Beyond Change
Living a Healthy Life After Obesity Surgery
Jacquelyn K. Smiertka
R.N. Program Director
Jackie has worked in the field of bariatric surgery since the early 1980's. Her work has been in private practice with bariatric surgeons who have performed Vertical Banded Gastroplasties, Gastric Bypass and Duodenal Switch procedures. Her best experience has been to work with the patients through the whole educational process including preoperative education, hospitalization and postoperative follow-up including metabolic monitoring.
She has written and published many articles regarding the pre and postoperative care of the bariatric surgery patient including but not limited to:
*“Bariatric Surgery, Preoperative Assessment and Teaching”, Obesity Surgery Journal, * “Motivating the Bariatric Patient”, OSJ, * “The Challenge of Teaching Behavior Modification”, OSJ, *“Bariatric Surgery, Postoperative Behavioral Change: The Importance of Ongoing Assessment and Teaching”, OSJ * * *“Beyond Bariatric Surgery….Complications We Fail to Address” Obesity Surgery, OSJ *Abnormalities of Calcium Metabolism Following Surgical Treatment for Morbid Obesity: A Study of 136 Patients, Endocrinology Journal, 2004, coauthor
She was the Editor/Publisher of “Beyond Change, Information Regarding Obesity and Obesity Surgery”. A monthly newspaper with distribution nationally and internationally. 1999-2009
She was also the co-author of, Caring for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient”, (A guide for the Allied Healthcare Professional) coauthor, copyright 2003
Jackie has been a member of American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity since 1986. She has had the privilege to present papers in multiple U.S. cities as well as in Austria, Greece, Spain and Italy. Now it is her privilege to primarily work with postoperative patients and in particular those patients who have been lost to follow-up. She is honored to work with Dr. Steve Boom and to also partner with Celebrate Nutritional Supplements.
Julie Parrot
M.S., RDN
Julie studied both exercise physiology and nutrition for her Bachelor’s degree and clinical psychology and nutrition for her Master of Science degree. She has worked in multiple settings, ranging from clinical research, industry, hospital in-patient, outpatient and community. Weight management, bariatric surgery and diabetes prevention has been her primary focus. She is a registered dietitian and a certified health coach, personal trainer and group fitness instructor. She served as the Bariatric Surgery Subunits Coordinator and the Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group Subunit Director for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Secretary for the ASMBS IH Executive Council. She is an active member of the ASMBS Integrated Health Clinical Issues and Guidelines Committee. She is co-author of the 2008 ASMBS Nutrition Guidelines for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient and lead author for the 2016 Nutrition Guidelines update. Julie continues to remain active in ASMBS as Integrated Health Editor for the journal, Surgery for Obesity and Related Disorders (SOARD) and is currently a Wellness Coach Coordinator for Population Health at CentraState Medical Center. She continues to develop her passion for working with bariatric surgery patients and has recently been working with patients who have gastric issues, by using the Low FODMAP approach.
