The Arizona Obesity Organization exists because obesity is a chronic disease, and Arizona has yet to treat it like one. We're working to change that.
Obesity is the most common chronic disease in Arizona — affecting nearly four in ten adults — and yet it remains one of the least treated. Walk into any Arizona primary care office and you'll find clinicians who want to help patients with obesity but don't know where to start. Walk into any Arizona pharmacy and you'll find anti-obesity medications that work, paid out of pocket because Medicaid won't cover them. Walk into the state legislature and you'll find few champions for a population that has been told for decades that their disease is a personal failing rather than a medical condition.
The Arizona Obesity Organization was founded by obesity medicine physicians who refused to accept this status quo — and has since grown into a multidisciplinary coalition that now includes surgeons, pharmacists, dietitians, and public health leaders. We came together because no single clinic, no single payer, and no single specialty can solve the problem alone — and because Arizona deserves an organization built specifically for the unique challenges of treating obesity in this state.
Our tagline — Treat or Refer — is the clinician's covenant. It's a simple promise: no patient with obesity should leave an Arizona exam room without a path forward. AOO exists to make that promise possible — by educating clinicians, advocating for coverage, building the coalition, and giving patients a voice in the policy decisions that shape their care.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, governed by a volunteer board, sustained by membership dues and philanthropy, and accountable to the Arizonans we serve. Our work touches four areas: clinical education, insurance and policy advocacy, community engagement, and coalition building across the medical, payer, employer, and political fields.
This is the work. We hope you'll join us.
Every initiative AOO undertakes maps to one of these four areas — the work it takes to change how Arizona cares for people with obesity.
Equipping Arizona clinicians with the tools, protocols, prior-authorization pathways, and CME they need to treat obesity as the chronic disease it is — or to refer patients with confidence.
Producing the evidence base — our white paper, payer trackers, and coverage analyses — that legislators, payers, and employers need to expand access to evidence-based obesity care in Arizona.
Standing with Arizonans affected by obesity — fighting stigma, raising awareness, and giving patients and families a voice in the policy decisions that determine whether they get care.
Convening clinicians, payers, employers, pharma partners, and policymakers around the shared goal of making obesity a treated condition in Arizona — through the Arizona Obesity Collaborative and beyond.
"We envision an Arizona where every clinician knows how to treat obesity — and every patient has the coverage to receive that treatment."
Anti-obesity medications covered under Medicaid, commercial plans, and employer benefits — at the same level as treatments for other chronic diseases.
A statewide network of trained clinicians — physicians, PAs, NPs, pharmacists, dietitians — supported by AOO education and resources.
Coding, reimbursement, clinical protocols, and quality measures that reflect obesity's status as a medical condition — not just a lifestyle issue.
Lower rates of obesity-driven diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality across Arizona — particularly in underserved and Medicaid populations.
Policy documents, prior-auth pathways, and white papers matter. But so does walking with our patients, sponsoring community wellness events, and being visible to the Arizonans we serve.
AOO board members regularly participate in obesity-related community events — wellness walks, advocacy days at the state capitol, patient education forums, and partner-organization gatherings. Because the work has to live in the community, not just in the literature.
AOO is governed by a volunteer board of Arizona physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, and dietitians elected by the membership. Officers serve renewable two-year terms.
Dr. Maready was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. He trained as an Internal Medicine physician and certified in Obesity Medicine to address what he saw as the most underserved chronic disease in his patient population. He also trained in Lean Management to implement best practices in clinical care. Doug founded Maready Medical in 2017 and later joined his practice with Forte-Well Being — an integrative primary care and obesity practice. He is active in the Obesity Medicine Association and his local medical community, and is passionate about helping people improve their health. His YouTube and social media channels under Doctor.DougMD give hope to people that obesity is treatable.
Chantelle is a board-certified Physician Assistant with an MPH in Community Health Education (CSU Long Beach, focused on childhood obesity and global health) and a DMSc from A.T. Still University. She has practiced family medicine in Arizona since 2017 with a focus on preventive medicine and chronic care management. She is also a professor at Franklin Pierce University's PA program and the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Kinesio Concepts, which creates and deploys CME for local health professionals and students.
Casey is a pharmacy leader in obesity medicine with a strong passion for patient care. He earned his Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Arizona and has been practicing in Arizona since 2018. He currently oversees the integration of clinical pharmacists, pharmacist residents, and pharmacy technicians into internal medicine clinics across Arizona and New Mexico. Casey understands the value of collaborative care in medicine and has a strong desire to educate both clinicians and patients on evidence-based medicine to improve the health of his community.
A multidisciplinary team — physicians, surgeons, dietitians, public health leaders, and market access experts — bringing the breadth of obesity care expertise to AOO's governance.
Associate Program Director and Continuity Clinic Director at University of Arizona, Phoenix. She oversees ambulatory training of all internal medicine residents and is committed to sparking passion for obesity management in the next generation of Arizona physicians.
Internal Medicine physician at Banner Health, focused on the inpatient population where the burden of underlying obesity is greatest. Karthik works to educate patients on innovative lifestyle approaches and evidence-based anti-obesity medications.
Dietitian who began his career as a diabetic educator and built a private health and wellness practice in 2022. Active member of the Obesity Medicine Association since 2012, advocating for evidence-based approaches to address the obesity epidemic across Arizona.
Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Expertise spans chronic disease management, weight management, weight-loss resistance from hormonal imbalances, and the integration of mental health into nutrition care.
Program Manager for Community Engagement at ASU's Edson College, where she designs programs that reduce chronic disease burden. Also serves as a Public Health Consultant for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the Alzheimer's Association.
Directs the Human Obesity Metabolism Laboratory at ASU, studying how aging, obesity, and insulin resistance affect skeletal muscle metabolism. Fellow of the American Physiological Society and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Board-certified general surgeon and fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon. An Arizona native, she returned home to rebuild HonorHealth Tempe's bariatric surgery program and is committed to expanding access to evidence-based obesity care, including bariatric surgery, across the state.
Founder and Chief Nutrition Officer of AM Nutrition Services, a multi-state practice with 80+ staff. Vocal advocate for expanded access to insurance-covered medical nutrition therapy and a former member of the Arizona Senate Obesity Treatment Study Committee.
40+ years in pharmaceutical managed markets and strategic market access. Co-founded the Arizona Diabetes Coalition in 2001 and helped establish both the Arizona Obesity Collaborative and the Nevada Obesity Collaborative — focused on improving care through education, coverage, and policy.
We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accountable to our members, donors, and the public. Every governance document — bylaws, IRS determination, Form 990s, Conflict of Interest Policy, and funder disclosures — lives on our Transparency & Financials page.
Clinicians, advocates, patients, donors — there's a place for everyone in AOO. Pick the one that fits you.
