CEO and Co-Founder
It is a blessing to serve the diabetes community.
I’m grateful for all the people who have believed in me over the years and I’m equally fueled by the doubters who continue to motivate me to prove how capable people with diabetes truly are.
Phil Southerland is a lifelong advocate for people living with diabetes and a driving force behind one of the most recognized movements in sport and health. As CEO and Co-Founder of Team Novo Nordisk, he leads the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team, an organization built to inspire, educate, and empower people affected by diabetes through the power of sport.
He is also the Founder and President of the Team Type 1 Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to creating awareness, providing education, and instilling hope in individuals and families impacted by diabetes around the world.
Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Phil was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just seven months old, the youngest case of diabetes on record in the world at that time. His parents were told that he would be dead or blind by 25. Fortunately, they were stubborn, and Phil had access to insulin, a knowledgeable medical team, and the latest in blood glucose monitoring tools. At six, he had the dream not to go blind and a drive to reach the A1C results needed.
Phil discovered endurance sport through cycling at age 12, and while attending the University of Georgia, he developed a vision to combine athletic performance with advocacy. That vision became reality in 2005 with the founding of Team Type 1. In 2007, the team captured global attention by winning and setting a world record at the 3,000-miles Race Across America, proving that athletes with diabetes can compete and win at the highest levels.
Under Phil’s leadership, the dynamic squad rapidly grew from an amateur team to more than 100 athletes spanning the globe to inspire and unite people affected by diabetes and ranked in the top 25 professional cycling teams in the world in 2012.
In 2012, this momentum led to a landmark partnership with Novo Nordisk, forming Team Novo Nordisk. Today, the organization includes professional and development teams and a global network of athletes, all united by a shared mission: to show the world what’s possible with diabetes.
While Phil built his career in cycling, his passion for endurance sport continues to evolve. In addition to remaining highly active on the bike, he is an accomplished runner. Recently, he broke the three-hour marathon barrier for the first time, finishing the Atlanta Track Club Publix Marathon in 2:56:31 and winning the Masters category, another personal milestone demonstrating what is possible with disciplined diabetes management.
Phil’s work extends far beyond sport. He has spoken at global platforms including the United Nations, as well as major medical and advocacy forums. Whether addressing world leaders or individuals at local events, his focus remains the same: creating meaningful impact, one person at a time.
Under his leadership, the organization has grown into a long-term, sustainable movement aimed at improving health outcomes, increasing access to care, and changing perceptions around diabetes. A key part of his vision is bridging the divide between type 1 and type 2 diabetes communities, uniting a global population in the hundreds of millions.
Though retired from professional racing, Phil remains deeply committed to an active lifestyle and continues to credit endurance sport as a cornerstone of his physical and mental health.
He lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is a proud father of four children, including three sons and a daughter. Outside of his work, Phil enjoys running, skiing, scuba diving, and exploring his interests in art, literature, and collecting. He is also the author of Not Dead Yet, a memoir chronicling his journey from diagnosis to building a global movement.