Copy of Copy of Facebook Post – Untitled Design.png — **DIETITIANS OF PALM VALLEY**

**for something nutrishus**

“There is no limit on the career path that a RD can have and that is the best part…that no one career path looks the same. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things that the next generation of RD’s come up with.”

— Samantha Previte

I found this wonderful group on Instagram. Dietitians of Palm Valley started out as Mindy Black Nutrition & Lifestyle Management and has grown to be a team of four dietitians over the years, and it seems like they all sought each other out! They share similar, yet unique backgrounds, and have lots happening in their Florida community.

Mindy Black MS,RD,CSSD,CPT

Co-Owner of Dietitians of Palm Valley

Mindy Black is an experienced Registered Dietitian located in Jacksonville, Florida. She specializes in sports nutrition, weight management, and medical nutrition therapy. Currently, she is the Director of Performance Nutrition for the Jacksonville Jaguars. She also works closely with several doctors and chiropractors in the Jacksonville Area & is an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida. Mindy graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition and a Masters in Exercise Physiology.

Past experience includes serving as a Sports Nutritionist for the University of Florida Athletic Association, Jacksonville University, and independent work with many professional and elite athletes, weight loss counseling, & leading group nutrition seminars.

Mindy is Board Certified as a specialist in Sports Dietetics through the American Dietetic Association. The Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) is the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the U.S. Being Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics designates specific knowledge, skills, and expertise for competency in sports dietetics practice.

Samantha Previte, RD, LDN, CPT

Why did you become a RD?

Growing up, I always suffered with severe gastrointestinal issues and was bounced back and forth between many doctors. Never once was I asked what my diet was like or what foods I was consuming. As I entered my college years, I knew I wanted a career where I could help people and make an impact on people’s lives. I “fell-into” the Nutritional Sciences Program at Penn State University and minored in Kinesiology. I worked in the Sports Nutrition department and fell in love with the correlation of nutrition and fitness.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Co-owner of Dietitians of Palm Valley, private practice in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida.

How would you explain what you do?

I always say, “we work with anyone who has to eat food”. We live in a society that has a $66 billion diet industry full of pills, fads, and magic fixes. My mission is to help people restore their relationship with food and their bodies by teaching them how to nourish their body with food and ditch dieting forever.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

One-on-one Nutrition Counseling
Online Nutrition Counseling
Supporting/managing dietitian team
Corporate Wellness Programs (cooking classes, counseling employees, lunch & learns)
Grocery Store Tours (group or individualized)
Co-teaching local cooking classes
Working education tables at various community events including but not limited to: Fitness Centers, 5K Races, and other health related events
Creating blogs and online content for our online nutrition courses

What has been your career path?

After graduating my dietetic internship, I accepted a job as a Retail Registered Dietitian with Inserra Supermarkets (ShopRite) in New Jersey. I worked in a supermarket implementing a structured wellness program for all 200+ associates as well as providing services for all shoppers including but not limited to: individual nutrition counseling, grocery store tours, child/adult cooking classes, in-store food demos, and diabetes management classes.

Two years later, my husband and I were looking to move to Florida. I cold-called Mindy Black (other co-owner of Dietitians of Palm Valley) who at the time owned Mindy Black Nutrition. We had very parallel career paths: counseling, sports, and the grocery store experience. After speaking with Mindy, I moved to Florida to partner with her, co-created Dietitians of Palm Valley, and continued to grow our practice into what it is today.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Certified Personal Trainer
Certificate in training of Adult Weight Management
Certificate in Training Supermarket Business and Industry Skills

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

Booming with registered dietitians who are confident in what they do and the value that they hold in the medical field. There is no limit on the career path that a RD can have and that is the best part…that no one career path looks the same. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things that the next generation of RDs come up with.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Many people think dietitians teach “dieting” but that couldn’t be more far from what we do. We teach people how to nourish their bodies through food.

What is your favourite meal?

Chicken quesadilla with a side of chips and guacamole

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

To future RDs, the sky is truly the limit. Do not pigeon hole yourself into a job you think you “should” take just to have a job.
Follow your passions, use your voice, and remember that other people’s opinion of you is NOT your business. Don’t let the fear or doubt of what could go wrong hold you back from striving to reach your career goals.
Find a dietitian mentor that you look up to and chat weekly, monthly, or as much as needed.

Lauren Smith MS, RD LDN

Why did you become a RD?

I knew I wanted to become a dietitian my freshman year of college after a few key experiences happened to me. Going into freshman year, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. My dad and other members of my family work in corporate America, so it was a safe choice. As that year progressed, I struggled with the transition from athlete to normal human considering this was the first time I didn’t play competitive soccer in my whole life! Coupled with the fact I moved from Massachusetts to Florida and didn’t have my mom around any longer to cook for me. All things considered, when I discovered the role of a registered dietitian, my personal interest in nutrition and desire to become healthy myself really sparked my interest in the career.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I am a private practice RD with Dietitians of Palm Valley.

How would you explain what you do?

If I was to write out my job description, I would do so many different things it would run right off the page! That being said, I predominantly work one-on-one with clients to develop sustainable fueling strategies and healthy lifestyle behaviors. I spend a lot of time communicating with clients in person and in between sessions online. Some of the other things I do include writing blog posts, developing educational and marketing materials for the company (like our newly launched online courses!!), networking with like-minded healthcare professionals in the Jacksonville area, developing recipes to share on our various social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest, and give nutrition lectures/talks to local fitness studios!

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Me and my colleagues all joke that no day is ever the same. Some days I have back-to-back clients in the office, while other days I’m out tabling at a fitness studio or taking a client on a grocery store tour! Other days I work from home and on my computer creating content such as online courses! As you can see, no day is ever the same!!

What has been your career path?

After graduating from Florida State University in 2016 with my Bachelor’s of Science in Dietetics, I decided to pursue my Master’s degree before beginning my dietetic internship (DI). I ended up at Boston University where I completed my Master of Science in Nutrition and dietetic internship in their combined program. During my clinically-focused DI, I reached out to Dietitians of Palm Valley as I knew I wanted to work in private practice and really impact the individuals I worked with. From there, I moved right into the position I’m currently in!

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Master’s degree! :) I also was extremely thankful to have had various opportunities to advance my knowledge on sports nutrition and eating disorders due to the two colleges I attended and my dietetic internship.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I would love to continue the conversation about why it is so different to see a registered dietitian than a “nutritionist.” Because of our company’s strong presence on social media, it is sometimes baffling to me who so many individuals trust giving them nutrition advice that is so inaccurate, harmful to their health, or based on one research study. I always joke - it’s not that I’m “hating on nutritionists”... that is so the opposite of my message! It’s just that for myself (and I assume every dietitian out there would feel the same) - I am so extremely proud of my education, the training and the time commitment that it took to develop the skills that make me successful with clients, and our career!

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Here’s rapid fire misinformation I would love to clear up about dietitians:

1. Dietitians are not the food police.

2. Dietitians work in a variety of areas. Just because we partner or endorse certain products does not necessarily mean we are getting a commision or have “big industry” in mind. If your dietitian is ethical, they will have a balanced view about the product and only endorse products they would use/recommend for clients themself.

3. When dietitians say “you don’t have to restrict foods to be healthy” we do not mean “eat whatever you want your health will be fine!” Of course we know nutrition information and the ways certain foods impact our health, but we also know positive mindsets around food and balance are key to SUSTAINABLE and HEALTHY lifestyles!!

Whitney Hochstetler, MS, RD, LDN

Why did you become a RD?

I had a passion for athletics, exercise science, and nutrition. The best way to combine those altogether was to become a sports dietitian.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Sports/Private practice

How would you explain what you do?

I provide nutrition education to athletes, and then help them take that knowledge and apply it to their day-to-day fueling habits to help them achieve their goals and perform at an elite level!

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

One-on-One nutrition counseling, content creation, team talks, social media, & planning events in the community.

What has been your career path?

I decided to go back to school to get my Master’s in Exercise Physiology/Sports Nutrition, as well as complete the dietetic internship to become an RD. From there, I interned with the Jaguars during spring training. Following that I started a job at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, working specifically with their football and men’s basketball programs. Then I decided to join Dietitians of Palm Valley, where I get to work with athletes in the private practice setting as well as collegiate athletes at Jacksonville University.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have my MS in Exercise Physiology, and my dietetic internship had sport specific rotations to prepare me for a career in sports nutrition.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

Ideally, having the health/wellness/nutrition/athletics industry continue to recognize and raise awareness of the importance of a dietitian and all the training & education required to become one, so that dietitians can serve and help all communities of people (i.e. athletes, active individuals, those with chronic diseases, etc.).

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

We are not the food police!

What do people think that you do for a living?

Put people on diets, when in all actuality I am anti-diet!

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I enjoy helping athletes fuel their performance, and helping them understand how to fuel their bodies!

More about DPV:

Website: www.dietitiansofpalmvalley.com

Online Courses: www.dpvcourses.com

Instagram: @dietitiansofpalmvalley

Email: sam@dietitiansofpalmvalley.com

Phone: 904-250-0075