DAVID L. KATZ, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM
David is the founding director (1998-2019) of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, Past-President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Founder/President of the True Health Initiative, and Founder/CEO of Diet ID, Inc. Katz earned his BA degree from Dartmouth College (1984); his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1988); and his MPH from the Yale University School of Public Health (1993).
Katz is a board-certified specialist in Preventive Medicine/Public Health. The recipient of many awards for his contributions to public health, he has received three honorary doctorates. He holds 5 US patents, with others pending. He invented the research methods known as “evidence mapping” and “evidence threshold pathway mapping”; is the principal inventor of the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI™) algorithm; and invented the first fundamentally new dietary intake assessment method in decades, called Diet Quality Photo Navigation.
He has authored roughly 200 peer-reviewed publications, many hundreds of health columns both on-line and in print, and 17 books to date including leading textbooks in both nutrition and preventive medicine. His most recent (18th) book, a joint effort with food writer Mark Bittman, is bestselling (hardcover and Kindle) How to Eat. He has served as one of the expert judges for the annual rankings of diets by US News & World Report for much of the past decade. Katz was a 2019 finalist for a James Beard Foundation Award in the category of health journalism together with Mark Bittman.
Katz is recognized globally for expertise in nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and health promotion. Called the “poet laureate of health promotion” by his peers, Katz has given keynote addresses in dozens of countries on six continents, and in all 50 U.S. states. He reaches a social media following of nearly one million.
CATHERINE KATZ, PHD, DIRECTOR, CULINARY CARTOGRAPHY
Catherine Katz is a chef and culinary expert, with advanced training in basic and clinical science. A child of the Mediterranean region, and lifelong 'French foodie,' she blends broad knowledge of the world's cuisines with deep, practical knowledge of nutrition. Catherine earned her BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley, and her PhD in Neuroscience from Princeton University. She is the founder and President of Cuisinicity.com and is widely recognized for her unique ability to combine delicious with nutritious.
Catherine is ideally qualified to direct Diet ID's unique process of 'culinary cartography,' the generation of rich, detailed, population-specific diet maps, blending nutrition science with the culinary visual arts.
RACHNA GOVANI, co-founder and CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Rachna is the Co-founder and COO of Diet ID, a digital health company making it possible to treat diet as a vital sign. Prior to Diet ID, she was the CEO and Co-founder of Foodstand, a public health tech company committed to making healthy eating an everyday habit for the masses.
Growing up as the daughter of food business owners, Govani’s earliest memories are ones of scooping ice cream at the family ice cream shop. Working at her parents’ neighborhood markets in New Jersey provided an early education on the connection between cheap, processed food and obesity. In retrospect, these experiences fueled many of her business and personal pursuits.
After earning her Economics and Psychology degree from NYU, Govani went on to build a successful career in consumer behavior driven product development. She spent 5 years at American Express where she achieved award-winning recognition and earned herself a patent. She went on to a green-tech startup focusing on building products and tools to help people live more sustainable lives. She then joined Purpose, a social impact incubator to build out a food systems solution that leveraged the power of community engagement to drive support for a healthier, more sustainable food future. Foodstand, Inc. was born out of that incubator and went on to inspire healthy, more sustainable eating in thousands of people in 85 countries.
Rachna has spoken widely on food systems issues, food waste, behavior change, and social entrepreneurship, and has been featured in Food & Wine, Forbes, Edible, Fast Company, and USA Today just to name a few. She lives in metro Detroit with her partner and two children, and can be found in her kitchen or perusing the local farmer's market.
Alison Hankins, Head of Growth
An accomplished sales and marketing strategist, Alison is responsible for leading the company’s growth and partnership efforts. Alison brings more than 20 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, scaling both emerging and Fortune 500 corporations. Before joining Diet ID, Alison was Head of CO Sales for Silicon Valley start-up OhMyGreen (OMG), where she was responsible for launching B2B wellness services across new markets. Prior to OMG, Alison oversaw $500 million in annual sales at Target Corp., and she was selected to Target’s inaugural private label health & wellness committee. Alison's background also includes sales and marketing roles at NuVal/ ONQI, where she worked with Dr. Katz to launch NuVal in retail and healthcare settings. Prior to NuVal, Alison worked for Wild Oats Corp./Whole Foods and the United States Olympic Committee, where she attended two Olympic Games. Alison holds an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a certificate in French Fluency from La Sorbonne, and a BA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she was a Division 1 scholarship swimmer.
Kristi Artz, MD, dipABLM, CCMS
Kristi is a practicing physician and leader within the growing field of Lifestyle Medicine. She has implemented food as medicine programs focused on diet-related disease prevention and reversal within a large integrated health system where she founded a medical specialty practice in Lifestyle Medicine. She applies firsthand knowledge of electronic health records, health system strategy, payor and value contracting to the application of diet as a vital sign.
Kristi is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, a Specialist of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine and a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist through Health Meets Food. She serves on the Advisory Boards for Health Systems at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and chairs the Clinical Practice committee of the Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist Board.
LAUREN RHEE, MS, RD, LDN, DIRECTOR, NUTRITION SCIENCE
Lauren is a registered dietitian with a focus on nutrition research. She has previously worked on the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI®) and its applications at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. She has also managed the nutritional components of community-based and clinical research studies conducted at the General Clinical Research Centers at Children’s National Medical Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
DINA ARONSON, MS, RDN, Director of Nutrition Programming
Dina is an internationally-recognized nutritionist, author, and speaker specializing in wellness-related technology and community health. She has worked with numerous technology companies, fitness organizations, restaurant groups, and food service teams to build health and nutrition-related apps and programs.
Serving on several boards and committees dedicated to educate people on healthy living, Dina is passionate about empowering people to optimize their health by using customized solutions, including creative nutrition and fitness technology. She believes it is never too late to change your lifestyle and build a better life!
Dina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Cornell University and her Master’s in Nutrition from Tufts University. In her spare time, Dina enjoys spending time with her two children and boxapoint rescue, vegetable gardening, weight training, cycling, hiking, and plant-based cooking.
LAUREN AMOS, MS, RD, LDN, Account Manager
Lauren is a Registered Dietitian with a profound background in the world of wellness and nutrition. She has held key roles, including serving as a Public Health Nutritionist with the Florida Department of Health, and a Public Health Project Analyst within a prominent healthcare system in Florida. In the latter position, she showcased her leadership skills by spearheading community-based nutrition programs, making a significant impact on the health and well-being of local communities.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Lauren is a passionate advocate for holistic well-being. In her spare time, she shares her expertise and passion for health by teaching yoga. Her commitment to mindfulness and physical fitness underscores her dedication to helping others lead healthier, more balanced lives.
With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science from the University of North Florida, Lauren has established herself as a well-rounded professional in her field.
aUSTIN cAMERON, Lead Engineer
Austin’s background as an engineer is rooted in entrepreneurship as the co-founder and CTO of a venture funded startup. With over a decade of engineering experience stretching across eCommerce, Telemed, and Financial Services, he brings a wealth of practical knowledge. At Diet ID, Austin is our principal full-stack engineer and streamlines all projects to achieve and maintain a high-velocity workflow.
