Meet Our Team
Veronica McPike APRN, FNP-C, CSOWM
Veronica is a nurse practitioner co-founder of Merit Weight Loss. She is a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. She believes in the importance of enjoying life while pursuing healthy habits, avoiding the all or nothing mentality. She is itty-bitty (4’ 11”), but very witty. She is the queen of one-liners and the resident commander of the office. She is happiest with her hair in a bun and her hands wrapped around a mug of hot tea. She believes that all good things are creamy. She answers to any name that starts with a V (Valerie, Victoria). Veronica is genuine and empathetic, loves getting to know people. In her off time she enjoys long walks or being a taxi for one of her four daughters. Yes, 4 daughters…her husband, Michael, is blessed.
Stephanie Sisk APRN, WHNP-BC
Stephanie is a nurse practitioner and a co-founder of Merit Weight Loss. She has her Certificate of Advanced Education in Obesity Medicine through the Obesity Medicine Association. Stephanie believes in curating a space that is non-judgmental and welcoming for all. Topeka girl, born and raised. She is high energy and motivating. She is the Chief content creator and social media guru. You can find Stephanie singing through the office while sipping her coffee (from one of the 5 cups she has around the office). Stephanie loves a good loud bell ring to celebrate client’s success (yes, we have a bell!). Her Mother-in-Law, also Stephanie, is Merit’s very generous and talented interior designer. She is married to Topeka legend(ish), Brady Sisk (former WU Basketball player, measuring in at 6’9”). She is called Mom by two beautiful girls, who match the high energy of their mom and got their height from their dad.
Kaetlynn Phillips, APRN, FNP-C
Kaetlyn is a nurse practitioner and the Director of our Topeka location (She keeps us all in line!). As the daughter of an active duty Airmen, Kaetlynn grew up all around the world, moving somewhere new every 2-3 years. One of the coolest places she lived was Japan. She is thankful for the experiences she was able to have! Kaetlynn is married to her husband, Austin, and together they have 1 daughter and 2 sons. Kaetlynn’s hidden talent is that her elbows are double jointed. In her free time, you will find Kaetlynn enjoying the outdoors, or getting away for a quick trip with her family.
Becky Bowen RN, BSN, MBA
Becky is a registered nurse with her Masters in Business Administration, and is a Certified Nutrition Coach. She is the Director of our Leawood location. Becky was born and raised in Topeka, KS, and now resides in Prairie Village. She is married to her husband, Jon. Becky and Jon have 2 boys, and are expecting baby boy #3! Becky loves being a part of our clients journey to health and wellness, while along the way seeing them grow more confident, mobile, energetic, and happy! Be careful not to confuse Becky with her twin sister, who also works at Merit (see if you can find out who!). Becky enjoys spending time outside, is a master at jigsaw puzzles, turning couches into spaceships, and loves to cook.
Hannah Lauer APRN, FNP-C
Hannah is a nurse practitioner at Merit Topeka with an upbeat personality and attention to detail, helping our patients stay motivated, and always leaving with a plan. Hannah grew up in St. Mary’s, KS. She is married to Casey, with three children (one son and 2 daughters). In her free time she loves decorating and if there is a bargain to be found, she will find it. She enjoys all things sports, including watching her children, KSU, Chiefs, and Royals. She has a background in Pediatrics and Family Medicine, with a passion for weight loss. Fun fact: Hannah has a very crooked right arm (we know, we sure have some strange arms around our office, don’t we?).
Julie Edwards, APRN, FNP-C
Julie is a nurse practitioner at Merit Topeka. Julie was born and raised in Topeka. She played college soccer in Nebraska. Julie is married to her husband, Jordan, and they share 3 sons. Struggling herself with healthy eating habits since childhood, Julie is equipped with compassion and care to understand our clients struggles, AND overcome them (while having fun along the way!). In Julie’s free time, you might find her relaxing and watching “trash” TV (but let's be real, with 3 kids 5 and under… That's not happening!) A fun fact about Julie is that she can touch her elbows behind her back (you just tried, didn’t you?)!
Linnie Rieger, MS in Dietetics and Nutrition
Linnie is Merit’s Nutrition and Lifestyle Specialist and sees client’s in our Topeka location. She was born and raised in Hiawatha, KS. Linnie felt called to Merit because she believes people should be empowered to make nutritious decisions and that eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Linnie is the Master of meal planning and knows all things nutrition. She is a bookworm and researcher. Linnie is the most talented of the team. She plays like 100 instruments (piano, pipe organ, flute, piccolo, violin and working on the guitar) and is a skilled photographer. Linnie is down to earth and is always wearing a smile. She loves to organize and Veronica and Stephanie are thankful for this. She and her husband, Luke, are proud parents of their 2 sons.
Nickie McCall - Office Medical Assistant
Nickie is our lead medical office assistant at Merit Topeka. She motivates our patients during their weekly check-ins and keeps the office moving. Her over 15 years of knowledge and expertise in endocrinology ensures our patients get their questions answered, and their experience is enjoyable and seamless. Nickie is a born and raised Topekan. She is married to Darren and has two adult daughters, Hannah and Sydney. She is an animal lover with 2 dogs and a cat. Her favorite holiday is New Year's Day, because she loves the idea of a fresh start. When she is not at Merit, you can find Nickie hanging out with her twin sister, camping, and trying to keep plants alive.
Elizabeth McCune, Office Medical Assistant
Elizabeth is a medical office assistant at Merit. Her kindness, patience, and smile are awaiting our clients when dropping in for weekly weight checks. Her favorite part of her job is being a part of our clients' success! Elizabeth grew up in Topeka, moved away to California for 28 years, before returning to Topeka. She lives with her husband Joe. They have 4 children and 8 grandchildren. Elizabeth has been a surrogate mother EIGHT times!! In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys whipping up her next craft project.
Sarah Boast, Receptionist
Sarah is the smiling face that will greet you when you arrive at Merit’s Topeka location. She is married to her husband, Martin. Together they share a blended family of 7 children, 2 dogs, and a cat! She was a member at Merit for about a year before she joined our team and our mission of helping clients in an uplifting and compassionate environment! Sarah grew up in Topeka. In her free time, Sarah enjoys reading (listening to audiobooks is still reading!) Fun fact about Sarah, she has a bifid uvula (it's ok, you can google it), which is only seen in about 2% of the population.
Jamie Lane, Receptionist
Jamie is also one of the smiling faces that will greet you when you arrive at Merit Topeka. Jamie has an Associate of Arts degree in Office Administration with a legal certification from Washburn University. Jamie was a member of Merit prior to joining our team. Jamie’s family and friends would say she has the “patience of a saint” and we have to agree. She grew up on a farm in Meriden, Kansas. Jamie and her husband Larry live in Topeka and will be married 33 years in December. They are dog parents to Roxy, a chocolate lab. Jamie and her husband enjoy traveling, especially to Colorado where they navigate trails and mountain passes in their Jeep Rubicon. Their goal is to expand their Badges of Honor (Jeep owners get it!). She keeps healthy walking with Roxy and working out. Fun fact: Jamie can whistle loud with her fingers; not just loud, but REALLY loud.