December 2025 Advocacy Champion

Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, MPH

HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine, St Louis Park, MN
EverYouth Functional and Integrative Medicine, Edina MN

1) Why is being an advocate so important to you?
I appreciate being able to bring awareness to issues impacting people's lives in ways they are often not suspecting.

2) What health-care related issue(s) have you advocated for over the past year?
The MMA Public Health Committee (which I served as Chair for) brought several policy proposals to the MMA Board of Trustees, and I am proud to have been a part of that. On a personal level, I have advocated for BHRT for perimenopausal women and am very glad to see the momentum in the recent policy changes regarding hormone therapy that has been well overdue.

3) What advice would you offer to others who are interested in advocacy? 
I would advise people not to be scared, and follow their passion. Opportunities open up once you lock in a choice.