Carla Hightower '85, '87 MD

Carla Hightower, M.D is a certified integrative health coach at Living Health Works. She primarily works with diabetic adults who seek to optimize their eating and lifestyle habits to take control of their health. In her prior career, she practiced anesthesiology for 21 years and saw the devastating effects of unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices that cause diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. As a health coach, she teaches an online course, Optimal Health Reset, for diabetics to learn about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle habits that allow them to regain control of their lives naturally.

She is an engaging speaker on the subject of healthy eating and lifestyle habits, appearing on Chicago area radio shows (WGN, WVON, and AM 560) as well as speaking before professional audiences. In 2018 she was showcased on the AARP website and was a panelist at the Forward Food Leadership Summit sponsored by the Humane Society and Northwestern University.

Education:
• Doctor of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Honors Program in Medical Education (B.S. ’85, M.D. ’87)
• Anesthesiology Residency, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine ‘91
• MBA Kellogg Graduate School of Management ‘02
• Certification in Integrative Health Coaching, Duke Integrative Medicine
• Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition, Cornell University
• Advanced Certificate in Medical Writing, University of Chicago Graham School