OUR CO-FOUNDERS:

Let’s Break the Poo Taboo

We were founded in 2019 by patients who partnered with providers to work together to improve the lives of people living with IBS

Jeffrey Roberts, MEd, BSc

Jeffrey Roberts, MEd has been an Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferer for 25+ years and was the creator of the first website for IBS sufferers. He currently runs the IBS Patient Support Group community at IBSpatient.org He has testified to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) several times as well as acted as a consultant to pharmaceuticals on behalf of IBS patients. Jeffrey is active in the media and press and has received award recognition for his work. He was awarded in 2019 by Digestive Disease Week (DDW), the annual scientific and medical research conference, to receive the inaugural Patient Influencer Travel Award. IN 2024, Jeffrey was awarded the Social Media Acumen Award by the American College of Gastroenterology. He was also a nominee in 2020, 2021, 2022 for the Healio Gastro Disruptive Innovators Award. In 2021, Jeffrey was added to the list of Digital Opinion Leaders in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. He is often quoted by leading media outlets as an IBS Patient Expert and Advocate.

Jeffrey has a Masters of Science in Education (MSEd) degree from Medaille College, Buffalo, New York. Jeffrey's thesis was entitled Awareness of Childhood Health Issues On Educational Outcomes. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree from the University of Toronto and co-authored and published a book entitled IBS Chat: Real Life Stories and Solutions.

Johannah Ruddy, DHSc, MEd, FAIS

Johannah. Ruddy is an accomplished academic author, researcher and educator dedicated to bringing the patient voice to topics relating to GI illness, chronic pain and gender related health care disparities. As a highly-recognized and respected patient advocate with a background in education and management of non-profit health organizations, she brings a unique and important perspective to the field. She served as COO and Executive Director of the Rome Foundation and as Secretary/Treasurer for the Board of Directors of DrossmanCare. She has co-authored several books while with the Rome Foundation.

Johannah’s Doctorate specialized in the research of the impact of stigma on health outcomes and health care utilization from the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Campbell University in North Carolina. Having departed Tuesday Night IBS in 2023, Johannah is the Senior Director of Patient Advocacy at Ardelyx, Inc.

Thank you to everyone who has been involved in our educational journey

  • Lin Chang, MD

  • William Chey, MD

  • Brian Lacy, MD, PhD

  • Miranda VanTilburg, PhD

  • Eric Shah, MD

  • Baha Moshiree, MD

  • Sara Marchese, PhD

  • Justin Brandler, MD

  • Tony Lembo, MD

  • Christina Hanson, FNP

  • Olga Aroniadis, MD

  • Julie Snyder, PsyD

  • Douglas Drossman, MD

  • John Damianos, MD

  • Darren Brenner, MD

  • Megan Riehl, PsyD

  • Jay Pasricha, MD

  • Phillip Schoenfeld, MD

  • Rani Berry, MD

  • Baha Moshiree, MD

  • Madison Simons, PhD

  • Sara Haas, RD

  • Katja Korrento, MD

  • Justin Brandler, MD

  • Kate Scarlata, MPH, RDN

  • Jill Deutsch, MD

  • Sarah Kinsinger, PhD

  • Olafur Palsson, PsyD

  • Wendy Busse, RD

  • Katie Dunleavy MBBS

  • Tiffany Taft, PsyD

  • Emeran Mayer, MD

  • Elyse Thakur, PhD

  • Kimberly Kearns, NP

  • Leila Neshatian, MD

  • Caryn Phillips, DPT

  • Erica Dermer, BA

  • Beth Rosen MS, RD, CDN

  • Andrea Shin, MD

  • Sarah Ballou, PhD

  • Heidi Staudacher, PhD

  • Katie Dunleavy MBBS

  • Tanya Murphy, MAEd

  • Mark Pimentel, MD

  • Kyle Staller, MD

  • Brennan Spiegel, MD

  • Thomas Wallach, MD

  • Christina Hansen, CNP

Thank you to our partners for their collaboration