Charles “Chuck” Henderson has been the CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) since 2022. Chuck leads an organization powered by over 565,000 volunteers, over 10,000 healthcare professionals, and over 400 staff members dedicated to the mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. His leadership empowers the millions of people living with diabetes through groundbreaking research, education, advocacy, and meaningful connections. 

Chuck joined the ADA as chief development officer in 2020 after spending 24+ years in for-profit sectors and volunteering in the nonprofit sector. Philanthropy, sales, and fundraising are threaded through the fabric of his DNA. As part of his mission-centered leadership, Chuck launched the ADA’s Office of Health Access to address the lack of healthcare access and other disparities for populations at higher risk for diabetes, obesity, and related complications. 

As part of the ADA’s mission, he founded the Obesity Association, a division of the ADA (the association), to get further upstream in one of the leading risk factors for type 2 diabetes: obesity, which accounts for up to 53% of new type 2 diabetes cases every year. Through a multi-pronged approach, the association is working to reduce the stigma around obesity so that people seek the care they deserve, as well as developing the Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity that provides healthcare professionals with guidelines for caring for people living with overweight or obesity.  

His efforts also expanded community engagement programs, such as the ADA’s Diabetes Prevention Alliance, which aims to scale and improve access to the National Diabetes Prevention Program—a lifestyle change program that has reached thousands of individuals in communities at higher risk for diabetes. Under Chuck's leadership, the ADA mobilizes over 500,000 advocates annually, resulting in over 400 healthcare-related legislative measures being introduced in Congress that have advanced change for diabetes care and prevention. 

Prior to the ADA, Chuck was the CEO for Champion Life Safety Solutions. Before that, he was a sales executive running multi-billion-dollar territories across the country for Dell Healthcare, Commonground Marketing, and Viacom. He is passionate about spending the balance of his career in a space that will make a significant impact on the lives of millions across the country. 

Chuck is a board member of the National Health Council and Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, past chairman of Champion Life Safety Solutions, and co-founder of the Aggie Impact Gala, which provides fully funded four-year scholarships and urgent financial support to students. He is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. 

He holds his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, where he excelled as a varsity basketball letterman and team captain. His academic foundation in economics helps him balance the ADA’s mission-driven objectives with financial sustainability.