Meg Sheetz joins COPE advisory committee

Margaret “Meg” Sheetz, B.A. ’99, president and chief operating officer of Medifast, Inc., is now imparting her business expertise to the College of Nursing as the newest member of the MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education’s (COPE) Advisory Committee. The Center promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in the prevention of obesity through education and research. Sheetz’s father, Brad MacDonald, initiated the funding through The MacDonald Family Foundation and The Take Shape for Life Foundation to launch the center, which opened in 2011.

“The committee members of COPE are very pleased to have Meg join them,” according to Chairperson Marcia Costello PhD, RD, LDN, assistant professor. “She brings to the committee the continued vision and mission of the MacDonald family in striving to reduce the U.S. obesity epidemic. Her business savvy and leadership experience will be a valuable addition to the work of COPE,” Dr. Costello stated.

Medifast Inc., focuses on nutrition and weight loss, was named the number one small company in America by Forbes Magazine in 2010. In 2011, Sheetz also became the chief executive officer of Take Shape for Life, one of Medifast’s divisions.

In addition to her work at Medifast, Sheetz combats obesity through supporting the efforts of the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association. She is also a member of Villanova University’s Leadership Circle and is the managing trustee of the MacDonald Family Foundation and the Take Shape for Life Foundation, which focuses on grants to support educational programs for disadvantaged students.

Since its inception, COPE has worked on providing programs on obesity and obesity-related disease for health professional and educators and partnering with health agencies, organizations and corporations to develop programs for populations that are more heavily impacted by obesity, among a variety of other endeavors.