The Summit is the premier gathering for leaders shaping the future of Food is Medicine. Last year, the event convened over 200 people in person, and more than 1000 online, from sectors across academia, healthcare, the private sector, policy, community-based organizations, and individuals with lived experience to advance the role of food and nutrition in healthcare. This year, the Summit will focus on both the real-world progress and the tensions in FIM implementation, effectiveness, and equity.
Highlights how Food is Medicine can align with payer priorities by improving outcomes, managing costs, and supporting value-based care models
Explore how GLP-1 drugs are influencing treatment approaches and the integral role of nutrition-based interventions
Amid changes to federal policy and funding priorities, we will examine what’s at stake for FIM and how to protect progress
Examine what makes Food is Medicine interventions work well in real-world healthcare and community settings
Clarify common myths and communicate about food additives and ultra-processed foods in ways that build trust and support healthier choices
Hear findings from recent 1115 waiver evaluations and applications of FIM to new settings, like community pharmacies. Discuss findings and their implications directly with the researchers and implementation partners.
Tune in from anywhere in the world to watch the 3rd Annual Food is Medicine National Summit on October 8, 2025 from 11:00AM - 4:00PM ET. Learn from experts about progress, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen evidence and improve access to Food is Medicine programs.
Registration for virtual attendance is free.
Mary Ann Brody is a seasoned design and experience leader with a proven track record of driving innovation and growth. Her work is grounded in a rigorous data-driven approach, and she is dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences that foster trust and build meaningful relationships with customers. Working cross-functionally with technology, operations, and design, Mary Ann excels at communicating and championing a clear and compelling vision for member experience and behavior change.
As the VP, Experience at Devoted Health, she leads talented teams in crafting an exceptional end-to-end member experience that leaves members feeling known and cared for. She is passionate about understanding what truly supports members’ health and well-being—whether through seamless care navigation, proactive engagement, or access to nutrition and Food is Medicine initiatives. Mary Ann’s leadership has been integral to Devoted’s success as one of the fastest-growing consumer healthcare companies in our category—with an NPS of 70 and trust scores above 90%.
Before joining Devoted, Mary Ann worked at the United States Digital Service at the White House, where she helped improve the delivery of critical government services for Veterans. She also served as a lead editor of Health Literacy Online, a guide to writing and designing easy-to-use health websites. Mary Ann received her BA and MPH from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Dr. Berkowitz is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Section Chief for Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Division of General Medicine & Clinical Epidemiology. He is also the Deputy Scientific Director of the AHA’s Health Care by Food initiative. He is a general internist and primary care doctor. His research includes both Food is Medicine randomized trials and large-scale evaluation of food insecurity and Food is Medicine interventions. He is the author of the recent book Equal Care: Health Equity, Social Democracy, and the Egalitarian State, which examines how public policy can improve population health.
Dion Dawson is a food-fighting social entrepreneur, philanthropic leader, and founder focused on health equity through an innovative and logistical lens. Dion's penchant for challenging the solvency of food insecurity through the stabilization of the supply chain has reinvigorated the traditional food distribution model and been met with worldwide attention. With data-driven operations, consistent quality, and a deep commitment to a resident-informed process that meets residents and recipients where they are, he prioritizes the end-user experience.
Dion is the President & Chief Dreamer of Dion’s Chicago Dream, a nonprofit social enterprise combating food insecurity through logistics & last-mile delivery in the U.S’s Midwest region. His system provides fresh produce to the door steps of food insecure recipients and has provided millions of pounds of fresh produce annually to the Chicago region food system, with numerous community jobs created and one powerful movement.
Lauren Driscoll is the founder and CEO of NourishedRx, a precision nutrition company that bridges healthcare and food to improve outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions. A public health expert by training, Lauren has spent her career at the intersection of healthcare innovation, policy, and value-based care—holding senior roles at Oxford Health Plans, Leavitt Partners, and in care delivery organizations focused on population health.
She launched NourishedRx to help health plans and providers deliver personalized, data-driven nutrition support at scale. The company’s SaaS-enabled platform integrates culturally responsive services with rich data—from food and nutrition behavior to labs, claims, and patient-reported outcomes—laying the foundation for AI-powered insights and precision care.
Lauren began her career on the health policy staff in the Clinton White House and has remained focused on transforming how we prevent and manage chronic disease—by making personalized nutrition a practical and measurable part of everyday healthcare.
Katie Garfield, JD is a Clinical Instructor and the Director of Whole Person Care at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. Katie joined the Center in 2014 and currently directs its initiatives that focus on better equipping the U.S. health care system to identify and respond to health-related social needs, including the Center’s Food is Medicine project. In her work on these initiatives, she conducts legal and policy research regarding current pathways to integrate innovative services into health care delivery and financing. She also provides education and technical support to a range of community-based organizations, state agencies, health care providers, and coalitions who are working to develop or implement strategies to achieve these goals. Prior to joining the Center, Katie was an associate at Ropes & Gray LLP. She is a licensed member of the Massachusetts Bar.
Cecilia Gerard is a public health leader with deep experience in health care payment and health system transformation. She is the Managing Director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, where she leads strategy and research translation, including the National Network of Excellence for Health Care. Before joining the Institute, Cecilia was at Tufts Health Plan, where she oversaw the expansion of Medicaid managed care, increasing coverage to 300,000 Massachusetts residents and launching innovative benefits such as medically tailored meals for MassHealth members. Previously, she led community health funding initiatives for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, focused on expanding behavioral health access and strengthening community hospitals. An early member of the federal implementation team for the Affordable Care Act, she played a key role in designing insurance risk stabilization programs. Cecilia holds an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a BA from Wellesley College.
Dr. Nira Goren spearheads Strategy & Special Projects for Health at Google. In this capacity, she leads Google’s Food is Medicine program, empowering individuals to achieve better health and environmental sustainability through food. It is built upon three strategic pillars: improving the quality of nutrition information, increasing access to nutrient dense food, and fostering culinary skills. Dr. Goren also drives Google's broader Health Information Quality efforts, where she guides a clinical team dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of health information across products like Gemini, Search, and YouTube. A Stanford-trained pediatrician by background, Dr. Goren previously worked at Google DeepMind on clinician-facing product strategy and as a consultant to leading healthcare organizations with the Boston Consulting Group.
Dr. Alka Gupta is Co-Founder & CEO at Bluerock Care, a comprehensive value-based primary care group located in Southeast Washington, DC. She is Chief Medical Officer of an Accountable Care Organization. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at George Washington University and Weill Cornell Medicine.
Dr. Gupta believes that prevention and a healthy lifestyle should be at the forefront of health care, and she works to bring these principles into healthcare delivery. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. She is on the Board of Directors for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), the Anacostia Coordinating Council, and several other nonprofit organizations.
From 2015 – 2020, Dr. Gupta was Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. She was Co-Founder & Medical Director of the Integrative Health & Wellbeing Program. During that time, she had the privilege of representing the new center to the CEO and executive staff at NYP Hospital and to the Dean’s Board of Trustees. In April 2020, she helped to launch the COVID-19 Recovery Unit at NYP – Weill Cornell in order to care for some of the most debilitated hospitalized patients, which helped to serve as a model nationally as the pandemic continued to spread beyond New York City.
Dr. Gupta enjoys teaching medical students in her practice. She is also frequently an invited lecturer, and speaking engagements have included seminars at medical institutions, community events, and various corporations.
Kurt Hager's research interest are in structural determinants of health, food insecurity, federal nutrition programs, and health insurance policies. His current research evaluates the effectiveness of nutritional and housing interventions integrated into clinical care under Massachusetts' Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration. Dr. Hager's commitment to translating research to policy led to co-authoring the Aspen Institute’s Food is Medicine Research Action Plan and as contributing as a writer for the Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. He currently serves on the steering committee of the National Produce Prescription Collaborative.
Lindsay Hanson is the Chief Marketing Officer of John Hancock and Global Head of Behavioral Insurance Strategy and Delivery of Manulife. A member of the Global, US, Global Marketing, and Insurance Leadership teams, Lindsay is responsible for driving the successful execution of John Hancock’s marketing strategy and Manulife’s global Behavioral Insurance strategy, including sales enablement, insight-driven storytelling, and improved customer experience and engagement through personalization.
Lindsay builds strategic business partnerships to transform the buying experience and expand on the company’s new approach to life insurance, which helps customers protect their financial future while rewarding them for taking steps to live a longer, healthier, and better life. She leads a team that executes partnerships, collaborations and the development of new initiatives to achieve growth targets and continue building out a world-class customer experience for Manulife and John Hancock Insurance customers in North America. She has strong and active working relationships across the company and the industry to bring this vision to life. Her passion is wellness, and she is always exploring ways to incorporate this into Manulife’s global customer engagement strategy.
Lindsay lives with her son, Jack, and dog Milo on the south shore of Massachusetts. Her interests include spending time with her family, running, yoga and skiing in the White Mountains.
Lindsay is a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, MA with a BA in Business Finance and Entrepreneurship. She is a board member of The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, FedPoint, and The Ad Club of Boston, and is a member of The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Network and The CMO Connect.
Dr. Sean Hashmi, MD, MS, FASN, is a nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist serving as Regional Physician Director for Lifestyle and Obesity Medicine at Southern California Permanente Medical Group. He chairs the Permanente Federation's Interregional Clinical Practice Group on Lifestyle/Obesity Medicine and previously served as President of the Clinical Section of the Obesity Society.
Board-certified in nephrology and obesity medicine, Dr. Hashmi combines lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery to deliver comprehensive care. He founded SELFPrinciple.org, a nonprofit dedicated to health education and children's educational support. A UCLA-trained physician and sought-after speaker, Dr. Hashmi has received multiple SCPMG awards for his exceptional contributions to advancing preventive medicine and obesity management.
Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen, PhD, MPH is a community-engaged public health nutrition scientist and Research Assistant Professor at the Tufts Food is Medicine Institute. Dr. Hollis-Hansen's work focuses on supporting patients and community members living with chronic diseases and food insecurity. For over 15 years she has worked in developing and evaluating interventions that improve the food retail environment (e.g., grocery stores, food pantries), and pairing direct access to nutritious food (e.g., medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, meal kits) with behavioral strategies that support healthy eating and household resiliency.
Ryan M. Kane, MD, MPH is an incoming Assistant Professor in the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy’s Food is Medicine Institute and the Department of Medicine’s Division of General Internal Medicine. He is a primary care internal medicine physician with clinical expertise in weight management. His research focuses on advancing equitable obesity care by integrating food is medicine interventions into standard clinical practice. Dr. Kane earned a B.S. in Biology from Clemson University and received his M.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina. During medical school, he completed an M.P.H. in Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He pursued residency training in Internal Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, where he also served as Chief Resident. Thereafter, Dr. Kane was a National Clinician Scholar at Duke University, where he led research focused on food is medicine, obesity care, and health equity. During this time, he also collaborated with local and national public health agencies on initiatives to strengthen the integration of public health and health care.
Dr. Jonathan Liu is a board-certified internal medicine physician and healthcare strategist dedicated to improving population health through innovative and inclusive approaches. As Health Strategy Principal for Amazon Global Benefits, Dr. Liu leads population health, social health, and inclusive health. He drives improvements in the well-being of Amazon employees, their families, and communities through innovative upstream programs and primary care strategies.
With a diverse background in healthcare leadership, Dr. Liu previously served as Network Medical Director for Optum Pacific Northwest, supporting federally qualified health centers in implementing value-based care. His executive experience extends to California's Health and Human Services Agency and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where he held senior roles shaping healthcare policy, strategy, and delivery.
Dr. Liu is on the board of the Integrated Benefits Institute and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He obtained his BS from MIT, MD from the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and trained at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as Chief Resident for Quality and Patient Safety. He is currently pursuing his Executive MBA at UCLA.
Dariush Mozaffarian is a cardiologist, public health scientist, and Director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. He is a Distinguished Professor, Dean Emeritus, and Jean Mayer Professor at the Friedman School, Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and attending physician in cardiology at Tufts Medical Center. He is a globally recognized leader in the science of nutrition, cardiometabolic diseases, policy, and Food is Medicine, aiming to create the evidence and translation for a food system that is nutritious, equitable, and sustainable. Dr. Mozaffarian has authored more than 600 scientific publications and is one of the top cited researchers in medicine. He has served in numerous advisory roles, including on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and his work has been featured in an array of media outlets. Thomson Reuters has named him as one of the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds.
Dr. Mozaffarian received his B.S. in biological sciences from Stanford University, M.D. from Columbia University, and Doctorate in Public Health from Harvard University; and clinical training in internal medicine at Stanford University and in cardiology at the University of Washington. He is married, has three children, and actively trains as a Fourth Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo.
Danielle Nierenberg is a world-renowned researcher, speaker, and advocate on all issues relating to our food system and agriculture. In 2013, Danielle Nierenberg co-founded Food Tank (foodtank.com) with Bernard Pollack, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. Food Tank is a global convener, thought leadership organization, and unbiased creator of original research impacting the food system. Danielle has an M.S. in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and spent two years volunteering for the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. Danielle is the recipient of the 2020 Julia Child Award.
Michel Nischan is a four-time James Beard Award-winning chef and a nationally recognized leader in food systems and policy. As Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Wholesome Wave, he helped secure $250M in federal funding to make fresh produce affordable for low-income Americans, establishing the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program as a permanent part of the Farm Bill.
Chef Michel has advised four U.S. administrations, testified before Congress, and co-founded the National Produce Prescription Collaborative to advance “food as medicine” policy, ensuring fresh, nutritious food is accessible for all. He is also Founder and CEO of Wholesome Crave, a mission-driven food company supporting Wholesome Wave’s mission through earned revenue.
A lifelong Ashoka Fellow and 2015 James Beard Humanitarian of the Year, Nischan continues to drive systemic change, making the world better for all through the power of food.
Andrea Petersen is a health reporter at The Wall Street Journal in New York, writing about consumer health with a focus on nutrition and mental health. Andrea is a veteran Journal reporter and editor who began writing about health for the publication in 2002 when she became one of the founding reporters of the Personal Journal section. Her beat has encompassed everything from the science of sleep to the hunt for faster-acting antidepressants.
Andrea spent five years as Personal Journal’s travel, home and family editor. She also spent several years in the New York technology bureau covering the internet industry before moving over to the wireless telecommunications beat. She started her career at the Journal as an administrative assistant.
Andrea is the author of On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety (Crown, 2017), a memoir of her own experience with anxiety and a deep dive into the science of anxiety. She is the recipient of a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Andrea lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with her family.
Ronit Ridberg, PhD, MS, is Research Assistant Professor at the Food is Medicine Institute, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. With a decade of experience in the design and evaluation of produce prescription (PRx) programs, recent research focuses on integrating nutrition security screening into clinical practice; leveraging FIM to support maternal and child health equity; understanding PRx participant engagement and testing strategies to increase benefits utilization; and exploring the public’s perceptions of Food is Medicine. Dr. Ridberg holds a master’s degree in Nutrition, Food, and Agriculture policy and a PhD in Nursing Science and Healthcare Leadership.
Dr. Lisa Goldman Rosas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and the Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford School of Medicine. An epidemiologist by training, Dr. Goldman Rosas’ research focuses on addressing disparities in diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and cancer among under resourced groups and communities of color. Critical to this work is addressing important social determinants of health, such as food insecurity. She leads the Food For Health Equity Lab that works collaboratively with healthcare and community partners to develop, implement, and evaluate nutrition programs that significantly contribute to advancing health equity. This research features rigorous quantitative methodologies, participatory qualitative approaches, and shared leadership with patient and community partners. She is passionate about integrating patients, caregivers, community organizations, and other key stakeholders in the research process in order to affect the greatest improvements in health and well-being. In addition to research, she teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has a special focus on increasing diversity in biomedical research.
Pamela Schwartz, MPH, is executive director of community health for Kaiser Permanente. She leads a broad portfolio of work addressing social determinants of health in the areas of highest need among Kaiser Permanente members and its communities, including food, housing, mental health workforce development, and financial security. Pam oversees Kaiser Permanente’s $50 million commitment to improve access to healthy food, which includes the Kaiser Permanente Food Is Medicine Center of Excellence created in 2024 to more fully integrate food and nutrition into health care delivery both at Kaiser Permanente and at health systems across the country. A champion for patient- and community-led solutions to social factors shaping people’s health, Pam and her team have created innovative, high-impact initiatives to increase affordable housing and reduce homelessness in dozens of communities and to increase the number of medical respite programs available in communities to help patients experiencing homelessness heal in safe and stable environments.
An experienced leader in health care and community health, Pam has contributed pieces to several academic and health care publications and serves on many advisory committees and expert panels. She is currently on faculty at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in the Department of Health System Science.
Hilary Seligman, MD, MAS is Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She holds faculty affiliations in UCSF’s Division of General Internal Medicine, Institute for Health Policy Studies, ARC for Health Equity, and Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Hilary is a nationally recognized expert on food insecurity and health outcomes across the life course, with a particular interest in programs and policies that can simultaneously support food security and better health. Much of her recent work has focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of Food is Medicine programs, particularly produce prescription programs. She has directed NOPREN (the CDC’s Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network) for the last ten years. Her team runs Vouchers for Veggies, a large produce prescription program known in San Francisco as EatSF. She is also a Director of UCSF’s National Clinician Scholars Program. Dr. Seligman is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. She graduated from Williams College, received her MD from Baylor College of Medicine, and completed a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research at UCSF.
Lori Taylor serves as the Drivers of Health Program Lead on the Corporate Social Responsibility Team leading the Food Is Medicine Strategy at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Lori develops test and learn interventions using a research and development approach, leads the implementation project team, and collaborates with organization stakeholders to develop business cases, KPI’s and evaluation plans. Lori’s first test and learn pilot was published as a proof of concept in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst edition April 2023.
Lori has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry in areas of healthcare transformation, population health and value-based provider payment models.
Lori lives in the historic district of downtown Raleigh with her husband Paul and two rescue pups.
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