Camp Counselor and DEC Founder

Kara Stiles has been an active participant in the diabetic community since 1996, when she first volunteered as a counselor at Camp AZDA, the American Diabetes Association Arizona Division's diabetes camp for children in Prescott, Arizona. In 1998, Kara became the head counselor at Camp AZDA. She has been responsible for hiring and training a staff of 30 each year since, as well as planning fun and safe activities for diabetic children and serving on the Camp AZDA camp planning committee. In addition to her AZDA community volunteer work, Kara also held "real" jobs for ten years as a training and implementation consultant for various types of software.

Being a diabetic herself, Kara does not claim to be a "perfect diabetic" and does not believe "perfect diabetics" exist.  She regularly experiences high and low blood sugars.  Kara sometimes "over treats" her low blood sugars with juice, fruit snacks, cereal and anything else she might be able to get her hands on.  Kara also occasionally administers a "rage bolus" with her insulin pump after experiencing frustrating high blood sugars.  Despite being a less-than-perfect diabetic, Kara does have some strengths in project implementation and collaborative event facilitation.  Kara is responsible for directing DEC operations and activities, but she's going to leave the administration of diabetes related advice to the real experts while at camp!



Tala Dajani, M.D.
Camp Counselor and Diabetes Expert

We are so privileged to have Dr. Dajani join us at DEC!

Dr. Tala Dajani has been caring for patients since obtaining her medical degree in 1998.  Her passion is to empower children, teens and young adults in optimizing quality of life and health.  Dr. Dajani obtained her medical degree from University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in 1998 with honorable mention in Humanitarianism.  She was accepted to combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency program in 1998 at Good Samaritan Regional Center.  During residency, Dr. Dajani served as House staff President in 2000. During Dr. Dajani’s fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology, she obtained a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Administration at University of Arizona and was inducted into the National Public Health Honor Society.  Dr. Dajani subsequently joined the endocrinology faculty at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.  During that time, she served as medical director of the diabetes center, leading the program to the first national accreditation and center of excellence status. In addition, she was the founding medical director of Phoenix Children’s Lipid Clinic and worked closely with young adults in transition to adult care.  Dr. Dajani has unique expertise and experience with endocrine care of cancer survivors and those living with cystic fibrosis.   In 2009 and 2010, her peers voted Dr. Dajani as a National Top Doctor. Dr. Dajani received the Patient’s Choice Award in 2010. She resides with her husband and two young children in Phoenix, AZ.

For more information about Tala Dajani's practice, please visit her website at http://www.pedendophx.com/

Paul Langworthy

We are so excited to have Paul as a counselor for DEC!

 

Paul is currently the director of dual enrollment at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, AZ, where he has served in various capacities since 1995. But that's just his day job! By night (err...early morning, as it were), Paul is an avid runner and athlete, and has indeed coached and guided diabetic athletes (and reluctant exercisers) in various capacities through marathons and other athletic events. Paul is a recipient of the American Diabetes Association Leadership Award and currently serves on the ADA's Arizona Community Leadership board. Paul also spends one week each summer at Camp AZDA, educating diabetic teens on the importance of exercise as a tool for blood sugar management.