Elisabeth Willers, MD

I am a physician, athlete, educator, bird enthusiast, music lover, lifelong learner, and the proud founder of The Goldfinch Foundation— a nonprofit dedicated to improving youth mental wellness through creativity, education, and human connection. I’m also a mom of three and a wife, roles that shape everything I do.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve practiced pulmonary and critical care medicine in both academic and private settings — serving as an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Associate Director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, and later, Medical Director of the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve led multidisciplinary teams, mentored young physicians, and served on executive leadership committees supporting frontline healthcare professionals through trauma and burnout. I’ve witnessed firsthand the limits of a medical system too often driven by bureaucracy over human need.

Even before 2024, I had begun reimagining a new approach to healing — one grounded in evidence-based medicine, but also in creativity, purpose, movement, and joy. I planned to open a private practice that would integrate lifestyle medicine, mental wellness, and a more personalized, whole-human approach.

But when my son Owen — a brilliant artist, athlete, and mental health advocate — passed away suddenly in June 2024, my life’s course changed forever. Just weeks later, I founded The Goldfinch Foundation in his honor. GFF now serves as a platform to empower young people to prioritize their mental, emotional, and social health — through off-screen, hands-on programming and meaningful relationships.

As Executive Director, I lead a team of creatives, educators, and clinicians working to reduce stigma, build resilience, and promote flourishing in youth ages 14–29. Our work is guided by core values: connection, creativity, education, movement, nature, access, and advocacy. We offer teen ambassador programs, expert-led panels, interactive workshops, and a science-informed curriculum that equips young people with tools to navigate life with courage and purpose.

My journey continues to evolve — blending my medical training, lived experience, and love for the arts and natural world into a mission-driven life. At the heart of it all is a belief that healing doesn’t just happen in hospitals. It happens in circles of trust, in shared stories, in movement, music, and meaning. Join me in this effort to change the world for the better- for all of us.