Rita Baron-Faust, MPH, CHES

I have a Master's Degree in Urban Public Health/​Community Health Education from Hunter College and am a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). I am very fortunate to be able to combine my passions for medicine and writing in an active and varied career as a health educator, medical journalist, book author, researcher, and public speaker around the country. I enjoy working one-on-one with people to bring about behavior changes to improve their health, solve community-related health problems, and hope to take on new challenges in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

I am the recipient of more than two dozen awards for medical journalism and consumer health writing, and an author or co-author of six books on women’s health, ranging from mental health to heart disease. My special areas of interest include the effect of culture on health, intimate partner violence, and translational medical research.

My 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. It is currently being updated for a 2nd edition.

I 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

I have acted as a national educational speaker for the Autoimmune Diseases Association (AARDA) since 2004, and served two terms the AARDA executive board from 1998 to 2004.

I provide work site wellness talks and health counseling at biometric screening clinics for Summit Health, Inc. and Impact Health, Inc. I also offer health presentations through my own company, "Speaking of Wellness Now."

It was exciting to use my expertise in cardiovascular disease 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.

I helped to expand the Reproductive Psychiatry Program at NYU as its program coordinator, updating PowerPoint presentations, doubling the number of in-service lectures, creating and surveys and writing a successful formative evaluation for the program funder.

For the past several years, I have been an active volunteer 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.

I have been honored to be an invited speaker on women's health issues for numerous events, including 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.

As a member of the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, a women’s mentoring organization based in New York City, I facilitated educational seminars on menopause as a faculty member for the "Wise Women’s Retreats” organized by Woodhull.

I was among the founders and executive board members of Women's Optimum Wellness Now (Women's O.W.N), an educational and outreach organization affiliated with NYU Medical Center from 1995 to 2005, raising money for research.

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

WRITING CAREER

I am now a regular contributor to the RheumatologyNetwork.com, the online version of the Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine, keeping on top of rheumatology, bone disease, autoimmunity, and other topics in specialty journals and at conferences. I have been a contributing writer for SeniorPlanet.org since 2011, 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. I am also a contributor for ThirdAge.com.

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

Previously, I was a medical editor for City Health Information (CHI), the flagship newsletter of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, now distributed online to up to 150,000 health care providers. During my time at the DOHMH, I was also a volunteer member of the agency’s Women’s Health Committee and Task Force on Domestic Violence, an issue of vital importance.

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

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

I had the great privilege to begin my journalism career at the Associated Press in New York City.