Meet your Health Care Providers
Kristy Beard, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner & Functional Medicine Expert
When Kristy Beard was a clinical nurse working with women in labor, postpartum recovery, and pediatric care, she noticed something troubling: patients left appointments with more questions than answers. A mother struggling with postpartum depression would be told "your labs look normal." A woman with unexplained fatigue would hear "just manage your stress." A teenager terrified about her body would get a rushed appointment.
The problem wasn't medical care. It was the lack of time to really listen.
That realization shaped everything. Kristy pursued her Master's in Nursing from Chamberlain University and board certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner—but she also studied functional medicine, an evidence-based approach that treats the body as interconnected and asks why disease happens, not just how to manage it.
In November 2025, she founded Elevate Health and Wellness to bring this different kind of healthcare to the Gulf Coast.
Why Choose Kristy Beard?
✓ Board-certified FNP with deep clinical background in women's health
✓ Functional medicine approach that finds root causes, not just symptoms
✓ Takes real time to listen and understand your complete health picture
✓ Faculty instructor ensuring she stays current with latest evidence-based practices
✓ Pursuing DNP—committed to advanced expertise and research
✓ Personalized, customized care plans instead of generic protocols
✓ Transparent healthcare with no hidden fees or unnecessary tests
Kristy Beard's Expertise
As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (APRN, FNP-C) with 6+ years of clinical nursing experience in women's health and pediatrics, Kristy brings deep clinical expertise across multiple specialties. She's simultaneously pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Jacksonville State University while serving as a faculty instructor at Coastal Alabama Community College and Columbia Southern University—ensuring she stays current with the latest evidence-based practices and research.
Women's Health & Hormone Management
Kristy specializes in comprehensive women's health services including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), thyroid management, perimenopause support, PCOS management, and hormonal optimization for women at all life stages. Whether you're navigating hormonal imbalance in your 20s, managing perimenopause symptoms, or seeking HRT support, Kristy provides personalized hormone therapy tailored to your unique body and goals.
Pregnancy Care & Prenatal Services
With her background supporting women through labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery, Kristy offers prenatal care up to 28 weeks gestation, pregnancy management, morning sickness treatment, obstetric ultrasound, and comprehensive postpartum support. Many patients choose Kristy specifically for pregnancy care because she combines clinical expertise with genuine support for one of life's most transformative experiences.
Unlike generic weight loss programs, Kristy's approach to medical weight management addresses the root causes of metabolic dysfunction. She provides medically supervised weight loss with personalized nutrition plans, lifestyle coaching, and metabolic analysis to support sustainable, long-term weight loss—not temporary dieting.
Functional Medicine & Root-Cause Analysis
At the core of Kristy's practice is functional medicine—an evidence-based approach that identifies underlying dysfunction before it becomes disease. For patients with chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalance, or complex health concerns, Kristy performs comprehensive assessments to find root causes and create personalized treatment plans.
Kristy offers professional IV hydration and wellness therapy including Myers IV, NAD+ therapy, migraine relief infusions, immune support protocols, and custom wellness infusions designed for individual health goals.
Primary Care for Individuals & Families
Kristy provides comprehensive primary care for individuals and families seeking preventive medicine, chronic disease management, and ongoing health maintenance with a functional medicine approach.
Telehealth Services Across MS & AL
Convenient virtual urgent care, follow-up consultations, and telehealth appointments for patients throughout Mississippi and Alabama.
Alicia Gatz, RDMS
Alicia Gatz, RDMS:
Board Certified Diagnostic Medical Sonograher
Owner/ Sonographer of Treasured Memories Imaging
Partner/Sonographer at Elevate Health and Wellness
COVID turned our worlds upside down and in the Spring of 2021 my family decided to not wait for retirement to fulfill our dreams and relocated to the Gulf Coast area. It has long been apparent to me that the OB offices were becoming too busy to allow the moms to truly bond with their babies the way they used to, so moving out on my own was my way to help the moms get that time back with their babies. I have tried to keep my prices down so that all moms can enjoy the special gift of bonding with their babies. I do my best to create a comfortable atmosphere to make everyone feel at home.
I have a very supportive husband Mike, two daughters, and a son. I attended Lincoln Trail College and received a certificate in nursing in 1995 and Washburn University where I received my Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography in 2009. I was hired by the Truman Hospital Lakewood in my last semester of school and worked there for several years. In 2005 I was recruited to go to work at an OB/Gyn Office where my passion for this work was ignited. Since that time I continued to work for a variety of medical practices around the Kansas City Metro area. Upon relocation, I was hired by Mississippi Gulf Coast OB/GYN in the summer of Summer of 2021, Treasured Memories Imaging is a dream come true for me.
Elevate Health and Wellness is the icing on the cake for Alicia. The ability to treat patients in a whole-body manner is a passion and she is beyond thrilled for this new adventure.