Diabetes Connections presents:
Moms' Night Out
February 20-21, 2026
DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC Silver Spring
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About Moms' Night Out
Treat yourself to some time away with other moms who get it!
In the 19+ years since my son was diagnosed with type 1, I have attended dozens of diabetes conferences and events. Now I’ve taken the best elements from those events and created a brand new experience. We’re going to have lots of diabetes technology for you to see and learn about, stress-relieving social time where you can meet other moms just like you, and speakers who will leave you feeling energized and ready to face the challenges of parenting a child with T1D.
Want more info? Read about us on Beyond Type 1.
Can’t want to see you there,
Stacey Simms
ps. Can’t make it to DC? Check out our other upcoming cities here
What To Expect
Full schedule below
Exhibitor fair
learn about the latest in insulin pumps, CGM, and meter technology as well as diabetes management options.
Cocktails & Crafts: engage in a fun, hands-on activity while you get to know other moms. Enjoy signature cocktails and/or non-alcoholic drinks.
Dinner is included
Meet new friends and catch up with those you already know around a great meal you don’t have to cook (or carb-count)
Coffee and breakfast Saturday morning
Our speaker Saturday morning will send you home with practical advice to address the unique challenges we moms face.
All attendees will receive a swag bag full of freebies
(Event begins Friday at 4pm and concludes approx 1:30pm Saturday)
elements of schedule subject to change
Event Schedule
Friday
4pm Doors open, get your swag bag!
4-6:30pm Vendor Fair
4-6:30pm Check-Ins with educators (advance signups)
5-6:30pm Cocktails & Crafts
6:30pm Dinner & Opening Keynote
8pm Moms’ Night Out After Dark (socialize and enjoy)
Saturday:
9am Coffee & Breakfast
9:30am Speaker or panel
10:30am Ask Me Anything Panel
12pm T.E.A. Party Session (light lunch provided)
Speakers
Announcing our speakers soon!
Lauren Bongiorno, Risely Health
Lauren Bongiorno is the Founder and CEO of Risely Health and a nationally board-certified health coach living with type 1 diabetes since age seven. After being praised for a “perfect” A1C in college while feeling anything but healthy, Lauren realized that diabetes success is too often defined by numbers alone, leaving out mental health, relationships with food and body, and real life. That insight led her to found Risely Health. Since 2015, Lauren and her team have supported more than 5,000 people and families impacted by diabetes, and her mission is just getting started.
Kerri Sparling
Kerri Sparling is a writer, poet and speaker who has dedicated her life to the power of the patient narrative. Best known for the blog and book, “SixUntilMe,” she is the author of “Balancing Diabetes” and “Rage Bolus and other poems.” Kerri has lived with type 1 for 38 years.
Ask Me Anything Panel
Lauren Stanford
Lauren Stanford has lived with type 1 diabetes for 28 years. Diagnosed in grade school, she’s been open about the very real challenges she faced as a teen and into adulthood: burnout, frustration, and learning how to advocate for herself. Today, Lauren is the Senior Director of Advocacy at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.
Jen Reilly, RD, CDCES
Jen Reilly is a registered dietitian, diabetes educator, and the Diabetes Education Team Lead at Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC. She has four kids ages 11 to 20; two wear insulin pumps, and two wear glasses. Her son Jake is now 16 years old and was diagnosed when he was 2. Annie is 11, and she was also diagnosed as a 2 year-old.
Lauren Stanford
Lauren Stanford has lived with type 1 diabetes for 28 years. Diagnosed in grade school, she’s been open about the very real challenges she faced as a teen and into adulthood: burnout, frustration, and learning how to advocate for herself.
Today, Lauren is the Senior Director of Advocacy at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.
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Check-In with our Experts
A check-in at Moms’ Night Out is your chance to sit down with an endocrinologist or diabetes educator and “check-in” with any questions you may have about T1D management. You should always bring any management changes to your child’s healthcare team, but these consultations will be reassuring and helpful.
When check-in signups open, an email will go out ONLY to those registered for that city. Slots are limited and will go quickly.
Anna Sabino, MSW, CDCES
Anna is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and has a masters in social work. She was diagnosed with type 1 while in kindergarten and now heads up Finding Smiles Coaching. Anna is most passionate about family dynamics, burnout, and navigating the transition towards adulthood.
Abby Cooper, Risely Health
Abby Cooper is a National Board Certified health coaching specialist at Risely Health. Her son lives with type 1 and she works with individuals (and parents) to help them feel happier, healthier, and less alone as they navigate through life with T1D
The Venue
DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC Silver Spring is located off MD-97 and just half a mile’s walk from the metro station to Washington DC. Parks, dining outlets, and concerts at Fillmore ® Silver Spring are also in walking distance. We offer a 24-hour fitness center, restaurant, and two ballrooms.
About Your Host
Stacey Simms is the host of the long-running and award-winning podcast, Diabetes Connections. She is the author of “The World’s Worst Diabetes Mom, Real-Life Stories of Parenting a Child with Type 1 Diabetes,” and the upcoming “STILL The World’s Worst Diabetes Mom.”
Stacey’s son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before he turned two, back in 2006; she’s been sharing her family’s experience with T1D ever since.
She has been featured in almost every diabetes publication and outlet including: Diabetes Self-Management and Diabetes Forecast magazines, Beyond Type 1, JDRF, Diabetes Daily, Healthline, DiaTribe, T1D Everyday Magic and more.
Contact Us
FAQs
This is a conference designed for mothers of children with diabetes and women with type 1. Please, no children in the conference space, this is meant to be a relaxing kid-free respite.
Friday:
4pm Doors open, get your swag bag!
4-6pm Vendor Fair
4-6:30pm Check-Ins with educators (advance signups)
5-6:30pm Cocktails & Crafts
6:30pm Dinner & Opening keynote
8pm – Socialize and hang out!
Saturday:
9am Coffee & Breakfast
9:30am Panel
10:30 Closing keynote
12pm T.E.A. Party
Relax & socialize before you head back home, event ends approx 1:30pm
No, but we urge you to do so! Part of the fun (and learning) at this conference is about being away from your children with diabetes, something we moms rarely get to do. Staying at the hotel is not required, but there will be informal socializing there after dinner and in the morning that you won’t want to miss.
No. The only groups that are allowed to hand out literature and/or demonstrate products are those with an agreement with us. There are lots of lower-cost options. Please let us know if you’re interested.
We’d love to take this show on the road! Reach out at info@diabetes-connections.com and let us know where we should go next!
