Health Systems and Agencies:
- Koushik Reddy, MD, FACC, FACLM, DipABLM, Lifestyle Medicine Intensivist
- Dr Reddy is a foremost champion of lifestyle medicine within the Tampa VA where he serves as an interventional cardiologist. He has worked tirelessly to promote ACLM’s 5.5-hour CME/CE accredited "Lifestyle Medicine and Food as Medicine Essentials" course in his own VA hospital and throughout the national Veterans Administration system. He has been a beacon of lifestyle medicine light in an agency often not known for its innovation. His scrubs have an embroidered carrot and stent, which he points to asking his patients to “pick one.” His passion is contagious and he’s deserving of this recognition.
Undergraduate Studies:
- Michelle Tollefson, MD, DipABLM, FACLM
- Dr. Tollefson is a professor in the Health Professions Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver where she created and oversees the nation’s very first Bachelor in Lifestyle Medicine program. This enables students to “major” in the field of lifestyle medicine. All students become qualified to take the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches exam. Many of Metropolitan State University of Denver’s students are Pell Grant recipients and first-generation students. MSU-Denver has one of the most diverse student bodies in the beautiful state of Colorado. Nearly 54% of MSU-Denver’s student body are students of color, with MSU-Denver being noted as a Hispanic-serving institution committed to serving DACA and undocumented students.
Clinical, Business and Innovation:
- Morris Cardio
- Clifford Morris, MD, DipABLM and his team at the Morris Cardiovascular and Risk Reduction Institute have enthusiastically integrated lifestyle medicine into their cardiology practice, embracing various initiatives such as facilitating group medical appointments, prescribing dietary recommendations, and allocating office space for an on-site gym where patients can exercise under the guidance of a medical fitness specialist. They bring a farmers market in their office to a disadvantaged local community. Dr. Cliff Morris and his team have advocated for the transformation of Hopewell, VA into a Blue Zone.
Government and Health Policy:
- The Lifestyle and Performance Medicine Working Group
- The Lifestyle and Performance Medicine Working Group was chartered in 2019 with 20 core members, primarily Air Force (AF) physicians. From this working group, the Lifestyle and Performance Medicine Coalition of the Interested (COI) was created as a grassroots effort to reach Department of Defense-affiliated healthcare professionals with a mission to infuse lifestyle and performance medicine into every aspect of the Military Health System and the military population. COI membership has grown by 75% in the last year to nearly 350 healthcare professionals across the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, including Service Members and government employees. Since its inception, the Lifestyle and Performance Medicine Working Group has achieved exceptional results across the Department of Defense and beyond!