About Us
WE ARE A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
Plant Docs™ is a nonprofit started in 2019 by Sandra Musial, MD, Suyin Lee, MD, and Steve Stein, MD to educate the public and medical professionals about how whole food, plant-based nutrition can prevent, improve, and reverse chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.
MEET
THE PLANT DOCS
“I want people to know that these chronic diseases are reversible by changing your diet. Many people think that once they start on medications, they are on them for life, but it’s possible to get off these statins and high blood pressure meds by changing your diet.”
CO-FOUNDER, BOARD CHAIR
Sandra Musial MD
dipABLM, dipABOM, FAAP
Dr. Musial is a physician specializing in food as medicine who is dedicated to preserving health and reversing lifestyle-related chronic disease through whole, plant-based nutrition. Sandy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire, and an MD degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Dr. Musial has worked in a private pediatric practice and at Hasbro Children's Hospital teaching the pediatric residents and medical students from the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is a Culinary Coach from Harvard’s CHEF Coaching program, has a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell, and a Health Coaching certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition®. Sandy is triple board certified in Lifestyle Medicine, Pediatrics, and Obesity Medicine and started an obesity clinic and the first vegetable garden at Hasbro.
Though she has witnessed the healing power of conventional medicine, she has also seen its limitations, especially with regard to disease prevention through healthy nutrition. Sandy started the nonprofit Plant Docs as an avenue for people to learn about the power of plant-based nutrition to improve health.
CO-FOUNDER, BOARD MEMBER
Steven Stein MD
Steven is a family physician who earned his MD at Cornell University Medical College in 2002 and then came to Rhode Island with his family for the Brown University Family Medicine Residency Program. He has always been interested in the effects of diet on health, and became convinced of the benefits of a plant-strong diet after attending multiple conferences. He has been educating patients individually in his primary care practice for a number of years, and is extremely excited to be part of this group program. He is a strong believer in the power of community to help the individual succeed, and he relishes the opportunity to facilitate that process. Steven enjoys his family, cooking, baking, and relaxing.
Mariah Stump MD,
MPH, FACP, DipABLM, ABOIM
PLANT DOC
Dr. Stump is an internal medicine physician passionate about food is medicine for the prevention of chronic disease. Dr Stump is triple board certified in internal medicine, integrative medicine, and lifestyle medicine. She is an assistant professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the course developer for the only clinical elective focusing on lifestyle medicine, culinary medicine, and nutrition. She is the co-faculty advisor and developer of the Food is Health course, a pre-clinical elective in culinary medicine and nutrition where students learn tools of cooking for chronic disease prevention. Dr. Stump is an adjunct faculty member of the Mindfulness Center at Brown School of Public Health where she teaches mindfulness to medical students. She is passionate about educating the current and next generation of physicians about the power of the prevention of chronic disease through food prescriptions and food choices for a sustainable planet.
Dr. Stump earned a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
PLANT DOC & BOARD MEMBER
Shikha Merchia is board certified in Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She is a primary care provider who counsels patients on lifestyle changes to manage illness including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity and related conditions since 2004. She’s a graduate of Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India and has completed: Plant Based Nutrition course from eCornell Center for Nutrition Studies with Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Harvard Medical School’s Culinary Health Education Fundamentals Coaching, and Complete Health Improvement Program.
She has partnered with Non-Profit, Jiviniti, a research foundation with programs focused on low-income women and women of color in underserved communities. The research explores the relationship between their food choices, resilience, triggers, and barriers against healthy lifestyle changes.
Dr. Merchia created @doc_inthekitchen to showcase her passion for delicious, healthy cooking. She draws inspiration for creating recipes from her parents, who have been experimenting with recipes since she was a young child.
Shikha Merchia MD DipABLM
Ashley Grant RDN, LDN
PLANT-BASED DIETICIAN
Ashley is a registered dietitian who guides individuals to ditch diet culture and achieve their goals through the use of intuitive eating. As a fitness instructor, she is passionate about fitness for the benefit of mental and physical health. She specializes in plant based nutrition and helps individuals reduce inflammation and prevent, reverse and manage disease.
Board Members
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Max brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong commitment to our non-profit as a valued board member. With a degree in business law and finance from the University of Miami, Max brings needed financial knowledge to our company.
Currently, Max works as an investment advisor, leveraging his financial acumen to help clients reach their goals. With a keen interest in incentive structures and human psychology, Max applies a unique perspective to drive positive outcomes and foster community engagement.
In his personal life, Max embodies the principles of our organization, leading an active lifestyle and embracing the benefits of plant-based eating. Max enjoys walking, running, tennis, and cooking with local, seasonal produce, which not only reflect a dedication to health and well-being but also a commitment to our mission.
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Ellen Jordan is an attorney with a corporate and litigation background. She is an active member of the Rhode Island Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Program. Recently, Ellen has been working on guardianships for low income and disabled Rhode Islanders. Ellen has always been interested in nutrition and the impact of food choices on our health. She competed the Jumpstart Your Health program in September 2023 and has become an advocate of the tremendous health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. Ellen is eager to join Plant Docs in educating others on adopting and thriving on a plant-based diet. Ellen earned her B.A. from Cornell University, her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell.
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Wendy brings a rich background in strategic planning, operations, and customer success across various industries. With a passion for health and well-being, Wendy has demonstrated her expertise in problem-solving, leadership, and analysis throughout her career. From her role as a Strategic Advisor at SimplaFYI to leading customer success initiatives at MDaudit, OnRamp, and athenahealth, Wendy has consistently excelled in developing and implementing strategic programs. Her experience includes spearheading operational excellence, building and optimizing customer success programs, and strategically driving business objectives. Wendy's diverse skill set, coupled with her commitment to promoting whole, plant-based nutrition, makes her a pivotal asset to Plant Docs' mission of empowering individuals to take control of their health through delicious and healing foods.
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Molly is a Providence-based digital creative whose experience ranges from international art production to social media and digital design.
Her work with Plant Docs PVD includes brand + web design, email marketing, graphic design and general consulting.
Where To Find Us
Since 2019, we have been dedicated to promoting the importance of plant-based living and the power of foods that heal. Our mission aligns with Plant City, the world's first plant-based food hall and marketplace.
Situated at the heart of Providence RI, Plant City offers a unique environment for community meetings and educational events. Stay tuned for our upcoming events at Plant City by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social.
AS FEATURED IN
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“Upon seeing my client just 3 short weeks after beginning a program with Plant Docs, I noticed a remarkable decrease in her overall inflammation. She reported having a clearer head and thought process, better ability to maintain focus, and an added benefit of losing some weight.
For the past 2+ years, after making some changes regarding food choices, I was naturally directed to choosing vegetables, fruits and legumes. Luckily for me, I prefer this type of food over animal protein, and it is a fairly easy lifestyle to follow. The downside for me is repetition.
Plant Docs provides an incredible variety of easy-to-follow recipes, very informative tutorials, blogs and videos, and you can schedule consultations with the practitioners if you’d like to dive into plant-based eating with guidance and coaching. The health benefits are too numerous to list here, but I can tell you that personally I have had more focus, very few GI issues which I had been prone to and have effortlessly lost 20 pounds. If you are searching for an alternative to what you have been eating, what you have been feeling, and what your brain has been (or not) been processing, I highly recommend Plant Docs.“
— Kathy Furze-Spencer, LMT | Spencer Muscular Therapy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sandra Musial, MD, President, Treasurer
Steven Stein, MD
Max Bertman
Ellen Jordan, Secretary
Shikha Merchia, MD
A one-month plant-based nutrition program can lead to major improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular health, according to a new study.
The study, published Nov. 1 in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, was conducted through the Jumpstart Your Health! Program led by Providence-based Plant Docs.