We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michele Tedder. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michele below.
Michele, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
In 2021 I faced a pivotal time in my career. I was working on a grant funded position at a local Community College and the grant was coming to an end. I was not sure what my next professional move would be, but knew that I desperately needed a change. I no longer wanted to feel like I was just going to a job. I wanted to find a career opportunity that aligned with my purpose and sense of personal calling. At the time, I had been working with a business coach because I wanted to figure out how to scale my personal business. As I went through a lot of self-exploration I reconnected with my passion for helping others at a very deep level. My business was already focused on helping others, however my time of self-reflection along with guidance from my coach helped me see that my call and purpose was bigger than what I could imagine at the time. My business was focused on helping people like myself who had chosen bariatric surgery as a tool to improve their overall health. I have struggled with obesity my entire life. I have tried every diet under the sun with minimal results. After a lifetime of failed attempts at losing weight and eventually developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and joint issues I knew that something had to change. Health professionals would always tell me the obvious: lose weight, but had absolutely no strategies for how to successfully do it. Eventually, I was fortunate enough to develop a close relationship with a wonderful PCP who truly saw me and my struggle and helped me understand that my weight was not my fault. She explained that obesity was a disease that is complex and requires comprehensive treatment. With her support and a lot of research about the benefits vs risks of bariatric surgery I made the decision to have weight loss surgery in 2017. Since that time I have lost and kept off over 80 pounds. My experience led me to become an advocate for people living with the disease of obesity. Prior to my surgery I had a life coaching business that mainly focused on helping people discover their life purpose. When I found myself in transition it was an opportunity to really look at the advocacy I was doing around obesity, my own lived experience managing a chronic condition and how more than 30 years of professional nursing experience could transform the lives of people living with obesity and other chronic conditions. In 2022, I was offered the opportunity to become a Senior Program Manager at the Black Women’s Health Imperative. This role has further confirmed my passion for helping others manage chronic diseases and has helped me grow professionally in ways I never expected. Another defining moment in 2022 was attending a conference for health advocates. My experience at the conference completely confirmed my sense of calling as a health advocate and so many doors have opened since I have found work that aligns with my passion and purpose. This summer I will launch a podcast that is designed to bring providers, patients and policy makers together to discuss critical issues impacting healthcare with the goal of providing tools and tipe to improve health outcomes for people living with obesity and other chronic conditions. The biggest lessoned learned on my journey is the importance of finding work that aligns with your purpose and passion. When that happens, work no longer feels like work.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have dedicated my career to advancing health equity, particularly for the Black community. My work focuses on evaluating and implementing programs that address chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity and leveraging culturally tailored approaches to improve health outcomes.
I am the founder of Village Empowerment Solutions, LLC a healthcare consulting business dedicated to improving health outcomes through advocacy and strategies that shape policies and interventions that prioritize patient-centered care and address systemic barriers to access. Through my business, I collaborate with organizations to enhance health outcomes for individuals living with chronic diseases, emphasizing patient engagement, education and advocacy.
My journey with obesity, starting from childhood, fuels my passion for advocating for comprehensive and equitable obesity care. I understand firsthand the challenges individuals face in managing chronic diseases and navigating healthcare systems.
I have been honored to serve as a subject matter expert on obesity for esteemed organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, the American Medical Women’s Association, and the National Foundation of Women Legislators. Additionally, my recent recognition with the 2023 HealtheVoices Impact Award underscores my commitment to advancing health advocacy. I also had the distinct pleasure of joining the national board of directors of the Obesity Action Coalition in 2024.
With a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in nursing education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, my interdisciplinary background equips me to collaborate effectively with stakeholders across the healthcare spectrum, bridging the gap between advocacy, policy, and practice.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
I believe that nothing speaks louder than lived experience. It is one thing to learn in an educational environment, but it is something completely different to speak to a situation that you have experienced first-hand. I believe that the passion I have for my work is fueled by my lived experience. As someone living with a chronic disease and having to learn how to navigate systems and how to become my own advocate I speak with a different kind of empathy. I honestly believe it is the foundation of me being an effective advocate.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
I think I would choose nursing again but I would be intentional about focusing my specialized training in public health. As I have evolved in my career, I realize that I have been doing public health nursing my entire career but not with full awareness and intention. My clinical background is in mental health nurse, but as I look back at previous roles I was always advocating on behalf of the patiens and families that I served. I was advocating for them at both the individual level and at the community level trying to impact policies and practices that would improve their overall health outcomes. At the time I did not recognize that as public health but in retrospect I know that it was. I would have sought out specific professional development training to enhance those skills.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @coach_tedder
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.tedder.1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-tedder/