My Background

I have loved being a mother to my three boys, and fully understand the joys but also the challenges of a busy mom life and just trying to survive. I think of myself as a simple natural homemaker. I see life as a journey and each day as a gift to be enjoyed and lived to the fullest. I believe there is no absolute right or wrong with food or breastfeeding, or many other choices, and no one right answer for everyone, but highly individual.

 

In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano or other instruments, birding, traveling, planning parties, playing basketball or soccer, games, gardening, creating new recipes, socializing, reading the Bible or other religious material, and caring for my pet chickens! :)

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Professionally, I graduated magna cum laude from Loma Linda University after three years of college in the Chatanooga, Tennessee area, and come from a compassionate approach with a strong background in clinical nutrition. I have been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since 2002, as well as a Certified Dietitian in the State of Washington since 2013. I obtained licensure in Oregon additionally in 2021. I hold a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management, and I have also been a Certified Lactation Counselor since 2005. It was my privilege to be appointed as the chair of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Committee, which is a global initiative to help improve breastfeeding, at the Guam Memorial Hospital where I worked for over 7 years. This included providing inpatient lactation services to patients and providing staff training, as well as 24/7 hotline services for ongoing lactation/breastfeeding issues post-discharge.

 

I have worked as a clinical dietician as the pediatrics dietitian and covered the PICU, NICU, nursery, L&D, OB, Med-Tele/PCU step-down units, and surgical units. I also developed a Diabetes Self-Management Training Program on Guam and served on the Guam Diabetes Advisory Body. I have had the privilege of giving numerous public lectures on a variety of topics ranging from Food and Mood, Lactation/Breastfeeding, Diabetes, Children's Nutrition, Heart Disease, Physical Activity, Vegetarian Diet, Optimal Diet for Longevity, and numerous other nutrition topics, to many different audiences, both professional and lay. My most recent clinical experience was working at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, WA. I have also had work with kids 0-5 in both Head Start and ECEAP as well as work experience exclusively in enteral infusion working with babies and special-needs children, as well as adults, many who were fighting cancer.

 

I am passionate about helping people meet THEIR goals with a non-judging approach, and especially enjoy the individual focus time and follow-up that is possible with private practice.