In a letter written in the mid-seventies to her former Stoneleigh-Burnham advisor Mrs. Fallon, Denise Bruner stated, “I am very certain of what I have to do in life and I am going to do it. Becoming a doctor is something I know I have to do – and I am going to fulfill this desire.” Bruner wrote these powerful words in her early twenties. Not only has she achieved the goals she set for herself, she has become one of the nation’s leading specialists in her field of bariatric medicine. For her selfless service to her patients, for her significant contributions to her field and because she wholly embodies the values of a Stoneleigh-Burnham School education, Dr. Denise Bruner will be honored with the School’s second annual Distinguished Alumna Award during Reunion Weekend. In her nomination of Dr. Bruner, former classmate and current Board Chair Kathy Opdycke wrote: “Denise’s efforts to help others reflect the spirit of a Stoneleigh-Burnham student. She has broken the barriers of gender and race in her profession, and the success she has achieved encompasses the mission of SBS.”
Bruner arrived at the then Stoneleigh-Prospect Hill School in September 1967, the only daughter of her father, a Washington, D.C. based physician, and her mother, a professor of social work. She says she had a wealth of experiences at Stoneleigh-Burnham that enabled her to feel like “(she) could do anything she wanted.” She completed her schoolwork with such dedication and solid persistence to earn her a spot at the University of Southern California (USC).
After the birth of her son in 1973, Bruner withdrew from USC, but could not stay away from school for long. She transferred her credits to George Washington University and was then recruited by Howard University College of Medicine, the same medical school from which her father graduated in 1932.
Bruner graduated with honors from Howard in 1979 and was presented with the Emil Nash Award, given to the student with the most outstanding performance in medicine who would continue in residency at D.C. General Hospital. Upon completion of her residency, she reopened her late father’s private practice and began work with Dr. Robert Beale, a pioneer in bariatric medicine, who would introduce her to the field.
She joined the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) in 1983, and was board certified by the American Board of Bariatric Medicine in 1985. Bruner has since become nationally renowned for her work treating thousands of patients and helping them to successfully manage their weight control problems. She has been on the frontlines of the war against obesity and its related diseases and has dedicated her career to helping those struggling with their weight.
Among a range of honors too numerous to list here, she served as President of the ASBP from 1999 - 2002 and was then elected the first female Fellow of the ASBP in 2002. Bruner appears regularly on popular news and cable programs providing expert advice on obesity and weight-control issues. She has appeared on Oprah, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, the Today Show and Fox Morning News, among others. Bruner is regularly quoted in magazines and newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Glamour, People Magazine, WebMD, Fitness, Prevention and Reader’s Digest.
Dr. Bruner has been in private practice in Arlington, VA since 1981. She continues to be on active staff at Arlington Hospital, where she has served since 1983. In addition to her work in bariatric medicine, Bruner was certified in 2001 by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
The Distinguished Alumna Award was created in 2010 to honor one alumna each year who has distinguished herself in her personal or professional life, in her intellectual pursuits or in her dedication to service of community, country or society. The award also serves to inspire the entire Stoneleigh-Burnham School community to strive ‘to become their best selves’ in their pursuit of a meaningful life. When asked what the award meant to her, Dr. Bruner stated, “I’ve received many awards in my life, but this goes to my roots. I owe what I am now to my years at Stoneleigh.”
After receiving Bruner’s nomination, Head of School Sally Mixsell ’69 stated, “Denise has always been ebullient to the point of infecting others with her positive energy and strong optimism. The fact that she has made such a name for herself in her field is, I think, testament to the power of intelligence, high energy and passion poured into her work, and resilience against all obstacles. She’s a great role model for both our students and the adults in our community.”