In Pursuit Of

Our Next Pursuit:

(Peri)Menopause

Expert Bios

Dr. Carol DerSarkissian

Founder & Chief Practitioner, Parallel Med

  • Carol is part of a new generation of physicians advocating for and advancing women’s health equity. She is a Menopause Society Certified Physician and a board certified Emergency Physician.  Over the past 20 years, she has cared for more than 50,000 patients from academic health centers to start-ups.  

    Carol has been working at the intersection of old-school doctoring and technology, specifically focusing on women’s health. She understands that women’s midlife health issues are unique and typically under-addressed. Over her 20+ years in medicine, she has seen that by empowering women with knowledge and more personalized, pragmatic approaches, they can take better care of their health and well-being. She wants you to know and understand your body and make informed choices to help improve your quality of life.

    Carol sees the midlife stage of women, including herself, as an interwoven organization of physical, mental, and emotional systems requiring a multidisciplinary yet interconnected approach to care. She addresses the menopause transition and symptoms proactively through a comprehensive approach of traditional medicine and advances in femtech.   She understands that a proactive and preventive approach helps ensure a better quality of life.

    Carol is passionate about combining her clinical expertise with compassionate care. She understands the needs of midlife women because she is one and that is the reason she started Parallel Med.  She will approach your care in the same manner that she has approached her own.

Abby Epstein

  • Abby Epstein’s landmark documentary, The Business of Being Born, co-produced with Ricki Lake, revolutionized the conversation around childbirth practices in America, sparking a national debate on maternity care. Their follow-up film, The Business of Birth Control, delves into the overlooked side effects of hormonal contraception and the growing movement of young women seeking alternatives to the pill. As the Resident Director of RENT on Broadway, Abby staged the National Tour as well as the Mexico City and Barcelona premieres. For The Vagina Monologues Off-Broadway, she directed over 200 actresses, including the National Tour, Toronto, and Mexico City productions. Her international work on the play led to her Emmy Award-winning documentary, Until the Violence Stops, which chronicles the global impact of V-Day, a movement to end violence against women and girls. Abby’s documentary Weed the People (Netflix) has played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. Now, Abby is excited to collaborate with Actress Constance Zimmer on The Midlife Monologues, a natural progression in her career dedicated to amplifying women’s untold stories and empowering them to reclaim their bodily autonomy.

Judy Jerome

  • Judy has been a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine for over 15 years. She has specializations in barefoot training, brain training, pre/post natal training, and women’s fitness. 

    Judy focuses on helping clients learn how to gain strength, flexibility, pain relief, and joy in movement as they move through menopause. She takes a holistic approach to health and fitness, centering each client’s unique needs and building a program that targets their goals. Her current client base is mostly women, ranging in age from 31-75. She also works with kids, teens, and men, and is a Mom to a 5 year old.

Emily Sadri, WHNP

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP), Founder, Aurelia Health

  • Emily is a double-board certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife. She hails from New York City and obtained her graduate education at The University of Pennsylvania. She believes we are living in a care and wellness deficit—and that needs to change.

    Emily founded Aurelia Health—a telehealth medical practice that treats women in perimenopause and menopause —on the principle that transformational care is built on strong relationships. That begins with long appointments, and is maintained by trust and open communication. Emily believes that women can have it all—and it starts with great healthcare.