Dr Geeta Maker-Clark MD, ABOIM is a nationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and thought leader in the field of Integrative Medicine. She is the Director of Integrative Nutrition and Advocacy at Endeavor Health, and Clinical Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Culinary Medicine program at the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine.  Geeta has spent two decades studying integrative medicine, nutritional science, botanical medicine, mind-body medicine, and natural childbirth in health clinics all over the world. She started the Food is Power program in Chicago Public Schools to empower youth with health literacy, through a curriculum that focuses on decolonized food education, food justice and sovereignty. Geeta was recognized as a national leader in food justice activism with a Castanea Fellowship from 2019-2022 and the Michael Pollan Fellowship in Food Journalism in 2021. She was recently awarded by the American Nutrition Association for her accomplishments in the field of nutrition, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group with the Health Justice award and the Integrative Health Symposium with the Emerging Leader award. She is a widely requested speaker and is passionate about sharing knowledge and experience to help communities thrive.  

Geeta works with the South Asian domestic violence organization Apna Ghar to teach classes that feature culturally favoured foods, and with Urban Growers Collective- a Black-led non-profit that cultivates urban farms on Chicago’s South Side, having created several food as medicine programs that reach thousands. 

Geeta believes in transforming the way we think about medicine and looks to ancient wisdom and modern struggles as opportunities to heal with the medicines that are all around us. As a woman of colour, a community organizer, and professional West African dancer, her work aims to help communities be well nourished- the heart of healing in our society and country.