Meet Our Team

Kelly McKenna is the CEO of End Chronic Disease. Prior to her work at End Chronic Disease, Kelly has led a number of social impact efforts, including serving as Managing Director of Stanford University Graduate School of Education’s Initiative on Learning Differences and the Future of Special Education as well as Chief Operating Officer and Founding Team member of ArtLifting, a for-profit, for-purpose business helping artists impacted by housing insecurity or disabilities commercialize their work. Kelly also spent eight years working in financial services, including in private credit, technology banking, and asset management at J.P. Morgan and Cliffwater LLC. Outside of work, Kelly serves on the board of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation in New York City, best known for its annual “Al Smith Dinner”. Kelly earned a BA in U.S. History from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a three-time All-American sailor and a Stanford University athletic record holder.

Nora Kenney is the director of communications at End Chronic Disease. Her media-strategy efforts support the organization’s state-level initiatives to revitalize public health and address the chronic illnesses that hinder national well-being. Previously, she was communications director at the Manhattan Institute, where her work on public policy appeared in City Journal, the Washington Free Beacon, National Review, the Washington Examiner, and more. In that role, she also supported scholars working on a wide range of health-policy issues—including FDA reform, entitlement policy, restoring scientific integrity at NIH and CDC, the dangers of medicalized gender interventions for youth, and the federal response to COVID-19. Many of those scholars now serve in senior roles at the White House, the Department of the Treasury, and other federal agencies. She holds a BA and MA in English from the University of Notre Dame. The daughter of a physician and a nurse, her passion for the "Make America Healthy Again" movement is deeply personal, shaped by her own experience managing chronic conditions through lifestyle and nutrition.

Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Sweetgreen, a destination for simple, seasonal, healthy food. Nicolas and his co-founders Nathaniel Ru and Jonathan Neman launched Sweetgreen in 2007, opening their first location in Georgetown, DC, just three months out of college. The brand’s strong food ethos, embrace of passion and purpose, and investment in local communities have enabled Sweetgreen to grow into a national brand with more than 60 locations throughout the country. In 2015, First Lady Michelle Obama selected Nicolas for the Presidential Delegation to EXPO 2015, an international summit to discuss global nutrition and health as well as sustainable food solutions. He has been recognized as a key innovator in food and business, named to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc’s “30 Under 30”, Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Food & Wine’s “40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under.”

Justin Mares is a serial entrepreneur and investor at the forefront of health, wellness, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) innovation. He has founded several successful companies, including Kettle & Fire (a leading bone broth brand), Perfect Keto, and Surely (non-alcoholic wines). Justin is also the co-founder of TrueMed, revolutionizing HSA/FSA fund usage for everyday health purchases. As a venture partner at Long Journey Ventures and an angel investor, he actively supports and mentors startups. Justin shares valuable insights on DTC brands and entrepreneurship through his newsletter, "The Next Brand," and is involved in cutting-edge research on pathogen inactivation using microwave technology.

Christina Pascucci is Senior Advisor of Government Affairs & Global Partnerships at End Chronic Disease. A renowned TV broadcaster, tireless community advocate, former U.S. Senatorial candidate, Emmy Award-winning journalist, licensed pilot, fluent Spanish speaker, and expecting mother, Christina's life reflects a steadfast commitment to the wellbeing of all Americans. Christina works closely with the End Chronic Disease team on scaling their education and advocacy reach, building strategic partnerships, and optimizing their policy impact.

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A practicing family physician and the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, founder for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine. He is a fifteen-time New York Times bestselling author of The Pegan Diet, Food Fix, and most recently Young Forever – an instant #1 NYT bestseller. Dr. Hyman is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Function Health and the founder and chairman of the Food Fix Campaign – dedicated to transforming our food and agriculture system through policy. He is the host of one of the leading health podcasts, The Dr. Hyman Show, which has over 250M+ downloads. He is also a regular medical contributor to CBS This Morning, Today, Fox, CNN, Good Morning America, The View, and CNN.

Dr. Ty Beal is a Senior Technical Specialist and global nutrition scientist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). He leads the Food Systems Data and Analytics sub-unit and is passionate about translating complex research into actionable insights. Dr. Beal brings an interdisciplinary background in global nutrition, public health, epidemiology, and food systems. Driven by a vision of food systems that make nutritious foods accessible and desirable for all, his research focuses on how diet quality, micronutrients, animal-source foods, and food processing impact human health, nutrition, and noncommunicable diseases. His work has been published in leading scientific journals and covered by prominent news outlets.

Dr. Beal serves on expert advisory groups for the United Nations, including the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and UNICEF. Committed to making scientific research accessible, he regularly presents at international conferences and webinars and engages with broader audiences through op-eds, blogs, podcasts, and social media. His research aims to advance healthy diets for all from sustainable food systems, with particular emphasis on populations in underrepresented countries. Dr. Beal holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis.

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Dr. Cate Shanahan is a board-certified family physician and a leading authority on nutrition and human metabolism, renowned for her expertise in addressing metabolic damage and inflammation. With over 20 years of clinical experience, she has authored bestsellers like "Deep Nutrition" and "The FatBurn Fix," and has served as the director of the Los Angeles Lakers PRO Nutrition program, advocating for traditional diets and the elimination of harmful vegetable oils.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is an accomplished physician and the New York Times Best-Selling author of FOREVER STRONG: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well. Also a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller, Forever Strong will soon be available in twenty languages (and counting) and is inspiring readers worldwide on their journey towards optimal health and vitality.

At the forefront of modern medicine, Dr. Lyon is leading a revolutionary movement focusing on the body’s largest organ—skeletal muscle. Her mission is to promote longevity and combat the pervasive threats of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes by supporting muscle health.

Dr. Lyon’s educational and research background includes dual clinical fellowships in geriatrics and nutritional sciences at Washington University, along with undergraduate training in nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois. A highly sought-after educator and consultant, she is an authority in the practical application of protein types and levels for health, performance, aging, and disease prevention. Dr. Lyon also works closely with members of the United States Special Operations Forces.

Through her thriving private practice, TEDx Talk, YouTube channel, podcast, online community, and bestselling book, Dr. Lyon is dedicated to empowering people to foster strength and well-being in the weight room and in their daily lives and communities.

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A Harvard psychiatrist and researcher working at the interface of metabolism and mental health. He is the Founder and Director of the Metabolic and Mental Health Program and the Director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. For almost 30 years, he has held administrative, educational, research, and clinical roles in psychiatry at McLean and Harvard. He has been pioneering the use of the medical ketogenic diet in the treatment of psychiatric disorders—conducting research in this area, treating patients, writing, and speaking around the world on this topic.

Dr. Rebecca McLaren, MD MPH, is a Research Advisor on the Knowledge Leadership team at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). She is passionate about making food systems data more accessible and actionable through her work on the Food Systems Dashboard and Food Systems Countdown Initiative. Previously, Dr. McLaren was a Research Associate at the Johns Hopkins University Global Food Ethics and Policy Program.

Dr. Donald K. Layman is professor Emeritus in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He is internationally recognized for his research about dietary protein and amino acids. He has extensive research focused on muscle development and in studies of metabolic regulation for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

He is widely sought as a keynote speaker at professional meetings, medical conferences, and as a consultant to major food companies.