After 17 years at Wondr Health, Sr. Director of Coaching and Clinical Operations Robin Patton has seen thousands of lives transform—not just through weight loss, but through the deeper behavioral shifts that ripple through families and workplaces. As a licensed social worker and long-time leader, she brings a rare mix of heart and science to the company’s mission of helping people live healthier, happier lives.
You’ve been with Wondr Health for 17 years. What first brought you here—and what’s kept you so connected to the mission?
Robin: I was finishing my Master of Social Work (MSW) and looking for a career that helped people. I met the founder’s daughter in grad school, and when she learned I loved public speaking, she connected me with Wondr Health, then known as Naturally Slim. Back then, the program was taught live, so I flew around the country teaching sessions in person.
Over time, I started taking on more projects, improving processes, and learning every part of the business. What’s kept me here all these years is that Wondr Health doesn’t just help people lose weight—it helps them change how they think, react, and recover in situations beyond weight. Those skills impact every area of life, and when one person benefits, their family and those they care for benefit too. Even if someone never lost a pound they can come out of our program saying their life is completely different.
How has your background in social work shaped the way you lead and connect with people?
Robin: Most people don’t realize that social workers study mental health and human change. We learn how to help people process the past and move forward—which ties perfectly to what we do at Wondr Health.
For example, in our curriculum development, we draw on behavioral approaches like Acceptance Commitment —introducing concepts such as noticing thoughts without judgment and choosing what to do next. I also really enjoy paying close attention to how people absorb and react to information. Whether I’m in a meeting or reading participant feedback, I’m always trying to understand what someone’s really feeling beneath the surface.
What’s one personal insight you’ve gained from Wondr Health that’s changed how you think about health?
Robin: Self-compassion. I used to have that “get it together” mindset—be harder on myself, do better. Now I try to ask, Why did that happen? What can I learn from it? It’s a shift from judgment to curiosity. We teach that same idea in the program: weighing is the best example. The number isn’t a judgement, it’s a data point.
You lead a team that’s primarily women. What does that mean to you?
Robin: Wondr Health was founded by women—at a time when women didn’t always get those opportunities—and that matters. They built this company through hard work, grace, and persistence, and I’ve tried to carry that forward—though it hasn’t been a perfect journey and I’m still learning every day.
We welcome everyone, but our largest audience is women, and with that comes unique life stages and pressures—like perimenopause, menopause, and the constant external pressure about appearance. My team gets to hear those stories firsthand, so it’s our job to make sure that voice is represented in everything we create.
What do you love most about your work at Wondr Health?
Robin: Honestly, I love the challenging participants. I worked for years as a hospital social worker, and that taught me empathy for people when they’re struggling for control.
One woman used to email us constantly about her app not working because she had a very old model cell phone. She was so angry. When I finally called her, I learned that her husband’s dementia had gotten so advanced she couldn’t leave the house anymore—and her phone was the one thing she could control. From then on, we talked often. It reminded me that behind every frustrated message is a person just trying to cope. “Let’s be patient with this person,” is something my team hears all the time. “Chances are, they’re dealing with something even more difficult than what we see.” Being able to reach people like this is why I love this work.
And beyond that, I love the people I work with. Even on hard days, we share a purpose—to do the right thing and help people.
What’s the “secret sauce” behind Wondr Health’s approach to behavior change?
Robin: Wondr meets people where they are. You can start the program eating exactly what you eat today—we don’t ask you to overhaul your diet or your life. We start with when and how you eat, then layer in small, sustainable changes. My favorite part about this approach is how flexible it is. Participants build skills that they can apply to any food setting—family gatherings, meeting a friend for dinner, eating on the go— so they develop the confidence that allows them to really find long-term success.
Our philosophy is about adding to your life, not taking away from it. We also provide support with physical activity, stress management, sleep and more, and small wins add up. Leading with this accessible approach helps our participants create lasting change and avoid costly chronic conditions down the road.
In the age of GLP-1 medications, what new struggles are people facing—and how does your team help them through it?
Robin: GLP-1s are incredible for people whose bodies truly need them, but they bring new challenges. Physically, many people find they’re never hungry, which means they have to be intentional about getting nutrients. But emotionally, there’s something deeper.
If food has been your comfort, your social connection, or your constant companion—and suddenly you don’t want it anymore—it can feel like losing part of your identity. We help people build new ways to cope and connect: managing emotions, finding new rituals, and re-learning what satisfaction feels like.
If the industry moves too fast on prescribing without addressing those behavioral shifts, people won’t have the tools they need to sustain change. That’s why we pair medication with our proven behavioral change program. That behavioral foundation really matters for long-term results.
There’s so much discussion around AI and automation in health coaching. Where does human connection still matter in digital health?
Robin: AI has its place—it can answer questions anytime, anywhere. But it can’t care. The human connection still matters. Sometimes a person just needs another voice to hear them, to sense the emotion in their tone, or to know when to refer them to a different kind of support.
That empathy—the ability to see the person behind the data—is something only humans can do.
After nearly two decades with Wondr Health, what gives you the most hope about the future of health and behavior change?
Robin: That people are still willing to learn. Even after everything—new diets, new medications, all the trends—people still want to understand themselves better. And every time someone shares that they’re sleeping better, managing stress, or showing more patience with their kids, I know we’re making a difference that lasts.
Robin’s story is a reminder that health change starts with compassion—both for ourselves and for others. Whether it’s a participant finding new confidence or a coach offering a listening ear, Wondr Health’s greatest impact comes not from data points or diets, but from empathy in action.
