HOLLYWOOD, FL (May 7, 2020) -The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) today announced the appointment of Tiffany Bedran as its Chief Administrative Officer, and Amy Powers, MBA, MSTX, as its Chief Development Officer. Both are seasoned, high-level nonprofit professionals with outstanding track records for achieving results and providing innovative leadership. They will be important assets in helping the organization fulfill its mission to cure diabetes.
“I am so pleased to have two highly impressive individuals joining our team. Tiffany brings a strong background in organizational management, finance, and administration; Amy is a skilled fundraiser with proven experience in increasing revenue. I truly believe their combined knowledge will help propel this organization forward, particularly during such a critical time,” said Sean Kramer, Chief Executive Officer of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.
As CAO, Bedran will oversee the DRIF’s day-to-day operations and administrative activities so that it is in the best position to raise significant funds to support its sole beneficiary, the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She recently served as Chief Financial Officer of The Children’s Trust, managing a budget of more than $160 million. During her tenure there, Bedran spearheaded the implementation of a contract and financial management system that was scaled to over 200 service providers county-wide.
Prior to that, Bedran worked for other nonprofit organizations and successfully obtained more than $12 million of grant funding from various federal, state and local sources. Early in her career, she worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers and earned her business/accounting degree and CPA certificate from Tulane University.
“As a native South Floridian, I am excited to become part of this esteemed organization with its sole purpose of curing diabetes; it is an honor to work with such a dedicated team, spearheaded by Mr. Kramer, that is focused on a challenge which deeply affects so many families,” said Bedran.
As CDO, Powers will spearhead the organization’s efforts to identify, inform, and involve those individuals who can participate in its mission through major contributions and other fundraising programs. Powers joins the DRIF after five years serving as Executive Director of Major Gifts at Jupiter Medical Center. Under her leadership, the team there contributed to its highly visible and successful $300 million comprehensive campaign and oversaw several new strategic initiatives, including a Women’s Advisory Council and the implementation of a professional, metrics-driven fundraising process. Prior to that, she was part of Cleveland Clinic Florida’s development team where she solicited major gifts for the enterprise’s clinical and research initiatives.
Powers has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit fundraising arena, also spending 14 years as a development professional at the University of Miami and overseeing its regional development, annual giving and alumni engagement programs. A graduate of UM, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business, as well as a master’s of business administration and a master’s of taxation.
“I am thrilled to join DRIF’s important mission to provide the funding needed to cure diabetes. The innovation, ambition, and spirit of collaboration with our board leadership, donors and volunteers is what attracted me to this unique organization,” said Powers.
About the Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation
The mission of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now. The Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in cure-focused research. As one of the largest and most comprehensive research centers dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is working to restore natural insulin production and normalize blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. Researchers have already shown that transplanted insulin-producing islet cells allow people with type 1 diabetes to live without the need for insulin injections. Some of the DRI’s islet transplant patients have been free from insulin for more than 10 years. DRI scientists are now working to make life-saving therapies available to all diabetes patients through its BioHub strategy – a multidisciplinary research approach that addresses the major challenges that stand in the way of a biological cure. For more information, please visit DiabetesResearch.org or call 800-321-3437.
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