Mimi Guarneri

Board certified in cardiology, internal medicine, nuclear medicine, and holistic medicine, Dr. Mimi Guarneri is the founder and medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Guarneri was an English literature major as an undergraduate at New York University. Her medical degree is from SUNY Medical Center in New York, where she graduated number one in her class. Dr. Guarneri served her internship and residency at Cornell Medical Center, where she later became chief medical resident. She served cardiology fellowships at both New York University Medical Center and Scripps Clinic.

Dr. Guarneri served as an attending in interventional cardiology at Scripps Clinic, where she placed thousands of coronary stents. Recognizing the need for a more comprehensive and more holistic approach to cardiovascular disease, she pioneered the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine where she uses state-of-the-art cardiac imaging technology and lifestyle change programs to aggressively diagnose, prevent, and treat cardiovascular disease. She is a fellow member of the American College of Cardiology, Alpha Omega Alpha, and the American Medical Women's Association, and a diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. In 2009, Dr. Guarneri was honored as the ARCS scientist of the year. Dr. Guarneri has authored several articles that have appeared in professional journals such as the Journal of Echocardiography and the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Guarneri participated as a member of the writing committee for the American College of Cardiology Foundation Complementary Medicine Expert Consensus Document. This expert consensus statement on integrating complementary medicine into cardiovascular medicine was published in 2005. She is the author of "The Heart Speaks," a poignant collection of stories from heart patients who have benefited from integrative medicine approaches. "The Heart Speaks" and her clinical work have been featured on NBC Today and PBS's "To the Contrary" and "Full Focus." In her book, Dr. Guarneri takes the reader on a journey of the heart – exploring the emotional heart, able to be crushed by loss; the intelligent heart, with a nervous system all its own; and the spiritual heart, which yearns for a higher purpose. With groundbreaking new research and unparalleled experience, Dr. Guarneri skillfully weaves the science and drama of the heart's unfolding. Her work was also featured in a two-part PBS documentary "The New Medicine."

She has been recognized for her national leadership in integrative medicine by the Bravewell Collaborative and now serves as chair of the Bravewell Clinical Network for integrative medicine. In 2008, Dr. Guarneri was honored by Project Concern International for her work in Southern India. She regularly speaks on topics related to integrative approaches to health, including stress transformation and holistic approaches to cardiovascular disease. Dr. Guarneri also serves on the international sub-committee for Direct-Relief International and recently participated in an advisory panel for the Institute of Medicine to explore the science and practice of integrative medicine for promoting the nation's health. The summit's findings were released February 25-27, 2009 in Washington, D.C.