Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirstie Pomaranski.
Hi Kirstie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Kirstie Pomaranski, and I serve as a Senior Program Manager at Inova Peterson Life with Cancer. I’m a proud DMV native who grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, graduated from Bishop McNamara High School, and earned my bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech.
My passion for integrative medicine and the healing arts has shaped my life for as long as I can remember. After my son was born in 2011, I felt called to shift my career toward health and wellness. Becoming a mother deepened my desire to help others live healthier lives, and it motivated me to pursue certification as a personal trainer.
In 2015, everything changed when I received my own cancer diagnosis. That experience profoundly transformed how I viewed whole‑person health. It strengthened my commitment to behavior change, movement, nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle medicine—areas that later became the foundation of the work I do today.
In 2018, I attended massage therapy school while teaching fitness classes at the Jewish Community Center in Annandale, Virginia. Later that same year, I joined Inova Well and helped open the Joan and Russell Hitt Center for Healthy Living on the Inova Center for Personalized Health campus in Fairfax, VA.
In 2021, I was selected to lead the fitness and wellness operations at Inova Peterson Life with Cancer, the psychosocial support program of Inova Health System that provides comprehensive services—free of charge—to individuals and families navigating cancer.
Since taking on this leadership role, I’ve focused on elevating and expanding our program in ways that truly meet the evolving needs of patients. I transitioned our offerings to a robust hybrid model, ensuring that individuals facing treatment, transportation barriers, or fluctuating energy levels can still access high‑quality support. I also broadened our integrative oncology services to include energy therapy, acupuncture, and additional healing modalities that address the full spectrum of mind‑body wellness.
One of the most meaningful aspects of my work is developing individualized movement and exercise programs tailored to each patient’s goals, limitations, and treatment side effects. I take a highly personal, evidence‑informed approach—assessing fatigue, pain, functional capacity, and daily patterns to create plans that empower patients to remain active, confident, and connected to their bodies throughout their cancer journey.
Every part of my career has led me here. It’s my mission to help people feel seen, supported, and strengthened—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually—as they navigate cancer with dignity and hope.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced—as did so many across the world—was navigating the unprecedented rate of change that healthcare demanded during the pandemic. Overnight, we experienced a seismic shift in the pace of our lives, our workflows, and our expectations. The learning curve was steep, constant, and often overwhelming. Everything felt new, uncertain, and emotionally charged as we worked to adapt our services, support our teams, and remain present for the individuals and families who depended on us. That period fundamentally reshaped how I approach leadership, innovation, and resilience in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in integrative oncology, movement-based therapeutics, and whole-person cancer support. In my work at Inova Peterson Life with Cancer, I lead programs that empower individuals to navigate cancer with greater strength, clarity, and confidence—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I’m known for blending evidence-informed exercise programming, integrative modalities, and trauma‑sensitive, person-centered care into a cohesive approach that meets patients exactly where they are. My background in fitness, massage therapy, behavior change, and lifestyle medicine allows me to truly individualize care—especially for those dealing with fatigue, pain, fear of movement, or major changes in functional ability.
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to translate complex medical, physical, and emotional needs into accessible, meaningful strategies that help people feel capable again. Whether I’m designing a movement plan for someone in active treatment, providing grounding practices during a moment of overwhelm, or creating hybrid classes that reach patients across varying levels of ability, my work is always rooted in compassion, personalization, and empowerment.
I’m most proud of how I’ve elevated and expanded program offerings at Life with Cancer. I led the shift toward hybrid service delivery, broadened our integrative services to include energy therapy and acupuncture, and strengthened our capacity to deliver individualized movement and exercise support. These changes have increased access, reduced barriers, and helped patients receive comprehensive care at every stage of their journey.
What sets me apart is the combination of my lived experience as a cancer survivor, my professional expertise across multiple healing disciplines, and my ability to connect with people on a deeply human level. I bring credibility, empathy, and an intuitive sense of what each person needs to feel safe, supported, and empowered.
My work is guided by one core belief: healing is not just physical—it’s a whole‑person process, and every patient deserves care that honors their complexity, their story, and their strength.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is living a life of service. I want my work—and my presence—to elevate the lives of others. I am committed to living a purpose‑driven life rooted in compassion, awareness, and contribution.
My deepest calling is to help people expand their understanding of their own physical and mental health. I want to empower individuals to feel more connected to their bodies, more aligned with their values, and more capable of making choices that support their well‑being. If I can help someone cultivate awareness, reclaim their strength, or feel seen in their healing journey, then I am living my purpose
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lifewithcancer.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inova_lifewithcancer/
- Facebook: Inova Peterson Life with Cancer
