Rani Polak, MD, Chef, MBA, is the founding director of both the Culinary Healthcare Education Fundamentals (CHEF) Coaching program at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Center of Lifestyle Medicine at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; as well as an Assistant Professor at the Department of PM&R, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Polak’s focus, along with clinical care, is on clinical and translational research relating to the Culinary Coaching method that combines culinary training with health coaching principles. Dr. Polak is the Principal Investigator of the Culinary CoRe (Culinary Coaching Research) group aimed at expanding culinary coaching as an effective, scalable telemedicine method to improve nutrition; and a course director of a medical education program at Harvard Medical School that disseminates culinary coaching to clinicians world-wide. Dr. Polak’s work has been featured in extensive media outlets including Scientific American, the Herald Tribune, U.S. News and World Report, and USA Today. Follow Dr. Polak on Twitter, @RaniPolakMD.
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Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Simmons University and a former Research Fellow at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Harvard Medical School. She holds a PhD from Tufts University in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, where she was awarded the Ruth L Kirschstein National Research Service Award by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. She also holds an EdM in Physical Education and Coaching. As a researcher, her work has a specific focus on physical activity and nutrition interventions for the prevention and treatment of non-communicable chronic disease. She serves as co-chair of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise Is Medicine® education committee, is on the American Council on Exercise Industry Advisory Panel, and is a council member of the True Health Initiative. Dr. Pojednic has also been an active member of the fitness industry for the past 15 years and is an indoor cycling instructor at Flywheel Sports in Boston. She has been a consultant and writer to several organizations including Joy Bauer and the Today Show; Time; Popular Science; Boston Magazine; Runners World; Women’s Health; and, Forbes. You can follow Dr. Pojednic on social media @rachelepojednic.
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Mary Kennedy, PhD, ACSM-EP, an Institute of Lifestyle Medicine team member since 2010, is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Implementation Science at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia and an Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how to integrate prevention practices into standard healthcare pathways. She serves on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise is Medicine® Moving Through Cancer Task Force, and the education committee. She is also the founder of the Implementation Science Research Hub in Western Australia. Exercise is more than a career for Dr. Kennedy, it is a fundamental part of her daily life. She is a runner who has completed 17 marathons and trained more than 600 people to complete one of their own.
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Cary Wing, EdD, FACSM, CHC, is the Social Media Coordinator for ILM and provides general program support. Dr. Wing has been in the health and fitness field for more than 30 years. She is a national speaker, freelance writer, medical fitness business advisor, and social media specialist. For ten years she was Executive Director of the Medical Fitness Association (MFA). Dr. Wing is an associate editor of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®; editor of the Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer Manual; associate editor of ACSM’s Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines, 4th Edition; and author of 101 Tips for Effective Social Media Marketing in Health/Fitness Clubs. She holds a MA in physical education & sport, with a concentration in fitness management, from New York University, and an Ed.D. in applied physiology from Columbia University. Follow Dr. Wing on social media @caryhwing.
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Mary Alice Hanford is Academic Coordinator for ILM. She manages CME course logistics, educational materials and manuscript submissions, performs literature searches, provides editorial and formatting assistance, provides research support, prepares presentations, and maintains research databases. Mary Alice has a BA in English from the University of Connecticut and an MA in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She lives an active and healthy lifestyle in the Boston area with her husband and two cats.
Contact Information
Edward M. Phillips, MD
Director, Institute of Lifestyle Medicine
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston
300 First Avenue, Charlestown, MA 02129
+1 (857) 203-6500 | EPHILLIPS1@mgh.harvard.edu
Mary Alice Hanford
Academic Assistant
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit St., 395 RSL, Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-2031 | mhanford@partners.org
Cary Wing, EdD, FACSM, CHC
Social Media Coordinator & Program Support
804-921-8237 (Mobile)
chollandwing@gmail.com