Meet the Team

Our Founder
John McDougall, MD (1947 – 2024) who dedicated over 50 years of his life to helping others, was the visionary behind The McDougall Program. His passion for lifestyle medicine paved the way for the innovative work we continue today. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in every aspect of our organization—from our commitment to saving lives with a starch-based meal plan to the values he instilled in our team. We honor his memory by carrying forward his vision and dedication to educating individuals on the power of diet and lifestyle medicine.

Mary is a retired nurse, homemaker, co-founder of the McDougall Program and co-author of 13 national best-selling books. Mary worked with Dr. John McDougall for over 50 years caring for people using diet therapy to restore health, and has created over 3,000 health-supporting recipes. Mary is best known as the inventor of low-fat, vegan cooking, and loves sharing the practical methods of turning the kitchen into a health-builder for the whole family. Prior to 1977, when Mary began her work in the kitchen, low-fat recipes contained skimmed milk, white meat, and other unhealthy ingredients and vegan recipes were loaded with vegetable oils. Now there are dozens of websites and cookbooks that focus on the McDougall health-supporting way of eating.

Heather McDougall, CEO
Heather is an experienced program director, group facilitator and whole-food, starch-based home chef. Driven by empowering people with the knowledge and practical tools to transform their health, Heather takes pride in leading a renowned lifestyle medicine program that has been reversing chronic illness for over 40 years through a whole-food, low-fat, starch-based diet.

As CEO of the McDougall Program, Heather’s goals include serving patients, supporting her world-class team and sharing free resources to inspire disease prevention for all. She especially loves teaching people simple, approachable ways to incorporate more starch-based meals into daily life – proving that health transformation doesn’t have to be complicated or restrictive.

Heather believes that everyone deserves to feel vibrant and confident in their own skin, no matter where they’re starting from. She is passionate about building a global community centered on empowerment, compassion and sustainable change – and is committed to making the McDougall message accessible to everyone.

Dr. Lim is a board-certified family physician and enjoys supporting McDougall patients to help them adopt healthier habits that can significantly improve their overall health. He is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology, and subsequently obtained a law degree from Harvard Law and a medical degree from Boston University. He completed his residency at Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency and has a busy career combining patient care, teaching, and community advocacy focused on whole food, plant-based nutrition. He has a special interest in the role of diet and lifestyle medicine in both preventing and treating chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, and heart disease. Dr. Lim lives in Santa Rosa, CA with his wife, Jean, and their two children, Joshua and Julia, who bring them endless joy and laughter. His outside interests include playing out in nature (mountain biking, hiking, backpacking), learning guitar and continually growing in his faith.

Niki Davis, MD, made a shift from a career in rocket science to become a board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician. Despite earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and contributing to the space shuttle program, her true passion was rooted in health and nutrition.

Dr. Davis redirected her path, leaving her engineering career to pursue medical studies. During medical school, she was fortunate to intern with Dr. John McDougall during a live-in program in Santa Rosa, CA in 2016. During her residency tenure, she not only served as Wellness Chief but also co-founded Plant Based Montana, an advocacy group dedicated to educating healthcare providers and the public about the advantages of a plant-based diet.

She holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies via eCornell, and is certified in The Starch Solution. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Plant Based Support.

Kylie Buckner, MSN RN, is a registered nurse and health coach specializing in evidence-based, lifestyle-focused care. With a Master of Science in Nursing Education, she combines a strong scientific foundation with a passion for empowering people to take charge of their health. Her clinical experience caring for patients in traditional healthcare settings inspired her to bridge the gap between medical science and holistic wellness—guiding individuals toward transformative lifestyle change.

Kylie has supported thousands of people in reversing inflammation and chronic disease, improving metabolic health, and reclaiming their energy and confidence. Her approach integrates current research with a deep respect for the mind-body connection, drawing on her experience as a yoga teacher to foster resilience, self-awareness, and inner wisdom.

Inspired to reach more people, she launched The Green Glow Lifestyle podcast, where she explores holistic health, plant-based nutrition, and the power of lifestyle medicine. Along with her husband, Cyrus Khambatta, PhD (co-author of Mastering Diabetes), Kylie co-founded Evolution Health, a coaching organization dedicated to helping individuals and families build sustainable, vibrant health through personalized support and education.

Dr. Lisle completed his degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia and was then appointed Lecturer in Psychology at Stanford University. He is the founder of Esteem Dynamics, an innovative practical method for supporting his clients’ efforts toward greater self-esteem and personal well-being.

Tiffany is VP of Operations for all McDougall Programs, Tour Director for “McDougall Adventures,” and the Administrator of several McDougall courses in addition to assisting Heather with day-to-day business operations. Tiffany has a BA in Rhetoric from University of California, Berkeley, and is nationally certified as a Pharmacy Technician. She had the honor to assist Dr. McDougall when he saw patients before his passing, and continues overseeing patient care with Dr. Lim.

Stacy is a Support Specialist for the 12-Day McDougall Program and facilitates the McDougall Alumni Weight Loss Discussion Groups. She is a registered nurse, worked at the American Cancer Society National Cancer Information Center, and has spent her nursing career in disease prevention and lifestyle medicine. Stacy is passionate about seeing lives changed through the power of a healthy diet. She loves running, photography, and traveling with her husband and four sons.

Jack has been a full-time personal trainer for 30 years. He has been certified by the American Council on Exercise as a personal trainer and as a Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, as a personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and as a Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist by the American Academy of Fitness Professionals. His experience has had him work with all segments of the population, while conservatively completing over 30,000 one-on-one training sessions. Jack is also a Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist and Ergonomist at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Rosa, California. Jack started his collaboration with the McDougall team as the personal trainer for John and Mary McDougall.

JJ is the Lead Engineer of Bassette Web Solutions, Inc., which manages the technical side of the McDougalls’ online presence, and built the site you are now on.  WordPress, Shopify, and responsive design specialists, JJ’s team helps organizations of all sizes (including Acorns, Porto’s Bakery, and others) create high-performing web experiences to engage users and drive conversion.