Governance & leadership

The people and policies behind AOO.

A statewide board of physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, dietitians, and public health leaders — volunteering their expertise — governed by bylaws, a conflict-of-interest policy, and public IRS filings.

Officers

Governing Board Leadership

AOO is governed by a volunteer board of Arizona physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, and dietitians elected by the membership. Officers serve renewable two-year terms.

Doug Maready, MD
President

Doug Maready, MD

DiplABIM · DiplABOM · Internal Medicine + Obesity Medicine

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 Lessard-Chaudoin, DMSc, MPH, PA-C
Vice-President

Chantelle Lessard-Chaudoin, DMSc, MPH, PA-C

Family Medicine · Public Health · Preventive Care

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 Hilde, PharmD
Secretary

Casey Hilde, PharmD

Doctorate of Pharmacy · Adjunct Professor, U of A College of Pharmacy

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.

Directors

Directors at Large

A multidisciplinary team — physicians, surgeons, dietitians, public health leaders, and market access experts — bringing the breadth of obesity care expertise to AOO's governance.

Jennifer Meyfeldt, MD

Jennifer Meyfeldt, MD

DiplABIM · DiplABOM · Internal Medicine + Obesity Medicine
Director at Large

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.

Karthik Reddy Donuur, MD

Karthik Reddy Donuur, MD

Internal Medicine + Obesity Medicine
Director at Large

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.

Dylan R. Valenzuela, MA

Dylan R. Valenzuela, MA

Dietetic Medicine Specialist · Founder, I CAN Wellness
Director at Large

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.

Tina Alexander, RDN, CDCES

Tina Alexander, RDN, CDCES

Nutrition + Diabetes Care · Certified Trauma Specialist in Nutrition
Director at Large

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.

Addey Rascón, MS, BS

Addey Rascón, MS, BS

Public Health Education · ASU Edson College of Nursing
Director at Large — Communications

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.

Christos Katsanos, PhD, FACSM

Christos Katsanos, PhD, FACSM

Associate Professor, ASU School of Life Sciences
Director at Large

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.

Kelsey Staudinger, DO

Kelsey Staudinger, DO

Bariatric Surgery · HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center
Director at Large

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.

Amy McCallister, RDN

Amy McCallister, RDN

Founder, AM Nutrition Services · AZ Senate Obesity Treatment Study Committee
Director at Large

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.

Debby Beechey, BS, CHC

Debby Beechey, BS, CHC

Market Access · Patient Advocacy · Co-founder, AZ Diabetes Coalition
Director at Large

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.

Governance & transparency

How AOO is governed and funded

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.

View Transparency & Financials
Get involved

You don't have to do this work alone.

Clinicians, advocates, patients, donors — there's a place for everyone in AOO. Pick the one that fits you.