Linda Anegawa, M.D.
Linda Anegawa, M.D.
Executive Medical Board Member
Dr. Anegawa is a clinician, writer, and consultant dedicated to the treatment of metabolic and weight-related disease. She has extensive experience working with a variety of healthcare entities in developing weight loss and lifestyle medicine programs with a low-carb/ketogenic focus including the Ideal Protein method. Dr. Anegawa currently directs weight management services for the nationwide digital health firm PlushCare, where she also practices primary care. She previously founded the Obesity Medicine Clerkship for the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine. Dr. Anegawa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and completed residency at Stanford University. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. Her guide for patients entitled Not Another Keto Book: The Obesity Medicine Solution was released on June 24, 2021.

Suzanne Bouchard
Suzanne Bouchard
Senior Vice President, Product Management and Innovation
Suzanne is product leader focused on providing results through successful product portfolio transformations. With a background in marketing for publishers Hachette Filipacchi and Random House, she is extremely passionate about health & wellness. She worked for over 13 years at WW (formerly Weight Watchers) as the North American Lead of Consumer Products bringing brand-building products and partnerships to market. Her experience across many consumer product categories, in both food and non-food, have increased both revenue and customer satisfaction in helping them live a healthier lifestyle.

She joined IP in August 2019 as VP of Product Management. Suzanne lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters, Charlotte and Devon, and the best Olde English Bulldog ever! In between work and shuffling kids to activities, she enjoys going for a run (by herself) and playing tennis (with friends!)

Cheryl Callan
Cheryl Callan
Chief Strategy Officer
Cheryl is a transformational leader with a relentless focus on delivering results. She has over 30 years of experience and in health, wellness, retail, fashion, consumer & pharmaceutical products.
Most recently, Cheryl served as Chief Marketing Officer for two major retailers in the apparel and home décor arena. Notably, she was head of Marketing for Weight Watchers North America for 8 years, where she oversaw the digital transformation of the business and completely reinvented the brand to drive relevance, acquisition and retention.
She is currently Ideal Protein’s Chief Customer Officer (CCO) and loving every minute of it.
Cheryl lives in NYC with her 13-year-old daughter.

Michael Ciell
Michael Ciell
Executive Medical Board Member | Senior Science Advisor
Mr. Ciell is a 1989 Honors graduate from the University of Florida's College of Pharmacy, a registered pharmacist, and is also certified in geriatric pharmacy. He served as a community pharmacist for eleven years during which time he developed a keen interest in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases. In 2000 he became chief pharmacist for "ECKERD-ON-CALL" one of the largest 1-800 free drug information services in the country and supervised 4 pharmacists and 26 pharmacy technicians.

In 2006, Mr. Ciell joined a start-up team and helped launch "Ideal Protein of America", a division of Les Laboratoires C.O.P., Inc. of Quebec, Canada. The company is dedicated to better health through nutrition and specifically addresses issues related to "Metabolic Syndrome". Mr. Ciell is an Executive Medical Board Member for Ideal Protein and currently holds the position of Senior Science Advisor.

Franklin Douglis, M.D.
Franklin Douglis, M.D.
Chief Medical Advisor and Executive Medical Board Member | Obesity and Sleep Medicine Specialist
Dr. Frank Douglis is an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT)-surgeon and is currently board-certified in Otolaryngology, Sleep Medicine, and Obesity Medicine. He attended Brown University and the University of Maryland Medical School. He completed his Residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Douglis has always been interested in health. Recognizing the importance of healthy sleep, he earned board certification in that specialty. After losing 42 pounds on the Ideal Protein Protocol, he studied Obesity Medicine and earned this board certification as well. He has used Ideal Protein to promote health and longevity in his practice since 2008.

His statistical analysis of body composition data for patients on the Ideal Protein Protocol demonstrated significant fat loss with preservation of lean body mass, and he has taught “the science behind the Protocol” at Ideal Protein events for years.

Andrew Leikvoll
Andrew Leikvoll
VP | US Account Management
Andrew has been with Ideal Protein since 2010 and currently serves as Vice President North where he is privileged to lead a diverse and talented field team - all committed to impacting the obesity epidemic through inspiration, motivation, and education.
Andrew has worked alongside a number of our largest health system partners, including Aspirus & Prevea Health, who are also represented on our Medical Advisory Board.
Most rewarding to Andrew is serving others, whether it be our employees or clinic partners, and enabling their success by helping effect positive change & improved patient outcomes in our clinics and communities.
Andrew, his wife Jasmine, and two young children reside in Willmar, MN where he can be found starting most days at Starbucks with a venti royal english breakfast tea.

Julie Peller
Julie Peller
Chief Operating Officer
Julie is the Chief Operating Officer for Ideal Protein and manages Operations, Supply Chain and Technology. Julie joined IP in the beginning of 2019 to develop training and work on other projects to improve the Ideal Protein customer experience.
Before joining the IP team, she led sales and operations teams at two other NYC-based companies, FreshDirect and Dia&Co. And before working at FreshDirect, Julie held several different positions within the field management organization at Weight Watchers. Over her 10 years with the company, she ran retail operations for their more than 3000 locations, developed and delivered training for ~200 field managers and designed and implemented tools and processes for more than 20K front-line service providers.
She lives in Manhattan with her husband Brian and two daughters, Josie and Lila. She has a keen interest in retail, weight loss, consumer and hospitality businesses and loves to read and travel.

Deirdre Pizzoferrato
Deirdre Pizzoferrato
Director of Protocol Innovation
Deirdre is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, obesity researcher and author. As Director of Protocol Innovation, Deirdre is the lead on oversight and development of the Ideal Protein Protocol, and serves as an important liaison between the Medical Advisory Board, Clinics, and the Customer Experience Team.

Melanie Stack
Melanie Stack
President & CEO
Melanie Stack’s professional story is one of brand building and leading great teams to achieve their full potential. She is a seasoned business leader who has run a number of international and US-based businesses across various Retail and Consumer Goods sectors and most importantly in weight management.
She is a passionate advocate of leadership development & coaching and has mentored women in international businesses as well as supporting a number of start-up social enterprises. She has also worked with Young Enterprise in schools and the Working Options charity helping people to make effective career choices.
Her goal as she leads Ideal Protein is to continue to put forward the power and efficacy of the Ideal Protein Protocol and seize every opportunity for growth as healthcare providers and payors gain greater recognition of the impact and cost of obesity to our society.