I am the President and Founder of the BariNation Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness and supporting people fighting the disease of obesity at every age and stage. After my bariatric surgery in July 2019, I realized that patients needed a new kind of long-term, community-based support, and I set out to build it. As a patient advocate and community builder, I lead BariNation in creating stigma-free spaces where people can access evidence-based education, expert guidance, and meaningful peer connection, helping thousands pursue sustainable health with confidence and support.

I am a founding board member of the BariNation Foundation, serving as Board Secretary, HR and Compliance lead, and a bariatric support-group leader. I bring both professional training and lived experience to this work as someone nearly eight years post–gastric bypass surgery. I know in my body and in my story that bariatric care does not end in the operating room—it unfolds across a lifetime. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I have walked beside patients through the quiet, often unseen emotional and medical gaps that follow surgery. In a time when access to care feels increasingly fragile, I believe BariNation Foundation is uniquely positioned to bridge these gaps—partnering with providers to offer continuity, dignity, and evidence-based support long after surgery ends.

My weight‑loss journey began in 2021 at age 60, when I chose RNY gastric bypass as an act of hope and self‑belief. I lost 100 pounds and have maintained a loss of 90, but the real transformation has been internal, learning that obesity is a chronic disease, not a moral failing. I found strength in community, compassion, and the courage to start again. That’s why I serve within the BariNation Foundation: to help build the support I once needed. Our mission matters deeply to me because every person deserves dignity, understanding, and a place where they no longer feel alone.