Ms. Novak is a board-certified nurse practitioner in both Adult Health and Advanced Diabetes Management with over 25 years of experience in diabetes and obesity. She is the President and Founder of Diabesity LLC, located in North Bethesda, Maryland. Her passion for assisting people with diabetes began in 2000 with the establishment of the Diabetes Institute of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center located in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to clinical practice and research, she served as Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Graduate School of Nursing of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences located in Bethesda, Maryland from 2008–2018. Lucia became the Director of the Riverside Diabetes Center of Riverside Medical Associates located in Prince George’s County of Maryland in July of 2016 and transformed this practice with her knowledge and expertise. During her tenure, she vastly improved patient access to newer diabetes medications and technology devices. In 2020, she brought her passion, knowledge, skills and leadership to Capital Diabetes & Endocrine Associates of Silver Spring and Camp Springs, Maryland and is the Co-Executive Director of the Capital Health & Metabolic Center—specifically created for the specialized management of obesity. Ms. Novak’s additional current professional leadership activities include Director of Capital District of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland; Immediate Past Chair of Credentialing Oversight Committee of American Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists; Member of the ADA Science and Health Care Council Executive Committee; Member of ADA Therapeutic Inertia Steering Committee; Member of the ADA Membership Advisory Group and Liaison to the Primary Care Interest Group; and Associate Editor for Clinical Diabetes, a peer- reviewed publication of the ADA. She has authored/co-authored many published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, webinars, podcasts, and continuing education presentations and is a renowned national professional speaker. Her awards and recognition include Master Clinician for her proven leadership and clinical acumen—an accolade that placed her among the top 2% of the health care providers of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center—and the DAISY Foundation Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Her 33 years of nursing experience also includes active-duty service as a Commissioned Officer of the United States Army Nurse Corps. Of all her contributions, she is most proud of providing the highest quality health care to the deserving men and women of the U.S. Military.