Executive Committee & Leadership Team 2022-23

Miho Hatanaka, RDN, Chair 2022-2023

Miho Hatanaka, RDN, is an integrative registered dietitian in Portland, Oregon. She joined as a DIFM student member in 2016 and has been working with the Diversity Committee and active with the diversity efforts and multicultural awareness within nutrition and dietetics. Miho spearheaded the DIFM Diversity webinar series to educate and raise awareness of multicultural food practices for dietitians and nutrition professionals. In addition, She served as the Diversity Liaison between DIFM and the Academy.

Miho was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, and truly enjoys sharing her heritage and learning about different cultural food practices. She is also proud to serve as a leader within DIFM to advocate and encourage dietitians of color to be involved with DIFM. Her strength is to inspire others to collaborate to build a better community. She's always been passionate about food and nutrition; simultaneously, she always felt that there is a need to cultivate a more diverse membership within DIFM and the Academy. Another strength she has is the ability to listen to others; she believes it is essential for leaders to be able to hear what the community wants and needs.

Currently, she runs a private practice in Portland, Oregon working with patients who struggle with stress and emotional eating—teaching clients how to cultivate intuitive eating habits and using integrative and functional nutrition to improve their health. Also, since 2020 she has owned a massage therapy clinic and a teahouse in the heart of Portland. 

Linda Lockett Brown, ABD, RDN, LDN, Chair-Elect 2022-2023

Linda Lockett Brown has extensive experience in nutrition, food service management, and education. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, holds licensure as a Dietitian Nutritionist from Florida, and has a Lifestyle Counselor Certification in Stress and Weight Management.

She earned her B.S. in Food Science and Technology and M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Florida. She is currently completing her EdD in eLearning.   Her research interest is online diabetes self-management education and support.

She is the president of CINET REGISTERED DIETITIANS & WELLNESS, which provides nutrition counseling and food service management consulting for individuals, groups, and institutions. She has presented workshops worldwide for numerous organizations in nutrition, diabetes education, health, wellness, food safety, teambuilding, and online learning. Her company received grant funding in 2021 from the Southwest Florida Health Planning Council to begin the accreditation process for a hybrid Diabetes Self-Management and Support program.

Professional experience includes positions as a Chemist/Microbiologist for Green Giant, Director of School Food Service, Headstart Food Service, and hospital Food and Nutrition Director. She directed operations with up to 260 employees, 39 locations, and 2-to-8-million-dollar budgets. 

She received tenure while on the faculty of the University of Florida. Other faculty positions include the University of North Florida, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, St. Johns River Community College, Palm Beach Community College, Kaplan University, Concorde Career Academy, and Fortis College.

She has written extensively for newspapers and magazines. Her media experience includes T.V., radio, magazines, and podcasts in New York, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, and West Palm Beach.

Service to the profession includes selection as the SPARC representative for the Florida Dietetic Association, tasked with recruiting minority students into the field. In addition, she has a long history of mentoring students while in school and providing career guidance after graduation.

Linda has served as Newsletter or Assistant Newsletter Editor for the DIFM and MNT practice groups. In addition, she designed a Dietary Supplement course for the Masters' Level Nutrition Program at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and has written exam questions for the Certification Board of the American Medical Informatics Association and ServSafe Food Safety Manager certification tests.

Community involvement includes her appointment by the Governor of Florida to two terms on the Health and Human Services Board, where she saved local WIC funding. She also served as Chair of the Clay County Children's commission, where she secured USDA funding for a summer feeding program and fed 7,800 meals to underprivileged children. 

Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, L.D., Past Chair 2022-2023

Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD, is an integrative registered dietitian and owner of The Hormone Dietitian LLC, a virtual private practice specializing in women's health and hormone issues, including PCOS and fertility. She uses the functional medicine and food-first approach that combines holistic lifestyle changes with evidence-based medicine.

Melissa is a second-career dietitian, having worked as a copywriter and editor in medical advertising in NYC for 15 years before going back to school for nutrition. She has a B.A. in English and Dance from Hofstra University and completed her B.S. in Nutrition/Dietetics and Dietetic Internship at the University of New Hampshire.

Melissa was awarded the Emerging Women's Health Dietitian of 2019 by the Women's Health DPG and an UpwaRD Award from FoodMinds in 2019.

She writes and contributes to several food and nutrition blogs and is the author of A Balanced Approach to PCOS (2020). She served on the DIFM Leadership Team as Social Media Chair (2018-2020) and on the New Hampshire state board as Professional Development Chair (2018-2020).

Manju Karkare, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, FAND, Treasurer 2022-2024

Manju is President/CEO of Nutritionally Yours LLC, a private practice offering personalized nutritional coaching focused on integrative and functional nutrition for prevention and wellness, food sensitivities, and weight management. She has more than 25 years of experience in acute care clinical nutrition, outpatient oncology consulting, public health education, and community nutrition. Manju served as the Academy's Treasurer from 2018 to 2019. She is a member and past Chair of the Academy's Asian Indians in Nutrition and Dietetics member interest group. Manju has served on the Academy's Board of Directors as Treasurer and N.C. Affiliate Board as the Public Policy Coordinator. She is actively serving as Communications Chair of Vegetarian DPG, Communications team member of Weight Management DPG, Membership Director of Dietitians in Business and Communications DPG, Mentor for the Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG, and Cardiovascular and Wellness DPG. She is currently a member of the Academy’s Legislative and Public Policy Committee.

Manju was selected in 2012 as one of the Academy's four national Diversity Leaders and received the North Carolina Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' 2018 Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award. In addition, she served as a reimbursement representative of the North Carolina affiliate and as a member of the Academy's Diversity Committee, Finance and Audit Committee, Diversity Committee, and Nutrition Services Payment Committee.

Manju is an active volunteer and leader at Meals on Wheels and has been inducted into the Cooking Matters Hall of Fame for teaching nutrition classes for low-income populations. In addition, Manju serves on various area non-profit boards and has held leadership positions.

Manju graduated from SNDT Women's University in Pune, India, and earned a master's degree from the University of Kentucky.

Adair Anderson, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, Secretary 2021-2023

Adair Anderson, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT is an integrative dietitian nutritionist, educator, and owner of Eating with Integrity, a holistic nutrition practice. She specializes in helping women resolve frustrating gastrointestinal conditions to optimize their health and get back to living the best life. Adair brings grounded support, fosters a growth mindset, and uses evidence-based, functional testing to identify and resolve root-cause digestive mysteries.

Fueled by a desire to learn everything she could about health and the human body, Adair earned a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Earlham College and a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Bastyr University. She joined DIFM as a student in 2008. After completing her internship with Virginia Tech, she served with the Northern Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the D.C. Metro Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and DIFM. She was awarded Young Dietitian of the Year for Virginia in 2013.

Adair is an outdoorsy hiker, skier, rock climber, competitive cyclist, yogi, chef, and amateur gardener. She and her husband recently moved from Washington, DC, to the beautiful Wood River Valley of Idaho to pursue the goal of living in the moment and going on as many adventures as possible! 

Faye Berger Mitchell, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, House of Delegates 2022-2025

Faye Berger Mitchell recently completed her master's degree in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Pharmacy. Combining her unique blend of nutrition and medical cannabis expertise, Faye's private practice and consulting business focuses on helping patients get, feel, and be well. Her passion is educating the public and allied health professionals about the risks and benefits of cannabis as medicine.
Faye's entrepreneurial spirit has resulted in a variety of self-created businesses. A pioneer, Faye built and maintained a thriving nutrition private practice and consulting business in the D.C. metro area in the late 1980s. Specializing in eating disorders, family nutrition, and women's health, she helped thousands of clients ditch their diets to adopt her philosophy "Eat for Pleasure – Move for Fun" for more than 25 years.

Faye helped colleagues start practices through workshops, private coaching, consultations, speaking engagements, and her Be Your Own Boss Starter Kit. Past publications include Making Nutrition Your Business – Private Practice and Beyond (2011) and American Dietetic Association Guide to Private Practice (2004). She also created Foodie On Campus, an online magazine and food blog to help college students take the guesswork out of college eating.

Faye has presented at many state and regional dietetic association meetings and annual conferences. In addition, she has worked extensively with the media. A guest lecturer at several colleges and universities, Faye was selected to give the Dorothy M. Proud lecture at Cornell University in 2016.

After major surgery in 2016, Faye turned to medical cannabis to help with her recovery and found it more effective than other treatment options. Her medical background and interest in learning the science behind medical cannabis changed her trajectory. Honors include the Award for Excellence in Consultation and Business Practice - ADA, Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur of the Year Award – NEDPG, Rho Chi pharmacy honor society, and Phi Kappa Phi honor society.  

Laura Bollinger, MS, RDN, Nominating Committee Chair 2022-2024

Laura Bollinger, MS, RDN, ACSM-EP, is an entrepreneur, educator, and licensed dietitian. She earned her B.S. in Exercise Science and M.S. in Dietetics from Ball State University and recently completed her Genetics and Genomics certificate at Stanford University. Laura is the founding Program Director for the Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics at Manchester University. She has also worked in metabolic weight loss, bariatrics, long-term care, corporate and employee wellness, personal training, and cardiac rehabilitation. Laura's research interests include interactions between nutrition, exercise, the gut microbiome, and the human genome. 

Lora Silver, MS, RD, LD, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Chair 2022-2023

Lora is currently an outpatient oncology dietitian with Yale-New Haven Health in Connecticut. She is a second-career dietitian with prior experience in grant writing, outcome evaluation, and health coaching. Lora demonstrates personalized approaches, coaching techniques, and commitment to health equity in her nutrition care. Lora holds a master’s degree from Bastyr University and completed her internship at Cleveland Clinic. Her recipe development and writing have appeared in the cookbook Plant-Based on a Budget, websites The Plant-Powered Dietitian and Bastyr Health Tips, and the print magazine Northwest Prime Time. Her previous board leadership experience includes chairing committees and organizing career development events with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Outside of dietetics, Lora lives for restorative yoga and bread-baking experiments. Lora has been an enthusiastic member of DIFM since 2016. 

Elise Harrison, MS, RDN, CDN, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Chair 2022-2023

Elise Harrison is a Registered Dietitian working at a private practice in New York City. She co-chairs the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee under DIFM. Additionally, she is co-chair of the membership committee at the Greater New York Dietetic Association (GNYDA). She loves sharing science-based information via social media. It allows her to reach a larger audience and hopefully moves individuals to the contemplation phase regarding their lifestyle and diet decisions. She has a strong research background, a passion for integrative and functional nutrition/medicine, and an interest in community nutrition and public policy.

Analy Gonzalez, MPH, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Associate 2022-2023

My name is Analy Gonzalez, and I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I have a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in maternal/child nutrition from the University of San Francisco. I am currently doing my distance dietetic internship at the University of New England. Functional and integrative medicine has always been a part of my life without me knowing it. As a child, I grew up with complex digestive issues, and my grandmother was the only one that could relieve my pain. My grandmother was a curandera (healer) and a partera (midwife) in Mexico; I learned about various remedies and the importance of self-love and healing. My father also has a background in and uses naturopathic medicine and herbal remedies. Working in public health has opened my eyes to various issues in the current healthcare system. As much as I loved working with families, I was disappointed in the healthcare provided for families suffering from certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, food sensitivities, and allergies. I saw how families were shamed about their cultural upbringings and remedies. As a future dietitian, I aspire to continue my family’s tradition and pay homage to my cultural background. I am happy to be part of DIFM’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion Team. I will further engage students from all backgrounds to continue their cultural traditions and offer a different perspective on integrative and functional medicine. 

Regina Barrera Flores, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Associate 2022-2023

My name is Regina Barrera Flores, and I am a nutrition student at the School of Public Health of the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) in Monterrey, Mexico. I have consistently been the top student in my class throughout my academic career. I have been part of the UANL Talented and Gifted Development Institutional Program for Undergraduate Students for academic merit.

I did my professional training as a dietitian assistant in the nutrition and dietetics department of a private hospital in Monterrey, where I provided nutritional consultations to inpatients and participated in developing parenteral and enteral nutrition formulas. I am passionate about clinical nutrition. I have a certificate in food supplements about their uses and marketing.

I am also interested in public health research. For two years in this area, I have written several science-based articles in a language understandable to the general population regarding non-communicable diseases.

My short-term goal is to complete a master’s degree program and become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. My areas of interest include parenteral and enteral Nutrition, chronic kidney disease, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and eating disorders.

I am excited to be involved in the DIFM DEI Committee. I plan to connect with more students and dietitians and learn from different cultures and practices related to integrative and functional medicine. 

Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, MS, MPH, RD, CDN, IFNCP, CHWC, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Associate 2022-2023

Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, MS, MPH, RD, CDN, IFNCP, CHWC, is an integrative Registered Dietitian and professionally trained health coach grounded in a 'food as medicine' philosophy. Sarah received her BS in Nutrition Science with a minor in Psychology through Russell Sage College. She earned a Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Management and a Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice. Sarah is currently the clinical nutrition manager at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine in Ohio. 

Alison Jordan, RDN, Environment and Nutrition Chair 2022-2024

Sarah Elster, RDN, LDN, FNCE Planning Chair 2021-2023

Sarah is currently working as an Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietitian in Chicago, IL. She is passionate about integrative nutrition, pediatrics, fertility, hormone balancing, and finding the root cause of GI complaints. Sarah has additional training from MONASH University on the Low FODMAP Diet and the Academy's Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) Certificate of Training Program. She has been a DIFM member since 2017 and will continue her role as FNCE Planning Chair for the 2022-2023 year. Her goal is to support RDNs, students, and interns interested in and practicing integrative and functional medicine and to build a strong connection between members at events this year.  

Andrea Hinojosa, MS, BS, RD, LDN, CLC, Member Services Chair 2022-2023

Andrea is working at Allow Wellness and Feed To Succeed. She is also volunteering with different organizations throughout Chicago to provide nutrition education to neuro-diverse young adults and is leading the National Schweitzer Fellowship Task Force Planning Committee. As part of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Chapter in Chicago, Andrea has partnered with Near North Health Service Corporation (NNHSC) and BUILD Inc. to increase the exposure of farmers, nutrition, and locally farmed produce to the Chicago community. Andrea completed her master’s degree and dietetic internship at Loyola University Chicago. She has recently finished her Schweitzer Fellowship within the Chicago Chapter and is in the process of obtaining her IBCLC. 

Kayla Farrell, RD, Mentoring and Coaching Chair 2021-2023

Kayla is a Registered Dietitian in Chicago interested in integrative and functional nutrition that began during her undergraduate studies at Indiana University. She is a recent graduate from her dietetic internship at Michigan Medicine and has some work experience in retail food marketing, nutrition communications, and freelance writing. Kayla is passionate about mentorship within dietetics and hopes to incorporate her perspective as a new dietitian into the DIFM Mentoring and Coaching Chair position. Kayla enjoys yoga, traveling, cooking, and a good podcast during her free time. 

Pamela Malo, MHS, RD, KYT, Mind-Body Therapy Chair 2022-2024

Pamela Malo is a writer, kindness coach, and speaker. She earned her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and has worked in global health, private practice, the startup industry, politics, and, for over a decade, as a dietary interviewer with NHANES (ask her about the 60 cities she lived and 7,000 dietary interviews she did!) Pamela is passionate about the connection between mind and body and is the creator of Pajama Yoga! and the Yoga for Peaceful Eating Program which combines nutrition, yoga, and mindfulness. She is also a regular virtual speaker for dietetic internships and nutrition students on leadership and career development topics. 

Kathie Madonna Swift, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, EBQ, MBCP, Network Chair 2021-2023

Kathie Madonna Swift, MS RDN LDN FAND EBQ, MBCP, is an author, teacher, and integrative dietitian/nutritionist. Kathie is dedicated to helping patients on their personal healthcare journeys, integrating the best nutritional science and mind-body modalities.

Kathie is an educator at heart who is interested in digestive disorders, chronic pain conditions, and brain health.  She co-founded the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, www.IFNAcademy.com, an online functional nutrition training program for healthcare professionals.  Kathie also directs the Center for Mind-Body Medicine’s highly acclaimed “Food As Medicine” program and serves as faculty for their mind-body skills groups worldwide.  She is certified in qi gong and weaves this meditative movement practice into her teachings.

Kathie pioneered innovative nutrition programs at Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and The UltraWellness Center and continues to consult at all three organizations today.

She is the author of The Swift Diet: 4 Weeks to Mend the Belly, Lose the Weight, and Get Rid of the Bloat and co-authored The Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Health and The IFMNT Radial. 

Joseph Zastawny, RDN, LD, Network Associate 2022-2023 and Mentoring and Coaching Associate 2022-2023

Joe’s commitment to nutrition and holistic health started as he experienced improvements in his acne which were directly related to his diet and lifestyle changes. This led to him completing Cuyahoga Community College’s Dietetic Technology Program in 2010 and becoming a Dietetic Technician, Registered. He learned organic agriculture and engaged in urban farming for several years. With Joe’s discovery of Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM DPG), he returned to dietetics, completed The University of Akron Coordinated Undergraduate Program in Dietetics, and became a registered dietitian in 2019. He has continued to work in the Cleveland local food system through nonprofits involved in garden-based education, community gardens, and urban farming. Joe received DIFM’s diversity stipend in 2019 to complete a video report on the FNCE Philadelphia session titled Integrative Approaches to Digestive Diseases in Children. Promoting health by treating the gut and microbiome is one of Joe’s favorite aspects of nutrition in integrative and functional medicine. With this interest, he completed The Academy’s Certificate of Training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition and is enrolled in the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy (IFNA) to become an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner. 

Jena Savadsky Griffith, RDN, IHC, Newsletter Editor 2022-2023

Jena Savadsky Griffith, RDN, IHC, is an integrative dietitian and health coach with a private practice specializing in the foundational processes of body re-mineralization, gut restoration, and immune resilience. She uses food, nature, functional medicine, and targeted supplementation to nourish the body, mind, and spirit. After graduating from NYU with a BA in journalism and having a successful career in television production, Jena was inspired to redirect her work path and return to school after transforming her health and life with integrative and functional nutrition. Following a more circuitous route, she amassed certifications from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, and a digestive wellness mentorship while attending, graduating, and completing her dietetic internship at the University of Northern Colorado. After almost four years of creating and directing a successful nutrition program at Virginia’s top medical wellness facility, Jena transitioned to private practice full-time this year. For the past 12 years, she has also been the primary nutrition instructor for Charlottesville’s community education program. Jena is a writer, mentor, frequent presenter, and podcast guest and is the author of the chronic pain and nutrition chapter of Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy, the most recent textbook reference for IFMNT practitioners. Jena has been the newsletter editor for The Integrative RDN since 2018 where she gets to marry past and present passions. Although a New York City native, Jena has embraced the tranquility of Virginia, where she lives with her son. 

Holly Van Poots, RDN, CSP, FAND, Copy Editor 2022-2023

Holly Van Poots, RDN, CSP, FAND, is a private practice dietitian specializing in integrative nutrition care throughout the lifespan. Her practice, Be Balanced Nutrition, LLC, is part of an integrative performance center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She collaborates with two functional chiropractors, a massage therapist, and a trainer specializing in Pilates and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization. She has over 15 years of experience working with acutely ill children in several large health systems and has been a Board-Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition since 2006. She has served as a subject matter expert for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Pediatric Specialty Exam. She has been a member of the advisory committee for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Dietetic Internship Program. She became a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (FAND) in 2015. She is a Past Chair of the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group and has also been the PNPG Building Block for Life editor. She is currently the copy editor for the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine newsletter, The Integrative RDN, and for the patient education team of the Renal Dietitians Practice Group. She is the 2018-2021 Pediatric Nutrition DPG delegate for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics House of Delegates. Holly is a dynamic speaker and dedicated leader, passionate about healthy living and her family. Outside of nutrition, she spends her time raising two boys and teaching Pilates, TRX, and barre group fitness classes. 

Staci Belcher, MS, RDN, LDN, Newsletter CPE Editor 2022-2023

Staci is a Florida native currently residing in Athens, GA. She graduated from the University of Georgia’s master of science and dietetic internship program. She is working as a research assistant investigating the impact of a viral infection on pediatric bone and body composition. 

Dina Ranade, RDN, LD, Newsletter Editor/Botanicals 2022-2023

Chrissy Barth, MS, RDN, RYT, Policy Advocacy Leader (PAL) 2021-2024

Chrissy Barth, MS, RDN, RYT, is an integrative and functional sports registered dietitian and mind-body expert in holistic nutrition who is passionate about teaching others about optimal health and performance by taking the confusion out of nutrition. She is the founder and CEO of Live Breathe Nutrition, LLC, and Nutrition Lifestyle Education – nutrition coaching and consulting practices in Phoenix, Arizona, where she serves as a nutrition consultant to sports teams, spas, behavioral health programs, medical and training facilities, corporations, and local and national media outlets serving as a media spokesperson. Chrissy is also a Lecturer at Arizona State University. She teaches sports nutrition, complementary health care, human nutrition, and entrepreneurship and also serves as a mentor to aspiring future RDs.

Chrissy has been awarded inclusion of Cambridge Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals in Dietetics “Honors Edition” of the Registry – the single highest mark of achievement as a dietitian and has received recognition as Arizona’s Young Dietitian of the Year. Chrissy enjoys giving back to her community and volunteers to educate youth athletes on the benefits of sports nutrition.

As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its practice groups of sports and weight management dietitians, nutrition entrepreneurs, and dietitians in integrative and functional medicine, where she serves as the Mind-Body editor of the Integrative RDN Newsletter.  Chrissy is also an active member of the Arizona Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Collegiate & Professional Sports Dietitians Association, The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, the International Sports Sciences Association, the Yoga Alliance, and the National Speakers Association – Arizona.

Chrissy received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in human nutrition from Arizona State University. An athlete, foodie, and sports enthusiast, Chrissy enjoys dining out with friends and family, spending time outdoors hiking, and supporting many local athletic events in Arizona. Last but certainly not least, you can be sure to catch Chrissy in a yoga studio somewhere in the Valley most days of the week, and she encourages many of her clients to incorporate yoga and other mindfulness-based practices into their lifestyles.

Jane Selitto, RDN, Policy Advocacy Associate 2022-2023


Jane Selitto (Harrington-Noonan), RDN, works with patients of all ages with diabetes, heart disease, migraines, and autoimmune and gastrointestinal conditions. She specializes in integrative and functional nutrition, determining the root cause of their ailments and creating for them a customized wellness plan to integrate into their lifestyle. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences and has a certificate of training in integrative and functional nutrition, mindful eating, and yin yoga. She looks forward to helping patients through their wellness journey.

Sangeeta Shrivastava, Ph.D., RDN, Professional Advancement Chair, and CA Coordinator, 2022-2023

Dr. Sangeeta Shrivastava is the owner of insurance-based private practice Dr. Sangeeta Nutrition and a part-time faculty member at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, CA. She holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry.

Nutrition and Dietetics are not only her profession but her true passion, where she visualizes empowering each person with a healthy lifestyle to reduce the burden of health disparities in the community. As a clinical dietitian, she strongly believes that if nutrition is at the forefront of care, the cost of health care, length of hospital stay, and readmission rate will be significantly reduced.

Sangeeta was born and raised in India, where the Ayurvedic Lifestyle was the daily norm of her grandparents. She feels that an integrative approach is the best way to discuss the prevention of chronic diseases- where we can blend ancient wisdom with modern medicine to find the root cause and treat health problems holistically. As an educator, she strongly believes in blending the integrative approach with modern medicine/ nutrition. 

Sangeeta was the winner of the Emerging Dietetic Leader Award in CA in 2018. She also earned AIND: MIG Star Award during FNCE®️ in Washington DC. Sangeeta was named Outstanding Faculty by CPP athletic department based on her student nomination in 2019. Sangeeta received the Excellence in Community Nutrition Award from the California Academy in 2022. Sangeeta has co-authored a chapter on Ayurveda in a functional medicine textbook.

She is a past chair of IND-MIG, Professional Advancement Chair, and CA coordinator for DIFM DPG. She also served as president of the California Academy- Orange District from 2013-2016.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons.

Claire Walsh, MS, RD, LD, Professional Advancement Associate 2022-2023

Kristen Nicolai, Social Media Chair 2022-2024

Kristen Nicolai is a master’s student in Hunter College’s Integrated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (IPND). Before pursuing a career as a registered dietitian, Kristen worked in media and advertising in NYC. She has a BA in Communication from Boston College. She has served on the Westchester Rockland Dietetic Association as Student Liaison. She recently received the Frederick Green Memorial Nutrition Communications Experience Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As Marketing Associate, she is excited about the opportunity to couple her background with her current nutrition training and passion for integrative nutrition. She enjoys cycling, baking, reading, and traveling when she is not studying or interning. 

Valerie Warner, RD, Sponsorship Chair 2022-2023

Val Vieira Warner is from Albuquerque, NM! She currently works as a Registered Dietitian and Health Educator for Employee Health Services at Sandia National Laboratories, home to over 14,000 employees. She is working on her master of science degree in human nutrition and functional medicine at the University of Western States. Val loves to cook and prepare delicious meals. Val enjoys running her dog, going to CrossFit, doing hot yoga and kickboxing, and spending time with her family and friends in her free time. Val’s passion is helping others find and strive for their ultimate health balance! She believes in sustainability when it comes to diet and lifestyle. A long-term goal for Val is to open her own functional nutrition private practice. Val has been a member of DIFM for quite some time and is so happy to be a part of the board! vjvieir@gmail.com

Colleen Orbegoso, Student Membership Chair 2022-2023

Colleen Orbegoso is a current graduate student in the M.S. Nutrition/Dietetic Internship program (class of 2022) at The University of Memphis. She graduated in August 2021 with her second B.S. in Dietetics in Memphis. She earned her first B.S. degree in Supply Chain Management from Arizona State University. Over the past decade, she has gone from coaching and teaching fitness classes to pursuing her dream of becoming a registered dietitian. Her interest in integrative and functional medicine is something she hopes to promote and share with other students. Outside of school, she is busy raising her two boys, working part-time as a GA, running her website, and enjoying many outdoor activities.

Abby Barth, Student Membership Associate 2022-2023

Amy Jarck, Executive Director

info@integrativeRD.org