Associate Professor
Oakland University
Berkley, Michigan, United States
I earned a BS in biomedical science, summa cum laude, from Western Michigan University, an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a PhD in Human Nutrition from Michigan State University. I have been an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Oakland University (OU), where I have been faculty for 12 years and achieved tenure 5 years ago. My research focuses on lifestyle medicine; plant-based nutrition; health and wellness coaching; and food environment. I am a co-investigator with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine on the Health Systems Council (HSC) research project to explore lifestyle medicine implementation. I am also the creator and director of OU’s new MS in Interdisciplinary Healthcare Systems, with the inaugural cohort starting in Fall 2025. I have been vegan for 18 years; love cooking, reading, and physical activity; and meditate often. https://sites.google.com/oakland.edu/melrez
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In-Person Workshop: Lifestyle Medicine Implementation and Growth in Health Systems
Saturday, November 15, 2025
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT