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: Jorie Janzen RD, IOC Dipl Sports Nutr, CSSD, CCF

JORIE JANZEN
DIRECTOR OF SPORT DIETETICS

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I know and have met Jorie in person (she is a human after all!). I filled a maternity leave and consult for the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan, the province next to hers. She wasn't there when I played, but I would have worked with her in Winnipeg with the Canadian Women's Indoor Volleyball Team as well. Jorie has been working and mentoring in the field for almost 15 years in the areas of nutrition for sport performance, disordered eating and eating disorders, and in corporate health and wellness. This interview is just another way for her to give back and support others.

Why did you become a RD?

Because I needed to pick something to go into! LOL! Seriously. I was in second year just taking courses. I started to freak out because I did not know what I was going to do with my life. I decided to use the University counselling services and dietetics came up. I had no idea what this involved, so took a couple of courses and thought, what the heck! I have to go into something. Nutrition seemed pretty cool…but I still had no idea what a dietitian did until internship.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I currently work in sports dietetics as my full time area of practice as Director of Sport Dietetics at the Canadian Sport Centre-Manitoba. I also have a small private practice that includes workplace wellness and ED/DE (eating disorders/disordered eating) in athletes.

How would you explain what you do?

What do I do….always a question I ask myself! I think what I do is coach those willing to work with me in resolving a conflict they are having with themselves and food. Really, we as dietitians are conflict resolution specialists in our areas of expertise!

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

As with many dietitians, what is typical is that there is no typical. If I have to somewhat narrow down typical tasks it would be connecting with my ISTs (interdisciplinary support teams) around the athletes we work with to ensure we are all doing what is needed to support athletes, coaches and at times parents/significant others. Sometimes there are the mechanical things to do such as nutrient analysis, developing and modifying meal plans, grocery store tours, cooking classes, hydration testing, body composition testing, connecting with my colleagues across the country, presenting to teachers, coaches, parents…and I do a ton of mentoring! I am a huge believer that there is room for all of us and if we build each other up we will all be stronger practitioners/service providers because of it.

What has been your career path? What advanced education or special training do you have?

I went to the University of Manitoba and got my BHEc (major Nutrition) and completed Health Sciences Centre Dietetic Internship program. I did not start out full time in sport. Out of internship I started working at two long-term care facilities and eventually moved to a larger facility. Then, an amazing opportunity came up with the WRHA Surgery Prehabilitation Program where I worked with an amazing team of professionals getting patients healthy for hip/knee replacement surgery. All the while I kept a private practice on the side taking on team sport nutrition presentations for provincial teams, Canada Games preperations, coach workshops as well as co-chairing the DC SNN, sitting on the executive board for Sport Medicine and Science Council Manitoba and started the Manitoba Sport Nutrition Network.

I then completed the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. Next up, my current position as Director of Sports Dietetics with the Canadian Sport Centre-Manitoba. As well I have added the CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) credential. I also did the ISAK Level 1 certification, but do need to take the course again to renew. I also attended several leadership workshops as well as one of my favourites for working with and dealing with clients; Molley Kellogg’s Intensive Motivational Interviewing course and became a Life Coach through the Certified Coaches Federation certification.

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

Wow. This is such a massive and possibly loaded question and I could likely fill pages upon pages around this one question. Working in sport I have experienced great joys and achievements and great sadness and failures. I will try to keep this to the point and positive with my hopes. In an ideal world, I would hope that the area of sports nutrition is seen as vital as any other area RDs practice. I hope that dietetic programs and internship programs start to value and provide higher-level education and practicum opportunities. Right now there is ONE course in the faculty devoted to sports nutrition at the University of Manitoba. I only get 2 interns a year for 3-weeks to mentor! And the reason is that interns need to gain experience in clinical or out patient or rural areas. Guess what?! A sports dietitian can easily provide such opportunities! Dietitians who work in sport deal with rehabilitation (concussion, surgery, other injuries), eating disorders and disordered eating, food intolerances and allergies, hematological issues, dietary restrictions or changes and so much more!

In five years I hope that the dietetic education programs has a greater respect for this area of practice. In five years I hope that sport medicine clinics, college and university sport programs and other organizations working with athletes see the value of having a sports dietitian as part of the full time staff/program.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

In the area of sports nutrition, I would like to clear up that we do not work with only healthy and motivated people. We work with human beings who happen to be athletes, dancers, or performers. These are human beings who are often very high achievers and need support from us. They fall prey to the same misinformation as the rest of the world because…they are human.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

Working in sport or working in research or in a clinical setting, we do amazing work every single day! We counsel, motivate, inspire and even save lives! We clear up myths vs. facts. We are also very human….my most favorite part!

What do people think that you do for a living?

I tell people what to eat. Others seem to think I can provide medical advice or diagnose ailments. The latter makes me laugh!

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am extremely passionate about clearing up false information and normalizing food. I love making fun of what people think we do! Gotta have fun with it!

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

Well, for one, we are regulated and accountable to a regulatory body. So, we have to be evidence based. And, generally, RDs are not all about the black and white way of eating. Every time I give a talk or meet with a client they feel relieved to not be judged.

What is your favourite meal? 

I love Thai and Indian food. But I always look forward to dessert.

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

No matter what area you choose to practice in, always surround yourself with other professionals who can support you and you support them – not just other RDs but other professionals. I have found that when you give, there will always be others waiting to give back.

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

Even though I do strongly feel that there is much growth to be done in sports nutrition practice in Canada…I always try to make the grass greener on my side! Life is more enjoyable that way!

More about Jorie:

Website: Jorie Janzen
Website: Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba
Twitter: @jjjanzen
Instagram: @joriejanzen

Thanks Jorie! 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: Nicole Osinga, BASc, MAN, RD

NICOLE OSINGA
OSINGA NUTRITION & ACUTE CARE
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After you learn more about Nicole, you'll have to check out her Instagram account. She has practical images of her meal prep and what she eats in a day - both of which may help give you ideas. Like Nicole, I'm also very interested in behaviour change, and as she says, most dietitians include it with the evidence. She continues to grow her business and learn about being her own boss, a world many of us aren't taught about in school. 

Why did you become a RD? 

I became an RD because this career path had been stuck in my mind since Grade 7. I remember we had a ‘Career Day’ in elementary school and remember selecting the card that said ‘Dietitian’ – and it was stuck in my mind. It made sense at the time because I had busied myself making diet plans for my friends during those years (LOL). 

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I split my time between private practice (which involves media work, workplace wellness and counseling clients one-on-one) and working part-time in an acute care facility. I’m currently working towards my Certified Diabetes Educator certification. 

How would you explain what you do? 

‘I’m a plant-based meal prep master’. I own a nutrition consulting business and also work at an acute-care facility. 

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I typically start the week on Sunday, where I prepare my instagram photos for the week, which includes meal preps, what I eat in a day, along with new recipes. I also aim to get at least one new blog post a week out. I find it helpful to schedule my social media/blog work at the beginning of the week. 

Monday – acute care facility 

Tuesday – morning is typically catching up on emails/media work/social media. I then do some client prep and see clients in the afternoon/evening

Wednesday – I see clients all day

Thursday/Friday – acute care facility 

I also sit on the College of Dietitians council and will have about one meeting a month with them. 

What has been your career path? 

When I graduated from the Masters of Applied Nutrition at UOG program in 2013, I thought I was destined to be an inpatient, acute-care dietitian. I thought this type of role would bring the challenge I was looking for. Once I graduated, I landed a few Long Term Care (LTC) contracts and was also teaching a cooking class for those with cancer. I realized the challenge I was looking for was actually in the teaching and behaviour change aspects of my cooking class job. I started hearing the same questions in my class from my participants (around soy, the alkaline diet, anti-inflammatory diet, etc.) so I started my blog in 2014, in order to give my participants more information. I kept active on my blog, and soon after I started my social media accounts. After some time, my blog and social media gained the attention of media outlets and I started to get asked for quotes and interviews. In 2015 I was contacted by the Toronto Star and worked for them as a freelancer for about a year, writing for their app ‘The Star Touch’ and also had a number of articles in print. I decided I needed to devote more time to media/private practice work, so I now only work part-time at an acute-care facility and rent a space in a physiotherapy clinic to counsel clients. I have a packed patient caseload in my practice and may need to adjust my hours further! I still keep up with my blog and social media work, and continue to appear in local and national media. 

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I am a certified Craving Change Facilitator and attend Motivational Interviewing workshops. Behaviour change is an area that I could always use more training in. I’ve also attending a number of food photography workshops.

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

More business-savvy, private practice dietitians. We need them! We have to get out there more as a profession, as there is so much nutrition noise out there.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

That we use the Canada's Food Guide (I never do) or don’t condone special diets. I largely promote a plant-based way of eating, which some of my colleagues/client may find surprising! 

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

We are the most qualified people to give nutrition advice. Period. 

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

Learning to run a business as a sole proprietor, while also being responsible for delivering 100% of the services. I’ve had to learn how to define my target audience, how to market to them and provide services that guide them towards the results they are looking for. Not ever imagining that I would get into business during undergrad, I didn’t learn much about marketing or business communications! 

What do people think that you do for a living? 

A chef (which makes sense if you look at my instagram feed!). 

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

In my experience, RD’s seem to place an emphasis on the behaviour change process, in addition to the evidence-based scientific practice advice. 

What is your favourite meal? 

I’m on a tofu kick…anything with grilled tofu, grilled veggies and some kind of noodle 

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

Keep an open mind as the field of dietetics is rapidly changing! We have to be prepared to shift our practice. 

More about Nicole:

Instagram: @nicoleosinga_rd

Website: Osinga Nutrition

Email: nicoleosinga@gmail.com

Thanks Nicole! 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: Cara Rosenbloom, RD

CARA ROSENBLOOM

WORDS TO EAT BY

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I met Cara at a Dietitians of Canada conference, at which I also picked up a copy of her cookbook, Nourish. Hers is a name I have seen attached to numerous articles, and now I know why. Part of the reason for this series is to showcase our diversity and Cara's background in literature does just that. She has created a unique and valuable business out of her passions and expertise.

Why did you become a RD? 

My first university degree was in literature and I studied journalism. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about! I had a personal interest in food and nutrition, so I took one undergrad course in nutrition at Brescia to satisfy my “science” requirement in my “liberal arts” degree…and I was hooked. Nutrition was fascinating! After I finished the literature degree at Western, I applied to Ryerson to study food & nutrition full-time. I knew somehow I’d fuse writing and nutrition. I became a dietitian so I could write about nutrition as trusted source with true expertise.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I run a nutrition communications company called Words to Eat By. I wear many hats under the umbrella of “communications and nutrition education.” I’m a journalist, blogger, recipe developer, professional speaker, cookbook author and content creator.

How would you explain what you do? 

I watch nutrition and food trends and follow the science, then I consolidate the most important nutrition information into articles, lectures, recipes, soundbites and blogs that the public can understand. My goal is to translate the complex world of nutrition into clear, concise and useful information for consumers. I’m a trend spotter, myth buster and reporter. I try to inspire people to eat better, even if it’s just through one small change.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I work from a home office and spend most of my time developing content. I am a freelance writer/blogger with the Washington Post, Today’s Parent, Huffington Post, Heart and Stroke Foundation and others, so I’m always writing something! When I’m not at my desk, I’m in the kitchen creating new recipes or teaching cooking classes. I’m also working on my second book.

What has been your career path? 

During my internship, I spent a few months at Canadian Living magazine, and I knew writing was my passion. I worked in corporate marketing roles for seven years to hone my communication skills, then started Words to Eat By in 2007 when I was on maternity leave with my daughter. One of my first clients was Canadian Living, and I freelanced for them for six years. Words to Eat By now has a diverse client list and something new happens every day. I love it!

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a degree in literature and have taken university courses in journalism, freelance writing and public relations.

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

It’s a very meaningful time to be a dietitian. So many of today’s hot button issues touch on food – from climate change to chronic disease to sustainability to childhood obesity. Dietitians can be part of the solution for so many current issues. It’s important for dietitians to pick something they are passionate about and help change the world for the better. Every day. Every month. Every year. Five years from now, we’ll have made some inroads! With effort, dietitians can be seen as trusted leaders in the nutrition world, and the go-to source for reliable and accurate information about food.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

My six year old son just drew a picture of me for a school project about careers. I was sitting at my computer with a frying pan and spoon in my hand. He was pretty close!

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

I recently attended a wonderful lecture by author, activist and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman. His words of wisdom resonated with me and are worth sharing: “It’s important to work on many different things because you don’t know where your successes will be. If you fight enough battles, you will win some of them!”

More about Cara:

Website: Words to Eat By
Twitter: @CaraRosenbloom
Instagram: wordstoeatby
Facebook: wordstoeatby

Thanks Cara! 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: Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RDN

JANICE NEWELL BISSEX
JANICE COOKS &
HOLISTIC CANNABIS CONSULTANT
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I briefly met Janice in my home city of Saskatoon for Farm to Fork tours in 2015 (if I remember correctly). Like many of us, a college/university course ignited her passion for nutrition and dietetics and her career continues to evolve. I knew of Janice initially as part of the Meal Makeover Moms duo. She recently ventured into a new and somewhat controversial area of practice showing us once again the unique and non-traditional roles dietitians are qualified for. 

Why did you become a RD?

I was a microbiology major in college, but after my freshman year of micro classes and labs I decided that this might not be the major for me! When I was a sophomore I took Intro to Food and Nutrition and was hooked! My professor, Katherine Musgrave, was a passionate advocate for healthy eating and lifestyle. She took me under her wing and it is because of her that I entered this field. She was my beloved mentor, and we remained friends until her death at age 92.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I am a holistic cannabis consultant, recipe developer, and cookbook author.

How would you explain what you do?

I help people navigate the evolving and confusing world of medical marijuana to help manage debilitating conditions including chronic pain, insomnia, epilepsy, MS, Parkinsons, anxiety, nausea, PTSD, and more.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

There is no typical week. I’m just beginning my journey in the holistic cannabis field so I am spending most of my time learning all that I can about the science and business of cannabis so that I can better assist clients. I also do some recipe development and spokesperson work.

What has been your career path?

I have done a variety of things in my career, including cardiac rehab, nutrition software sales, consulting to the US Senate, and consulting to Boston Harbor Hotel. About 15 years ago I co-founded Meal Makeover Moms with a fellow RDN. Together, we co-wrote five books started Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen blog, and Cooking with the Moms radio podcast. About a year ago I decided that I needed a change. At the same time my dad was dealing with variety of health issues and had turned to medical marijuana to help deal with his pain. I was astounded at how it helped him without the unpleasant side effects that he dealt with from using other pain medications. I decided to switch gears and train to be a holistic cannabis consultant.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I completed my Holistic Cannabis Consultant certification at Holistic Cannabis Academy, and am now furthering my studies to be a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner.

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

In the ideal world, everyone would have legal access to cannabis to manage their health, and dietitians would be the go-to professionals to help people figure out the best way to utilize it.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Haha, I guess the misinformation about cannabis I’d like to clear up is that you don't need to get “stoned” when using cannabis. In the past decade plant breeders have developed strains of cannabis that are very low in the psychoactive THC component and high in the non psychoactive CBD cannabinoid. CBD has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-emetic, anti-convulsant, and analgesic properties.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

That RDNs practice in a wide variety of settings and have many different skill sets!

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I’m passionate about cooking, eating, and helping people attain the best health possible.

More about Janice:

Facebook: Janice Newell Bissex
Website: Janice Cooks

Twitter: @JaniceBissex

Instagram: @janicebissex

Thanks Janice! 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: Elizabeth Roark, MPH, RD

ELIZABETH ROARK

PRINCIPAL NUTRITION SCIENTIST

FRITO-LAY/PEPSICO

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Elizabeth has been following and supporting the series for a while now. We both agreed that her work in the food industry makes her an important interview in this series, especially since there's a lot of misinformation and judgement around those types of positions. Dietitians are important in those non-traditional roles as you'll see in terms of Elizabeth's daily/weekly tasks and expert contributions. She works on a large scale (globally) as well as on numerous phases of product development and education/communication.

Why did you become an RD?

Well, I’m another one of those dietitians who didn’t initially start out wanting to be an RD. I was actually a math major as an incoming freshman at UCLA. After about a year, I switched to Spanish literature! I liked numbers, just not that much. My objective at that time was to become fluent in another language and eventually enter an MBA program. I had my eye on the international/global area of business management.

Long story short, after obtaining a BA from UCLA, I worked for a few global corporations and found the business management side of things just wasn’t for me. Plus, I had since developed a love for running and all things food/nutrition. I returned to school to explore this passion and was hooked after Nutrition 101.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

It’s funny how things come full circle sometimes. Today, I am a Principal Nutrition Scientist at a large global food manufacturing company. I spend a great deal of time collaborating with my global nutrition science colleagues, which not only allows me to share and receive nutrition knowledge across many borders, but also satisfies my interest in working with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Although my Spanish skills are definitely not what they used to be, I have many global colleagues with which to practice.

How would you explain what you do?

Great question! My days are never the same as there are always new products being developed, new regulations, new science, new educational needs, and new consumer trends. One key area of responsibility is helping to ensure we meet PepsiCo’s portfolio transformation goals when it comes to product development and product reformulation. This means I’m responsible for contributing to the creation of global population-specific nutrition criteria, as well as ensuring our new products meet public health sensitive nutrient limits for things like sodium and saturated fat and incorporate meaningful amounts of positive nutrition (e.g. whole grains, legumes, etc.) when it makes sense for the product.

Another aspect of my role involves internal and external nutrition communications. This can involve providing nutrition education to our employees, working collaboratively with retail dietitians to educate consumers, managing social media messaging, as well as sharing our portfolio transformation history and progress at relevant conferences.

What are your “typical” daily/weekly tasks?

This can certainly vary but in general a typical day or week can involve participating in cross-functional innovation taskforce meetings for the development of new snack products, representing the U.S. on global Nutrition Science taskforces to discuss the creation of population and/or category specific nutrition criteria (e.g. snacks, women, dairy, etc.), working internally and externally to review/update/create new food regulations and policy, collaborating with my regulatory and legal colleagues on scientifically substantiated claim language, discussing in-store activation details with our retail RD partners, and contributing to just about any project that happens to require nutrition expertise.

What has been your career path?

As I previously mentioned, becoming an RD wasn’t my initial career goal. I definitely took the long way to become an RD! Oddly enough, I may have also taken the long way when it came to deciding on which specific area of nutrition I wanted to pursue.

I began working toward an MS in nutrition at New York University, which obviously included taking all the sciences I did not take as an undergraduate. At this time I was also working as a Dietetic Technician at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. Because of this experience, I decided clinical nutrition wasn’t my passion. Although a fantastic and incredibly important RD area of expertise, I was more interested in the preventative nutrition aspect of dietetics versus working with people who were already ill. So, I switched gears and headed back to California to enter the UCLA School of Public Health where I could focus more on the role of nutrition in disease prevention. After receiving my MPH degree, I completed my dietetic internship at UCLA/Olive View Medical Center.

My entry into global food manufacturing was as a Scientific and Regulatory Affairs associate. This role involved labeling, scientific substantiation for claims, as well as the external influencing of regulations and food policy. I was pleasantly surprised how impactful I could be in terms of shaping what type of products landed on store shelves, how nutrition was communicated on pack, as well as how food regulations were updated and implemented. I happily stayed in this role for 12 years.

Work relocation for my husband led me to change jobs. I landed at another global food manufacturing company, but this time, I was focusing more on the global aspect of regulatory compliance, which I really enjoyed. While I had certainly been leveraging my nutrition background as a regulatory expert, I decided I wanted to see what I could do with a role that was focused primarily on nutrition. This decision led me to my current role which involves nutrition education/communication and the setting/application of nutrition criteria for Frito-Lay/PepsiCo.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a graduate degree in public health nutrition – MPH

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

Wow, I’d like to see an RD head a large global food manufacturing company, such as an MBA, RD? While many global food manufacturing companies have a corporate culture that values nutrition, health and wellness, and are making positive advances toward creating balance and increased nutrient density, I think an RD in a CEO role could add a really unique and interesting perspective to a company.

We’ll have to wait and see if this becomes a reality. In the meantime, I’d like to see continued growth in the number of companies bringing on the expertise of an RD. As the true nutrition experts, we have a very important role to play when it comes to educating both employees and consumers, but also helping to ensure products align with dietary guidelines and are eaten in portions that allow for balance and moderation.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Thanks for asking. I totally agree there is a fair amount of skepticism when it comes to RDs working for food companies, both within the RD community as well as out of it. However, it’s important to note that these RDs can definitely help ensure movement toward positive change. It can sometimes be challenging to gain complete alignment on why a product should be lower in a particular nutrient and/or higher in another, but I think this is when our nutrition education skills are best utilized. Having the RD sit at the table and be intimately involved in the product development process is how we add value and positively impact the foods that ultimately end up on store shelves.

At Frito-Lay we have nutritional targets that were created with input from RDs and align with science. Further, we have a corporate culture that is receptive to the nutrition expertise of the RD. I don’t think this is unique to Frito-Lay but rather an industry-wide movement as many food companies understand the value of having RDs work within. This is good news for everyone!   

More about Elizabeth

Twitter: @ERoarkRD
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Roark, MPH, RD

Thanks Elizabeth! 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: Jessica Coll, RD, IBCLC

JESSICA COLL

INTERNATIONAL BABY LED WEANING

NETWORK OF REGISTERED DIETITIANS

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Jessica is another dietitian that stands out due to her unique credentials (IBCLC) and as you'll see, she has carved herself quite a niche. Having recently added a second child to our family, her area of expertise is definitely on my mind. It always inspires me to see the work dietitians do in areas that I don't work in and I love that she shares her expertise not only with parents, but also with other dietitians.

Why did you become a RD? 

I’ve always been passionate about food but the real reason is that the dietetics school was right around the corner from my house!

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

My work is quite specific. I’m the founder of the International Baby Led Weaning (BLW) Network of Registered Dietitians (RDs). I train RDs to give BLW workshops locally. I also have a BLW online course for new parents and a BLW recipe book. I currently have 60 RDs in my network, in 8 countries!

How would you explain what you do? 

I support the members of the network with questions about breastfeeding, infant nutrition or marketing their in-person workshops.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Every day I answer questions from the BLW online course for parents and from the RD members of the network. I offer webinars about BLW to RDs on a regular basis (please email me at jessica@jessicacoll.com for the next one). I strive to balance everything so work in short stretches and sprinkle yoga sessions and runs throughout the day. Since I work from home, I like to prep meals during my work breaks as well.

I’m currently recruiting new RDs across the world to give BLW workshops so I have several video meetings scheduled throughout the week. I’m often a guest on podcasts and Facebook live videos for various organizations and TV shows.

What has been your career path? 

After completing my dietetics internship in Austin (Texas), I worked there as a dietitian for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program at the clinic level and State level for a total of 4 years. The year-round hot temps and amazing rock climbing and running community was great. What’s more? I got to learn Spanish while working there. That’s also where I was able to get all my lactation-specific hours to become a lactation consultant. I decided to start a family back home in Montreal in 2012 and started my business when my daughter was one year old. I started by doing in-home consultations for both infant nutrition and breastfeeding but quickly realized that I needed something more. I started giving workshops about BLW and after giving sold out workshops for a few years and having another child, I founded the International Baby Led Weaning (BLW) Network of Registered Dietitians. Basically, I provide everything RDs need to give BLW workshops in their own city. I can now spend more time with my kids and still have a successful business. I support the RD members of my network by helping them with breastfeeding and infant nutrition questions and marketing their workshops.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I’m an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

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

In five years form now, BLW will be the norm for babies across the world.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

BLW is very controversial for many RDs. Some RDs are “for it” and some are “against it”. Since BLW makes sense developmentally with 6 month olds being able to grab large objects and bring them to their mouth, it’s all about making sure parents are doing it safely. The other myth is that BLW babies are more at risk of choking compared to babies being offered purees. This is actually backed up by recent peer reviewed journal articles.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

They think I’m a TV star!

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

I’m passionate about letting babies feed them selves so they can be stimulated from all their senses and learn to eat enough, but not too much. It’s amazing to watch them go!

What is your favourite meal? 

My favourite meal is sushi and yes, sushi can be offered to babies in a way that’s totally safe!

More about Jessica:

BLW Network for RDs: https://www.jessicacoll.com/BLW_network.html
free BLW cookbook: https://jessicacoll.com/
Facebook: Nutrition for babies
Instagram: @nutritionforbabies

Thanks Jessica! Find out more about What RDs Do.

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