Leadership Team

Lauri O Byerley, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, is currently an Associate Professor at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in the School of Medicine’s Physiology Department, where she teaches nutrition wellness to allied health professionals and our next generation of doctors. She is also a Professor at the American Public University System (APUS), where she teaches sports nutrition and develops nutrition curriculum for the Sports and Health Sciences program. Dr. Byerley received her BS in Food and Nutrition, Related Science from Iowa State University, MS in Nutritional Science from Purdue University, and PhD in Nutritional Science/Public Health with a minor in Biological Science from UCLA. In addition, she completed two post-doctoral fellowships, one at Stanford University and the other at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Recently, Lauri was inducted into Purdue University, Department of Nutrition’s Hall of Fame. As well, she has received several top university teaching awards from APUS.

Lauri’s current research focuses on the interaction of diet with the gut microbiome and its impact on metabolic processes within the body. She has more than 35 peer-reviewed articles from her original scientific research. Also, she has several nutrition-related publications and books written for the lay press. In addition, she has presented at local, state, and national meetings appeared on television and radio talk shows, and chaired events at several national meetings.

Lauri was Secretary and Chair of the Research Dietetic Practice Group along with several other appointed positions. In 2019, she was Symposium Director for SCAN. She is a member of the American Society of Nutrition, American Physiology Society, and Cachexia Society.

Lauri is married with a son and daughter and enjoys spending time with her family. Her most recent adventure was a raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. When not engaged with her family, you can find her biking or running, cooking, or volunteering for some local community group, such as Special Olympics.

Elizabeth “Beth” Abbey is an Associate Professor in the Health Sciences Department at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA where she teaches courses in general nutrition, health & well-being, sport nutrition, and food systems. Her research interests are varied and have covered aspects of health and well-being in athletic and non-athletic populations. Beth served as the SCAN Chair-Elect (2020 – 2021) and as the SCAN SD-USA Subunit Director from 2016 – 2019. She earned a BS in Biology and a BA in Chemistry from Whitworth University, an MA in Exercise Physiology from The College of St. Scholastica, a PhD in Nutrition for Sport and Chronic Disease at Virginia Tech, and completed her dietetic internship at the Mayo School of Health Sciences. Beth grew up on a wheat farm and has been involved in promoting sustainable local food systems and environmental stewardship through her work as a founding member of the Spokane Food Policy Council and a member of the 350 Spokane Interfaith Committee. A long-time runner, Beth ran cross country and track at Whitworth and has been an assistant coach for the Pirates. She loves living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Tim and two corgis, Bollo and Badger.

Sherri Nordstrom Stastny, PhD, RD, CSSD, LRD is a Professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences at North Dakota State University. She has been a full-time member of the dietetics faculty at NDSU since 2002, and has developed and led classes and labs in food science, sports nutrition, and all aspects of foodservice management for over a decade. Dr. Stastny is a gerontologist and studies nutrition as it relates to healthy aging in the Healthy Aging Lab on campus. Recent studies have focused on prevention of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. She has led workshops for dietetic associations and other professional groups, college residence life groups, physician groups, retirement communities, and college faculty. The ability to apply prepare everyday foods, snacks, and beverages using the most current nutrition optimization strategies is emphasized in sessions, and individual participation is encouraged. Use of whole, local, non-processed foods are emphasized whenever practical. Stastny is married, has 2 daughters, and 1 son, and is active in bicycle commuting, and more recently, pickleball, when life allows it.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RDN, ATC is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified athletic trainer, journalist, nutrition and fitness consultant and author of 9 cookbooks, including the best-selling Healthy, Quick & Easy Smoothies, DASH Diet Meal Prep for Beginners and the Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook.

Dana is the sports dietitian and associate clinical professor of Athletic Training and Sports Medicine at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She has been practicing as a dual credentialed clinician for nearly 20 years. She is an ambassador for F45 Training in Fairfield, Connecticut, a member of the USOC Sports Dietitian Registry and National Athletic Trainers’ Association liaison to the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition subgroup of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dana is involved in several research projects and professional publications, covering topics including eating disorders in sport, professional nutrition practice, culinary medicine and dietary supplement safety in sports medicine.

Dana is the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com and has served on advisory boards for Verywell, Greatist, Applegate, Chobani and the Egg Nutrition Center. She has worked as a spokesperson for Gatorade, NOW Sports, National Honey Board, National Mango Board and Cooking Light Magazine. She has made appearances on Good Day Street Talk, Food Network.com, Access Hollywood, ABC Nightly News, NBC Connecticut, CT Style, GMA Health, New York Live and Great Day Connecticut.

Dana’s work has been featured on Food Network.com, Verywell.com, Cooking Light.com, Today’s Dietitian, SHAPE, SEVENTEEN, Prevention, Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maxim and Better Homes and Gardens.

Dana earned her master’s degree in nutrition education from Teachers’ College-Columbia University and bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from Quinnipiac. You will often find her HIIT training or out on her paddleboard; she resides in Connecticut with her husband and 3 daughters.

Dr. Kathleen Woolf is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University. Her work focuses on the integrated relationship of lifestyle behaviors (e.g., nutrition and physical activity) to chronic diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, and musculoskeletal & skin disorders. Her research also includes the assessment of nutrition and physical activity patterns (sedentary behaviors, physical inactivity, and physical activity) in healthy individuals (recreational/competitive athletes) and individuals with chronic disease. Kathleen Woolf has held leadership positions within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the local, state, and national level. She is an editorial board member of American College of Sports Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal and an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Kathleen completed her undergraduate education at Arizona State University, focused in nutrition and dietetics. Next she completed a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Her Master’s degree was completed in nutritional sciences through the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. Kathleen received her Ph.D. in an interdisciplinary program in exercise science from Arizona State University. She was the 2017 Excellence in Practice Award by the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys exploring all that New York City has to offer, including museums, performing arts, parks, and diverse cuisines.

Jen Nguyen, RDN, CDN, NASM-CPT, is currently Director of Nutrition at Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen where she is a founding member of the nutrition programs and services. She is also an Associate with Dr. Wendy Bazilian, assisting with media and professional presentations, interviews, book publications, and other large-scale projects. Years prior to becoming a dietitian, she became a certified personal trainer and taught private, group, and virtual exercise classes and was a sports nutrition intern with collegiate and professional athletes. Currently, she works with individuals in disease prevention, community wellness, and ultra-endurance sports. Jen received her Bachelor of Science in Food Administration and Dietetics with an option in Nutrition and Dietetics, minor in Hospitality Management at California State University, Long Beach, and completed her dietetic internship at Cornell University.

Jen held leadership positions with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the local and national level. More recently, serving as the 30 and Under Director for the AND Foundation. Jen is the recipient of the 2022 Young Dietitian of the Year Award for the NYSAND and 2016 Outstanding Didactic Student for the CAND.

Jen is a Southern California native, and now resides in Upstate New York with her partner, Rob and boxer, Kiwi. For fun, she loves cooking, gardening, trail running, hiking the Adirondack mountains, and attending live music events.

Lynn Cialdella Kam is a Research Dietitian at the Naval Health Research Center, where she leads the Food Utilization and Energy Laboratory (FUEL) team in the Warfighter Performance Department. Her research is focused on nutritional strategies to prevent injuries and illnesses, accelerate recovery from injuries and illnesses, and enhancing performance in warfighters under stress (i.e., sleep deprivation, cold stress, and energy deprivation). Lynn served as treasurer for SCAN from 2018-2020 and House of Delegate representative from 2020-2021. She received her PhD in Nutrition with minors in Exercise Physiology and Statistics from Oregon State University and has a Master’s in Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas at Austin and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She has counseled athletes of all ages from the recreational to the professional level and experience in strategic planning for multinational companies. In her spare time, she enjoys modern dance, swimming, cooking, and spending time with her husband and their fur babies.

Carrie Hamady is a clinical professor in the department of Public and Allied Health as well as the coordinator of the Food and Nutrition Program and the Director of the Undergraduate Dietetics Program at Bowling Green State University. She teaches classes in clinical nutrition, lifecycle nutrition for the middle to later years, sports nutrition, and seminar classes for new and senior dietetics students. Carrie has an MS in Health Promotion and her EdD in Leadership Studies. Her interests are in clinical nutrition, sustainability, food insecurity, innovative teaching techniques in dietetics education, and informatics. She is the CPI- Chair for the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has served as the Membership Chair for the past two years. Carrie won the award for best innovation in dietetics education at FNCE, the Faculty Excellence Award for Community-Based Teaching at BGSU, the 2018 Ohio and North Central Region of NDEP Outstanding Dietetic Educator Award in the DPD Program category, the 2020 BGSU Mentoring Excellence Award, and the 2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success. Carrie lives in northwest Ohio with her husband and has three kids. They enjoy camping and hiking.

Taylor Bloedon is an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology and Recreation Administration Department at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA where she teaches general nutrition, sports nutrition, nutrition and health and holistic health and well-being. She received her BS in Psychology with an honors emphasis in social psychology from the University of Oregon, her M.S. in Nutrition and Food Management/Dietetics with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology at Oregon State University and her Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition Sciences with an emphasis in Exercise Science from the University of Maine. Her research interests include examining the integration of nutrition and movement strategies for improving and maintaining health, improving sports performance, as well as preventing and reducing chronic disease. Her current research focuses on a variety of dietary strategies and lifestyle-related behaviors that impact mental and physical health. Taylor enjoys collaborating with other educators and professionals and sharing information and resources to learn from each other as well as broaden the perspectives she brings to her students and to create a sense of community. When not in the classroom, Taylor loves being outside playing, exploring the ocean and the Redwoods, rock climbing, running, or having a spontaneous dance party with her husband and two kiddos.

Grace Derocha is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes care educator and specialist. She has over 22 year of experience as a dietitian. She loves helping others learn how to live a healthier and happier lifestyle. She is passionate about educating others about nutrition, fitness, health, wellness and well-being, while guiding them through attainable behavioral changes. Grace was born and raised in Michigan. Mrs. Derocha attended Michigan State University and earned two bachelors of science degrees in psychology and dietetics. Later she earned her MBA from Wayne State University. Grace is a National Spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and currently resides in Metro Detroit, Michigan. She is a wife, mommy of two, a puppy mom, Spartan, and avid Detroit sports fan. She loves music, dancing, food, cooking, shopping, reading, and smiling.

As President/Owner of Storlietelling LLC, Jean designs and facilitates processes to enable creative collaboration in solving business challenges. She incorporates storytelling and story-based techniques to create highly engaging strategic planning, innovation, and team building sessions. She also offers virtual and live workshops that teach professionals how to create meaningful stories for their business communications and leadership. Jean was a founding member of SCAN and served in several leadership roles in the 1980s, including as Chair in 1987-88. After a long hiatus when she was raising her three kids and working at the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, she got involved in SCAN again in 2011 to work on the SCAN 30-year history project. Jean subsequently served on the Nominating Committee and then two terms as the SCAN Delegate to the Academy HOD from 2014-20. Jean will support the CV-Well DDG as the Leadership Cultivation Coordinator, helping to identify volunteers to execute key functions/projects and to develop the leadership pipeline. She lives in Minneapolis and loves hiking, biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, gardening, and camping.

Liz Kiertscher is passionate about health and wellness. As a Certified Wellness Program Coordinator, she currently works as the Coordinator of Employee Wellness and Nutrition for Garland ISD developing wellness programming and initiatives for Garland ISD’s employees. She has worked in health and wellness for over nine years, previously as a health risk management consultant. Liz has a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. Liz is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian as well as a Certified Personal Trainer with experience in the gym setting and as a clinical inpatient and outpatient hospital dietitian. She likes to share her passion for nutrition and wellness with others and has been an adjunct professor teaching nutrition at Dallas College for ten years. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, camping and crafting.

Dr. Karen Reznik Dolins has worked in private practice for over 30 years helping individuals and groups achieve their nutrition goals. She is guided by her commitment to integrating nutrition and physical activity for optimal performance and well-being. Specialty areas include:

• Nutrition strategies to improve athletic performance
• Body weight and composition
• Disordered eating/eating disorders
• Picky eating
• Medical nutrition therapy for those with medical needs

In addition to her private practice, Karen teaches graduate level sports nutrition at Teachers College Columbia University and New York University. Her extensive experience includes serving as the sports nutritionist for Iona College, Columbia University, and the NY Knicks. She has provided workshops for the Women’s NBA, NBA Player's Association and Cirque du Soleil as well as schools and numerous coaches’ clinics. She has authored numerous publications in professional and lay journals and presents at conferences nationwide.

Karen earned a BA in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis, an MA in Nutrition and Dietetics from NYU and a doctoral degree from Teachers College Columbia University in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology.

Karen was among the first to earn the credential of Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a past Chair, Treasurer, and Membership Director of the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness (SCAN) Dietetic Practice Group and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. She sits on the board of the MSUD Family Support Group and directs research efforts for this rare Inborn Error of Metabolism. She is also a board member of Meals on Wheels White Plains. Athletic pursuits include swimming, cycling, hiking, and scuba diving.

Jennifer Burris PhD, RD, CSSD, CNSC, CDCES is a Registered Dietitian and part-time faculty in Nutrition at California State University Channel Islands (Calabasas, CA), and New York University (Newy York, NY), and Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, CA). Jennifer’s research focuses on the integrated role of nutrition, physical activity, and chronic skin disease, particularly acne, to promote patient wellness. She has a passion for nutrition and is currently a Sports Nutrition Consultant for the Ventura County Fire department (Ventura County, CA), targeting the unique nutrition needs of first responders. Jennifer also has extensive experience as a clinical dietitian, previously focusing on acute care at the University of California, Irvine, long-term care for Dietitians of Orange County (California), and pediatric patient care within the Metabolic Disorders and Genetic Inborn Errors of Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Orange County, (California).

Karen Collins is a registered dietitian nutritionist, consultant and writer who focuses on translating current nutrition science related to cardiovascular health, cancer prevention and cardio-oncology. Her trademarked tagline, “Taking Nutrition from Daunting to Doable”, highlights her aim of helping people see beyond headlines, and put complex information in perspective within the “big picture” of overall research.

A Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Karen has previously served as Chair of SCAN, and as co-director of its Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition subunit. Currently, she contributes to CV-Well as a member of the Expert Rapid Response Team, providing insights to the Academy on regulatory and public affairs matters.

Among her consultant activities, Karen has been serving as Nutrition Advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research for over 30 years. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed book chapters and research summaries for health professionals, and over 2,000 nutrition-related articles for the public. Karen also writes reviews of cardiovascular and cancer nutrition research that run on her own website, Karen Collins Nutrition.com.

Mark Kern earned his PhD in Foods and Nutrition in the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program at Purdue University where he blended foods and nutrition with exercise science. He was hired at San Diego State University in 1995 to “cross over” between both areas after the foods and nutrition faculty merged with the physical education faculty to form one of the nation’s first departments of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. Mark taught Advanced Nutrition and the Advanced Nutrition Laboratory for many years, but has been teaching Fundamentals of Nutrition more often recently. He has also taught Nutrition for Athletes and Nutrition and Energy every year since he was hired. Mark was previously highly involved with the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) Dietetic Practice Group where he has been a presenter at the annual Symposium, a book reviewer, nominating committee chair, member of the Executive Committee, Editor-in-Chief of SCAN’s PULSE for 18 years and winner of the SCAN Achievement Award. His research usually addresses the interactive and independent effects of diet and exercise on chronic disease risk factors, appetite and body weight regulation, bone health and exercise performance. Mark likes to put his discoveries to the test by competing in triathlons, and although training takes a lot of his time, he admits his favorite way to spend his time when he’s not eating is to ride motocross.

Carol Sloan is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and consultant with expertise in food and nutrition communications and food service management. Carol is the Health Research Director for the California Walnut Commission where she leads project implementation and oversees active research studies internationally and domestically. Carol also collaborates with the public relations and marketing departments to translate this scientific research for broader audiences, including consumers and health professionals. She is also a freelance journalist specializing in delivering scientifically sound, realistic information all about food, nutrition and health. Carol currently provides a nutrition column for School News Roll Call and was nutrition editor for LA Parent Magazine for 20 years. She is nutrition consultant to several healthcare facilities in southern California and is a member of the Bayer Crop Science Leaders Engaged in Advancing Dialogue (L.E.A.D.) Initiative. Carol served two terms as a delegate to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She served on the Executive Board for the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is a member of many Academy Dietetic Practice Groups including Healthy Aging, Diabetes in Care and Education, Oncology, Research, Vegetarian, Food and Culinary and Dietitians in Business and Communications. She is currently the editor of the Nutrition Education for the Public DPG newsletter. She is a member of the American Society of Nutrition, The Obesity Society, the American Heart Association, Institute of Food Technologists and American Association of Diabetes Educators and received both the Excellence in Private Practice, Business & Communications Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Carol serves as a preceptor to the Individualized Supervised-Practice Pathway Program at California State University, San Bernardino and the Master’s Dietetic Internship at California State University, Long Beach and she is a member of the Dean’s Council for the Department of Agriculture at Cal Poly Pomona.

Geeta Sikand is a national speaker, Director of Nutrition, Preventive Cardiology Program at University of California Irvine and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology Division). Geeta is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) and a Fellow of the National Lipid Association (NLA). Ms. Sikand is a registered dietitian and a clinical lipid specialist.

Ms. Sikand serves as the Cardiovascular Nutrition Content Expert for the Academy’s Cardiovascular Health and Well-being dietetic practice group. Ms. Sikand is Co-Chair of the NLA Nutrition Task Force and coauthor of the “2015 NLA Recommnendations for the Management of Dyslipidemia.” Ms. Sikand serves on the NLA Board of Governors. Ms. Sikand is Co-chair of the NLA South Asian Work Group. Ms. Sikand’s area of research is in the area of dietary strategies for cardiovascular risk reduction and outcomes of medical nutrition therapy in the management of dyslipidemia and cardiometabolic risk factors including improvements in cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, BMI and A1c.

Ms. Sikand has been honored with many national and state awards including the 2020 NLA’s 2020 President’s Service Award, Academy’s 2020 Excellence in Weight Management Outcomes Research Award and the Academy’s 2019 Medallion Award. She was honored for her leadership, public policy and community service and for her medical nutrition therapy outcomes research for patients with dyslipidemia and cardiometabolic risk factors. In 2019 Ms. Sikand received the Academy’s Excellence in Cardiovascular Practice Award, Academy’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indians in Nutrition and Dietetics Member Interest Group, 2013 Academy’s Distinguished Service Award, 2001 Mary Huddleson Award for making the highest research contribution to the dietetics profession At the state level, Ms. Sikand was the recipient of the California Academy’s 2019 Dolores Nyhus Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award, and the 1997 California Academy’s Excellence in Outcomes Research Award.

Kavita Poddar worked as a dietitian in India, then came to the United States for higher education. She earned her PhD in nutrition from Virginia Tech and worked as a post-doc at Johns Hopkins before moving to Wisconsin. Kavita has lived in Wisconsin since 2011 and working at UW Health since 2013. She is trained in health promotion and disease prevention with emphasis on lifestyle changes that include dietary modifications in obese and type II diabetic individuals. She has strong skills sets in developing and designing, planning and implementing clinical trials in research setting. Additional skills include data management, analysis and manuscript development. She is experienced in providing advanced level care in clinical nutrition across different age group.

Erin Pover has been working as a Registered Dietitian since 2009, most recently at Highmark, Inc as a Wellness Coach. Erin received her B.S. and M.S. in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been active in the Pittsburgh Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, serving on the Board of Directors as the Past President, Membership Co-Chair, Nominating Chair, Mentoring Chair, and Career Guidance Co-Chair. She was also the Social Media Chair for the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Membership Recruitment and Retention Chair for the Weight Management DPG. Her professional interests include weight management and nutrition counseling and her personal interests include spending time with her family and running outdoors. Erin lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and two daughters.

Satya S. Jonnalagadda, PhD, MBA, RDN, is the Vice President of Scientific and Clinical Affairs at Medifast. Satya has more than 20 years of experience in nutrition, has held various roles in global research and development for Novartis Nutrition Corporation, General Mills, Kerry Ingredients, Abbott Nutrition, was an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Georgia State University and a Clinical Dietitian and is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. Satya has more than 50 peer reviewed publications in key scientific journals, has contributed to several book chapters and has presented at scientific and professional conferences. Satya has conducted pre-clinical, epidemiological and human intervention nutrition research studies to examine impact of different dietary components on key health and nutrition biomarkers and outcomes. Satya is an active member of several scientific organizations, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Society for Nutrition, and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Katelyn E. Senkus, MS is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in Human Nutrition at The University of Alabama. Her research objectives support cardiometabolic health by elucidating the relationships among dietary bioactive compounds, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as well as vascular function. Furthermore, she investigates variables that may mediate the beneficial effects of nutrition interventions, such as obesity and the oral microbiome, on the aforementioned measures, permitting the differentiation between intervention responders and non-responders. Katelyn has received funding from agencies such as the Colgate-Palmolive Company, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation.

Shannon Herbert, MS, RD is a registered dietitian, yoga instructor, and second year doctoral student in the Nutrition and Dietetics program at New York University (New York, NY). Her research interests lie in understanding how lifestyle behaviors (diet, physical activity) may impact chronic disease, with the hope of developing lifestyle interventions that support and promote lifelong well-being. Her research is focused on exploring and developing lifestyle interventions for women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Shannon aims to explore the experiences of women with PCOS, with a focus on their relationship with food and their dietary intake patterns. Shannon received her bachelor of science degree in Global Public Health & Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as her master of science degree in Clinical Nutrition, from New York University. She completed her dietetic internship at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in Bronx, NY.