Quinn Nystrom
For the past 22 years, Quinn Nystrom has shared her story of living with type 1 diabetes to over 300,000 people across North America. Her company, Qspeak, allows her to speak, advocate, consult, and write about diabetes. She’s been featured nationally on XM Radio, Glamour Magazine, MSN, Reader’s Digest, Diabetes Forecast and The Learning Channel (TLC).
She currently sits on the Community Leadership Board for the Minnesota Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. She was the youngest recipient at 15 for the prestigious ADA Star Award for her fundraising efforts, and also was selected to represent the association as the National Youth Advocate in 2002-2003. She received the 2016 ADA Advocacy Award and was named one of the 2015 Ten Outstanding Young by the Jaycees.
Her first book, “If I Kiss You, Will I Get Diabetes?” was released by River Place Press in January 2014. The book was the first to ever be written from a first-hand account of negotiating life with type 1 diabetes. She writes a bi-monthly blog for On Track Diabetes. She’s currently traveling across the country as the National Diabetes Ambassador for Center for Change to help raise awareness about living with type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder (ED-DMT1). In 2014, she was the youngest member to ever be elected to the Baxter City Council. She is the council liaison on the Parks and Trails Commission, Community Behavioral Health Hospital and the Brainerd Lakes Area Sex Trafficking Task Force. In July, she was appointed by Governor Dayton to sit on the Minnesota State Council on Disabilities.
Nystrom is a 2008 graduate of Hope College and obtained her Master of Science Degree in Communication Management from Syracuse University in May 2017.
Credentials:
- Board of Directors – American Diabetes Association MN (ADA)
- Former Diabetes Advocacy Chair – American Diabetes Association MN
- Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans – Minnesota Jaycees – 2015
- Advocacy Act Award – American Diabetes Association – 2016
- Youngest person to ever be elected to serve on the Baxter City Council and the only female member currently.
- Published Author – “If I Kiss You, Will I Get Diabetes?”
- National Diabetes Ambassador – Center for Change
- Appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to the Minnesota State Council on Disabilities – 2017
- Dreamcatcher Award – Lion’s Club – 2014
- Initiator Fellow – Imitative Foundation – 2017
- National Youth Advocate for the American Diabetes Association
- Blogger – On Track Diabetes
- Member of the National Speaker’s Association
- President/Founder of motivational speaking company, Qspeak, affirms that a chronic illness is not a death sentence but an opportunity to live life with purpose and passion
- President/Founder of Dateline Diabetes, a non-profit foundation that provides support and mentors for young people with diabetes
- 2012 Top Ten Finalist for Glamour Magazine & Sally Hansen’s “Best of You” contest, honoring inspirational women who are making a positive impact on others
- Featured in “Four Women with Diabetes” for the Center for Disease Control
- Star of TLC’s “Pageant Perfect”
- Winner of Miss Minnesota Quality of Life Award
- Winner of Miss America Community Service Award
- Youngest ever recipient of “Minnesota Star Award” for outstanding contributions to the ADA – 2001
- Featured Guest on “Dr. Radio” for Sirius XM
- Quarterly Columnist for “The American College of Foot & Ankle Orthopedics & Medicine”
- Leadership trainer for national “Call to Congress” advocates
- Public Relations Director for “Step Out for Diabetes”
- Minnesota’s Honorary Diabetes Ambassador
- Top fundraiser for ADA’s “Tour de Cure” and “Walk for Diabetes” for the past 14 years
- Chair of Brainerd Minnesota’s Diabetes Prevention and Awareness Week
- One of ten national recipients of AXA Equitable’s $25,000 scholarship for outstanding community achievement
- Published Researcher with National Conferences on Undergraduate Research
- 10 Under 10 Award – Hope College – 2018
