Medical Weight Loss Team

Our team of board certified specialists, have the knowledge and expertise in providing non-surgical weight loss management with evidence-based medicine. Patients will be screened for both surgical and non-surgical weight loss options and each patient will get an individualized treatment plan.

• Katie Dudas, MD – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
• Christina Nguyen, MD – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
• Tuhina Patel, MD – Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine
• Anna Powell, MD – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
• Jennifer Cobernus, DO – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
• Miral Patel, MD – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
• Shaniqua Sims, FNP – Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine

Patients with higher BMIs and serious co-morbidities, who may not be able to achieve the maximal weight loss with our medical weight loss program will have the option to pursue surgical weight loss management.

Our Registered Dietitians promote healthy eating habits through teaching patients about proper nutrition and recommending diet modifications. They also create a customized nutritional plan to optimize maximal weight loss and sustain that weight loss to improve overall health.

Our registered dietitians promotes wellness through helping patients make healthy food choices with proper nutrition. They teach mindful eating, which is an approach to help manage your emotions and cravings in relations to your eating habits. 

Our Behavioral Health Specialist, Aaron Perez, LCSW, specializes in obesity treatment through behavior modifications. There is an emphasis on changing unhealthy habits and to maintain healthy behaviors throughout a patient’s weight loss journey.

Dr. Alix Schnibben, PharmD, BCACP, CTTS obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy from the South Carolina College of Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina in 2011 and completed her Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) Community Pharmacy Practice Residency at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. After her residency, she became a pharmacy manager with Walgreens and served as Market Lead for Wellness Programs. In 2014, Dr. Schnibben took a position at Ft Stewart in Hinesville, GA as a clinical pharmacist specializing in disease state management, polypharmacy, and tobacco cessation.

Dr. Schnibben transitioned in 2016 to St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System Center for Medication Management in Savannah, GA as a clinical pharmacy specialist in ambulatory care. With St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, Dr. Schnibben worked in the anticoagulation clinic and was embedded in primary care clinics to provide direct patient care. She established a co-visit model with primary care physicians and nurse practitioners to perform annual wellness visits and disease state management. Recently, she started with Northeast Georgia Physician Georgia Physician Group as an ambulatory care pharmacist working to establish ambulatory pharmacy services. She is a member of the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence.

Dr. Schnibben is Board Certified in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist. She is an adjunct clinical assistant professor at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. Dr. Schnibben was been awarded the Georgia Medical Society Healthcare Hero Award for tobacco cessation education (2016) and Georgia Society of Health-System Pharmacists Pharmaco-economics Research Award (2019).

Sheila Walker, LPN, our Obesity Medicine Coordinator, oversees and helps organize the clinical activities of our medical weight loss program. This roles serves as the patient’s point of contact for any requests about information of our services and help coordinate the patient’s care with members of our multi-disciplinary team to make sure that every patient has the best experience throughout his or her weight loss journey. Sheila is regarded as being very sincere and personable with patients and is able to bring a dual perspective to the program as she is a patient as well as a member of the team.