Meet Our Team of Experts

Nicholas Fiacco, MD

He completed medical training at Mercer University School of Medicine and went on to Internal Medicine training at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. In his time as an internist providing primary care, he recognized weight as a primary problem driving many patients’ health concerns. Always eager to improve, he completed training and certification in obesity medicine. This training required high-level exposure to endocrinology problems, and once again, Dr. Fiacco pursued further training in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Learn more about Dr. Fiacco

Richard Henderson, MD, Ph.D

Dr Richard Henderson, M.D., Ph.D., is Director of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program at LifeStyle Medical Centers.  He leads our on-going efforts to monitor and improve the quality and value of the care we provide, often utilizing clinical outcomes data from hundreds, and sometimes thousands of patients.  In addition to his M.D. degree, he also has a Ph.D. degree in Physiology, both from the University of Chicago.  In his 32-year career as a physician at UNC Hospitals and faculty member in the UNC School of Medicine he gained extensive experience in clinical research, and has nearly 100 publications in medical journals.  He is a long-time advocate for lifestyle medicine, firmly believing that lifestyle choices are hugely important keys to one’s health and well-being.

Rita Brewer PA-C, DFAAPA

Rita Brewer pursued her passion for Medicine by receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the State University of NY@ Geneseo, followed by the Weill Cornell Surgical Physician Assistant Program in Manhattan, NY. Over the past thirty years she has worked in hospitals, private practices and outpatient clinics specializing in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Weight loss and Integrative Medicine.

She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Certified Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and is the Founder & Leader of the Healthy Lifestyles Ministry at Raleigh North Christian Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

After seeing thousands of patients suffering with the devastating effects of preventable chronic diseases, her mission became educating, equipping and empowering men and women around the world with the tools they need to reclaim their optimum health.

Her greatest joy is helping her patients and clients to not only look and feel great by achieving their weight loss goals, but to help them improve their chronic illnesses and reduce the need for prescription drugs.

Danielle DiLorenzo, PA-C

Danielle DiLorenzo is a board-certified Physician Assistant with a background in Critical Care, Healthcare Navigation and Obesity Medicine. Danielle earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York and then pursued a Master’s degree in Allied Health with a focus on child and family health. She went on to further her education, earning a second Master’s degree in Health Sciences for Physician Assistants at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences in New York, New York. Danielle began her career in the intensive care unit transitioning to outpatient medicine after many years. She finds great joy in practicing preventative medicine, reducing the risk of long-term health complications through improving comorbidities with the goal of reducing pharmaceutical reliance. In addition, she enjoys focusing on patient education, developing a collaborative relationship, as well as advocating for patients. In her spare time, Danielle enjoys baking, gardening and being a mother to her three children.

Makayla Downs, MSN, FNP

Makayla Downs is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who has experience in primary care, specifically with a focus on women’s health.

Makayla has a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville along with a master’s degree in nursing from the University of St. Francis-Joliet.

Throughout her career as a nurse and Nurse Practitioner, she has worked with veterans and active-duty service members on a Medical-Surgical unit serving as charge nurse, done pediatric and adult telephone triage, and treated women in a GYN/primary care clinic that did clinical research as well. She brings her GYN background to LMC and is able to offer hormone testing to her female patients but also to her male patients (hello cortisol, I’m thinking of you!). She specifically helps women understand how hormones work in the body and the changes their body may be going through, particularly during the perimenopause and menopause years.

Makayla has a passion for finding the root cause to a health concern and working with her patients where they are at in their health journey. She believes in non-judgmental, mindful care and can provide accountability and support for her patients. Her goal is to help make lifestyle recommendations that are sustainable and individualized. She believes that the care she provides at Lifestyle Medical Center is not only about considering nutrition but also sleep, mental health, activity, family, etc. and with her work and life experience she is able to help patients meet their goals.

In her spare time, Makayla is the mother to 4 young children and enjoys volunteering in the local community, trying new restaurants, and listening podcasts and audiobooks.

Sherrie Stapleton, PA-C

Board-certified Physician Assistant, Member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Board-certified Physician Assistant with over 12 years of experience in fields including Internal Medicine, Endocrinology (Diabetes and Thyroid disorders), and ENT.  Over 5 years was spent working at Joslin Diabetes Center in Syracuse, NY, helping patients with both insulin dependent, and non-insulin dependent diabetes improve control of their condition, and enhance their overall health and well-being.

She achieved Bachelor and Masters Degrees from Boston University specializing in Exercise Science and Nutrition. For five years she worked in the Fitness Industry as a Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, and Assistant Fitness Director. In 2009 she received her degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle to prevent adverse health has always been a passion of hers. Working with other providers, health departments, and local organizations, she developed and implemented health education programs, improving the health and well-being of her patients and community. Her goal is to provide others with the education and resources needed to help regain control over their health; reduce the adverse effects of chronic illness; and to reduce the reliance on prescription medications.

Sadaf Baig, MS, RDN, LDN

Sadaf Baig was born and raised in Queens, NY. In her teen years, she moved to Long Island, NY with her family where she attended High School and College. She received her B.S. in Psychology and M.S. in Healthcare Policy and Management from Stony Brook University.

Sadaf worked in Mental Health Care for over a decade and then decided to pursue a career in Nutrition & Dietetics after experiencing the profound effects nutrition had played a role in her own health. She quickly developed a passion for Nutrition and its importance, which compelled her to go back to college and pursue her degree in Nutrition & Dietetics from Queens College.

Sadaf takes a functional and integrative approach to helping her patients with health promotion, managing chronic disease and weight management. She truly enjoys seeing her patients improve their quality of life by reaching their health goals through sustainable lifestyle changes.

Sadaf has an adventurous spirit and in her free time loves exploring new foods and restaurants, traveling, yoga, weightlifting and theme parks to name a few things.

Brandi Crosson, RD, LDN

Brandi grew up in IL and moved to NC in 2010. She worked in restaurant management for over a decade before deciding to begin a career in nutrition, after experiencing the profound effect proper nutrition had on her own health. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina Central with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences-Nutrition & Dietetics and completed her dietetic internship there as well. She is currently finishing her Master’s degree at NCCU in Nutritional Sciences. Her specialties include weight management, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders, and autoimmune disease. Brandi believes in taking a functional approach in helping her patients to manage chronic conditions, weight, and preventative healthcare. Having personal experience with metabolic and autoimmune diseases, Brandi is passionate about helping others with these conditions. In her free time, Brandi enjoys traveling, reading, baking, yoga, and spending time with her family.

Cathy Dyer, RDN, NBC-HWC

Cathy is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and national board certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC) trained and certified by Duke Integrative Medicine. She has a chemistry degree from North Carolina State University and a degree in nutrition from North Carolina Central University. As a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cathy has received specialized training in Adult Obesity Prevention and Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management through the academy.

Cathy will assist you on your journey to better health by helping you navigate nutrition and health information, weeding out what doesn’t make sense and helping you to focus on evidence-based scientifically sound information you can leverage to achieve your vision of health for yourself. You will be challenged to clarify, acknowledge, and tap into your internal motivation to change the way you are eating. You will work in a partnership to identify obstacles to change and create strategies for moving forward toward your goals.

Cathy grew up in Cary and currently lives in Raleigh at Lake Johnson where she enjoys hiking the trails and paddle boarding. For a while she lived in Ramat Gan, Israel, where she was exposed to a vibrant food culture and healthier lifestyle than typically found in America.

Katie Godin, RD, LDN, MS

Katie was born and raised in Aberdeen, North Carolina. She came to Raleigh, NC to complete her undergraduate education at Meredith College where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Foods and Nutrition. She went on to complete her Dietetic Internship at North Carolina Central University and began her career in Dietetics in 2007. Learn more about Katie

Laura Harkins RDN, LDN

After graduating from Framingham State University with a B.S. in Food and Nutrition, Laura moved to North Carolina to complete her dietetic internship and begin her career as a Registered Dietitian. Laura has experience in weight management, integrative and functional nutrition, eating disorders, food allergies and sensitivities, infant nutrition, and thyroid disorders. Food and nutrition became an important part of her life when she realized its essential role in disease prevention and intervention. She loves working one-on-one with clients and empowering them to make healthy eating a natural and sustainable part of their daily lives. She believes that healthy food can be personalized to work its magic on everyone. In her free time, Laura enjoys reading, experimenting with new recipes, and going for hikes with her fiancé and dog.

Kim Lee, MS, RD, LDN

Kim was born and raised in Naperville, IL.  She attended Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO, for undergrad, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics.  She stayed at Saint Louis University to complete her Dietetic Internship and then finished her Master of Science in Dietetics through Kansas State University.  Learn more about Kim

Alison Licquia, RD, LDN, MS

Ali was born and raised in upstate New York and grew up on every kind of sports field imaginable.  That love of all things sports carried over into college, where she was a member of the University of Connecticut Women’s Rowing team while she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutritional Science. After undergrad, she completed her Dietetic Internship and Master’s Degree at The State University of New York at Buffalo and quickly fled to Florida after graduation, leaving snowy winters behind.   Learn more about Alison

Courtney Woodside, RD, LDN

Jennifer Kane

Originally from Texas, Jennifer made her move to North Carolina in June 2016. She is a recent graduate from the University of Mississippi where she earned a BS in Nutrition/Dietetics. After graduation, she spent her time as a Dietetic Assistant at UNC Chapel Hill before joining the Lifestyle team. Outside of work she enjoys playing tennis, exercising and exploring cool new places to eat. You can also find her playing catch with her dog Mason and relaxing with her husband. She is so excited to be a part of the Lifestyle team!