What RDs Do: Melissa Bailey, MS, RD, CNSC, LDN & Elizabeth Smith MPH, RD, CNSC, LDN

MELISSA BAILEY & ELIZABETH SMITH
TWO HUNGRY WORK WIVES
for something nutrishus

I 'met' these lovely ladies as followers of the series on Instagram. As you continue to see, whether it's a hobby or a business, many dietitians start blogs, create recipes, counsel/coach as they're just so passionate and/or have unique interests and skills they want to share with the world. This truly is much more than a job to most of us!

Why did you become a RD?

Liz- I initially wanted to help with clients struggling with eating disorders; however throughout my internship I realized that overall health and wellness was important to me, leading me to the clinical world.

Melissa- I loved experimenting with recipes and making them healthier throughout high school and college. It wasn’t until friends told me I should consider nutrition that I gave it a thought. Now I am surprisingly working in an acute care setting, but have reignited my love of healthy cooking through our Instagram and blog.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

We both work in the clinical setting in an acute care hospital. We also provide outpatient counseling weekly. On the side we work on our Instagram and blog @twohungryworkwives.

How would you explain what you do?

Our role as dietitians in the clinical setting is to provide medical nutrition therapy to our hospitalized patients. Melissa focuses on providing nutrition support (tube feeds and I.V. nutrition) to adult surgical patients while Liz works mainly in the neonatal ICU helping premature babies to grow. 

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

We see anywhere from 12-15 patients per day, assessing their nutrition needs and creating a plan with the medical team that best suits each patient. We also attend staff meetings, weekly education sessions and daily interdisciplinary rounds. As far as social media, we try to have meetings together a few times a week to discuss what we will post and the different ideas we have. 

What has been your career path?

Liz- studied nutrition undergrad, went on to work in community nutrition for several years while completing grad school. After completion of grad school, I went into my dietetic internship, where I realized that I wanted to eventually work in the clinical setting. 

Melissa- I studied health sciences in undergrad as I was not quite sure what part of the health profession I wanted to be in. I met with a professor who happened to also be a registered dietitian and she sparked my interest in the field. I went on to grad school with a focus in nutrition, then completed my dietetic internship. I also realized then that I wanted to be in the clinical setting, at least for the first few years of my career.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

We both have our master’s degree. Melissa has her Masters of Science in Human Nutrition while Liz has her Masters of Public Health with a focus in Nutrition. We both are Certified Nutrition Support Clinicians.

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

We hope that the profession continues to grow as there is a need for nutrition professionals within the community as well as in the medical setting. Since dietitians focus on evidenced-based research, we feel it is important to help build up our profession to get the most accurate nutrition information out to the public. We also hope that as the years go by there is better compensation for Registered Dietitians and the value of our profession is noticed. 

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We go through years of education to become a Registered Dietitian and just like any other health professional, we have to take a board examination to become certified to practice. We also have to hold a state licensure (in most states). Many dietitians have a master’s degree and all of us go through an intense 1200-hour internship before sitting for our board exams.

What is your favourite meal?

Melissa- homemade pasta and braciole 

Liz- her mom’s mac and cheese

More about Melissa & Liz:

Instagram: @twohungryworkwives

Facebook: Twohungryworkwives

Website: Two Hungry Work Wives

Thanks ladies! Find out more about What RDs Do.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Mary Purdy MS, RDN

MARY PURDY
ARIVALE & MARY'S NUTRITION SHOW

for something nutrishus

Mary is doing a variety of interesting things. She came to dietetics later in life and now works with both individuals and reaches a large audience via her show and podcasts. She's a great example of how dietitians turn research into practical advice. Like Mary, I jumped right into the private practice world, having never had a traditional job. I love the thought that went into her responses and am excited to read her book (since she kindly sent me a copy)!

Why did you become a RD? 

I have always been interested in food, health and nutrition since I was a little girl. I originally chose to become an actor but never lost my passion and zeal for broccoli and pomegranates. I started questioning this career choice in my early 30’s just as my dad was diagnosed with a very serious disease that wound him in a hospital where he received some very questionable advice from the dietitian there. When I began to realize that food actually had the power to help prevent and address disease I knew that I had to switch gears and do whatever I could to help people who may be in need of nutritional guidance. I was determined to heal the world one meal at a time!

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work at the start up scientific wellness company called Arivale in Seattle, as a Registered Dietitian Coach and Clinical Education Lead. I also host a web series and podcast called “Mary’s Nutrition Show” with my husband, who is a videographer and lead producer, all around great guy and fellow broccoli enthusiast.

How would you explain what you do? 

I work with clients/patients over the phone providing diet and lifestyle counseling utilizing a personalized medicine approach which takes into account nutritional genetics, blood analyte biomarkers, microbiome and salivary cortisol. We take a long-term, integrative approach where we address diet, physical activity, stress, sleep, and supplementation. What is incredible is that we work with folks long enough to gather data that helps us to see how our intervention strategies have made a difference in their lives. I also act as an educator at the company, training our new hires and helping to build new trainings on a variety of topics for our current dietitians. For “Mary’s Nutrition Show”, we produce weekly shows either on Facebook Live or recorded for a podcast that provide easy to understand information on a myriad of food and nutrition topics that are usually sprinkled with a lot of humor to keep it fun and interesting for both listener and for me.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

Because Arivale is a start up culture, every day is incredibly different. I spend a lot of time reaching out to and speaking to, texting or emailing my clients keeping them accountable as well as inspired and encouraged, and fielding questions from them on a regular basis. I hold clinical office hours where other RDN’s can pick my brain about tough cases. I attend trainings about new data, go to meetings about company updates, group gatherings around both clinical or personal topics, drink copious amounts of tea and have brief chats with other RDN’s in our kitchen area, and read a lot of research. For Mary’s Nutrition Show, I brainstorm show ideas, stay current on social media, practice talking points, respond to comments and queries and go to the grocery store often where I can try new products that I can be confident recommending to my listeners.

What has been your career path? 

After attaining my graduate degree in nutrition and finishing my internship at Bastyr University, I decided it would be a good idea to hang my shingle and go into private practice, even with no real business experience. (I don’t recommend this!) I had never had a normal job, so the thought of a 9-5 gig was very unappealing. The internship schedule almost killed me. I wanted autonomy. I started off in what might be thought of as a utility closet at a gym and gradually worked my way to an office with windows and a couch. I also got a part time job for two years as an outpatient dietitian at a hospital in Seattle which filled in the gaps very nicely. I also started providing wellness presentations at local businesses and community centers and began to build my brand as a private practice dietitian.

While keeping my business going, I took on another wonderful role as a Clinical Supervisor at Bastyr University’s Teaching clinic for 5 years and became adjunct faculty teaching in both the natural medicine and nutrition departments for 3 years. When the opportunity came up to work at Arivale with a team of amazing clinicians and founded by one of the founding fathers of systems biology, Lee Hood, I decided to close my private practice and take a chance on this amazing-sounding start up. I have never looked back and look forward to every day that I get to practice integrative medicine and learn from other health professionals, and drink copious amounts of tea while chatting with other RDN’s in the kitchen. Over the past few years, I have been writing humorous personal essays about becoming and being a dietitian and finally compiled them all into a book called “Serving the Broccoli Gods”

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I am definitely a life long learner who for the past 10 years has listened to dozens of professional webinars and attended several different major conferences and symposiums every year that mostly focus on functional and integrative approaches to health. I took the Functional Nutrition Course through the Institute for Functional Medicine, and the Food as Medicine professional training courses through the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Being on the executive committee and now the Chair of Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine has also afforded me numerous opportunities to build my knowledge base. I will never stop pursuing learning opportunities especially when the field is so incredibly dynamic. I just hope my brain can hold all the info!

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

I hope the world of dietetics will be more aligned and less divided on a variety of topics. Or if the division still exists, I hope there is a cordial agreement to respect the others’ opinions. I also hope food policy won’t be so driven by food industry. I fear that decisions around our food – both access and quality – are often being made by organizations that may not always have the consumer’s health in mind. I would love for RDN’s to have greater respect overall in the medical community as an integral part of the health care picture. I also hope that more RDN’s feel empowered to take an integrative approach to nutritional counseling, incorporating other aspects of what constitutes “health” and come to understand the value of personalizing the strategies, and that not all research may apply to every single person in the same way. And I hope that this is taught and incorporated into nutrition school curriculums and in medical schools. Filling out the conversation with our patients to include sleep, stress, GI (gastrointestinal) issues, environment, genetics, physical activity, and the benefits or lack thereof of supplementation will inevitably make our ability to guide and improve health outcomes all the stronger.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

I don’t think people, my friends and acquaintances included, or other medical professionals always understand the depth of our knowledge and training around food and disease and how strong our understanding is of how to prevent, treat and in some cases possibly even reverse chronic health issues.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

I think some believe that I sit there and tell people to stop eating fast food and eat more vegetables so they can lose weight. I don’t think they understand that food is information for our genes and helps to support our bodies’ biochemical functions, and that decisions around meals go way beyond calories in and calories out.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

I am extraordinarily passionate about the potential that a food as medicine approach has in stopping chronic disease. I love the idea of thinking outside the box with strategies, with trialing options with patients and considering n=1 experiments as a way to determine if the intervention is right for that individual. When we start focusing on the root cause of disease and begin our guidance from that perspective, we have the ability to dig deep and understand how to get us out of the health crisis in which we have found ourselves.

What is your favourite meal? 

Do I have to have a favorite? It depends on the season, on my mood, where I am, but I do love a good Spicy Indian or Thai veggie curry over brown rice, or vegetarian chili bursting with veggies and a side of corn bread. But then I also go nuts for a massaged kale salad with avocado and walnuts and beets! Give me flavor, richness, spice and color. Can I have that many favorites??

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

Don’t NOT do something because you are scared or worried that you won’t be successful. Don’t stay too long doing something in the field that doesn’t fill your soul. Stay open minded about the possibilities of this field and keep up the dialogue with those who may have different philosophies from yours. This is a great way to learn.

More about Mary:

Website: Mary Purdy

Podcast: Mary's Nutrition show on iTunes

YouTube channel: Mary Purdy

Facebook: Mary Purdy RD

Twitter: @marypurdyhere

Instagram: @marypurdyrd

Thanks Mary! Find out more about What RDs Do.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Caitlin Boudreau, RD, MPH

CAITLIN BOUDREAU 

PEDIATRICS & ONCOLOGY;

CHILD & FAMILY DIETITIAN

for something nutrishus

I knew Caitlin online as Wee Nourish before I knew her actual name, which reminds me of being introduced to other dietitians at conferences as Nutrishus RD or the something nutrishus dietitian. Career paths often intrigue me, as dietitians have various reasons for finding different roles and this applies to Caitlin as explained below. I also love learning unique new things about them, such as their second language or favourite food/meal.

Why did you become a RD? 

I think I was drawn to the practicality of nutrition. Coming from a psychology background, I’ve always been interested in food and people’s eating choices.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

A bit of a mix really. Mostly pediatrics, with a side of oncology.

How would you explain what you do? 

I help support parents with feeding their little ones, and work to reduce anxieties and frustrations that come with that. My goal is to help parents build a positive feeding relationship, and to avoid and manage picky eating. I can relate to so many of the struggles my clients have as a mom of two little ones myself.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I’m on social media more than I would like to be, but this seems to be a key part of my work as a private practice dietitian. I write Facebook and blog posts, do live videos, and prepare for upcoming workshops both online and in-person. My practice is shifting to one that offers more support online and by phone, so I’m often on calls with parents throughout the day. And when I’m not doing that, I’m chasing my toddler and preschooler around as I’m home part-time with them.

What has been your career path? 

I started in addictions, as a clinical dietitian at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. After my mat leave, I decided to switch gears and create my own job in an area I’ve become very passionate about, pediatrics. I’m still working in my private practice in this area. As someone who has always liked to try new things, I’ve recently started working casually as a clinical dietitian with the BC Cancer Agency, which has proved to be incredibly interesting and meaningful work.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I completed a Master of Public Health in Community Nutrition from the University of Toronto. I also speak Spanish fluently (does that count?).

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

I wish there was a better understanding from the public and other health professionals about what RDs actually do and what we have to offer. And I’d love to see more collaboration between RDs. I often sense that RDs feel like they’re in competition with one another, instead of joining forces to create something bigger and better.

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

I would love for people to know that dietitians all have their own lenses and biases. I think this is true for all professions, but for some reason I find dietitians tend to get painted with the same brush. I think this is what makes us great. We each have something unique to offer, and what fits for one client may not work for another.

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals? 

Being a great dietitian is definitely a craft. I think what sets us apart from other wellness professionals is that we have the knowledge base and skills to take evidence-based information and translate it in a way that is practical and useful.

What is your favourite meal? 

Sushi. So cliche as a west coaster, but I seriously think I could eat it just about every day.

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

I remember something an experienced dietitian (Carol Dombrow) once said during my practicum that stuck with me. Her advice was to stay open to all areas of nutrition and opportunities that arose and never close the door on anything. This has kind of been my motto ever since I finished school. Sometimes you think your path will lead you a certain way, but it doesn’t. It might lead you somewhere even better.

More about Caitlin:

Website: Wee Nourish
Facebook: Wee Nourish Nutrition
Email: caitlin@weenourish.ca

Thanks Caitlin! Find out more about What RDs Do.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: D. Milton Stokes, PhD, MPH, RD, FAND

MILTON STOKES

HEALTH COMMUNICATOR & AGRICULTURAL ADVOCATE;
DIRECTOR, GLOBAL HEALTH & 
NUTRITION OUTREACH: MONSANTO
for something nutrishus

I'm very pleased to share another "guy-ititian" interview with you, and a very credentialed one too! Oddly enough, I do similar work to Milton, but on a smaller scale and with more of a social media focus; however, my daughter thinks I 'send messages' as my line of work. He has had an incredible journey to lead to his current role. Seeing the M word above, you can likely imagine the tough job Milton has; below you'll find out how he got there.

Why did you become a RD?

I grew up in a family-owned restaurant. I enjoyed food and cooking. Dietetics was a natural progression.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I work in agriculture communication.

How would you explain what you do?

I serve as a connection bringing dietitians and farmers together. In addition to dietitians, I work with nutritionists, foodservice professionals, chefs, and the academics who train them plus their professional societies.

Melissa Joy Dobbins interviewed me for a podcast where we discuss my work in agriculture. You may find it useful.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Does email count? Oh, what about email? I also have email. Ha! My role is global, and a lot of my colleagues are working when I’m asleep. Thank goodness for email, but there’s a lot of it.

My days comprise some routines with meetings and reading reports, and of course email, but the reasons vary. While I am employed by Monsanto, I think of myself as working for food and nutrition professionals around the world. I answer their questions, share third-party resources with them, host educational webinars, attend and speak at conferences, and much more.

What has been your career path?

I describe my career as a bowl of spaghetti with a lot of twists and turns. I started out owning a restaurant with my mom in Kentucky and then became a clinical dietitian in New York City. I always say that when I reached the 6-month mark in clinical, I was bored. That’s when I started writing as a freelancer on nights and weekends. I’d pitch magazines and websites proposing content for them. Today’s Dietitian magazine gave me my first paid writing assignment, and then it all took off from there. It also helped that Men’s Health magazine had been interviewing me for articles. I decided to pitch my editor at Men’s Health, and he was game to work on something together. I wrote more than 100 articles and columns, and I wrote, co-wrote, and edited 7 books (including Launching Your Career in Nutrition and Dietetics: How to Thrive in the Classroom, the Internship, and Your First Job, 2nd Ed.). I’m now working on 3 book chapters for a communication text.

I also owned a private nutrition practice, and I had a tenure-track professorship and directed a dietetic internship. My students had seen a GMO labeling campaign and asked me questions about it. I answered their questions, but wondered if there was more to know. I called the company that in my mind was synonymous with GMO: Monsanto. That call resulted in a job.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Growing up in the restaurant business with my entrepreneurial mother was quite an intense training program! She provided real-world exposure to the food business that I enjoyed comparing and contrasting with my formal undergraduate studies in dietetics and foodservice administration. After undergrad, I did a year-long dietetic internship and took the RD exam November 16, 2000. I got a masters in public health focusing on health education and then a PhD in communication and marketing, focusing on health communication.

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

We’re more aligned on what counts as evidence—not anecdote, and we stop using the word “link” because too many RDs and nearly all consumers think that means cause—and consumers are fortified against the hype and woo fear mongers generate.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

We judge what you are eating. Actually, nearly none of us cares what you are eating unless you are a patient/client.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We end up in unexpected places. Ten years ago, not many RDs were talking about agriculture. Now that there’s a bigger, global conversation around farming and where food comes from, plus the growing global population with projected shifts in dietary patterns, RDs are poised to be the perfect translators and connectors.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

In the hospital, the challenge was the culture of 'we recommend but we don’t decide.' Someone else was the decision maker. I never found that culture fulfilling, especially since I saw patients not getting what they needed while waiting for a physician to say “yes.”

What do people think that you do for a living?

It depends on the people. Those who don’t know what I do at Monsanto assume that I provide employee wellness services. I don’t do that. We have a wonderful wellness team/program and physicians and nurses who take care of employee health.

My kids think my work is just typing on a computer all day.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

This word bothers me. Passion. It can cloud judgment, especially when working in misunderstood and controversial areas, like agriculture. I try to stay level headed. While I’m enthusiastic, I try to temper passion. Passion and bias get tied up together, too.

My job is simple: I give people something to think about. I don’t try to change minds or get people to love my employer. At the end of the day, I want dietitians and others in food and nutrition to respect farmers. Just like hospital dietitians don’t want doctors telling the dietitians what to do, I don’t think dietitians should dictate what farmers do. It seems those farthest from the farm are the ones loudest about telling farmers how to practice.

Visit as many farms as possible. Talk to all types of farmers: small to large in organic, conventional and biotech systems. While activist documentary films depend on the big villain, the ag industry works well together and cares about the environment. Farmers want their farms as safe and sustainable as you want those farms. Why? Because the farmers actually live there!

What is your favourite meal?

Pizza!

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

Ask lots of questions. Ask people you think will never answer you, too. You might be surprised who’s willing to help. We are a profession that lifts its members. I owe so much to the dietitians who advised and counseled me along the way.

While you’re asking questions, ask for what you want. Whether important to your patient’s health or a tool to perform your job, if you need it, ask for it.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

A diversity of education helped me. I mixed dietetics with public health with communication and marketing. This blend opened a lot more doors for me than 3 degrees in nutrition/dietetics would have.

More about Milton:

Twitter: @MiltonStokes
LinkedIn: D. Milton Stokes
Email: milton.stokes@monsanto.com

Thanks Milton! Find out more about What RDs Do.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Paula Wesson, RDN, LDN

PAULA WESSON
GERIATRICS - CATHOLIC SISTERS &

THE JUNK FOOD NUTRITIONIST

for something nutrishus

It fascinates me to learn why people were drawn to the dietetics field and of course the diverse and varied things we do and people we work with. We often go above and beyond nourishment and nutrition education to best serve our patients/residents/clients. Paula also bring up some of my favourite terms: moderation (although a controversial/subjective term) and prevention. 

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve always loved food, but I also really liked medicine and I loved playing “school” with my friends. I realized that being a dietitian was a combination of these things. I’m around food all the time, I’m around medicine all the time, and I teach!

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Geriatrics. I work mainly with Catholic Sisters. (They prefer not to be called “nuns.”)

How would you explain what you do?

I’m a jill-of-all-trades. I do anything I can for the Sisters, including many things that aren’t nutrition-related, such as pushing their wheelchairs and helping them find the numbers called in Bingo.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

One of my main clinical duties is to perform a full nutrition assessment on new residents to the skilled nursing floors (there are also floors for Sisters who are aging but don’t need skilled care). I then have to fill out Medicare paperwork for residents on a regular basis, regardless of their nutrition status. I also attend care conferences twice a week to discuss the residents’ health conditions and care. Sometimes I provide nutrition education. Sometimes I recommend supplements or snacks. Sometimes I even spoon-feed them or go to the grocery store to look for a particular item for them to eat.

What has been your career path?

After college, I held nutrition-related jobs prior to working as a dietitian. After earning my degree, I worked as a summer camp counselor teaching cooking classes. While this was enjoyable, it was obviously temporary. Then, I started my unpaid dietetic internship, during which I worked part-time as a biology lab assistant and later as a dietary aide in a convent nursing home.

Another convent nursing home, operated by the same foodservice company, needed a new dietitian. I had a job offer to be their dietitian before I’d even completed the internship. Literally, the day after I finished my internship, I moved and 3 days later I started working as their dietitian.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Not much. I have taken 4 graduate-level courses. I am planning to take the Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) exam by the end of the year, which is a certification in tube feedings and parenteral nutrition.

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

Nutrition services are still inaccessible for many people. Ideally, more insurance companies would cover our services and would cover them for more conditions than they currently do. I’d like to see one dietitian visit a year being a covered part of preventative care. Teaching people nutrition earlier in the disease process or before it even begins could help prevent complications.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

People often think my job is to make strict meal plans. My facility has “liberal” diets. For example, we don’t force residents with diabetes to eat only 45 carbs per meal. Even when I was interning in inpatient and outpatient settings none of the dietitians provided patients or clients with a strict meal plan.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

It’s hard to change people’s habits. I think this is especially true in the older adult population because they want to enjoy what’s left of their life and are concerned they won’t enjoy it as much if they change their diet.

What do people think that you do for a living?

Ha. I had one coworker who used to tell me all the time that my job was to play Solitaire because he often saw me on the computer. Other people tell me they think I’m the stock person or the “runner” who brings food from the kitchen to the serving area.

What is your favourite meal?

I have always loved rice and beans. It’s very versatile, because it’s not really just rice and beans. For example, Puerto Rican-style rice and beans includes recaito, a cilantro-based mixture, but Nicaraguan “gallo pinto” rice and beans doesn’t.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

Why do you call yourself “The Junk Food Nutritionist”?

I came up with this name years before I officially became a Registered Dietitian. My family would tease me about the fact that I ate junk food even though I was studying nutrition and wanted to work in dietetics. I still do. I believe in everything in moderation.

More about Paula:

Website: www.JunkFoodNutrition.com
Twitter: @JunkFoodNutr

Thanks Paula! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Angela Birnie MEd, RD, RCC

ANGELA BIRNIE
PRIVATE PRACTICE & 
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR

for something nutrishus

Angela has been following the series and came up as a great candidate for an interview due to her RCC designation, among other things. Private practice has allowed her to combine her specialties to better serve her clients, and the two fields pair so well together. She is definitely caring and compassionate and spends time with upcoming dietitians which is very valuable. Perhaps someday I'll get to attend a dietitian potluck with Angela!

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve wanted to be a RD since I was relatively young. I had the opportunity to see one as a kid, and she pulled food models out of her desk as part of her assessment. I was immediately hooked! I thought that anyone who got to keep plastic “toys” in their desk must have a fun job.

As I got older and started more formal career exploration, the RD role continued to seem like a good fit. It allowed me to blend my desire to help people with my interest in health and wellness.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I focus on helping clients with eating disorders and disordered eating, though I also work with clients with chronic illnesses. Most of my clients know what they “should” be doing to improve their mental and physical health, and come to me because they feel stuck in trying to make those changes.

How would you explain what you do?

I work in private practice full-time, as both a Registered Clinical Counsellor and as a Registered Dietitian. Clients have the option of coming for nutrition counselling, therapy/psychological counselling, or integrating both.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Most of my time is spent in individual appointments with clients. I also spend time liaising with other health care providers about the care of the clients we have in common, preparing for sessions by reviewing client files and the care plan, writing session notes, and reading/researching various things for professional development. And, when I can’t schedule an appointment with a new client because my practice is full at times, I spend time referring them to other providers who can offer them support right away.

I also agree to meet with students on a fairly regular basis, when they have questions about the field or various career paths.

What has been your career path?

I worked as a casual dietitian or in temporary positions in a hospital for a few years. I got a job in an eating disorder clinic as a dietitian and worked there for about 7 years, in various programs.

To develop my counselling experience, I worked as a counsellor in a residential eating disorder program. After finding the shift work difficult and ultimately not wanting to choose between working as a dietitian or a counsellor, I made the move to private practice.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

In addition to my B.A.Sc. in Nutrition, I completed a M.Ed. degree in Counselling Psychology, and am a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

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

I hope that psychology and counselling continues to blend with dietetics. I wasn’t exposed to very much psychology when I completed my dietetics degree. Early in my career, I focused too much on educating clients on what needs changing instead of how to change.

Stigma and fear of judgement from health care providers inhibits lots of clients from accessing health care as much as they need to, or at all. As dietitians and other health care providers are trained more in motivational interviewing, behaviour change strategies, and exploring our own biases and lenses (which we all have, even when we try hard not to), we will be even better at creating an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and support for our clients. And this will allow us to be even more curious about their barriers, and to be even more creative in facilitating change.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That we’re here to be the “food police”, and that we only eat “perfectly” (whatever that is.) Dietitians understand and live the balance between wanting good health and wanting a good quality of life (including treats). We want to help clients with that balance too. People can be healthy in all shapes and sizes and with different lifestyles. We don’t treat everyone with the same recommendations.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

That we love food, and host the best potluck events around. The food is beyond amazing. If you’re ever invited to a dietitian potluck, accept immediately! :)

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Like lots of RDs, I really value professional development – reading, researching, learning from colleagues and attending workshops. Trying to keep up to date in two fields (nutrition & psychology) is definitely a challenge sometimes!

What do people think that you do for a living?

Sometimes people think that I only teach about Canada’s Food Guide. Food, nutrition, and the factors that impact why we eat (or don’t) or exercise (or don’t) are so much more complicated than that.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I’m passionate about helping clients re-learn how to listen to their bodies and identify their own needs. I also love helping people re-connect to the joy of eating, and to learn to be kinder to themselves when things don’t go as they planned or hoped.

What is your favourite meal?

I could never pick just one! Cheese is my favourite – it takes most things from “good” to “amazing”. And during the summer, I love barbecued vegetables drizzled with reduced balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with a bit of chive-flavoured salt.

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

Self-compassion is crucial to change. Believing that we need to have “more willpower” or be harder on ourselves to meet our goals often sets us up to fail. Self-compassion isn’t about letting ourselves off the hook and rationalizing any behaviour. It’s about accepting that we aren’t perfect, being curious about why we might act in ways that aren’t aligned with our goals, and creating a kind and realistic plan to move in the direction of living the way we want to live. When my clients incorporate true self-compassion, they are better at making the changes they want to make.

And, if you’ve been “stuck” for a long time, consider incorporating some counselling into your life. You might benefit from just a few sessions to work through some stress, or may need longer-term support to work through some tough things that have happened. Often, if we’re trying something over and over and not getting to where we want to be, there’s a good and complicated reason for it.

More about Angela:

Website: www.angelabirnie.com

Thanks Angela! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Susanne Suchar RD, LD/N, CNSC

SUSANNE SUCHAR

CLINICAL, COUNSELLING & LONG TERM CARE

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Susanne responded to my Facebook inquiry about dietitian credentials, since she has some unique letters behind her name. She has a very interesting career path, having worked in numerous settings, in numerous countries. Working as part of a team and collaborating comes through as a consistent theme and something that is important with regards to the unique knowledge and skills dietitians have to offer.

Why did you become a RD?

While weighing my options for an interesting major, having made some changes, I took a class in introductory nutrition. I loved the practical information, so useful in my daily life, as well as the inspirational teacher, who convinced me of the many opportunities the career offered.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I currently do not work, as my family relocated to Panama, where the profession can be practiced only by citizens of the country. I have spent the last several months on numerous online dietetics-related courses to reactivate my Florida dietitian license, and practicing my Spanish. I am also contemplating my future endeavours, which are likely to include certification as a specialist in gerontological nutrition (CSG) in 2018.

How would you explain what you do?

When I practice dietetics, I always strive to provide the best nutritional care possible for my clients and patients, whatever that implies for the person. You can say I assess the client’s nutritional needs and do my best to address them within the available parameters.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Depends on the setting.

What has been your career path?

Right after graduation I worked at an acute care teaching facility in Miami, Florida, where I was exposed to acute care, rehabilitation, psychiatric care, and my favorite, intensive care. I took CNSD (Certified Nutrition Support Dietitian) certification to be able to work with the Nutrition Support Team, which consisted of the RD, a pharmacist, and a physician, writing most the of TPNs (Total Parenteral Nutrition) in the facility. I preferred working with this team, as it was evident that the team approach improved the nutritional status of the patients, and the RD was a respected part of the team.

After 4 years I transferred to a different acute care hospital, where I continued my intensive care and acute care path, in addition to outpatient care in the Cancer Center and the Diabetes Center. I obtained CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) qualifications and enjoyed witnessing the effect that my work had on the quality of life of my clients.

As my family relocated to Israel, I had the opportunity to work at a facility specializing in Complex Continuing Care, including ventilation units for adults and children and inpatient dialysis, in addition to rehabilitation for all ages. It was a great experience to practice in a very different type of setting and in an environment where the RD was highly respected; no nutrition related changes could be made without the say of the dietitian.

After some time, I also found my way to Home Health Care, visiting homebound clients and working on improving their nutritional status. It seemed that I was often the only health care worker visiting, and I felt that I addressed more than just nutritional needs. It was extremely fulfilling to see the impact my advice had on the quality of life of my clients and their caregivers, even though it was difficult to see the end of life cases that could not be saved with nutritional care.

After another relocation, this time to Toronto, Ontario, it took me some efforts of networking and volunteering before I was lucky to start Nutrition Counselling over the phone for an EFAP (Employee and Family Assistance Program). While I was frustrated by cancellations and no-shows, I enjoyed those clients that really wanted my advice and saw positive changes in their health. One of my volunteer stints developed into casual employment at a combined Long-Term Care and Complex Continuing Care facility, where I enjoyed working with a diverse and experienced RD staff. At the same time, I did some work at a hospital-affiliated Rehabilitation Center, which I found through a nursing agency.

My most recent job was as a contract dietitian at a Long-Term Care home in downtown Toronto, overseeing nutritional care 3 days a week. Funnily enough, having always consciously avoided this health care setting, I found it remarkably rewarding, being part of the daily lives and seeing the direct impact of my work on my residents.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I am certified as a Nutrition Support Dietitian/Clinician (CNSD/CNSC) since 2004, a specialty I have kept current over the years. I certified as a Diabetes Educator (CDE) in 2008, but was unable to keep it up as I left the country and could not obtain the hours needed to re-certify. I also took the ADA (now AND) Adult Weight Management Certification in 2007.

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

I would love to see the RD being accepted and respected as the expert on nutrition, and that being reflected on salaries and job opportunities. In clinical dietetics, having Nutrition Managers that champion their RDs is a must in this respect, and not often seen in my experience.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

Having a positive impact in the lives of my clients/patients and their families/caregivers. I have been lucky to find this in several settings over the years, and I look forward to finding my way back there in the future.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

Regardless of the setting there is always a need to collaborate with other disciplines, including SLPs (Speech-language pathologists), doctors, nurses, OTs (Occupational Therapists), PTs (Physical Therapists), social workers, family members, and more. It took me a while to realize the marked improvement in the care given when everyone is on the same page.

Being on the same page also means that the client/patient must agree with the plan of care for it to be successful. I can recommend changes up and down the walls, but often see myself having to compromise for the sake of client buy-in and cooperation, and ultimately, success.

More about Susanne:

Email: susannesuchar@gmail.com

LinkedIn: Susanne Suchar

Thanks Susanne! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Gina Sunderland, MSc, RD

GINA SUNDERLAND

PRIVATE PRACTICE & CLINICAL NUTRITION

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Gina is a Canadian dietitian that I feel I know already, even though we have yet to meet in real life. However, there are many things about her that I think will surprise you. I've seen her in various media clips which is likely the reason she feels so familiar to me. She's also a fellow prairie girl and I love her optimism about the future of our profession.

Why did you become a RD?

After high school I was travelling in Scandinavia with an international musical group called Up With People. Part of our tour took me to Sweden. I became captivated by the Scandinavian lifestyle focusing on healthy food choices and physical activity. I knew I was not destined to be a travelling musician, and it became clear to me that with my love of cooking, a career in nutrition would be a perfect choice! I sent my application for Foods and Nutrition Dietetics to the University of Manitoba from a mailbox in Denmark, and I have never looked back.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I feel privileged to work in a few areas of practice, and love the variety!

I work in private practice and as a clinical dietitian three days a week at CancerCare Manitoba. I assist patients with their nutritional needs during cancer treatment, help them manage side-effects that impact on their nutritional intake, and answer questions about natural health products, vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. Oncology has been the most rewarding clinical area I’ve worked in.

After having my second child I decided to open a private practice to allow more flexibility with my work hours. Early on I was asked to appear as a guest on Breakfast Television, and I immediately fell in love with the creative aspect of media work. I enjoy coming up with TV segment ideas, key messages, recipes and food displays to tell a story. I’ve been fortunate to have grown my media presence over the years by partnering with food companies, marketing boards, and public relations agencies to represent a variety of food products and brands.

I am also a co-founder of Media Training Boot Camp with my terrific dietitian business partner Sue Mah. We provide media coaching and training to other dietitians at conferences, events across the country, through webinars, and personalized coaching. We want to ensure dietitians are the media’s go-to nutrition experts!

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

It’s difficult to describe what a “typical” week look like. Each week is unique and involves a variety of tasks including seeing private clients, oncology patients, planning TV segments, writing, and working on projects for food companies and marketing boards.

What has been your career path?

I started my career at the London Regional Cancer Centre working with oncology patients. I have also worked in rehab, gynecology, medicine, diabetes education, and internship coordination. Now that I am back in oncology, it feels like the perfect fit!

What advanced education or special training do you have?

After my Bachelors degree from the University of Manitoba, I completed my Masters of Science at the University of Guelph and my Dietetic Internship at Chedoke McMaster Hospital in Hamilton.

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

I see dietitians working in an even greater variety of practice areas by taking leading roles as bloggers, recipe developers, nutrition experts in grocery stores, food industry, media, agriculture, and health promotion/disease prevention. Ideally, every Canadian should have access to the expertise of a registered dietitian!

What would you like people to know about RDs?

RDs have unique skills and can work in a wide range of areas. You’ll find us working in wellness institutes, private practice, grocery stores, hospitals, fitness centers, in the media, doing professional writing, teaching at colleges and universities, and much more!

What is your favourite meal?

The first that comes to mind is grilled salmon, asparagus, roast potatoes and a crisp green salad.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

I love the challenge and diversity of work that is available to someone who calls themselves an RD. It is amazing to see all the great work colleagues across the country are doing. We are a smart, capable, creative group of professionals, and I can’t wait to see what the future will bring!

More about Gina:

Facebook: Gina Sunderland, MSc, RD
Twitter: @gsunderland
Instagram: @g.sunderland
LinkedIn: Gina Sunderland
Website: Gina Sunderland - Consulting Registered Dietitian
Email: gina@ginadietitian.ca

Thanks Gina! Find out more about What RDsDo.


If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email mesteph@nutrishus.com for the details!

What RDs Do: Dara Gurau, RD & Erin Macgregor, RD, PHEc

DARA GURAU & ERIN MACGREGOR

CLINICAL & HOW TO EAT

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It's great to feature a team or dynamic duo and I know these two are doing some great things. Not only do they work together in private practice, but also in a clinical setting, where they're also part of a team. I've seen their Facebook videos lately, so I sort of felt like I already knew them and they were excited to be part of the series. They create delicious recipes, such as Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, that I'm anxious to try! Dara and Erin focus on practical things like meal planning tips and on 'healthful eating through food, not numbers' which is a refreshing approach.

Why did you become a RD?

We both grew up with a love for food, but really never thought of food and nutrition as a career. Actually, growing up, we didn't even now what a dieititan was! As we completed our first University degrees in Kinesiology and were trying to figure out what the heck to do with our lives, we discovered the food and nutrition program and thought this would be a great compliment to our kinesiology knowledge while satisfying that passion for food and cooking we had developed.

Fast forward to today, and while our knowledge of the field of dietetics has expanded, that same passion for food and cooking remains. And that's why we ultimately chose to become registered dietitians - to share our passion and knowledge for food, nutrition, and cooking with others in the hopes of inspiring them to pick up a knife or spatula and create delicious and healthful home-cooked meals to share with their friends and families.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

We work together in the clinical setting at a large teaching hospital in Toronto. We are also co-creators and owners of How To Eat, where we work in recipe development, nutrition communication, and meal planning. One part of How To Eat is our food and recipe blog, where we have been sharing easy and healthful recipes and kitchen tips for the past five years. So we are definitely never bored!

How would you explain what you do?

In our clinical roles, we work as inpatient dietitians as part of a large multi-discplinary team, involved mainly in nutrition support. At How To Eat, we are doing something completely different, working with individuals to support them in building their confidence as home cooks by helping them with meal planning and cooking. We also work with brands to provide recipe development and nutrition communication for them. Lastly, we continue to share easy, healthful, and delicious recipes through our blog.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

In our clinical roles, our days involve assessing patients' nutritional status, implementing the appropriate nutrition intervention, and following up on patients in our areas. We also attend daily and weekly multi-disciplinary team rounds, monthly nutrition department meetings, and other professional development sessions.

In our How To Eat role, we are constantly developing and testing new recipes, creating content for our blog, attending networking events and meetings, and working on the the latest special project or event we have on the go.

What has been your career path?

It should be no surprise that we ended up as colleagues, close friends, and business partners as we share such similar career paths. In fact, we often refer to ourselves as "foodie soul-mates!" We both started out with undergraduate degrees in kinesiology and then went on to complete our second degrees in food and nutrition at Ryerson. From there, we both completed our dietetic internships in Toronto where we both still work as inpatient clinical dietitians. We also both share previous experience working as outpatient dietitians counselling on cardiovascular disease, HIV, and general healthy eating.

So when we first met at our clinical positions, we actually both already had our own individual food blogs. And after realizing that we shared pretty much the same food personality, we joined forces to start How To Eat and it has now grown to the business it is today. We love having that balance of utilizing our clinical skills as well as sharing our love of food and inspiring others to cook.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Well as we mentioned, we both have degrees in Kinesiology as well as Food and Nutrition. Erin also holds the professional home economist (PHec) designation. We also have a very important type of training - motherhood! We are both moms who have learned and developed a system to feed our own hungry families.

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

Tough question! In our ideal world, the term dietitian would be associated with "food expert." At this moment, we feel there is a big disconnect between dietitians and food - people hear the term dietitians and immediately think "diet" and "what NOT to eat." There is a shift that has begun and we hope it continues, one that shows ourselves as a profession who not only knows nutrition, but food as well. And enjoys eating it! All of it! We hope to be part of that first step in the right direction.

What is your favourite meal?

This was the hardest question! We love so many things! But there was this one dinner on a trip together in NYC at a restaurant called ABC Kitchen. It was one of those multi-course dinners that was enjoyed with a bottle of wine over several hours and absolutely everything was delicious. We were there over 5 years ago and STILL think about it, it was that good! What sticks in our mind the most was the dessert - salted caramel ice cream topped with popcorn and a rich chocolate sauce. That sweet and salty combo gets us every time!

More about Erin & Dara:

Website: www.howtoeat.ca
Facebook: How to Eat
Twitter: @How_To_Eat
Instagram: @how_to_eat

Thanks ladies! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!