Faculty

Dr. Kara Mayes is the Chief Medical Officer of Ilant Health, a company providing comprehensive obesity treatment in a value-based care model. Dr. Mayes earned her medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She completed her residency training in Family Medicine at Mercy Family Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, where she served as Chief Resident. After graduation she practiced full-spectrum family medicine as faculty at the Mercy Family Medicine Residency Program, including inpatient care and obstetrics. She developed an interest in treating obesity in her primary care practice. As a result, Dr. Mayes pursued further training to become board-certified and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She then established a comprehensive obesity medicine clinic at Mercy Clinic, where she served as Medical Director until 2024. Dr. Mayes is a past president of the St. Louis Academy of Family Physicians and the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians. She was also a founding member of the St. Louis Obesity Society. Dr. Mayes is also board-certified in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Dr. Mayes is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Obesity Medicine Association. She has served in various leadership roles for the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians and on the Mercy Clinic Board of Directors. 

Dr. Mayes discloses she has no relevant financial relationships with any organization producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by or used on patients relative to the content of this presentation.