Ironwill foundation

Gary is the CEO of a successful direct marketing firm in New Jersey.  You’ll find him hard at work there, that is when he’s not training for a triathlon, running a marathon or checking out the latest road bike.  Gary founded Ironwill in March of 2008 to raise money for diseases that don’t receive sufficient funding.  Since then, the foundation has grown to include the Wellness program for low income families.  Gary lives in New Jersey with his wife Maureen and their three kids.

Mark is a TV writer and author who lives in Los Angeles and New York.  He’s also a self-described health nut and five-star Chef.  Okay, so the second part is a bit of a stretch, but he’s a really great cook.  Mark put his writing skills and knowledge of nutrition to good use by creating the Wellness program and writing the course manual.  He lives with his partner David and their rescue pup Buddy.

They say doctors don’t know everything, but Liz Carlin may just be the exception to that rule.  As our resident expert, Liz brings 17 years of medical experience to the Wellness program.  In addition to consulting on the course manual and conducting some of the classes, Liz also evaluates each of the participants and gives them personalized attention.  Affectionately referred to as Dr. Liz, she is always there with up-to-date information and practical advice.  She lives in New Jersey with her husband Wayne and their four kids.

Katherine knows about health.  She has a doctorate degree in health education as well as two master degrees.  She teaches health education at Teachers College Columbia University and is the President of a research and evaluation company.  But her passion extends beyond the classroom.  She's competed in over 100 triathlons, grows organic vegetables and even has her own bee hives!  She also drinks raw milk straight from the farm and is happy to share it with others.  Forget what you think, It actually tastes pretty good!

Rob Endelman is passionate about food and he conveys this energy through cooking demonstrations and discussions that are both fun and educational.  While teaching how to sauté chicken, he’ll explain which chicken to buy (one without antibiotics) and tell why that chicken should be eating grass and insects instead of corn and soy (flavor and nutrition).  Don’t even get him started on eggs!  Rob is the founder of Cook With Class, a business which teaches people how to cook and understand the modern food supply.  He also writes a blog, The Delicious Truth, which addresses these issues daily.
 
 

Lucy is currently the Family and Youth Program Manager at Mercy Center in the South Bronx. A graduate from Columbia University School of Social Work in International Social Welfare and Immigrant and Refugee Services, she's worked with low-income/impoverished families both in the U.S. and abroad for ten years. Lucy is also a Field Manager at Montefiore Medical Center. Her wellness and nutrition roots run deep; she grew up on an organic farm and was raised as a vegetarian. Oh, and she's fluent in Spanish, too.

Ronnie Aroesty is President of the board of "Junior Energy," a non-profit organization that educates and empowers children to reduce their environmental footprint. It’s fitting that Ronnie would head up an organization with the word energy in it, because Ronnie has energy to burn. He began his career as a teacher in the Bronx and quickly became Assistant Principal. He served as Senior Vice President of "Educational Direct" and has years of fundraising experience. His wealth of knowledge makes Ronnie an invaluable asset to Ironwill.