About Us

Join us in transforming lives of children, teens and families through the power of health coaching
Our mission is to train and equip professionals with health coaching skills and behavior change techniques that effectively improve the lives of children, teens, and families. We are creating a community of pediatric health coaches dedicated to promoting optimal physical and mental health.

Our Story

The Pediatric Health Coach Academy (PHCA) began with the simple goal to help more families build lasting healthy habits. Over ten years ago, Dr. Thea Runyan and Dr. Arielle Levi worked together at Kurbo Inc., the first digital health company to offer evidence-based, 1:1 health coaching for kids and teens. With Thea’s extensive background in public health and pediatric coaching at Stanford, and Arielle’s expertise in behavior change and coach training, they created a program that reached thousands of families and delivered stronger outcomes than many traditional approaches.

Their work supported families around the world, including clients from Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Military, and the Singapore Ministry of Health. The success of that personalized, evidence-based coaching model became the foundation for PHCA.

PHCA was created to train health coaches who are ready to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children, teens, and families. The training is grounded in science and real-world experience designed to be flexible, accessible, and truly supportive. Whether participants come from a clinical or health coaching background or are simply passionate about helping families, they leave PHCA equipped with the skills and confidence to create lasting change.

PHCA is the only program approved by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching that meets all national standards while also specializing in how to apply those skills when working with children, teens, and families.

We are proud to be building a more effective, accessible, and family-centered future for health coaching.

The Founders

Thea Runyan, DrPH, MPH

Founder, CEO
Faculty

Dr. Runyan is a leading expert in child and family health, specializing in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. She serves as a consulting Health Scientist and Subject Matter Expert for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. With over 20 years of experience in public health, Dr. Runyan has dedicated her career to helping children, teens, and families build healthier lifestyles.

She previously served as the lead behavior coach at Stanford Children’s Hospital and as a school district Wellness Director before co-founding Kurbo, a groundbreaking digital health program. As Kurbo’s Head of Science and Behavior Change, she developed a evidence-based behavior modification program for children and families integrating a mobile app with 1:1 coaching to support sustainable habit change. She received her Doctorate in Public Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Arielle Levi, PhD, NBHWC, PCC

Founder, Chief Science Officer
Faculty

Dr. Levi is the lead designer of PHCA's Curriculum. She has spent the last 12 years in the world of pediatric health, wellness coaching, and coach training. Arielle spent nearly a decade as the Coach Program Manager at Kurbo, where she trained over 1,500 professional coaches and helped guide thousands of families towards improved lifestyle habits. She holds PhD in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University, with research focused on the qualities, skills, and characteristics of top-performing pediatric health coaches.

Arielle is a NBHWC certified coach and a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation (PCC). She also holds Certifications in Functional Nutrition and Clinical Hypnosis. Outside of her professional achievements, she is the proud mother of three young boys, takes every opportunity to be active outside and is an avid cook, healthy baker, traveler, and lover of pilates and yoga.

Our Team

Ann-Marie Monteiro MSCN, CHC

Nutrition Expert, Guest Lecturer

Ann Marie, founder of 3 Whole Plates, LLC is a mom, Chef, and Certified Health Coach with an MS in Clinical Nutrition. Her health coaching journey began with personal struggles of chronic fatigue and heightened anxiety, leading her to explore the transformative power of food as medicine. She is passionate about bringing people back into their kitchens to create nutritious meals that support their health goals. Ann Marie has coached youth and families for over six years as a Master Coach and Mentor at Kurbo.

Carol McDermott

Program Manager

Carol brings over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, excelling in customer care and operations management. She also offers extensive expertise in telehealth coaching coordination, which serves as the foundation for her work as an Enrollment Coach. Her passion for supporting health and wellness professionals is deeply personal. After witnessing firsthand the transformative impact a skilled wellness coach can have on the well-being of kids, teens, and families—including within her own family—she is dedicated to helping future health coaches develop the expertise, empathy, and communication skills needed to provide exceptional care. Carol is committed to guiding prospective students as they embark on their journey to become compassionate, highly-skilled pediatric health coaches who make a real difference in the lives of children and families.

Lauren Mbae, MBA, NBHWC

Coach Mentor

Lauren is a Board Certified Health Coach with additional training in Emotional Eating Psychology, Culinary Coaching, and Nutrition. Lauren specializes in helping clients break the cycle of emotional eating and understand the recurrent pattern of using food to cope with emotions. She works with clients in identifying the signs of emotional eating, understanding potential triggers, and reevaluating their relationship with food, offering specialized support and strategies tailored to the clients' needs. Lauren pursued a career in coaching after overcoming her own struggle with disordered eating, and has found incredible value in being able to relate to her clients' feelings and struggles.

Heather Procknal, NBHWC, CHC

Coach Mentor, Teaching Faculty

Heather is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She graduated from Duke Integrative Medicine's Professional Health and Wellness Program. With a background in Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Heather has worked with countless children and families helping them uncover their best potential. Her approach is a blend of empathy and encouragement, where health is seen not as a challenge, but as a joyful exploration. Her passion lies in weaving wellness into the fabric of daily life, ensuring it is fun, flexible, and sustainable—never a burden, but always a source of empowerment.

Bita Farvar Arabian

Enrollment Coach

Bita is passionate about families and health. An educator with a background in youth arts, nutrition, and movement, she has dedicated her career to supporting well-being. As a skilled recipe developer, Bita has created two online cookbook bundles, a comprehensive recipe website, and a dedicated newsletter. A confident broadcaster, she illuminates Persian culture through her award-winning podcast, fostering a sense of community through the shared love of food. Bita’s positive, artistic, and caring nature make her a creative, influential, and motivating mentor. With her ability to inspire and encourage others, she guides coaches with a grateful heart.