Dr. Kaaren Douglas
Kaaren Douglas, MD, MSPH is a vibrant speaker and teacher. As a business owner, she has received commendations from the City and County of Los Angeles for her service as a Director of the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce 2010-2011.
Dr. Douglas enjoyed a solo family practice in Illinois before completing a Robert Wood Johnson fellowship emphasizing research and teaching skills. She launched a full-time academic career at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, moved then to the University of California-Irvine. While at UCI she supervised the interdepartmental Geriatric program, and completed a Management Development Program in Health Care to enhance her management skills.
Leaving academia, Dr. Douglas became the Director of Geriatric Programs at the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF). She enjoyed meeting and caring for people who had worked in the motion picture and television industry. She has fond memories of listening to stories from people who worked behind the camera on films like "The Ten Commandments" and "Planet of the Apes." "I never expected I would meet people I had only known in movies, like DeForest Kelley, Roddy Macdowell, or Kirk Douglas," Dr. Douglas related, "Or hold an Oscar awarded to John Chambers, gifted makeup artist, in my hands."
She served as a Board Member of the Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative, inspired by her desire to assist her husband when he was diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Douglas left her full-time position at MPTF to care for her terminally ill husband. After his passing, she decided to branch out from medicine, and discovered an interest and passion for entrepreneurial pursuits. Her experiences as teacher/clinician and manager inspired her guides for other entrepreneurs.
Dr. Douglas has served as a consultant to multiple academic institutions and national agencies, including the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee for former U.S. Representative Lynn Martin and The American Academy of Family Practice. She is the author of "A Practical Guide to Clinical Teaching in Medicine," as well as numerous scientific and research publications.
Right before the pandemic, Dr. Douglas began teaching adult learners about Plant-Based eating, and even produced a "cooking show" for the local adult school where she shared recipes and techniques from her kitchen. She has continued to teach adult learners about Plant-Based Meal Planning, and loves playing with her food in order to create recipes she shares with her students.
