For the last 5 years, Dr. Gudzune has adeptly led the safety and intervention committee for a large, multisite NIH-funded randomized controlled trial of an obesity medication on which I am principal investigator. She has done an outstanding job developing and managing workflows to handle trial safety data, and leading a multidisciplinary group that includes clinicians, research scientists, and study coordinators. I value her innovative and pragmatic approach to addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities to advance the real-world applicability of this research. She is an exceptionally gifted strategic thinker, and often the first person I turn to when I need a brainstorming session to solve a thorny problem in research implementation.

It is rare to come across someone who has both meaningful big picture ideas and also follows through on the small details. Over the last few years, I engaged Dr. Gudzune to help elevate obesity medicine fellowships across the country, and she delivered on a vision, strategy, and execution of the goals. She championed the establishment of standardized program requirements for U.S.-based obesity medicine fellowship training programs in collaboration with fellowship program directors. Dr. Gudzune was key to getting this project across the finish line — we couldn’t have done it without her.