Our Mission

At Dr. J's Family Weight Loss Program, our mission is to:

• Promote a nutrition and exercise program that offers support and is effective in helping families lose weight and be healthy.
• Present dietary and exercise guidance in a kind and dignified way, enabling rather than shaming participants, and helping them develop the inner strength they need to choose a healthier lifestyle.
• Help families achieve results without medications and expensive equipment. 

About Dr. Johnson

In 1997, a parent asked Dr. Joyce Johnson, a pediatrician in private practice since 1985, to come up with a weight reduction program for her son. Dr. Johnson designed a child-safe weight loss plan to help her patient, and Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss Program was born. With the assistance of a dietician, personal trainer, and sports physiologist, Dr. J created a program aimed at helping kids learn about healthy meals and the benefits of physical activity.

A native of Oberlin, Ohio, Dr. Johnson is a graduate of Oberlin College and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and is on the staff of St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the St. Louis Mound City Medical Association. Dr. J is the mother of three children.

Our Staff

With a background as a dietetic consultant and weight-loss counselor, Charida Mems-McNair has experience working with children and adults. As the Administrator of Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss Program, she is responsible for program coordination and scheduling.

Ken Simpson is the Fitness Director of Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss Program as well as a personal trainer certified through the International Fitness Professionals Association. He developed the exercise routines that are used in the program and oversees their implementation. Ken says, “It has been my ongoing goal to encourage good eating and fitness habits by teaching effective weight management techniques and engaging in aerobic exercise. Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss Program provides everything a family needs to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Walter Roberson is a Licensed Practical Counselor. He has worked in several settings in the healthcare and counseling industries and specializes in working with adolescents. He has his own private counseling practice and is associated with CWE Therapy. Walter has been in the medical field for more than 20 years and is a great resource for the participants in Dr. J’s Family Weight Loss Program.