Registration
Registration

About Us

Meet the Founder

Meet Lavie Thomas — a mom on a mission to make healthy living second nature for kids.

Founder & CEO, Health Rizz

For me, food has always been more than fuel – it was love, connection, and a way of life in my childhood home. That early foundation, combined with a decade-long career in food, agriculture, and consulting, gave me a deep respect for the power of nutrition.

But after moving to the U.S., the realities of balancing motherhood with a demanding career made healthy eating harder to sustain. Then, in 2024, a sudden medical emergency forced me to pause. As I recovered, I felt a deep spiritual call that I couldn’t ignore: “This next chapter of your life is about helping the next generation to build healthy habits.”

That’s why I started Health Rizz. Because I believe, at my core, that every child deserves to be healthy. No matter their background, zip code, or family circumstance, every child should have the tools to build simple, healthy habits that last a lifetime.

Today, as a Certified Health Coach (Institute of Integrative Nutrition) and Harvard Medical School certified in Building a Sustainable Nutrition Plan, I’m on a mission to make healthy eating fun, accessible, and equitable for all kids.

Through Health Rizz, we’re bringing this vision into classrooms — empowering kids to see food not as a restriction, but as joy, energy, and strength. Because when kids learn to make small changes, they build lifelong habits. And when kids are healthy, they thrive — in school, in play, and in life.

Meet Samantha Gootman

– Health Rizz Coach

A proud New Jersey native, Samantha Gootman is passionate about helping others live healthier, happier lives. With a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University and a PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification, she loves sharing practical, science-backed ways to make wellness simple and enjoyable.

Samantha’s background in marketing and social media fuels her creativity in connecting with people and spreading positive health messages. She also has a big heart for working with kids and teaching them about good nutrition early on.

Certified in Phlebotomy, Food Safety, HIPAA Privacy, Menu Labeling, and AllerTrain, Samantha brings both expertise and enthusiasm to every client she works with at Health Rizz.

Partnering with Schools to Build Healthier Futures

Image Alt

Image Alt

Image Alt

Image Alt

Image Alt

TESTIMONIALS

I am happy that the Health Rizz program came to my daughter's school! The Health Rizz team running this enrichment program are very kind and are passionate about children's health. They showed my daughter's class healthful food and snack alternatives to eat as well as incorporating fruits and vegetables in their lunches. It was nice to have another adult besides me encouraging and instilling good eating habits to my child. Due to the program, my daughter is more receptive to trying new vegetables and healthful foods which will benefit her in the long run. I totally support the Health Rizz program in what they are doing. Having the Health Rizz program is an investment in your child's/children's health.

5th Grade, HCA Mom

☆☆☆☆☆

The Health Rizz lessons in school really caught my son’s attention! He came home talking about them, and wanting to try out some recipes! He made himself a Health Rizz Pizza for dinner one night and has vowed to try more fruit this summer!

5th grade parent

☆☆☆☆☆

As a mom, I truly appreciate the effort and creativity that went into this health program that was presented to the 5th graders. I loved that the program encourages kids to build healthy, lifelong habits in a fun and practical way. My child came home excited to tell me about the “Rizzlers” — especially the Hydro Rizzler, which led to them proudly refilling their water bottle without reminders!
I also love that the program didn’t just tell them what to do, but explained why — like how water helps your brain or how protein builds muscle. It’s those little "aha!" moments that really stick. Overall, I’m grateful the school is supporting health in such an intentional and age-appropriate way. It’s a program I’d love to see continue and even expand to more grades.

5th grade parent

☆☆☆☆☆

The Health Rizz program was a fun and engaging way for fifth graders to learn about making smart food choices. My son learned practical tips and he was motivated to take charge of his own health in a positive, age-appropriate way. He especially loved the recipes that he could prepare on his own.

Debbie, 5th grade mom

☆☆☆☆☆

The Health Rizz program made learning about healthy food fun for my child! When you include and educate kids on where their food comes from, they feel empowered to make better eating choices.

Hrisa, 5th Grade Parent

☆☆☆☆☆

Since the HealthRizz program started at my daughter’s school, both my husband and I have noticed she has been more open to trying new foods. She’s a bit of a picky eater, but recently we’ve noticed her asking to try much more of a variety of foods..including vegetables! The fun, engaging approach seems to have sparked her curiosity about what she eats. Amazing accomplishment in a short period of time!

Tarsha, 5th grade parent

☆☆☆☆☆