Board and Staff
ANAD Staff Members
Jason Wood
(he/him)
Executive Director
Jason turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir Starving for Survival. He is proud to serve on the board for two eating disorder recovery organizations, Running in Silence and SoulPaws Recovery Project. Through speaking engagements, his writing, and his work, Jason strives to start an important conversation that encourages everyone–especially men–to speak up, share their stories, and get the help they deserve. Jason lives in Michigan with his husband and their two pups, Arnie and Walter. He is an avid sports fan and also enjoys climbing, hiking, and playing tennis.
Jenn Carroll
(she/her)
Programs Director
Jenn graduated from Columbia University School of Social Work with her Masters in Social Work and has worked in the eating disorders field for nearly a decade. Jenn has managed helplines, run prevention programming for kids, high schoolers, and college students, and created professional development curriculum and trainings. Jenn is passionate about justice work, mental health awareness, and community building. In her spare time, Jenn loves to spend time in nature, practice yoga, and hang out with her kids and dog.
Clara Pritchett
(she/her)
Associate Director of Development & Engagement
Clara Pritchett (she/her) is a nonprofit leader and advocate whose work sits at the intersection of body liberation, racial justice, and mental health, working toward a world where affirming eating disorder care and support are accessible to everyone.
Before joining ANAD, Clara served as Executive Director of Body Empowerment Project (BEP), where she led a period of significant organizational growth, authored its evidence-informed eating disorder prevention curriculum, and expanded programming to reach thousands of young people across Philadelphia and beyond.
A graduate of Brown University with a degree in Africana Studies, Clara’s work and research have explored the intersections of eating disorders, body liberation, race, and structural inequities in public health. She has also contributed to national mental health advocacy as a 2024 NAMI Next Gen Advisor and brings experience in fundraising, community engagement, and nonprofit growth and management.
Clara is especially passionate about expanding access to the eating disorder education and support she wished she had. Outside of work, she enjoys performing in community theater, running, and spending time with her pit bull Dragon.
Liron Cohen
(she/her)
Senior Program Coordinator
Liron was born and raised in Israel and moved to the US in 2010. She graduated from the City University of New York’s unique and interdisciplinary program with a BA in Journalism and US Media and Culture. She then worked mainly as a TV and film critic, with an emphasis on promoting quality media representation for women and the LGBTQ+ community. She is a proud member of the Women Film Critics Circle. Liron has been passionate about promoting the role and benefits of mentorship and lived experience in eating disorder recovery for the last twenty years, and is now working to take ANAD’s model to the rest of the world, starting with her home country of Israel. Some of her favorite things are spending time with her wife and two cats, reading autobiographies and psychology books, singing along to her favorite musicals, and visiting her family and friends in Israel.
Leela Hauze
(she/her)
Senior Program Coordinator
Leela received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College. During her time in college, she joined the eating disorder field as a volunteer worker, as her own experience with loved ones showed her how essential a strong support system is for individuals struggling with eating disorders. Following her time in college, she began working directly in the field at an eating disorder helpline. She is excited to continue her work in the eating disorder field at ANAD. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, reading, cooking, and trying new restaurants.
Kristen Portland, MA
(she/her)
Senior Advisor
Kristen graduated from the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Chicago. Once there, she began her professional career in marketing management before transitioning to her passion: the world of nonprofits. She worked for the YMCA and volunteered with a variety of organizations including the Anti-Cruelty Society, the National Abortion Rights Action League, Girls on the Run, the Chicago Area Runners Association, and community libraries. Kristen began working for ANAD in 2018. As part of a two person team, Kristen ran programming, helped with conference planning and execution, organized webinars, managed the website, and so much more. Kristen stepped away to care for her growing family, but is thrilled to return to ANAD. When she has time, Kristen loves to bake, read, run, and play with her baby, dog, and cat.
Athena McDowall
(she/her)
Program Coordinator
Athena received her Master’s in Social Work degree from Rutgers University following a time in which she served in the New Jersey Army National Guard. During her time in college, Athena became involved with the National Eating Disorders Association as the Philadelphia Walk Coordinator and became an Ambassador for the Eating Disorder Coalition. Athena currently works as a counselor at Symmetry of Self Counseling Center, located in West Deptford, NJ. Most recently, Athena became the vice president of the board of directors for a new nonprofit organization called SEA WAVES, which aims to increase awareness around eating disorders in the military and provide military personnel with the treatment resources that they need in order to pursue recovery. Athena is excited to continue to raise awareness of eating disorders in the military and continue in her counseling and nonprofit work. During her free time Athena enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering at her church as a Sunday School Teacher.
Daniel Marcus
(he/him)
Support Group Intern
Daniel is a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with an expected graduation date of August 2026. Daniel received his Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Winona State University in 2016. Daniel has worked with folks navigating eating disorders for the past two years. Daniel brings both professional and lived experience which fuels his deep commitment to advocacy, awareness, and improved access to care for under-recognized eating disorders. Daniel is passionate about creating inclusive spaces for recovery, building community connections, and increasing support options for individuals navigating under-recognized eating disorders. Daniel’s long-term goal is to become an ARFID specialist and licensed clinical social worker. In his free time, Daniel enjoys playing with his dog and 3 cats, biking, traveling, and cheering on his local sport teams.
Katelyn Van Hofwegen
(she/her)
Marketing and Communications Intern
Katelyn is originally from Southern California but has lived in Texas for over 10 years, where she now resides with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and three dogs. She has spent much of her career working with animals, but her own 23-year journey with an eating disorder has shaped her deepest passion: ensuring that no one has to struggle alone, especially for as long as she did.
Currently, Katelyn is the Marketing and Communications Intern for ANAD, where she combines her love for creativity with her passion for spreading awareness about eating disorders and mental health. She enjoys creating beautiful graphics, writing compelling stories, and crafting meaningful messages that inspire connection and hope.
Katelyn is completing her bachelor’s degree in Communications at Colorado Christian University and has been accepted into a Master’s program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which she will begin in 2026. She is also a part-time fitness instructor, encouraging people of all body types and fitness levels to embrace joyful movement and feel confident showing up exactly as they are.
Outside of school and work, Katelyn finds joy in music, nature, animals, creating, and fitness. She is dedicated to using both her education and lived experience to support others on their healing journeys.
Kellie Giordano
(she/her)
Community Engagement Intern
She is currently finishing her PhD in French Literature at Boston University. Her dissertation, Hunger Pains: Exploring Eating Disorders and Emptiness in Nineteenth-Century France, examines how disordered eating has been represented across nineteenth-century French literature and early medical discourse, with a focus on gender, control of the body, and how food refusal can function as a form of agency shaped by cultural expectations. In addition to her PhD, she is a researcher in Northeastern University’s LINK Lab, where she works on projects related to disordered eating, language, and beauty standards, while also managing the lab’s social media.
Kellie’s work is deeply informed by her own experience with anorexia during graduate school, which led her to pursue research and outreach in the field of eating disorders. She is passionate about bridging academic research and accessible communication, helping to make conversations around eating disorders more visible, nuanced, and supportive.
Outside of work, Kellie loves exploring all that New England has to offer with her friends, scrapbooking, reading, and spending time with her cat, Sprinkles!
Lizbeth López
(she/her)
Lizbeth is a dedicated first-year student currently pursuing her Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Psychology at Adler University. She graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and dual minors in Counseling and Family and Child Studies. Her academic and professional path is fueled by a deep commitment to eating disorder awareness, advocacy, and creating genuinely inclusive spaces for recovery.
As a Mexican American student, Lizbeth firmly believes that mental health support must have more awareness and inclusivity to break down cultural boundaries. Lizbeth’s experience includes having worked at a residential facility where she served as a Recovery Coach for adults and adolescent girls with eating disorders. In this role, she was an integral part of their daily recovery journey, motivating and providing unwavering support. In her personal time, she enjoys a rich family life, traveling with her husband and son, and spending time with her two dogs and two cats. Lizbeth also pursues creative and athletic interests, including photography, biking outdoors, and cheering on various teams at sporting events.
Ellen Fei
(she/her)
Programs Intern
Brie Buchanan
(she/her)
Programs Intern
Brie Buchanan is a medical student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She has plans to continue her medical training in pediatrics, where she hopes to continue to advocate for youth mental health and provide holistic, patient-centered care for children and adolescents. In medical school, she recently completed a project piloting an educational intervention for orthopedic surgery residents, highlighting the role orthopedic providers can play in recognizing eating disorders in patients presenting with musculoskeletal complications of malnutrition. She is passionate about improving the recognition and treatment of eating disorders within healthcare and believes that physicians can play a major role in identifying eating disorders and guiding patients towards resources.
As an ANAD intern and helpline volunteer, Brie feels honored to contribute to work that focuses on helping connect individuals and families with accessible resources, compassionate support, and a community where no one has to face an eating disorder alone.
Brie enjoys exploring new cities through coffee shop crawls, getting lost in a good book, collecting stationery, and practicing calligraphy.
Angela Tang
(she/her)
Programs Intern
ANAD Board of Directors
Maria Rago, PhD
President
Maria is the clinical director and founder of Rago & Associates. She has extensive experience in individual, marital, and family therapy, eating disorders, supervision, and professional consultation. Maria’s leadership has been important across inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings. She was instrumental in founding the eating disorders program at Linden Oaks in Naperville, Illinois.
In 2012, Maria was awarded ANAD’s Vivian Meehan Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in her service and her commitment to helping people with eating disorders and their loved ones. She helped start some of ANAD’s most memorable programming, such as candlelight vigils and Recovery Night meetings. Maria has been a passionate and outspoken leader on eating disorders and body image, and has spoken across the country and in Europe to help change people’s views and assumptions on those topics.
Patricia Santucci, MD, FAED, FAPA
Vice President, Education Director
Patricia Santucci received her medical degree from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. She is a board certified psychiatrist and practiced in the western suburbs of Chicago focusing on women’s issues, adolescents and eating disorders. In addition to her private practice, she served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatric at Stritch School of Medicine. She was recognized as a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, founding member and Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders and board member and past Volunteer Medical Director for Our Children’s Homestead, a non-profit organization based on the Boy’s Town model for traumatized foster children. Her hospital based activities included medical directorships of adolescent units and development of eating disorder programs. After serving as Director of Mercy Center and later the Linden Oaks Eating Disorder Program she became Medical Director of Edwards- Linden Oaks Hospital in Naperville, Illinois.
Her interest in ANAD began soon after the organization was launched. She has served as a Board Member since 1977 and held office as Executive VP and President. Much of her career has been devoted to developing curriculum and training for medical and mental health professionals. As an active advocate for the field, she has testified before Congress and the National Institute for Mental Health on several occasions. Additional contributions include the initiation and launching of the Academy for Eating Disorders and the Coalition for Eating Disorders, Harvard Eating Disorder Task Force, Editorial Board Eating Disorder: Journal of Treatment and Prevention, National Eating Disorder Screening Program and APA Guidelines for Eating Disorders.
Matt DeBoer, CFP®
Treasurer
After earning his degree in Accounting from Illinois State University in 2014, Matt began working as a Corporate Accountant for a mutual fund company in the suburbs of Chicago. Pursuing his dreams, to work directly with people, Matt was promoted to the sales desk where he worked closely with other financial professionals. Still feeling that he could make a greater impact in people’s lives he made the switch in 2017 to work directly with a select group of clients and joined DeNardo Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. In 2022, Matt joined the group in their move to Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network. In this role, as a financial advisor, he is able to work directly with individuals and families and focuses on creating solid investment plans to assist them in reaching their goals. Matt joined ANAD to further his dream of making a real difference in people’s lives. He works closely with the ANAD board to create annual financial documents and conducts financial reviews to ensure the longevity of ANAD so that the organization can continue to effect positive change in the world.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. DeNardo Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a separate entity from WFAFN. (PM-11302026-8022605.1.1)
Kristen Gehrig
(she/her)
Secretary
Kristen comes to ANAD with over 20 years of experience as an international business leader focused on Sales, Marketing, Brand Management and Product Development.
Having a passion for healthy eating as well as helping women succeed, Kristen has been active with the Fox Valley Food for Health organization in St Charles, IL. This organization prepares healthy meals for families who are recovering from a health crisis such as cancer. Kristen also devoted 3 years as an English Language Tutor at the Dominican Literacy Center which serves immigrant women in the Aurora, IL area.
Kristen is an avid runner who has completed five marathons and numerous half marathons and 5Ks. Kristen also enjoys reading, gardening and spending time with her husband, Walter, and her pets Lucky (Jack Russell Terrier mix) and Mimi (tabby cat).
Stephanie Covington Armstrong
(she/her)
Board Member
A Brooklyn native, Stephanie is an author, playwright, screenwriter, eating disorder recovery advocate and speaker. In 2009, Stephanie became the first African-American to detail her experience with an eating disorder with the release of her memoir, Not All Black Girls Know How to Eat: A Story of Bulimia. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker and lecturer, helping to bring attention to eating disorders in marginalized communities. She has collaborated with NEDA, presented at ICED, is a regular keynote speaker, and is a member of the steering committee formed to create World Eating Disorders Day in 2016 to bring global awareness to those who struggle. Using her voice to raise awareness about eating disorders, Stephanie continues to use her platform to raise awareness about eating disorders and is regularly featured in magazines and on television, radio, and podcasts.
Ashley Podzius
(she/her)
Board Member
Ashley joins ANAD with nearly a decade of professional experience in behavioral health, most of which has been working with clients recovering from eating disorders, or providers needing to refer clients to a higher level of care. Through her own recovery journey, Ashley has developed a passion for eating disorder advocacy. She has worked with Dr. Maria Rago for over 6 years, providing 1-1 outpatient yoga for individuals recovering from eating disorders out of client’s homes. This allows clients to create a safe and sacred space for healing under their own roof, and supports a healthy, empowered, and meaningful life. Ashley is the Midwest Clinical Resource Advisor for Integrative Life Network (ILN), a small and mighty family of trauma focused treatment centers in Nashville, Chattanooga, Boulder and Oxford. She works closely with providers in the Midwest, educating them on treatment options for trauma, substance use, and intimacy disorders. Ashley credits her success to her amazing mentors that led her to this place in her life and professional career. She would like to thank Maria Rago, Julie Holland, Dave Cook, and Debra Cooper for their infinite wisdom and guidance. Ashley studied Broadcast and Electronic Communications at Marquette University, and graduated from Governors State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Fine Art. In her free time, Ashley enjoys life in Milwaukee and all the city has to offer with her boyfriend and her cats. She has a love for travel and exploring new places, meeting new people, practicing yoga, and walking along the lakefront. She is looking forward to supporting ANAD’s growth and support for individuals nationwide.
Anna K. Orland, DDS
(she/her)
Board Member
Anna K Orland D.D.S. is a practicing dentist in Wheaton Illinois for the last 27 years. She graduated from Loyola University where she was awarded the Public Health Award for volunteerism. She has been interested in Eating Disorder complication in Dentistry and has been an advocate for diagnosis of Eating Disorders in dental patients. She has lectured in this area at National Louis University and local schools. She is the program dinner chair for the West Suburban Dental Society and course chair for the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Anna had volunteered for the Oak Park Infant Welfare for 7 years. She has provided educational programs for Head Start and volunteers for the Chicago Dental Society Foundation Dental Clinical Wheaton. Being fluent in various Slavic Languages, she enjoys travel and physical fitness. She lives with her husband in Wheaton and has three grown children.
Omri Avraham
(she/her)
Board Member
Omri is an Associate Clinical Social Worker and currently works as a behavioral health clinician for the County of Orange. She hopes to eventually work with eating disorders in a clinical capacity and her long term goal is to bring specialized services to the county level. She also has nearly a decade of experience working in cooperatively structured food service establishments as a baker and specialty cheese buyer. In her spare time she likes to bake, hike, watch TV, meet new people, and explore new places.
Dr. Tiffany Rush-Wilson
(she/her)
Board Member
Dr. Tiffany Rush-Wilson is a licensed professional counselor-supervisor and psychologist in Ohio. She is board certified in TeleMental Health (BC-TMH), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She is an Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS), a Canadian Counsellor (CCC) and Sports Counseling. With 20+ years of clinical and academic experience, she serves at the Associate Department Chair at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology-Online Campus. Her clinical practice focuses on diversity, disordered eating and elite athletics. Dr. Rush-Wilson has published and presented at the local, state, national and international level. She lives in both Toronto, ON and Cleveland, OH and enjoys studying languages, distance running and, above all, spending time with her family.
Nicole Breland Aandahl
(she/her)
Board Member
Nicole Aandahl is an attorney and mental health advocate who has served on several non-profit boards. She most recently served as General Counsel of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a 501(c)(3) think tank in Washington, D.C.
Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Aandahl was Senior Counsel with Torres Trade Law, where she provided legal counsel to U.S. and international companies on global trade law. She has served in senior roles at international aerospace and defense companies such as Airbus U.S. Space and Defense and Qinetiq North America.
Nicole jumped headfirst into mental health policy following the suicide of her teenage brother in 2005. After finding her voice in the suicide survivor community, she pursued an MPH with concentration in mental health and substance abuse policy. In addition to serving on
nonprofit boards, Nicole has advocated for fair housing for individuals with mental health challenges, provided training for mental health
professionals on risk and liability, and counseled parents of children with mental illness.
Ms. Aandahl holds a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.P.H in Mental Health Policy from the George Washington University, and a B.A. from Howard University in Russian Studies.
ANAD Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Erin Knopf MD, FAAP, DABPN, CEDS
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Co-Founder, Chief Medical Officer of VERY | Virtual Eating Recovery for You
Dr. Knopf is dedicated to treating patients with eating disorders holistically. As a triple-boarded physician and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, she uses her combined training with intentionality to assess disease severity and devise comprehensive plans to address the eating disorder behaviors as well as comorbid symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD and more. She provides outpatient care virtually to patients 10+ across all diagnoses as CMO and attending psychiatrist with VERY.
Education: Dr. Erin Knopf is a board-certified pediatrician, adult psychiatrist and child/adolescent psychiatrist as well as an iaedp Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. She graduated from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. with a degree in biology and a minor in human services. She received her medical degree from The American University of the Caribbean and completed clinical training in The United Kingdom, Miami and New York. Her interest in eating disorders developed in 2008 while working at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, TX. This interest continued throughout her training, and she took an active role on medical and psychiatric teams for a wide array of cases. She completed residency training at The University of Kentucky in a combined residency program, the Triple Board program, in pediatric medicine, adult psychiatry and child/adolescent psychiatry. She was awarded honors in Adolescent Medicine, Behavior and Development Medicine, and Clinical Teaching in Psychiatry. As Chief Resident, she supervised adolescent girls in a weekly eating disorder outpatient therapy group. She is a member of IAEDP, AED, AACAP, APA and AAP.
Clinical Experience: Dr. Knopf worked as an attending psychiatrist at The Eating Recovery Center in Denver, CO in 2018 to 2022, treating adult and youth patients in a vertically integrated model with inpatient/residential and partial hospitalization programs. At the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, she served as unit psychiatrist for ten months at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders, the only ED-dedicated ICU in the country.
Treatment Philosophy: I completed my Triple Board residency to best treat ED patients holistically, mind and body. Given the intertwined nature of the psychological and the physical outcomes of EDs, my background in pediatric medicine and psychiatry allows me to assess disease severity and create comprehensive treatment approaches. I try to limit polypharmacy and use psychotropics with intentionality to mitigate comorbid symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD and improve dysfunctional neurobiological pathways resulting from eating disorder behaviors. I also describe myself as the “mechanic of the body” and prioritize psychoeducation and biological education for patients and families to foster insight and achieve treatment alignment.
Ivory Loh, MPH, RDN, cPT
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Ivory is a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian and certified Personal Trainer, who is passionate about supporting people in developing a nourishing relationship with food, movement, and their bodies. She currently works in Seattle, WA in her own private practice specializing in outpatient nutrition care for disordered eating and eating disorders and providing weight- and culturally-inclusive medical nutrition therapy for chronic disease prevention and management. Ivory identifies as a “Third Culture Kid”- born in Malaysia, raised in Shanghai, China, and Singaporean by nationality. To her, “home” has always been everywhere and nowhere. For now, you can find Ivory in Seattle, WA! Ivory brings this perspective into her work with clients as she not only appreciates food as a core part of our experience and expression of culture, but also understands that many mixed cultural messages about food and bodies exist. She is especially passionate about working with folks who carry multiple cultural identities and those who identify as API or part of the Asian diaspora.
Beth Hoffman, PhD
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Beth’s research focuses on popular media and health, with a particular focus on using media for health promotion and education. Specifically, she focuses on the portrayal of health topics on popular television programs, the use of media for health education (also known as entertainment education), and health misinformation on social media. Much of her research uses mixed-methods —including quantitative, qualitative, and social network analyses—and participatory research methods.
Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, PhD
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences and Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis and a licensed clinical psychologist. She has established programmatic lines of research centering on the use of technology for eating disorder prevention and treatment, eating disorder screening, sociocultural etiological and maintenance factors for eating disorders, eating disorder recovery, and college mental health. Ultimately Dr. Fitzsimmons-Craft’s work aims to disseminate evidence-based interventions from research to practice as well as extend treatments in ways that will reach the large number of people in need of care for mental health problems but who are not receiving services. She is a Fellow in the Academy for Eating Disorders, is a recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Career Development Award, and has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications that have been collectively cited over 6,000 times in the literature. Dr. Fitzsimmons-Craft is passionate about increasing access to scalable, evidence-based mental health services, collaborating with numerous industry partners, non-profit organizations, and statewide groups in the U.S. in order to do so. Her work has been featured in high-profile media outlets including 60 Minutes, the New York Times, NPR, Wired, and Forbes.
John Levitt, PhD
(he/him)
Advisory Board Member
With over 40 years of experience, John specializes in working with individuals who struggle with trauma-related issues, eating disorders and/or self-harm. He believes in providing a safe, respectful, supportive environment where clients can learn to manage for themselves and enhance the quality of their life.
Millie Plotkin, MLS, FAED
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Millie Plotkin, MLS is known as the “eating disorders librarian”. After earning her Masters of Library Science from Catholic University in Washington, DC, Milie worked at the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health Library. She was informationist (a specialized medical librarian) for Eating Recovery Center from 2013-2023. In 2021, she was recognized as a Mover & Shaker by Library Journal for creating the Eating Disorders Information Gateway. She is now the consulting informationist for ACUTE Denver Health and a medical librarian at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Milie has been volunteering in eating disorders advocacy since 2001 when she founded ANAD’s annual National Candlelight Vigil. She served as Director of Social and Online Media on the board of the Academy of Eating Disorders and is a Fellow of the AED. She continues to volunteer with committees and task forces for the Academy. In 2023, she raised funds for the Alliance by hiking the tallest peaks in Scotland and Wales. Milie is a founding member of the new Mid-Atlantic Collective for Eating Disorders. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with two feline research assistants.
Amy Wilmot
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Amy Wilmot is the founder of Growth Game Consulting. Amy has earned her master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from The University of Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Psychology and Criminology from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she played Division I soccer. Her personal and professional experiences have informed her interest in the science of human flourishing and the demand for mindset shifts in all areas of life. She works with clinical populations, youth and collegiate athletes, medical centers, and large corporations to align individual and organizational thought processing to support recovery, mental durability, consistency, and overall well-being. Amy also works as a resilience trainer for the Penn Resilience Program at the Positive Psychology Center for The University of Pennsylvania.
Eric Stice
(he/him)
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Stice is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at
Stanford University. His research focuses on identifying risk factors that predict onset of
eating disorders, obesity, and depression to advance knowledge regarding processes that contribute to emergence of these problems. This research includes using functional neuroimaging to identify neural vulnerability factors that predict future excess weight gain and neural plasticity that occurs as a result of overeating, which may maintain obesity. He also designs, evaluates, and disseminates prevention and treatment interventions for eating disorders, obesity, and depression. For instance, he developed a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program (the Body Project) that has been
implemented with over 8 million young girls in 141 countries. The Body Project is the only eating disorder prevention program that has significantly reduced future onset of
eating disorders over 2- to 4-year follow-up periods. His work has been cited over 83,000 times. He received a Career Award from the National Institutes of Health and a Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions to Psychopathology from
the American Psychological Association.
Kim Dennis, MD
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
She is the co-founder, Chief Medical Officer, and CEO of SunCloud Health. Dr. Dennis is also on faculty at University of Illinois Chicago as a clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of Chicago Hospitals, where she served as Chief Resident.
Matt Stranberg, MS, RDN, LDN, CSSD, CSCS
(he/him)
Advisory Board Member
Matt Stranberg is a licensed registered dietitian nutritionist, board certified specialist in sports nutrition and certified strength and conditioning specialist. Before starting his own consulting practice, Matt devoted the early part of his career to refining the art and science of training elite collegiate and professional athletes. In graduate school, he developed expertise in nutrition, behavior change and eating disorders. After his training and graduate programs, he co-founded numerous initiatives at Walden Behavioral Care, including the Walden GOALS program and consultation services designed to assist athletes struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating and problematic physical activity. As a renowned consultant, Matt is known for his dedication to educating and empowering clients of all backgrounds to facilitate a full and meaningful recovery. Matt holds a B.S. degree in Kinesiology from the Honors College at The University of Massachusetts Amherst, a master’s degree in Applied Exercise Physiology and Nutrition from Columbia University and was a dietetic intern at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
ANAD General Advisory Board
Ilyssa Berger-Wilson
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Ilyssa is a creative leader with over 15 years of experience translating complex healthcare challenges into campaigns that resonate with real people. She leads creative teams and drives strategic direction for healthcare brands across multiple therapeutic areas—including oncology, women’s health, and mental health—managing projects from concept through launch and beyond.
Her approach is grounded in understanding what actually matters to audiences: not awards, but authentic connection. Whether she’s addressing gaps in menstrual health education, developing messaging for underserved patient communities, or creating campaigns that navigate strict regulatory requirements, Ilyssa combines strategic thinking with a deep commitment to getting the human element right.
That commitment is what drew her to ANAD. She’s the creative mind behind The Wrestler, an animated short film about eating disorders that premiered during Eating Disorders Awareness Week—a project rooted in the belief that storytelling can break the silence and stigma surrounding these illnesses. Joining ANAD’s advisory board is a natural extension of that work: a chance to put her craft in service of an organization providing free, accessible support to people affected by eating disorders, and to help make sure the way we talk about recovery reflects the real experiences of those living it.
She’s particularly strong at identifying the real insight beneath surface messaging—the thing that makes people stop and pay attention because it reflects their actual experience. Working with Ilyssa means having a partner who understands both the rigor required in healthcare marketing and the creativity that moves hearts and minds. She believes the best campaigns don’t compromise on either.
Minerva Calatayud
(she/her)
Advisory Board Member
Minerva has 30 years of experience developing international business and marketing strategies that enable global companies to expand and grow their markets. Most of her experience has been in the food and beverage industry due to her passion for food and technology. Additionally, she had her own international strategic marketing consultant business and worked as a substitute teacher at the public school District. Today, she works at the Women Business Development Center as an Associate Director for Entrepreneurial services. She advises women entrepreneurs and minorities that want to start or grow their businesses. She also develops and imparts training and educational business programs. Minerva holds a bachelors in Food Engineering from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, an M.B.A..from the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico, and an Executive Master in International Business from St Louis University in St Louis Missouri. She is passionate about family, wellness, food, diversity, and inclusion.