MEET MERIDITH
EMPOWERED ADVOCATE| STRATEGIC CONSULTANT | TRUSTED PARTNER
Hey there! Meridith here, and welcome to The Merit Option.
I’m a licensed social worker by training, an advocate and creative by calling, and someone navigating chronic illness every hour of every day. As the mind, body, and spirit behind this business, I help mission-driven teams ensure patients remain at the heart of healthcare.
My journey into this work began when chronic illness changed the trajectory of my life in unexpected and profound ways. I quickly realized that the effects of illness ripple beyond the individual physically; they challenge core beliefs, shape identities, provoke emotions and and behaviors, and reveal where empathy and equity are most needed in this world. Faced with a choice between letting the disease define me or defining my path forward, I chose the latter.
Through The Merit Option, I strive to educate, engage, and empower — not just the chronic illness community, but the people and platforms working to build a more just, compassionate, and inclusive healthcare system.
Ready to learn more about my story and how this all began?
MY APPROACH
This work is more than my profession; it’s my personal experience. Working within the healthcare sector and navigating life with chronic illness for more than 2 decades, I have been privy to the gaps that exist in our healthcare system, disparities that unfortunately have the most profound and lasting impact on patients' health and wellbeing. Owning that perspective and leveraging my unique skillset is what keeps me driven and fuels my commitment to building a society that truly embraces the patient experience.
My career spans the full spectrum of advocacy, from grassroots mobilization to senior leadership in national organizations. I’ve designed and led programs, spearheaded strategic initiatives, and partnered with biopharma, healthcare, technology, and nonprofit sectors, all united by one goal: to elevate the patient voice and create lasting, systemic change.
What sets me apart is my unique blend of lived experience and academic background, guided by my advanced master of social work training and built on a foundation of psychology and medical ethics. With an ethos rooted in clinical insight and grounded by ethical standards, I help healthcare organizations interpret the multifaceted patient journey into their unique business enterprises.
At the end of the day, my philosophy lives at the intersection of heart and hard work. That is exactly where I thrive.
Interested in seeing how I bring my approach to life?
WHERE ADVOCACY
MEETS ACTION
From keynote stages to corporate board rooms, from consulting sessions to media tours, the snapshots above reflect the real-world impact of my work. Each moment is an illustration of what happens when multidisciplinary work, strategic engagement, and lived experience come together.
Eager to bring authentic patient advocacy to your mission?
Support Rooted in Experience.
Strategy Backed by Credentials.
Explore a suite of services that weave the patient experience into storytelling that connects, partnerships that empower, a public voice that resonates, and insight that drives meaningful change.
For organizations that are ready to listen, lead, and do better by patients, below is a glimpse of ways I can support you.
Curious to learn about my services in further detail?
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