Risa Weiss

Risa Weiss is a real estate educator, author, speaker, and patient advocate who brings a powerful combination of lived experience, communication skills, and a passion for education to improving healthcare safety for patients living with rare and chronic diseases.

Diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), a rare autoimmune liver disease, Risa understands firsthand the challenges of navigating a healthcare system that does not always recognize the complexity of rare diseases or the profound impact they have on everyday life. Her experience has taught her the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis, clear communication between patients and healthcare providers, informed decision-making, and ensuring that patients feel heard, respected, and included in their care.

Throughout her professional career, Risa has dedicated herself to developing educational programs, designing curricula, facilitating workshops, and helping people translate knowledge into meaningful action. As a real estate educator and coach, she has spent decades making complex information accessible and empowering others with the tools and confidence to succeed. She now brings those same skills to patient advocacy, with a focus on patient education, healthcare communication, and safer, more informed medical experiences.

Risa is particularly passionate about addressing the challenges faced by patients whose conditions are invisible, misunderstood, or frequently overlooked. She believes that patient experiences are essential to identifying gaps in healthcare delivery, improving medical safety practices, and creating systems that treat patients as active partners in their care.

Through advocacy, education, and collaboration with patients, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, Risa hopes to help ensure that the voices of people living with rare diseases are not only heard but translated into meaningful improvements in healthcare quality and safety. Her guiding belief is simple: Patients are more than their diagnoses, and their voices can help make healthcare safer for everyone.