Episode 1: Nutrition & Bariatric Research

On the latest episode of Dietetics Next, we will be diving into the world of community nutrition with an interview from Jessica Alfonso, an FIU alum, who is a registered dietitian and current supervisor of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) located in Miami-Dade County. Tune in as Jessica shares her unique perspective on community nutrition and the importance of cultural sensitivity when delivering tailored nutrition education to diverse populations.

On today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Maria Vallasciani, a well-rounded dietitian and FIU alum who has many roles including being a pediatric and adult clinical dietitian, a registered nurse, & a lactation consultant. She also works with sports nutrition and wellness and has an ISAK level 1 certification. Join in to hear all about Maria's inspiring story and how she successfully balances her many roles along with her own personal life. 

On this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Pia Henfridsson, a Registered Dietitian and researcher in the field of nutrition and bariatric surgery.  Dr. Henfridsson brings a wealth of knowledge to our podcast today as she has dedicated her career to understanding the complexities of nutrition in relation to bariatric patients, specifically in adolescent populations. Tune in as we explore the role of a dietitian in the surgical treatment of obesity and learn about Dr. Henfridsson's work in the field of adolescent bariatric research.   

On today’s episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Nate Diaz. Nate is a dietitian in Sports Nutrition at the University of Miami overseeing all Olympic sports. Throughout the years, he has gained experience in clinical dietetics, food service, and private practice. Tune in as Nate shares his personal journey to becoming a Sports Dietitian! He will also provide some advice to help future dietitians navigate through the transition from a dietetic internship to the workforce. Today’s interview is conducted by 5 FIU Dietetic Students: Cary-Ann Selby, Valeria Calderon, Paola Marmoto, Niliarys Sifre, and Alejandra Sepulveda. 

On this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Raquel Cohen, a full-time mom and an experienced dietitian who has built a strong online presence through her Instagram page and Amazon store. Maintaining a social media presence can be challenging, however, Raquel will discuss how she has managed to have a thriving professional life while also balancing family priorities. So, if you’re an aspiring dietitian and are wondering how to balance a career and family life, this episode is for you! Conducting this interview today, we have 5 FIU dietetic students: Chantell, Maria, Raphaela, Daniella and Guilherme 

In this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mary-Ellen Dorfman, a registered dietitian with over 20 years of experience who currently works as a Clinical Dietitian at the Baptist Health Cardiovascular Unit. Tune in as Ms. Dorfman shares her advice on working with cardiac patients and preventing cardiovascular disease as well as some general advice for future dietitians. Conducting this interview today, we have 5 FIU dietetics students: Assiya Beisembina, Armando Narvaez, Ashley Petrie, Coral Estrella, and Rebekah Bernadel.   

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sherry Coleman Collins, a registered dietitian who works as a nutrition communicator, as well as a food allergy dietitian. Sherry Coleman Collins has been incredibly active in the dietetic community throughout her career. Today you can find her advocating for food allergy education, speaking at conferences, or publishing nutrition articles. Tune in as Mrs. Coleman shares her experience and path to becoming a food allergy dietitian, as well as some tips for dietetic students headed into internship. 

In today’s episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Professor Joan Marn from Florida International University.Professor Marn will share her experience working at different hospitals as well as some tips to build effective relationships with physicians. Conducting today’s interview, we have 4 dietetic students from FIU: Stacy Alonso, Marielle Ames Plummer,  Ana Anaguren Martinez, and Ami Kawaguchi.

On today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kristen Carli. Kristen is a Registered Dietitian based in Phoenix, Arizona where she runs her own private practice named Camelback Nutrition & Wellness. This podcast will give the audience a new perspective on forms of nutrition communication as Kristen discusses being a dietitian in a media-run age. Conducting today’s interview, we have 4 senior dietetic students: Cayleigh MacLeod, Kay-Ann Blake, Laura Velez, and Emily Bonilla.

On this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle Lee, a Registered Dietitian and Clinical Manager of Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach. Throughout this interview, Danielle will provide insight into the skills needed to be a clinical manager including her roles and responsibilities in the position. She will also discuss her journey toward becoming a clinical manager and the many challenges she has faced along the way. Conducting our interview today, we have 4 dietetic students from FIU: Cindy Sanchez, Brittany Goranson, Michelle Duthill, & Ashleigh DeCaprio.