SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Mary Christine (Christy) Jared, MS, RN, PMHNP-BC is a PhD student in the Florence S. Downs PhD Program in Nursing Research and Theory Development at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Her research interests/career goals are to enhance public health outcomes by developing holistic nursing intervention programs for people struggling with weight issues. She wants to examine the psychological underpinnings of overweight and obesity, how childhood trauma impacts these conditions, and determine if offering therapy and other supportive nursing services to identify and address trauma could lead to healthier weight and enhanced quality of life. She is committed to studying this phenomenon with the intent of going beyond ‘eat less and exercise more’ treatment recommendations to developing methods that are focused on individual needs, levels of motivation and challenges faced in achieving healthy weight and maintaining it. In addition, she is interested in examining the key role that nurses have on health care teams in leading the effort toward comprehensive, nuanced, holistic weight management programs. During her 25-year career as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner, Christy has had the great honor of caring for patients and their families in multiple health care settings and in diverse nursing roles. She has also been involved in local and international volunteer work and has presented on nursing professional practice; staff, management and community education, quality and patient safety and age-sensitive care of older adults.