Laurie Payne, RD, MS, CDE

Educator of the Year 2008

 Laurie Payne is the recipient of this year’s WADE award for Diabetes Educator of the Year. Laurie has been a diabetes educator for 21 years and is highly respected in her role as educator in the Spokane community. She regularly participates in presenting education forums to the general public and has been seen on local television addressing questions of diabetes care.

Some notable professional achievements include developing workable strategies for adapting diabetes education to video conferencing for outlying rural areas including completing assessments, showing use of SMBG and doing insulin starts. In the absence of person to person contact she found ways to empower patients to develop their own meal and exercise plans. She has also adapted diabetes education techniques to meet the needs of Latino and pediatric populations. In addition, Laurie is part of the medical staff at camp “Fun in the Sun” for 2 weeks each summer.

Laurie’s co-workers describe her as “down to earth,” “warm and caring.” She is “calm and resourceful and a leader” in the diabetes team. She listens to everyone’s ideas and works within the team to create teaching and learning strategies that work for all. She is a role model in balance and lifestyle and enjoys many activities with her family including skiing, boating, camping, hiking and keeping up with her two teenage daughters.

A quote from one of Laurie’s patients sums up the impact she makes with her patients, “Laurie was so patient and kind, she has made a huge difference in my getting control of my diabetes and gave me the tools to keep in control.”