Joycelyn “Joy” Ashby Cornthwaite
MBA, MS, RD, LD, CDCES® 
Proud CDCES since June 2010

Why did you become CDCES certified?

My decision to become a CDCES was driven by early exposure to gaps in how people experience diabetes care. I saw firsthand how patients could feel unheard, even when clinical expertise was present. That insight shaped my path toward becoming a Registered Dietitian and specializing in diabetes management. Pursuing the CDCES credential was a deliberate step to expand my scope, deepen my clinical impact, and strengthen my ability to translate evidence into meaningful patient outcomes. It reflects my commitment to combining education, advocacy, and accountability to improve the standard of care.

What motivated you to pursue your CDCES?

People living with diabetes are my greatest motivation. I see individuals doing the hard work of daily diabetes management: monitoring, adjusting, and showing up, yet still experiencing challenges. Not from a lack of effort, but because care plans don’t always align with their lived realities. That disconnect stayed with me.

I’ve also worked alongside clinicians who deeply value diabetes education, yet recognize it is often underutilized or difficult to operationalize. Becoming a CDCES has enabled me to help close that gap and integrate evidence-based, practical, human-centered care into routine clinical practice.

Has holding the CDCES provided you with additional professional opportunities? 

The CDCES credential has allowed me to step into leadership roles with increasing responsibility and expand how diabetes care roles are defined within organizations. In several settings, it supported formal changes to job descriptions, scope of practice, and reporting structures. I have been able to elevate the visibility and influence of diabetes education within clinical teams.

It has also provided the platform to lead and scale accredited programs, grow multidisciplinary teams, and create higher-scope roles that strengthen both care delivery and workforce sustainability. The credential positioned me as a trusted clinical voice in innovation and digital health initiatives, contributing to patient-centered models designed for long-term impact.

What would you say to someone considering certification?

For clinicians who want to influence care beyond individual encounters and help shape diabetes care at the systems level, the CDCES credential can function as a pathway to leadership, research, and innovation, while keeping patient-centered care at the core.

Share an achievement or special moment you’ve had after earning certification.

Professionally, I’m proud to have left each role stronger than I found it: building teams, expanding services, and creating structures that continue to thrive beyond my tenure. Personally, some of my most meaningful work has been caring for pregnant women living with diabetes. Supporting them through pregnancy and later seeing them return with a healthy, thriving child is a powerful reminder of the generational impact of thoughtful, consistent care.

If you want to be considered for a future Champion, please contact marketing@cbdce.org.