About us

Board of directors

Michael Prager

Chair; Chair, Executive Committee

A co-founder of the institute who has advocated for Food Addiction for more than a quarter century, Michael is the author of "Fat Boy Thin Man" (2010). He was interviewed on US national television in the story unveiling the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and by numerous other worldwide news organizations. A recovering Food Addict, he maintains a 150-pound loss for over 35 years.

Mona Y. Obaid

Vice chair; Vice chair, Executive Committee

Mona is the co-founder of Aglon Recovery, based in Amman, Jordan, an innovative recovery center that provides compassionate solutions and a clear pathway to recovery from eating disorders. She holds certification as a Food Addiction Professional from the European Certification Board for Prevention and Addictions Counseling.

Susan Branscome

Interim Treasurer; Chair, Marketing and Communications

Susan's business expertise, gained from 40 years in commercial real estate, is a vital asset to the institute. She is certified as a Food Addiction Professional by the European Certification Board for Prevention and Addictions Counseling. Her podcasts for the INFACT School have been downloaded almost 100,000 times.

Cynthia Myers-Morrison

Board secretary

Cynthia's mission is to encourage and educate children, young people, and adults to plan ahead to attain and maintain healthy metabolic systems four months before conception. This will support the mental and physical well-being of offspring for generations to come.

Sachir Ajlouni

Elected member, Executive Committee

Sachir is the founder of Aglon Recovery, a platform offering hope and a structured path to recovery for individuals in need. Tailored to Middle Eastern culture. Aglon presents a three-stage program that has demonstrated remarkable success in aiding individuals on their journey to overcome food disorders.

Bunmi Aboaba

Board member

Dr Bunmi Aboaba is a Global Wellness Strategist and Human Performance Consultant with over a decade of experience in wellness and executive optimization, and a Certified Food Addiction Counselor. She is the author of Craving Freedom, the R4 Method for Overcoming Food Addiction.

Sue Brown

Board member

Sue is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and author of “Simply Sugar Free: Six Simple Steps to Conquer Sugar Addiction.” She is studying to become certified in Holistic Medicine for Addiction, which integrates multiple addiction treatment paradigms to see and understand the ”big picture” of addiction.

Kim Dennis

Board member

Kim Dennis, MD, is a double board-certified psychiatrist (psychiatry and addiction medicine). She is the co-founder, chief medical officer, and CEO of SunCloud Health. She is also chief medical officer and a board member for Sero Mental Health. A clear industry leader, she serves on several high-level councils.

Daria Green

Board member

Daria, a medical student, is deeply committed to revolutionizing the understanding and treatment of Food Addiction. Her approach combines cutting-edge research in neurobiology with Functional Medicine and established addiction treatment frameworks.

Denise Force

Board member

Denise Force is a Doctor of Nursing Practice–prepared Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with more than 20 years of nursing experience and extensive expertise in diabetes, obesity, and metabolic health.

Nancy Kaley

Board member

Nancy Kaley, BS, LADC, is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor with 30 years' experience supporting individuals in recovery across outpatient, residential, and co‑occurring treatment settings. She is the program director and facilitator of the COR Program, a residential retreat in Minnesota that teaches how to live free from food obsession and the excess weight it causes.

Marty Lerner

Board member

Dr. Lerner is a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and addictive diseases. He is the CEO of the Milestones in Recovery’s Eating Disorders Program in Cooper City, Fla., which he founded more than three decades ago. He is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University,

Rachel Shwalb

Treasurer; Executive Committe member

Rachel L. Shwalb, MSIS, Ed.M., is research data manager in the Heart Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Rachel has been clean and sober since 1993, and abstinent from sugar, flour, and volume eating since 2003. She maintains a 90-pound weight loss.

Susan Peirce Thompson

Board member

Dr. Thompson is a faculty member in brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, a multiple New York Times bestselling author, a keynote speaker, and the founder and CEO of Bright Line Eating, a worldwide movement dedicated to helping people with food addiction to lose weight and achieve food freedom.

Dave Wolfe

Board member

Blending his expertise as a high-performance coach with a profound understanding of addiction dynamics, Dave Wolfe brings a unique perspective to Food Addiction recovery. A former registered dietitian, he co-founded SUGARxGlobal, and is the co-author of The Fix for Cravings, which explores the complexities of addiction and offers transformative insights for those on the path to recovery.

Judy Wolfe

Chairwoman, Social Media Committee

Judy is a Certified Food Addiction Professional, SUGAR Certified/Licensed, and Certified in Holistic Medicine for Addiction through her mentor, Bitten Jonsson; she is also a Holistic Medicine in Addiction faculty member and presenter. Judy co-founded SUGARxGlobal.com, a 24/7 worldwide virtual community where Sugar and Food Addicts gain skills to crush their cravings for good.

H. Theresa Wright

Board member

Theresa is a nationally recognized dietitian and nutritionist, and a pioneer in the field of Food Addiction. She was among the first nutrition experts to identify untreated food addiction as the hidden cause behind the struggles millions face with food and weight.

Sachir Ajlouni

Susan Branscome

Sue Brown

Daria Green

Marty Lerner

Cynthia Myers-Morrison

Michael Prager

Rachel Schwalb

Susan Peirce Thompson

Dave Wolfe

Judy Wolfe

H. Theresa Wright

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