Rita Baron-Faust, MPH, CHES

Rita Baron-Faust, MPH, CHES, combines her passions for medicine and writing in an active career as a health educator, medical journalist, book author, wellness coach, and public speaker around the country.

Ms. Baron-Faust, recipient of more than two dozen awards for medical journalism and consumer health writing, is the author or co-author of six books on women’s health, ranging from mental health to heart disease.

Her most recent book, The Autoimmune Connection: Essential Information for Women on Diagnosis, Treatment, and Getting on with Your Life," (McGraw-Hill) was lauded by The New York Times and recommended by the National Women’s Health Resources Center and the Society for Women’s Health Research.

Ms. Baron-Faust was among the leading experts in women’s health invited to contribute to The Savvy Woman Patient: How and Why Sex Differences Affect Your Health, published by the Society for Women’s Health Research and Capital Books.

LECTURES AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Ms. Baron-Faust is a national educational speaker for the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), on whose executive board she served for six years. She also provides health presentations and work site wellness seminars for clients including the Center for Corporate Wellness of the NYU Langone Medical Center, Summit Health, Inc., and through her own company, "Speaking of Wellness Now."

She has used her expertise in cardiovascular diseases as a health educator for the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) Clinical Trial of Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive African Americans at Bellevue Hospital Center, conducted by the Center for Healthful Behavior Change at the NYU School of Medicine.

Ms. Baron-Faust is also a member of the NYU Langone Medical Center Health Literacy Council and the NYU Patient and Family Education Council, working to improve patient information, educational materials, and facilitate educational events.

She has been an invited speaker on women's health issues for the NYC Human Resources Administration, Clarian Health Partners at Indiana University, the National Consortium of Breast Centers, Gilda’s Club, the Komen Foundation “Race for the Cure,” and the American Federation for Aging Research, among others.

Ms. Baron-Faust has also facilitated educational seminars on menopause as a faculty member for the "Wise Women’s Retreats” organized by the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, a women’s mentoring organization based in New York City.

She was a founder and executive board member of Women's O.W.N. (Optimum Wellness Now), an educational and outreach organization affiliated with NYU Medical Center from 1995 to 2005.

Her numerous media appearances include “Today in New York” and “Good Day, New York.”

WRITING CAREER

Most recently, Ms. Baron-Faust joined SeniorPlanet.org as a contributor, writing on a variety of aging-related issues. SeniorPlanet.org is an offshoot of the federally-funded Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) project in New York City.

She is a contributing writer for MedPage Today.com, an award-winning online medical news service providing daily, peer-reviewed reports on clinical studies, meetings, and breaking medical news. She creates resource centers on medical topics for MedPage Today.com and has served an associate/​weekend editor for the site. Her work has also appeared online for web sites such as WebMD, Medscape, and theheart.org.

She previously served as a medical editor for City Health Information (CHI), a newsletter sent to 30,000 primary care providers by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. During her tenure at the DOHMH, she was a volunteer member of the agency’s Women’s Health Committee and Task Force on Domestic Violence.

Ms. Baron-Faust was the editor of the Weill Cornell Women’s Health Advisor and the Weill Cornell Food and Fitness Advisor newsletters for seven years, and has also been a writer and producer for radio and television news, including 10 years as the writer-producer of “Report on Medicine” for WCBS News Radio 88 in New York City.

Her work has appeared in national consumer magazines including Scientific American Presents, Woman’s Day, Redbook, McCall’s, More Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Child, and American Health, for which she also served as a Contributing Editor. She has also contributed to academic and professional journals and publications, including the British Medical Journal, Medical Tribune, Ophthalmology World News, Women's Health Weekly,and Anthropology News.

She began her journalism career at the Associated Press in New York City.