Speaker Biographies

Dr. Nicole Avena is a neuroscientist and nutrition expert whose research bridges psychology, biology, and public health. She serves as an Associate Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University. Her pioneering work on sugar addiction and lifespan nutrition has earned recognition from the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Avena has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications and several popular books, including Why Diets Fail and Sugarless, which explores the science of sugar addiction and how to overcome it. Her TED-Ed talk, How Sugar Affects Your Brain, is among the most viewed health talks online. Dr. Avena brings evidence-based insight to the intersection of food, behavior, and wellness—making her a leading voice in the “food as medicine” movement.

Sonia Bahroo, PA-C has been in clinical endocrine practice since 2005. She currently works at Capital Diabetes & Endocrine Associates in Camp Springs, Maryland, specializing in the treatment of diabetes, thyroid disease, gestational endocrinology, and obesity. She is currently President of the American Society of Endocrine PAs (ASEPA) and on the American Diabetes Association’s Clinical Diabetes Editorial Review Board.

Maggie is a consultant, with over 25 years of experience as an operator, focused on developing and executing market-based programs and partnerships to solve entrenched issues in the food, retail, health and adjacent sectors. Her specialty is in developing shared value business solutions in these arenas, with a primary focus on “food as medicine”/food for health. In her current roles, Maggie co-leads the The Nourish Movement and serves as a strategist and subject matter expert with Clareo’s Food Practice Area. Additionally, Maggie offers advisory services to social enterprise and non-profit organizations. She brings to each of her roles a focus on innovation and cross-sector, multi-stakeholder partnering, leveraging deep insights, experience and a network spanning consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail innovation, nonprofit and social enterprise, nutrition incentive programs and the aging space. In her prior roles, Maggie directed a global partnership strategy for PepsiCo, working across corporate and commercial business units to develop proactive, shared value partnerships (with retail customers, industry groups, and the public sector) connecting PepsiCo’s commercial, regulatory, and health & sustainability agendas. Prior to PepsiCo, she led the development of AARP Foundation’s SNAP and food as medicine portfolios, including Fruit and Vegetable incentive and food Rx programs; and developed and ran Fresh Savings, an innovative public-private partnership with UnitedHealthcare, Kroger, farmers markets, and USDA that provided monetary incentives for SNAP consumers to incentivize the purchase and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Maggie serves as a board member for HERO, advancing health, performance, and well-being through employer leadership; as secretary on the executive committee of the DC Central Kitchen board; and fundraising chair on the board of Suited for Change. Maggie received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mercer University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from The University of Georgia. She lives and operates out of Washington, D.C.

Jeanne Blankenship is an accomplished government affairs and health policy executive with more than 15 years of experience advancing advocacy, legislative, and public affairs strategies across the health, nutrition, and education sectors. She is recognized for building powerful coalitions, shaping regulatory and legislative outcomes, and driving organizational impact through strategic partnerships, most notably in the areas of nutrition and obesity. Her strong background as a senior clinical and research dietitian focused on science-driven obesity treatment serve as the foundation for her work in policy and systems change. As former Vice President of Policy Initiatives and Advocacy for the largest association of nutrition professionals in the United States, Jeanne led the national advocacy agenda for the then 75,000-member organization—directing legislative campaigns, regulatory engagement, and grassroots initiatives that strengthened the profession’s voice in federal and state policy. She oversaw a high-performing Washington, D.C. team and secured key legislative and regulatory wins expanding access to nutrition care, coverage and payment, and advancing professional practice. Currently, as an executive consultant in government relations and public affairs, Jeanne advises organizations on obesity policy, health equity, and strategic advocacy initiatives. Her work spans coalition leadership, communications, and stakeholder engagement with medical societies, professional associations, and industry partners—delivering results that elevate public health priorities and strengthen professional communities. Jeanne’s leadership extends to national boards and coalitions, including the Obesity Action Coalition and the National Academies’ Roundtable on Obesity Solutions. A sought-after speaker and strategist, she is known for translating complex policy issues into actionable strategies that drive systems-level change. She holds a Master of Science in Nutrition Sciences from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Dietetics from Arizona State University, along with advanced certificates in Health Care Economics, Health Care Strategy, and Reducing Racial Disparities in Health Care from Harvard Online.

Scott is Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Nourish Movement (NOURISH by Clareo) – a multi-stakeholder open innovation platform committed to connecting innovators and their innovations to empower human health through food sustainably. NOURISH brings senior innovation leaders together from across the food, health and tech sectors to accelerate private sector, market-oriented innovation. Scott also leads the food sector at Clareo – a group of new business designers accelerating the future of food for health. He works at the nexus of nutrition, health & wellness and food as medicine, up and down the food value chain and across the health & wellness ecosystem, from start-ups to Fortune 100 firms. He is a featured speaker, panelist and roundtable leader at Food as Medicine Summits, Future Food Tech, Yale Center for Business and the Environment, Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Management and at organizations such as Kraft, Coca Cola, Whirlpool, The National Critical Issues Forum for Healthcare, The National Security Agency, and others.

Pamela Brandt is a Syracuse New York native whose first love of primary care originally led her to internal medicine, and she did her residency training at Reading Hospital in Pennsylvania with a focus on ambulatory medicine. Dr. Brandt’s passion has always been treating obesity to improve a patient’s health and longevity. In 2016 she helped to begin building the medical weight loss program at Tower Health, and in 2018 transitioned to full time obesity medicine. In 2021 Dr. Brandt began her role at Inova Health System, and in 2022 was made the Director of Obesity Medicine. She continues to pursue her goal of bringing high-quality comprehensive obesity care to her patients as well as to educate and help other providers across the system to treat this traditionally stigmatized patient population.

Dr. Farah Deshmukh is board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Columbia University affiliated Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, New York. Dr. Deshmukh furthered her knowledge by pursuing a 2-year fellowship in obesity medicine and nutrition at Northwell Health in New York and subsequently joined Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey as the Director of the Obesity and Lifestyle Medicine program. She also serves as core faculty for the Internal Medicine residency program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. She is dedicated to implementing obesity and lifestyle medicine in primary care, clinical research and residency training.

Deboleena (Deb) Dutta, M.S., MBA, VC Certificate holder; She is a mission-driven founder, operator, angel investor, and executive leader with 20+ years of experience in finance, healthcare, and food technologies; She received a M.S. in Statistics from NC State with full scholarship and an MBA from the Wharton Business school, University of Pennsylvania. She started her career in finance where she led deals valued at $1B, developed financial models, conducted due diligence and published 28 ratings and research for investment. Currently, she is the Founder and CEO of Viora Health, where she has led the company's product development, grant-raising, and operations. She was a social venture fellow and recipient of prestigious awards and SBIR grant awards for advancing health equity from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, and J&J Innovation. She is an invited speaker at conferences, is the PI on several grants, an NIH investment review committee to decide on investments up to $5MM. She has served as an advisor and reviewer to early-stage startups through the Penn Center for Innovation’s I-Corps program and other technology incubators, funds, and pitch competitions.

Jeff Gregori is an accomplished executive in data analytics and insights, with over 20 years of experience driving growth and profitability for Fortune 500 companies across industries including CPG, retail, and media. Currently serving as Director of Sales, Public Sector at NielsenIQ, Jeff leads strategic partnerships with federal agencies and non-profits, delivering innovative data solutions that inform policy and public health initiatives. Previously, Jeff held leadership roles at iHeartMedia, WarnerMedia, and The Nielsen Company, where he built and scaled analytics practices, led high-performing teams, and developed thought leadership recognized across industries. His expertise spans shopper marketing, segmentation and audience targeting with a proven track record of transforming insights into actionable strategies.

Dr. Rashim Gupta is a board-certified endocrinologist at MettaH and serves as Medical Director for North Carolina's managed Medicaid plan, where she champions healthcare equity for the state's most vulnerable populations. Dr. Gupta completed her internal medicine/pediatrics residency at Baystate Medical Center in western Massachusetts, followed by an endocrinology fellowship at Henry Ford Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. As a clinician, Dr. Gupta is passionate about empowering patients with the tools and knowledge to effectively manage chronic conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. She takes an innovative, collaborative approach to care—partnering with community food resources, digital health platforms, and interdisciplinary teams to address the social determinants of health that impact patient outcomes. In her role as Medical Director, Dr. Gupta bridges clinical expertise with population health strategy, leveraging data-driven insights to improve care delivery and health outcomes for underserved communities. She is committed to transforming healthcare systems to be more accessible, equitable, and responsive to patient needs.

Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, FAPA is the CEO and Co-Founder of eMed, a digital healthcare company. eMed was founded to provide equitable access to diagnostic at home testing. Shortly after its founding, the COVID-19 pandemic developed. In rapid response, eMed developed the first digital point-of-care testing and telehealth platform authorized by the FDA. Dr. Harris is a board-certified psychiatrist from Atlanta and has diverse experience as a private practicing physician, county public health director and patient advocate. She has deep experience and expertise in public policy on both legislative and regulatory fronts and at all levels of government. Dr. Harris was the 174th President of the American Medical Association and the first African American woman elected to that position. She currently serves as Chief Health and Medical Editor of Everydayhealth.com. Dr. Harris led the AMA’s efforts to end the opioid epidemic and served as chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force from its inception in 2014 to 2021. She also served as the key spokesperson for the AMA on the declaration of obesity as a disease. Dr. Harris earned her medical degree (MD) from the West Virginia University School of Medicine, and she completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine. She also served as the senior policy fellow at the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at the Emory University School of Law. Dr. Harris is a highly sought after speaker at national and international conferences and has been a guest expert on multiple national radio and television networks including CNN, MSNBC, Fox and NPR. Dr. Harris has received numerous awards in recognition of her service and leadership. Dr. Harris is fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and is adjunct assistant professor in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and an adjunct clinical assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Morehouse School of Medicine. She is a member of multiple not for profit as well as for profit Boards.

Dr Asma Khapra is a co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Pandora Health, a digital health startup dedicated to women’s digestive health, Dr. Khapra is helping shape innovative solutions that put women at the center of care. She believes holistic care solutions are key to improving health. She has also consulted with several digital health startups, bringing her clinical perspective to the development of patient-centered tools and technologies. In addition, she has authored several GI publications and abstracts and spent 15 years as a sub-investigator in gastroenterology clinical trials, contributing to advancing research and evidence-based care. She is a practicing Gastroenterologist in Northern Virginia, and for more than 18 years, she has combined her clinical expertise in inflammatory bowel disease and women’s digestive health with a deep commitment to ensuring that women’s unique health needs are recognized and prioritized. Dr Khapra is a proud double alumna of Johns Hopkins University, where she completed both her undergraduate and medical degrees. She went on to train at Duke University, Cornell–NewYork-Presbyterian, and ultimately GI fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. She also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Michael G. Knight, MD, MSHP, FACP, Dipl. ABOM is an Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine physician, Senior Medical Director for Population Health at Oak Street Health, a part of CVS Health, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. He completed undergraduate studies at Oakwood University, and attended the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He completed residency at NewYork Presbyterian–Weill Cornell Medical Center, and was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed a Masters in Health Policy Research. Dr. Knight is board certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. His expertise is in obesity, chronic disease management, and sexual health. He currently practices clinically in the GW Weight Management Clinic, where he works with a multidisciplinary team to provide medical weight management through nutrition, physical activity, and medication management. Dr. Knight has been a featured medical expert on radio, television, and in print news media, and routinely speaks at events internationally and throughout the United States. Dr. Knight has been a featured medical expert on radio, television, and in print news media, and routinely speaks at events internationally and throughout the United States. He has received numerous awards for his professional and clinical practice, including the American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award, Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doctors Award, and the Top 40 Under 40 Leaders in Health Award by the National Minority Quality Forum.

Janine Kyrillos, MD, FACP is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and founder and Enterprise Medical Director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Weight Management Program. Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine, Dr. Kyrillos is a nationally recognized leader in the field of Obesity Medicine and has been committed to expanding access to evidence-based, compassionate care for individuals living with excess weight and obesity. This past year, she spearheaded the development of a specialized benefits program for Jefferson employees and their dependents, aimed at improving cost-effective access to comprehensive weight management services.

Hayley Miller, MD, serves as the Medical Director of Metabolic Health at Nurx by Thirty Madison, where she employs data-driven strategies to enhance access, optimize care, and deliver personalized treatment for patients dealing with overweight and obesity. Her early interest in metabolic health shaped her career, focusing on effective, patient-centered care that empowers patients to achieve lasting health improvements.

Alexandra Morán, MD, MPH, serves as the Director of Community Health at the University of Maryland, where she leads efforts in chronic disease prevention and management through education, outreach, and data-informed strategies. Drawing from extensive experience working with diverse populations, she promotes a holistic approach that integrates clinical care, community engagement, and culturally responsive practices. As a bilingual Latina leader, Dr. Morán is deeply committed to empowering communities through accessible, preventive healthcare models that foster long-term wellness. She is also the CEO and Founder of Thriving Juntos LLC, an organization dedicated to advancing health equity and collective well-being through collaboration and community empowerment.

Monique Nadeau is the CEO and Co-Founder of EatLove, a San Francisco-based digital health company pioneering personalized nutrition solutions. She brings extensive experience building and scaling mission-driven organizations through strategic partnerships and collaborative leadership. Previously, Monique co-founded and served as CEO of Hope Street Group, a national nonpartisan organization that leverages technology to mobilize professional networks for economic policy reform in health, education, and job creation. Her earlier career includes serving as the youngest Managing Director globally at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, where she specialized in investment banking and capital markets while working in London, Paris, and New York City. A recognized voice in economic policy, Monique has advised presidential campaigns and national leaders on results-oriented economic strategies. She served as economic advisor to then Governor Mark Warner and as a board member of the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Building Authority. Monique holds a Master's degree from Harvard University with a focus on economic policy. She completed her undergraduate education at American University's School of International Service in Washington, DC, with additional studies at L'Université Paris-Sorbonne and Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.

Dr. Narang is a leading endocrinologist, obesity, and culinary medicine specialist, and Director of Obesity Medicine at Endeavor Health System in Chicago. She graduated with her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and completed her residency and endocrinology fellowship at the University of Chicago. Dr. Narang is extremely passionate about combatting our epidemic of obesity and diabetes through targeting our food environment – this starts with educating and empowering our patients and communities to prevent long-term metabolic disease. Dr. Narang especially loves working with women at all stages of their lives, in addition to families navigating obesity and chronic disease. Dr. Narang has been featured in several national and global media outlets, including the BBC, CNN, Wall Street Journal, and NPR, speaking on the obesity epidemic, diabetes, chronic medical weight management, and our food environment.

Dr Aruna Nathan is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine with over 25 years of experience. Among the nation’s first Lifestyle Medicine diplomates, she integrates evidence-based approaches—emphasizing nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and addiction reduction—into everyday care to prevent, treat, and often reverse chronic disease. She developed a 14-week comprehensive Lifestyle Medicine program that incorporates motivational interviewing, goal setting, nutrition education, health literacy, and the concept of “food as medicine.” Dr. Nathan prioritizes addressing root causes rather than symptoms, aiming to reduce unnecessary medications through nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness. Currently, she serves as Lead Physician for Lifestyle Medicine at Absolute Care, supporting vulnerable and chronically ill populations. She has also chaired the Fitness Committee of the Maryland Wellness Council and serves on the board of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Ms. Novak, President and Founder of Diabesity, LLC, is Board Certified as both an Adult Health Nurse Practitioner and an Advanced Diabetes Manager with over 30 years of clinical expertise. She is a Consultant, Advisor, National Speaker, Author, Educator, and passionate Advocate in the fields of diabetes and obesity. Her career in diabetes management encompasses extensive experience with therapeutics, technologies, and management of diabetes-related complications and comorbidities. She’s deeply committed to both patient and professional education and advancing research in this field. In recent years, she has extended her focus to managing obesity and holds the Certificate of Advanced Education in Obesity Medicine awarded by the Obesity Medicine Association. She is also the Co-Executive Director of the Capital Health and Metabolic Center of Capital Diabetes and Endocrine Associates, LLC. This Center specializes in the management of Obesity and its associated complications and comorbidities. Her professional leadership activities include several volunteer positions with the American Diabetes Association and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES). She is currently the appointed Chair of the Education Committee for the Endocrine Nurses Society and is on several Editorial Boards. Her awards and recognitions include the 2025 Donna Tomky Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice – presented the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, this award recognizes Nurse Practitioners who exemplify excellence in diabetes management by advancing the integration of self-management behaviors with clinical management through innovation in their practice; The Walter Reed Master Clinician Award for her proven leadership and clinical acumen - an accolade that placed her among the top 2% of the health care providers of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, The DAISY Foundation Award for Extraordinary Nurses and several Military honors. Her 33 years of nursing includes active-duty service as a Commissioned Officer of the United States Army Nurse Corp. Of all her contributions, she is most proud of providing highest quality care to the deserving men and women of the US Military.

Dr. Justin Ryder, Ph.D. currently serves as the Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery at Lurie Children’s Hospital and is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. He is the past Chair of the Pediatric Section of the Obesity Society, and currently serves on the Clinical Care Committee. His research is focused on understanding biological mechanisms and outcomes related to treatment for pediatric obesity, the most common pediatric chronic disease, and its accompanying comorbidities. His NIH funded research spans the continuum of care with studies of lifestyle modification, obesity medications, and bariatric surgery, with a goal of examining underlying mechanisms and long-term outcome responses.

Dr Sen is a Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at George Washington University He is board certified in Lipidology, Obesity Medicine and Endocrinology He is Chief of Endocrinology at VA Med Ctr Washington DC His research interests include: behavior (survival and differentiation) of human adult stem cells in hyperglycemia. His current research projects include: the effect of exercise, incretins & glucose transport inhibitors and artificial sweeteners on endothelial function and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. The Sen Lab is also studying use of genetically modified EPCs and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in mouse models of diabetes complications such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and peripheral vascular disease. He has special interest in MASLD, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease and heart disease.

Sarah E. Stombaugh, MD, is an obesity medicine physician in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dr. Stombaugh earned her medical degree at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. She completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Chicago. Dr. Stombaugh is board certified in obesity medicine and family medicine. Dr. Stombaugh is a member of the American Board of Family Medicine, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Obesity Medicine, the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians. She has presented at medical conferences, including the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians Winter Conference, Family Medicine Midwest Conference, the American College of Physicians Nebraska Chapter Annual Meeting, the Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, and the American Chemical Society Meeting. Her research has been published in ChemElectroChem and Evidence-Based Practice. Dr. Stombaugh was named the IAFP Resident Teacher of the Year and was twice honored with the NorthShore University HealthSystem Service Values Award.

Dr. Cate Varney, DO, FAAFP, FOMA, is a board-certified obesity medicine specialist and a Fellow of both the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Obesity Medicine Association. Dr. Varney has served as the inaugural Director of Obesity Medicine at UVA Health, where she oversees a multidisciplinary weight-management program. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Virginia. In her clinical practice, she supports patients at the UVA Bariatric Surgery Clinic and in primary care settings, where she focuses on helping individuals lose weight and maintain long-term success after bariatric surgery. Dr. Varney is a nationally recognized educator. She chairs the “Obesity Management for the Primary Care Physician” CME curriculum for the American Academy of Family Physicians, and she has developed obesity medicine training programs at local, regional, and national levels. Beyond her clinical and educational roles, Dr. Varney is an active researcher with funding from multiple agencies to support research on obesity prevention and treatment.