Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danica Collins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Danica, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I’ll never forget that train ride in Chicago. I was minding my business—probably thinking about my next work meeting—when I noticed a woman across from me wearing a diabetes device I didn’t recognize. I leaned in and said, “Hey, what pump is that?”
That tiny question sparked a conversation that changed my entire life. She invited me to a group dinner with other people living with Type 1 diabetes. That night, something clicked. I had been living with diabetes for 10 years. Working in healthcare for three. And yet—it was the first time I realized I had been missing something essential: community.
In that moment, I didn’t just find people who understood what it’s like to count carbs or adjust for a rollercoaster blood sugar. I found connection. Advocacy. Belonging. It wasn’t just about managing my condition anymore. It was about learning to live fully with it.
That dinner became my launchpad. A year later, I started showing up online as Danica the Diabetic—sharing the good, the bad, and the real of life with T1D. I started translating medical jargon into human language, giving people tools they could actually use. That energy grew into Dia-Log: The Insulin for Your Soul, a platform for holistic wellness, coaching, and community.
Then came Beyond the Game Health—my third company and newest passion. It’s a community activation brand that brings health advocacy to the forefront through movement, storytelling, and powerful conversations. We’ve worked alongside pro athletes like Jumaine Jones, Gary Forbes, and Jennifer Thomas of Team USA to make health feel less clinical and more personal.
Because here’s what I believe to my core: you don’t have to wait to be “fixed” to live fully. You don’t have to shrink your life because of a diagnosis. You can Thrive With It—and I’m here to show people how.

Danica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Danica Collins—scientist, health coach, executive consultant, and diabetes warrior for nearly 20 years. I help people shift from survival mode to thriving—through tools, coaching, and community that meet them where they are.
By day, I’m a global healthcare consultant. I’ve helped lead over 80 transformation projects for hospitals and health systems, creating $100M+ in measurable impact. From digital health strategy to patient care redesign—I specialize in turning data into real-life change.
But my work doesn’t stop at the boardroom. I’m also the founder of Dia-Log: The Insulin for Your Soul, a platform that includes health coaching, a guided diabetes journal, an interactive app, and even a specialty coffee line that gives back to clinical research. It’s about wellness that feels empowering—not overwhelming.
Most recently, I co-founded Beyond the Game Health, a company dedicated to activating health advocacy in powerful and unexpected ways. We bring health screenings, movement, and crucial conversations to places where people already feel connected—gyms, community centers, courts, and campuses.
We work with athletes, clinicians, and coaches—including names like Jumaine Jones, Gary Forbes, and Jennifer Thomas (Team USA)—to host events that make health feel human again. We also help professionals find their voice and start their own advocacy journey.
At the heart of everything I do is this phrase: Thrive With It. It’s not just a tagline—it’s a mindset. It’s a reminder that no matter what you’re living with—diabetes, burnout, grief, or uncertainty—you are still allowed to live a big, beautiful life. And I’m here to walk with you while you do it.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Flexibility and empathy. Health isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither is healing. You have to be flexible enough to pivot when plans change (because they will), and empathetic enough to see people for more than their diagnosis or data.
Empathy creates trust. Flexibility creates momentum. Together, they create real transformation.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met Shamekka Marty at a patient advocacy summit called HealtheVoices. We were both in the room as health advocates, but what made us connect was something deeper. Two women of color navigating the healthcare world, living with chronic conditions, and driven by the same vision—to make wellness more accessible, more relatable, and more rooted in real life.
What started as one fire-filled conversation became Beyond the Game Health—our community activation company that brings together athletes, clinicians, and everyday people to reimagine what health can look like.
We don’t just talk about health—we activate it. On courts. In neighborhoods. Through movement. Through stories. Through purpose. And we help others learn how to do it too.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danicacollins.co
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/danicathediabetic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danicathediabetic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danicatcollins
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTR-OK1x-Ae89orRay8EdtA