My first job after graduate school and getting my RD was with a public health clinic in Oakland. I found that after that job it wasn’t too hard to get employment, and jobs with other clinics, retreat centers, and colleges followed. In 2014 I received the Fulbright Scholar Grant to work in Nicaragua, that was also a big milestone for me and has allowed me to work on branching out to more international work.
Read MoreI started BUD in 2014 at a time when it felt like there was a lot of negativity and criticism about dietitians. I regularly saw groups/social media accounts and pages, individuals and the media accusing dietitians of lacking integrity. Having been a dietitian for almost two decades at that point I knew that our profession deserved better treatment and a more positive space to encourage each other and celebrate our accomplishments.
Read MoreIn my ideal future, GOOD nutrition information being shared by health professionals on social media will finally outweigh the BAD nutrition information pushed by celebrities, supplement companies, or self-proclaimed (non-credentialed) ‘internet gurus.’
Read MoreI don’t worry about what people think. I focus on making an impact. If I were to feel concerned about what people think about my profession, then my mindset wouldn’t stay positive and focused. Instead of caring how people perceive my chosen title, I am busy creating content and solving the problems of my target audience. Once a dietitian confidently defines his or her business, at that point I ask you: Does it matter what other people think you do for a living? What matters is your end goal and I recommend to start by defining that. As Colon Powel said in his Ted Talk, “Have a vision and be demanding.” He didn’t say, “Have a vision and question what other people think about you while you’re on your journey.”
Read MoreThe best part of being a dietitian is how the days and weeks vary so greatly. I generally spend a few days a week at the practice touching base with patients, mixed up with consulting for industry, corporate work such as canteen audits and nutrition assessments for employee wellness, consumer education with nutrition workshops and presentations, managing media requests, and now and then some more academic writing and literature reviews.
Read MoreI work in multiple areas of practice, which is why I love this wonderful profession. I currently work in private practice (telehealth, community nutrition, and food product consulting), academia (higher education), and communications & events management (U.S. state-level A.N.D. affiliate).
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