Steering Committee

Gary D. Wu, MD
Ferdinand G. Weisbrod Professor of Gastroenterology
Director, PenNSAM
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Charlene Compher, PhD, RD, CNSC, LDN, FADA, FASPEN
Shearer Endowed Term Professor in Healthy Community Practices
Professor of Nutrition Sciences
Director of Clinical Initiatives, PenNSAM
School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Ariana Chao, PHD, RN, CRNP
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Director of Enrichment Activities, PenNSAM
School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Kyle Bittinger, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Victoria Gershuni, MD, MSGM, MSTR
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Matthew R. Hayes, PhD
Associate Professor of Nutritional Neuroscience in Psychiatry
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Lauren Hudson, MS, RD, LDN
Assistant Executive Hospital Director at University of Pennsylvania
Director, Clinical Nutrition Support Services
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Jim Lewis, MD, MSCE
Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Hongzhe Li, PhD
Perelman Professor in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Sharon Irving, PhD, CRNP, FCCM, FAAN, FASPEN
Associate Professor & Vice-Chair
Department of Family and Community Health
School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Maria R. Mascarenhas, MBBS
Director of the Nutrition Support Service
Section Chief of Nutrition in the Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Medical Director of the Clinical Nutrition Department and Director of the Integrative Health Program
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Andrew Patterson, PhD
John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Penn State University

Octavia Pickett-Blakely, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Nina Luning Prak, MD, PhD
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Director, Human Immunology Core Facility
Associate Director, Clinical Immunology Laboratory at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Babette Zemel, PhD
Research Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia