Our Team

Loretta Benedick, Practice Manager

Loretta Benedick is the Practice Manager at St. Louis Bariatrics. She began working in Bariatric Surgery in 2012 as a Patient Advocate. While working as an advocate, she enjoyed guiding patients through the surgical process and seeing their amazing results. Prior to entering the bariatric field, Loretta was the office manager for a well-known local business where she was responsible for all facets of business operations and personnel management. Loretta is dedicated to ensuring that each patient has a positive experience at St. Louis Bariatrics. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Sociology from Maryville University-St. Louis. Loretta grew up in the St. Louis area where she now resides with her family. She is an avid St. Louis sports fan and can be found cheering on her team at the game with her family.

Clinical Staff

Krystal Gilb, RN, BSN, FNP-C

Krystal comes highly qualified with a Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Nursing. After completing both degrees with honors, she became a Nurse Practitioner in family medicine. She has professional experience in Urology and served many years as an emergency room nurse. Krystal is enthusiastic about educating people on methods to improve overall health and wellness. She resides in Imperial, MO, with her husband, three children, and two Boston Terriers. When she’s not empowering people to make healthy life choices, she enjoys spending time with her family on the boat on Lake of the Ozarks from sunup to sundown.

Sarah Polk, MS, RDN, CSOWM, LD

Sarah is the dietitian at St. Louis Bariatrics. She holds a Masters of Science Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is currently a board certified specialist in obesity and weight management (CSOWM). Her passion for nutrition education shines through as she dedicates herself to counseling patients on their wellness journey. Beyond the realm of nutrition, Sarah is a proud homeowner in South City where she shares her space with her two cats, Oscar and Fozzie. Outside the office, Sarah enjoys to travel, run, cook, and read. Some of Sarah’s favorite places she has traveled include Morocco, Greece, and Germany. One of Sarah’s favorite dishes to cook is Zuppa Toscana. Sarah is passionate about reading, actively participating in three book clubs, and has successfully completed three half marathons.

Staff

Katie Marler, Lead Patient Advocate

Katie is the lead patient advocate here at St. Louis Bariatrics. In this role, she coordinates all aspects of scheduling surgery, including speaking with insurance companies and helping patients during the pre-operative process. Katie has been with the company since 2016 and has over 10 years of experience managing accounts. She says the best part of her job is working with the patients and getting to know them in the process. She enjoys helping people meet their goals and watching them become the best versions of themselves. Katie enjoys spending time with her family. She lives in Bonne Terre with her husband Casey, son Keaton and daughter Evelyn. She also has 2 dogs a Boston terrier, Lucy and Labor-doodle, Max.

Charity Bearden, Patient Advocate

Charity is a patient advocate at St. Louis Bariatrics. As a patient advocate, Charity verifies insurance benefits, assists patients through the approval status, and helps them reach their goals for surgery. Before starting with St. Louis Bariatrics in July of 2020, Charity worked as Chief Scribe in the ER where she gained valuable experience in medical documentation. Charity currently lives in Festus, MO with her four children. With four kids she’s very busy with school activities, but in her down time she enjoys DIY projects, baking and cake decorating. Charity says that her favorite part of the job is that there is always something new to learn and helping patient’s meet their weight loss goals is most rewarding of all.