#MasterLab 2016 – Understanding Your Legal Rights to Stop Discrimination in the Workplace

John Griffin is the managing partner of Marek, Griffin & Knaupp, a Texas law firm with offices in Victoria and Port Lavaca, Texas. He served as Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association in 2011, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Research Foundation and the National Diabetes Volunteer Leadership Council.

As a lawyer with more than 30 years experience litigating important cases, he has been a tireless advocate for people with diabetes. Among the notable results of his trial work are the FBI’s ending of its blanket ban on Special Agents who successfully manage diabetes with insulin injections in 2010, and its 2014 reinstatement of a Special Agent who utilizes a prosthetic left hand. He was also involved in the State Department’s decision in 2011 to lift its blanket ban for Foreign Service Officers with insulin treated diabetes. Bans of fire fighters, scuba divers and law enforcement officers have all given way to the individual assessment of each person’s qualifications to perform the job. Among his ongoing efforts is the legal battle to require the Federal Aviation Agency to end its blanket exclusion of all commercial pilots who successfully manage diabetes with insulin.

Borin in Port Lavaca, Texas, he is a graduate of Austin College and The University of Missouri Law School. He is married to Lynn Knaupp, a member of the firm, and the two of them have three daughters, Cora, Ruth and Sarah.
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George J. Huntley is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Theoris Group, Inc., comprised of two professional services firms (Theoris and Maetrics) headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Theoris provides technology solutions and software development services. Maetrics offers compliance and quality consulting services to the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech industries through its offices in the US, UK and Europe. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and earned his CPA in 1985 while working with Price Waterhouse though is now in inactive status.

George served as the National Chair of the Board of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in 2009. He started his volunteer career with the ADA in 1986, initially serving as Treasurer and later Chair of the Maryland Affiliate. During his tenure, he held several key leadership roles, including Chair of the Indianapolis Leadership Council, Chair of the Heartland Region, and Chair of the National Finance and Affiliate Associations Committees.

George led the ADA’s Task Force on Health Care Reform in 2008. He also chaired the ADA’s Legislative and Regulatory subcommittee from 2011-2015 which establishes the federal and state advocacy priorities for the Association annually.

George has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 1983. He brings his financial expertise and a passion for improving the lives of people with diabetes to the NDVLC, enhancing operating efficiencies and instituting best practices in fund management.

Among his many honors, George received the ADA’s Addison B. Scoville Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 2002, and Charles H. Best Medal for Distinguished Service in 2009.
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MasterLab 2016 took place on July 6th in Orlando, Florida. We had a packed house. There were over 115 advocates from more than 28 states and 8 countries.

Find out more about this event, and download the activity workbook at: DiabetesAdvocates.org/MasterLab2016