executive at Southwest Airlines and later in higher education. That diagnosis prompted her to return to school and pursue nursing—a decision that would reshape her professional life and impact thousands in the diabetes community.

Albanese-O'Neill earned her B.S.N., M.S.N., and Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Florida. She went on to serve as an assistant professor of nursing and pediatrics, and directed both the pediatric diabetes clinic operations and the outpatient pediatric diabetes education program at UF.

Throughout her academic career, Albanese-O'Neill maintained an active research portfolio alongside her clinical work. Her research focuses on diabetes education, quality improvement, and diabetes technology—areas that directly affect how people with Type 1 diabetes manage their condition day-to-day.

Her findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals including Diabetes Care, The Lancet, Pediatric Diabetes, and Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, contributing to the evidence base that informs diabetes care standards.

Albanese-O'Neill has been a passionate diabetes advocate since 2002. Her advocacy work extends far beyond the clinic and lab. She has testified at congressional hearings, presented at the White House, and spoken before the Florida legislature about issues affecting people with diabetes.

She is a co-author on state, national, and international position statements focused on diabetes care in schools, working to reduce discrimination and improve support for students with Type 1 diabetes. Her efforts to bridge the gap between clinical evidence and policy have earned her multiple national awards.

Albanese-O'Neill currently serves as Vice President of Medical Affairs at Breakthrough T1D, where she oversees medical strategy and direction. Before this role, she was Associate Vice President of Community Screening and Clinical Trial Education, positions that build on her decades of experience connecting research to real-world diabetes care.

She will be speaking at the 2026 Breakthrough T1D Community Summit in Northern California, bringing her unique perspective as clinician, researcher, parent, and advocate to conversations with patients, families, and caregivers.

Origin: Northern California Chapters (News report). Evidence: News report — unverified, pending corroboration. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.