When I got to college, I no longer played a sport and had to navigate losing the team environment and structure to my day that athletics provided. I felt very overwhelmed in the dining hall, and the gym with how to remain active, and what I should be fueling my body with. This is when I became very influenced by social media and I know first-hand how easy it is to get sucked into believing information you see and hear online from those who are unqualified. The more I learned about nutrition through my schooling, I quickly realized how much misinformation there was out there that could do more harm than good. This is when I knew that my passion resided in helping to educate others to take their health into their own hands and simplify nutrition so that they can feel confident and apply their new knowledge in a practical way that is sustainable.  

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In 2019, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire, and in 2021, obtained my master’s degree from the University at Buffalo (UB). The more I learned about the power of food, the more invested I became in learning how it can be used to prevent and treat illness and disease as well as rehabilitate injuries. During my time at UB, I designed and participated in culinary nutrition classes, provided group nutrition education sessions for adolescents and athletes, gained clinical experience in a level 1 trauma center, and developed effective counseling techniques to facilitate behavior change for populations in the acute care and community settings of Western New York.  

In the summer of 2021, I began working in athletics at the University of Kansas as a performance dietitian for the football program. This allowed me the opportunity to learn to build rapport with those from all backgrounds, of all ages, with differing food preferences which is important to me. I conducted cooking demonstrations and grocery store tours, teaching the athletes life skills they can use every day, and take with them in the future. I believe it is so important to be able to empower adolescents to take pride in their health and respect their bodies when so much is changing within and around them. While access to information comes so easy nowadays, along with societal pressures, it can be difficult to filter out the nonsense especially as they begin to have more autonomy over their health and wellness and become less reliant on family and peers. This is also why it is important to understand the impact of what can be passed down generationally. I loved watching athletes make the connection between feeling their best through consistently implementing the nutrition basics well, and performing their best to reach new potential and athletic goals. 

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During this time, was when my interest in functional nutrition practices grew, and I wanted to incorporate this any chance I could. Nutrition impacts every single system in our body. Our heart, brain, and bone health as well as our digestion, immunity, concentration, energy levels, and mood are all affected by the foods we eat. This is why it is necessary to take a holistic approach to nutrition and determine the root cause of challenges as it is most likely affecting the body in more ways than one. I am very excited to take my knowledge and experience to help support individuals in the private practice setting at Buffalo Nutrition and Dietetics. 

 

My approach to nutrition is to help foster a positive relationship with food and to promote the value of food, which is so much more than just fuel. My goal is for everyone to obtain the knowledge to make informed decisions that enable them to be their best selves as they go through the different seasons that life brings. Nutrition and how we fuel ourselves and meet our needs are very dynamic, just as are we. Food should not evoke negative emotions such as fear, guilt, stress, or be overwhelming. Food is essential to life, and it is also connection, tradition, comfort, and culture. In my experience, not only is it more enjoyable but also more effective to not put so much emphasis on what to take away from your diet but rather what you can add instead. 

I believe one of the most important aspects when working with clients is our relationship. I aim to create a personable, open, and trusting environment where we can learn from each other, and I can help provide the best care and support.