Atlanta sports exec Melissa Proctor invests in new Buckhead wellness center
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
In 2012, Melissa Proctor‘s mother died due to complications from obesity and strokes.
Proctor remembers being a senior in high school and having to help her mother, who was on disability with declining health.
“My entire adult life was spent as a caregiver,” Proctor told UATL.
She later had questions about what caused her mother’s health challenges and wondered what could’ve potentially saved her life.
“I was under the impression that if you eat well and regularly exercise, then you’d be good, but there are other things that come into play you may not control.”
Thirteen years later, the sports executive and author is investing in what she believes is a solution to longevity and preventive care, as cofounder of Pravida Health, which opened Thursday in Buckhead.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Pravida Health is a physician-led facility that aims to optimize clients’ health outcomes through a blend of traditional and alternative medical and wellness services. Its goal is to help people, from everyday health and wellness enthusiasts to professional and amateur athletes, become healthier and live longer.
Proctor, who serves as executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, told UATL she wanted to make her first entrepreneurial venture something that improves diverse communities’ quality of life.
Normalizing preventive care is part of what motivated Proctor to become a partner in Pravida Health.
“In the Black community, you go (to the doctor) once a year, get a physical, and if they find something, then you address it,” she said. “Most people are not aware of all the research and tools that are out there to find solutions.”
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
She and Dr. Trevor Turner, Pravida Health’s medical director and cofounder, met through a mutual friend in October and discovered they shared an interest in helping underserved communities understand issues like skin care, heart disease and cancer, all of which are challenges for which Pravida offers some form of personalized care from its Buckhead offices.
In June, the American Academy of Dermatology reported that skin cancer for people with darker skin tones is more difficult to treat when diagnosed in later stages.
Another 2023 study conducted by University of Georgia’s College of Public Health concluded that African Americans in rural communities experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease than urban communities. And a 2024 study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 43.8% of African American adults in Georgia are obese.
To understand what causes obesity, Pravida Health conducts thyroid, liver, kidneys and gall bladder ultrasounds to identify what drives inflammation or body mass. The center utilizes a telemedicine partner network to prescribe GLP-1, a hormone that regulates obesity and diabetes, to patients who are medically qualified.
“We needed a way to screen people correctly and identify those things ahead of time to minimize that risk,” Turner said.
Turner, who has held positions as a physician at the Andrews Institute and director of Georgia Bone and Joint’s orthobiologics center, creates trust with patients by sharing his own health struggles.
He injured his spine playing high school football in 2002 and later used platelet-rich plasma injections to heal. Turner’s family history with Alzheimer’s and dementia also inspired him to learn if he was at-risk to inherit it.
“My goal is to help as many people move forward in life with information and tools they need to be as well as they can be,” he said.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Traditional treatments like ultrasound imaging are available as preventative options for clients looking to measure and manage bone density and body mass, in both fat and muscle, potentially providing early detection of potential health challenges.
Nate Smith, Pravida’s imaging director, said getting a CardioScan (a test that examines coronary artery activity) gives patients a comprehensive look at information such as their chances of having a heart attack.
“It shows how well blood flows through your vessels and if there’s plaque or cholesterol building up,” Smith said.
Pravida Health also offers cosmetic beauty services, including skin treatments like chemical peels, microneedling (a puncturing technique for skin rejuvenation) and Botox treatments.
“Skin is the largest organ in the body and gets the most toxin exposure in the environment,” Turner said.
The medical spa also has Georgia’s first and only Aescape, an AI-driven robotics massage table that allows patients to use a touchscreen to customize pressure and music. Turner said it’s a safer alternative to a masseuse.
“It’s in a private setting with no potential abuse, malpractice or them requesting the same person,” he said.
Additionally, the company offers plasma exchange which Dr. Turner said reduces toxins in blood; a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for wound healing; and a wattbike, an indoor device used by Olympic and professional athletes like the USA Cycling team to measure their oxygen intake and ability to recover.
Proctor and Turner expect these treatments to be popular with athletes in Atlanta, whether professional or amateur.
“Athletes use it to fine tune the ways they can train so they can win their events. It portrays longevity and how resilient they are from an injury or illness,” Turner said.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Pravida Health is one of several businesses in Atlanta specializing in medical wellness while also offering spa-style services. The company currently offers three membership packages and a payment plan option that includes glucose monitoring, therapy discounts, ultrasounds and event invitations.
Proctor said Pravida “wouldn’t necessarily accept insurance, so we’re looking at things like patient financing through charities or other opportunities to ensure there is access for others.”
Live Lean Rx is an Atlanta-based fitness clinic chain that opened in 2010. Like Pravida Health, it offers DEXA imaging scans and VO2 max testing, which measures oxygen consumption.
Live Lean Rx co-owner Peter Fisher said there’s a growing demand for wellness facilities.
“Our traditional medical system is all about fixing it when we break it and medicating the problem. It’s created an opportunity for people who want to be proactive rather than reactive by taking responsibility and control of their health and wellness,” Fisher said.
Lithonia resident David Martinez got his first and only V02 max test at Precision Performance and Physical Therapy, a concierge-style clinic for runners, in 2022.
He was interested in finding out how regular running and cycling contributed to his overall physical fitness. He said the exam gave him a better understand of what would ensure longevity.
“I now know at which specific heart rate my body is optimized to burn fat as fuel. I wasn’t training for anything specific, but it gave me a better idea of my aerobic fitness,” Martinez said.
Turner said partnering with a nonmedical professional like Proctor allows him to make his medical observations accessible to clients beyond standard doctor appointments.
“It’s about radically breaking the model in health care, thinking about what puts us at the highest risk and mitigating it over time with the right data,” Turner said.
Credit: Photo courtesy Melissa Proctor
Proctor hopes Pravida Health will allow clients and patients to become more health-aware while enjoying relaxing experiences. She said investing in Pravida Health presents new professional challenges but allows her to continue her passion to serve various communities, just as she’s taken care of loved ones when in need.
“It’s a crash course in entrepreneurship, and I feel like an intern in someone else’s organization,” Proctor said.
“I had no idea about the range of stuff and what it means, but (I learned) it can help my family and others. I’m hyper-aware now, and this new chapter is really exciting.”
About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
