Obesity Care Advocate
In health, Amber leads in patient-centered obesity care. In July 2023, she was elected to the World Obesity Federation's Board of Trustees representing the lived experience. She's an emeritus member of the National Board of Directors for the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) after serving nine years on the national board, including two years as its Chairwoman. With more than 80,000 members, the OAC provides education, advocacy, and support for individuals affected by obesity.
She frequently lobbies in Washington D.C. for access to care and travels the world collaborating with other patient organizations to combat weight bias and improve access to care. She is a founding director of the Global Obesity Patient Alliance (GOPA) where she represents the United States and is a 2018 recipient of Medtronic’s Bakken Invitation. The Bakken award is given to individuals who’ve used their “extra life” to advocate. Most recently, she was selected to represent the United States as a diarist for the NCD Alliance project on accessible health care.
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The World Obesity Federation, formerly the International Association for the Study of Obesity and the International Obesity Task Force, is the only global organisation focused exclusively on obesity.
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The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is dedicated to giving a voice to the individual affected by the disease of obesity and helping individuals along their journey toward better health through education, advocacy and support. Our core focuses are to raise awareness and improve access to the prevention and treatment of obesity, provide evidence-based education on obesity and its treatments, fight to eliminate weight bias and discrimination, elevate the conversation of weight and its impact on health and offer a community of support for the individual affected.
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The Global Obesity Patient Alliance (GOPA) – a unified voice of obesity patient organizations from around the world – is dedicated to igniting and inspiring global change for people living with obesity. We work collaboratively and passionately to increase advocacy to amplify the voices of individuals with obesity across the globe.
Recognizing a mutual desire and need to form a unified patient voice, GOPA was formed with the goal to impact global change for people living with obesity. United by their dedicated focus on growing the voice of the patient around the globe, GOPA’s six founding members, consisting of representatives from North American and European obesity patient organizations and three independent founders, support each other and encourage other obesity patient organizations to join the collective effort.
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We mobilise a broad and diverse network of member organisations, national and regional alliances, and multistakeholder partners to address the leading causes of preventable death and disability—such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and mental health.
As an independent, trusted network, we amplify community voices, advocate for evidence-based policies, and build partnerships that prioritise prevention, care, financing, integration and the meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs. Together, we are shaping a future where health is a right—not a privilege.
Get in Touch
To connect with individuals, Amber engages with followers via her Instagram @obesitycareadvocate. There, she answers questions, shares her experiences with a lifelong battle with obesity.