About Me

WHY FOOD & NUTRITION?

When I was a little kid, I moved to a new place about every three years because of my dad's job. During that time, the meals that my mom made for the family were a welcome source of stability for me. Familiar meals (spaghetti, taco night, breakfast cereal) were something that I could predict, ask for, and count on even amidst the unease of moving to a new place. When I had to face unfamiliarity almost everywhere else, having a meal that was familiar - and delicious! - was grounding and comforting. My interest in food & nutrition is rooted in that phenomenon: the unique way that food can shape experiences. Food is exciting because it can impact lives in ways both physical and psychological. Though there is plenty of valid scientific evidence out there about nutrition and food, it's not strictly scientific in practice. There is a human element. In a hospital, for instance, the option to choose a tasty, nourishing meal can help someone feel better emotionally, and it could also encourage them to actually eat the meal, supporting their physical wellness. And even on a more mundane level (think: snacks and drinks on an airplane), food can improve - or ruin - an experience beyond satisfying basic hunger.

In my work as a registered dietitian, I follow the scientific evidence and well-researched guidelines, but also honor the human element: every individual and experience is different. I want to help make nutrition information accessible and digestible for all. Down the road, I hope to return to working in the food industry with a sharpened nutrition perspective.

BACKGROUND & EDUCATION

I graduated from The University of Alabama in 2017 with a degree in chemical engineering and started working in the food industry. I was an engineer at a food ingredient plant, and later worked in quality assurance at an artisanal salami company. While I loved these experiences and knew that food was the field for me, I wanted to move more towards the nutrition side of things. I went back to school for my M.S. in nutritional sciences from San Diego State University, graduating in 2023. In May 2025, I graduated from my dietetic internship at the VA in San Diego. I passed the RD exam and became a registered dietitian in June 2025.

I am deeply grateful to my family, friends, and mentors along the way who helped me get to this point. I'm eager to share what I've learned about food & nutrition over the years while continuing to learn new things. I recently moved to Okinawa, Japan (for my spouse's job) so I'm learning new things about different cultural cuisines and food & nutrition philosophies all the time these days!