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lifestyle health coaching & More

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Health Coaching approach -  "I am not a teacher, but an awakener”—Robert Frost.

Coaching style: Energetic, non-judgmental, facilitator 

Change is difficult, awakening is adventurous. I utilize my various intelligences to motivate and facilitate the nutrition-related healthy lifestyle changes people are willing to achieve in their lives. I have a deep regard for both Eastern and Western health philosophies and stay current with peer-reviewed research, enabling me to support an individual from any background who's ready to embark on their health journey. 

In addition to training groups of people, I provide one-on-one health coaching to assess individuals' readiness to change in order to achieve their wellness goals.  I assist individuals in identifying what habits they are ready to tackle to move them towards a lifestyle balance through wellness coaching with current telehealth technology, i.e., Zoom and Google Meet, to accommodate time zones and geographic locations.

​I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) licensed in the States of Tennessee and Texas, active in the field of nutrition and food service systems for 20 years, administering, operating, and training on many health-related topics, as well as for USDA child nutrition programs in multiple states.

I utilize innovative teaching strategies to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills in staff with diverse educational, cultural, and language backgrounds.  My ability to translate food-related science, policies, and regulations into practice skills and modeling healthy lifestyle choices enhances my coaching and training expertise in topics such as adopting wellness behaviors, healthy lifestyles, food safety, kitchen math, menu development, and financial management of nutrition programs. On numerous occasions, I've been asked to present nationally for the Office of Head Start on topics such as cultural competence and promoting physical activity in early child care settings.

Academic Background:
Bachelors of Science in Dietetics, the University of Texas at Austin
MPH in Public Health Leadership, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Professional Licenses and Certifications:
Registered Nutritionist Dietitian Licensed in Tennessee and Texas
Certificate in Core Public Health Concepts
Certificate in Child and Adolescent Weight Management from the American Dietetic Association

My Community and National Service Activities:

• Invited to serve on NFSMI National Advisory Council, Oct 2010

• Member of Nevada Department of Education, State Wellness Policy Development Committee, May 2011 to present

• Participant in Laredo Health Department and Laredo AHEC community assessment focus groups, 2011

• Community stakeholder in Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Initiative for Laredo, Texas 2009 to present

• Appointed to Institute of Medicine Committee reviewing the meal pattern requirements of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and aligning with other special nutrition programs (Dec 2009 to Dec 2010)

• Current peer reviewer for Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

• Current member of the Texas Evaluation Council assessing the obesity prevention activities of the Strategic Plan for Obesity Prevention (Dec 2009 to present)

• Task Force and Review Team Member for manual: Food Purchasing for Child Care Centers. National Food Service Management Institute. (2005). Food Purchasing for Child Care Centers. University, MS: Marlene Gunn, MS, RD 

Current and Former Affiliations/Memberships:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

• Former National Child and Adult Care Food Program Forum Board Member

• Former National Migrant Seasonal Head Start Association Staff Affiliate Member

Academic/Research Interests:

• Pediatric Obesity 

• Diabetes

• Physical Activity

Presenter on Childhood Obesity and promoting Physical Activity in preschool children at the following: 

• Office of Head Start 1st National Birth to Five Leadership Institute, October 2011 

• National Migrant Seasonal Head Start Association 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2009

• National Hispanic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, 2003 and Denver, CO, 2004

• 8th Early Head Start National Research Conference, Washington, DC, 

Foreign Language Abilities:

• Spanish

• French

TM