Meet Suzie Carmack
PhD, MEd, MFA, PCC, NBC-HWC, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
Dr. Carmack is a best-selling author (4x), award-winning coach, and founder of YogaMedCo, LLC. She has shared her pioneering work (which holistically integrates yoga, lifestyle medicine, health communication and coaching) through 4 best-selling books, 20 online courses, 8 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, 100+ conference presentations, and the YogaMedCo mobile app (iOS and Android). She and her YogaMedCo team have certified 600+ yoga, coaching, fitness, and healthcare professionals globally in her YogaMedCo methodology, empowering them to apply her evidence-informed yoga coaching system with their clients.
Although she has retired from teaching in higher education (holding the rank of Professor Emerita of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda from the Maryland University of Integrative Health) she maintains an active applied scholarship agenda. She serves as a Senior Scholar with the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being (CWB) at George Mason University, where she teaches a module on evidence-based well-being practices for leaders in CWB's popular Thriving Organizations course, and supports leaders, teams, organizations and public agencies with leadership coaching and customized well-being programs that integrate the latest findings in leadership and well-being scholarship. She also regularly partners with organizations, researchers and health systems to co-create evidence-based well-being, yoga and lifestyle medicine coaching programs. A recent (2025) pilot study by a team at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that her methodology for integrating mindfulness and movement with talk-based coaching was associated with a statistically significant improvement in physician scientist well-being during the unprecedented stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn More About How Dr. Carmack's Work:
Dr. Suzie Carmack
Vita Highlights
Summary - Roles and Impact:
- Coach: Leader Well-Being Coach (ICF PCC and NBC-HWC) serving 1000+ 1:1 clients since 1997
- Coach Trainer: YogaMedCo App, Certification, and Continuing Education (ACE, IAYT, NBHWC, Yoga Alliance)
- Coach Researcher (Scholar/Practitioner): 8 peer-reviewed journal articles and 4 best-selling books
- Speaker and Facilitator: 100+ Keynote Speeches, Team Building Workshops and Strategic Planning Offsites
- Consultant: Trusted advisor and well-being program designer for 10+ U.S. government agencies
- Thought Leader: Summit Host for Yoga and Chronic Disease: 9/15-9/16, Fairfax, VA
Author - Best-Selling Books:
- Well-Being Ultimatum: A Self-Care Guide for Strategic Healers (2015)
- Genius Breaks: Optimize Your Workday Performance and Well-Being (2017)
- Yoga for One: How to Co-create an Inclusive and Evidence-Informed Practice On and Off the Mat 2024)
- Chakras of Business: The Energetics of Co-Creating Prosperity for a Brighter World (2025)
- Coming Soon: Life Story Medicine (2026)
Science Contributor - Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters:
- Carmack, S. (2022) Stress Management. In Cheskin, L., et. al. (2022). Weight Loss for Life. Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Carmack, S. (2018). U.S. Physicians’ Burnout: A Systems-level problem in need of a socio-ecological solution. In Sturmberg, J., ed. (2018) Embracing Complexity in Health: the Transformation of science, practice and policy. Springer.
Author, Peer-reviewed Journal Articles (Highlights):
- Smith, K., Carmack, S., Wolever, R. Q., Schultz, C., Papalii, M. A., Williams, A. M., ... & Cline, T. R. (2026). Enhancing Group Coaching Competencies in the National Diabetes Prevention Program: Evaluation of the Group Coaching Certificate Program. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 15598276261434170.
- Kennedy, S., Carmack, S., Li, L., Lin, F. C., Hatch, J. E., Chan, K., ... & Noah, T. L. (2024). Coaching Pediatricians for Wellbeing: A Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study. Journal of Academic Pediatrics.
- Wolever, R. Q., Cline, T. R., Weiss, J. M., Carmack, S., Schultz, C., Arloski, M., & Lawson, K. (2024). Group Health & Wellness Coaching: development and validation of the required competencies. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 392.
- Ahmadian, M., Carmack, S., Samah, A. A., Kreps, G., & Saidu, M. B. (2016). Psychosocial predictors of breast self-examination among female students in Malaysia: A study to assess the roles of body image, self-efficacy and perceived barriers. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 17(3), 1277-1284.
- Carmack, S. (2014). Making Sense of Well-being: A mixed-methods study applying sense-making theory to explore the role of interpersonal communication competence and social support in physical, mental, emotional and comprehensive well-being. Doctoral dissertation. (George Mason University).
Academic Appointments:
- George Mason University - Dr. Carmack has been a Senior Scholar with the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being since 2019.
- She holds the academic rank of Full Professor (Emerita), and has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses for:
- The Maryland University of Integrative Health (2022-2024)
- George Mason University (2011-2021)
- The American University (2015-2018)
- Northern Virginia Community College (2008-2012)
- St. Louis University (1996-1999)
- The College of Charleston (1992-1995)
Academic Degrees:
- PhD in Health Communication from George Mason University (2014)
- MEd, Health and Kinesiology Education, University of Texas at Tyler (2009)
- MFA, Theatre, University of Alabama and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (1991)
- BA, Communication Arts, Allegheny College (1989)
Professional Certifications:
- Executive Leadership Coach (PCC), International Coaching Federation (since 2022)
- Board-Certified Health Coach (NBC-HWC), National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (since 2018)
- Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), International Association of Yoga Therapists (since 2022)
- Yoga Teacher and Trainer of Yoga Teachers (ERYT 500), Yoga Alliance (since 2006)
- Certified Facilitator, Leadership Training Systems:
- Myers-Briggs MBTI Type 2
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ 2.0)
- The Decision Style Profile and
- The MyHardwired Behavioral Profile System.
Thought Leadership in Leader Well-Being Programming:
- As a trusted advisor and program developer, she is often personally commissioned to support senior leaders of federal and global government agencies. She has designed, delivered and evaluated customized well-being training and coaching programs for:
- U.S. Army Coaching Program (2025-Present)
- U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (2025)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (2024-2026)
- U.S. Air Force (2018; 2019; 2020; 2022; 2025)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (2022-2024)
- U.S. Department of Education (2021-2022):
- U.S. Treasury Executive Institute (2020-2021)
- U.S. Surgeon General's Report (2018-2020)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016-2018)
- U.S. Parks Service (2016)
- U.S. Department of Defense (War) (2015)
- Pan American / World Health Organization (2013-2015)
Book Dr. Carmack for your next event
Looking for a keynote or graduation speaker who bridges science and soul? Learn more about how you can bring Dr. Carmack to your next event as a keynote speaker or leadership workshop facilitator.
