My Background as a Registered, Licensed Dietitian
When you meet with a Registered, Licensed Dietitian (RD, LD), you know you are meeting with a nutrition expert. An RD/LD is a professional who has studied diet and nutrition at an approved college or university, completed a supervised 6-12 month practice program, and passed an exam. Continuing education is required to maintain RD/LD status.
A little about my educational background:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Vermont
- A 9-month dietetic internship at the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center
- Master’s Degree in Public Health, with an emphasis in nutrition, from the University of California, Los Angeles
Dietitians are required to achieve 20 hours of continuing education credits annually. I love to learn, however, and get far more than that every year. In the past three years I have attended professional conferences focused on weight management, eating disorders, sports nutrition, food sensitivities, life coaching, celiac disease, dietary supplements, inflammation, nutrigenomics, and motivational interviewing. Recent conferences include the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals in Charleston, SC (March 2012), Body Image training with PSU (April 2012), FODMAPS in Portsmouth (May 2012), Food As Medicine in Bethesda, MD (June 2012), Binge Eating Disorder Association Conference in Bethesda, MD (March 2013) and the Multi Service Eating Disorders Conference in Needham, MA (April 2013).
In June 2011, I earned certification as a Health and Fitness Specialist through the American College of Sports Medicine. This allows me to provide exercise guidance to both healthy people and those with medical conditions. I also completed the CDR certificate of training in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management (2006) and am a Certified Health and Wellness Coach (2009).
I provide coaching and education that helps people optimize health and prevent disease. Dietitians specialize in many different areas so it is important to select one who is experienced in the area for which you are seeking guidance.
The lifetime accomplishment of which I am most proud is overcoming my own eating disorder. For me this means finally being able to say that I am a “normal” eater and every day being able to experience the incredible freedom that comes with that.