Tampa, Fla. – The OAC is honored to welcome Patricia Nece, JD, as Chairwoman of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). Ms. Nece has been a long time member of the OAC and served as Vice-Chairwoman of the Board and Chair of the OAC Weight Bias Committee for the past two years. She was also the recipient of the 2015 Barbara Thompson Award for Advocacy, Ms. Nece is a tireless advocate for the OAC and has testified many times before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, advocating for the approval of new obesity treatments.

“I am very excited to be the new Chairwoman of the OAC. Throughout my time as an OAC member, I’ve seen the OAC develop into a strong organization with passionate members that are ready to stand up and take action for people affected by the disease of obesity. I look forward to standing with them in our continued fight for equality,” said Patricia Nece, JD.

Ms. Nece is no stranger to fighting for the rights of others, as she’s represented the Counsel for Regulations and Legislation in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor’s Division of Black Lung and Longshore Legal Services.

“The OAC National Board, staff and our members are very much looking forward to Patty’s Chairwomanship. She’s been a passionate advocate on Capitol Hill representing the needs of people with obesity, and she has a strong determination to address weight bias on all fronts,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO.

For 2021, the OAC would also like to welcome Anh-Vu Pham to the OAC National Board of Directors. Anh-Vu Pham is a passionate member of the OAC who uses his voice and personal experiences to help others in their health journeys. Anh-Vu has struggled with obesity since childhood and has used those experiences to advocate for obesity treatments, speak up against weight stigma, and help change perceptions of obesity. Since becoming an OAC member, Anh-Vu has actively recruited many new members to OAC and was also named “OAC Member of the Year” in 2018. Anh-Vu currently serves on OAC’s Membership Committee as well as the Inclusivity and Diversity Task Force.

The remaining OAC National Board of Directors are as follows: Michelle Vicari, Immediate-Past Chairwoman; Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA, Treasurer; Kristal Hartman, Secretary, Sarah Bramblette, MSHL; Nina Crowley, PhD, RDN, LD; Sunil Daniel, MD; FTOS; Pam Davis, RN, CBN, MBA; Debe Gau, Scott Kahan, MD; Nikki Massie, MA; Rob Portinga, Lloyd Stegemann, MD, FASMBS; and Melinda J. Watman, BSN, MSN, CNM, MBA.

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), a more than 75,000 member-strong National nonprofit organization, is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by the disease of obesity through education, advocacy and support.