S2 Ep1873: SPOTLIGHT ON WELLNESS GLP-1s: The Future of Weight Loss. Is It Right For Me?

SPOTLIGHT on WELLNESS Tampa Bay Times 4/14 Event
Presented by AdventHealth
GLP-1s: The Future of Weight Loss. Is It Right For Me?  
In this Lunchtime Conversation, host Nanette Wiser interviews Dr. Marco Rajo, MD, FACS, FASMBS, AdventHealth Bariatric Surgeon, about the upcoming Tampa Bay Times SPOTLIGHT on WELLNESS presented by Advent Health.
You hear about them on the radio, see ads on TV and celebrities using them openly. But are new weight-loss products like Wegovy and Ozempic right for everyone? In this free community conversation from the Tampa Bay Times, medical leaders from around the region will discuss the pros and cons of these new drugs, affordability and access to them, and what other safe and proven weight-loss products and procedures are available to patients in Tampa Bay and beyond. 
LOCATION Feeding Tampa Bay,  3624 Causeway Blvd, Tampa, FL 33619
DATE April 14
TIME 5-6 p.m. Community Resource Center
         6-7:30 p.m. Panel Discussion
REGISTER NOW The event is free. Please register in advance: tampabay.com/spotlight
EVENT MODERATOR
Event Moderator   Chris O’Donnell
Investigative Reporter, Tampa Bay Times
Chris O’Donnell is an investigative reporter at the Tampa Bay Times. He is an award-winning journalist who has covered health, education and the local government for 20 years. He was part of a Times team that won a duPont-Columbia Award for “Zombie Campaigns,” an investigative project. For the past five years, he has reported on health, including the rise of GLP-1 drugs
SPEAKERS 
AdventHealth Physician:  Dr. Marco Rajo, MD, FACS, FASMBS 
AdventHealth Bariatric Surgeon 
Bio: Marco Rajo, MD, FACS, FASMBS | Bariatric Surgery | Tampa, FL | AdventHealth 
Marco Antonio Rajo, MD is a bariatric and general surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is fluent in Spanish and English and helps patients ages 18 and older using surgical and non-surgical treatment options. He has advanced training in obesity medicine and weight-loss surgery, as well as in complex gastrointestinal and hernia surgery. He specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic techniques.  
AdventHealth Physician:  Dr. Lisa M. Ferreira, MD, FOMA 
AdventHealth Obesity Medicine  
Bio: Lisa M. Ferreira, MD, FOMA | Obesity Medicine | Wesley Chapel, FL | AdventHealth 
Lisa M. Ferreira, MD, FOMA, delivers a personalized weight management program to help you meet your healthy weight goals. Achieving and maintaining a sustainable healthy weight can be challenging and can require guidance and support from a team including a physician who is board certified in obesity medicine. Successful treatment requires a multifaceted approach which may include interventions such as nutritional counseling, meal replacements, physical activity, behavioral health support, and, if appropriate, medication and collaboration with bariatric surgery. In addition, Dr. Ferreira offers metabolic testing, body composition analysis and diet and lifestyle recommendations as part of a highly individualized program to help you achieve and maintain your long-term goals. Dr. Ferreira is triple board-certified in obesity medicine, lifestyle medicine, and family medicine. She is an active member of the Obesity Medicine Association, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the American Academy of Family Physicians. She sees patients 10 years and older. 
James Zervios, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Obesity Action Coalition  
Bio: James Zervios has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit healthcare and patient advocacy. A graduate of the University of South Florida, he joined the OAC in 2005, leading marketing and communications before becoming vice president and chief of staff in 2023 and vice president and chief operating officer in 2024. He oversees operations, strategic planning, staff management, and corporate partnerships, and often represents the organization publicly. In 2015, he received the OAC Milestone Award for distinguished service.
Dr. Christopher R. Piszczatoski
Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
UF Health
Dr. Christopher R. Piszczatoski is an ambulatory care clinical pharmacy specialist with UF Health. His clinical service offerings cover weight management, anticoagulation and high-risk diabetes, as well as general chronic disease management. In his daily practice, he manages patients utilizing GLP-1 RA-based medications for a variety of indications, serves as his department’s lead, and authors formal updates for national pharmacy organizations on market updates of this medication class.