Rachel Hicks is a person with diabetes and PhD candidate at Western Sydney University, whose research focuses on using consumer and community perspectives to improve the outcomes in the pregnancy journeys of women with diabetes (pre-existing and GDM) through peer support, communication and social media/social marketing interventions. She is dedicated to the representation and advocacy for people with diabetes, by people with diabetes. She was the recipient of a 2022 Western Sydney University Industry Partners Internship Program bursary, and received a 2021 Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) Novo Nordisk Educational Research Grant. Rachel was an invited speaker and presenter at the 2022 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Congress and the 2022 International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG)/ADIPS Annual Scientific meeting. Her memberships include the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, Australian Diabetes Society, the international Collaboration for Compassion in Healthcare Education (C4CHEd) research group, Franklin Women, Health Consumers NSW and Consumer's Health Forum Australia. Rachel has held several consumer advisory representative roles at state and national levels (including MRFF TTRA funded grants) and regularly conducts qualitative analysis for consumer research projects through focus groups and social media support programs. Rachel also co-hosts a diabetes and pregnancy consumer and peer-led podcast called MamaBetes, which has received extensive promotion from state and national diabetes organisations. She has over 28 years of lived experience with Type 1 Diabetes (including as a consumer in the SWSLHD DCAPP program and as a new mother), a Masters in Business (Distinction) (Marketing) (2018), and Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (Journalism) (Distinction)/Bachelor of Arts (Japanese) (2011) from the University of Wollongong.