About

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

George Bernard Shaw

I have been there...I understand...I care...

I am a researcher, educator, and clinical nutrition professional whose work focuses on human resilience, healthy aging, and the integration of qualitative research with clinical nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

My research explores how resilience is cultivated through everyday practices across the lifespan. Using constructivist grounded theory, my doctoral research examined how community-dwelling older women develop and sustain resilience despite significant life challenges. My broader interests include healthy aging, women's health, clinical nutrition, and translating research into practical applications for healthcare professionals, community organizations, and the public.

Academic Background

PhD, Integrative and Functional Nutrition
Concentration: Mind-Body Medicine
Saybrook University, Pasadena, California

Dissertation: Everyday Practices of Resilience Among Community-Dwelling Older Women: A Constructivist Grounded Theory

Master of Science (MS), Clinical Nutrition
University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Concentration: Nutrition for Inflammatory and Autoimmune Conditions

Master of Education (MEd), Foreign Language Education

Professional Background

I am a Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®), credentialed by the American Nutrition Association through its Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists.

For more than 20 years, I worked within the healthcare industry, including the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors, with experience in acute cardiac care, electrophysiology, implantable cardiac devices, and hospital-based healthcare environments.

These experiences provided firsthand insight into the challenges faced by patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems, while reinforcing the importance of prevention, evidence-informed practice, and whole-person approaches to health.

My graduate education in clinical nutrition, combined with decades of healthcare experience, has shaped an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates nutrition science, resilience research, healthy aging, and lifestyle medicine.

Research Interests

Human resilience
Healthy aging
Nutrition for Cancer
Clinical nutrition
Lifestyle medicine
Qualitative research
Constructivist grounded theory
Community health education

Philosophy

I believe resilience is cultivated through the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors across the lifespan. While nutrition is an important component of health, it represents one part of a broader system that supports well-being and healthy aging.

My goal is to bridge research and practice by translating scientific evidence into knowledge that is accessible, meaningful, and applicable to healthcare professionals, researchers, community organizations, and individuals seeking to improve health and quality of life.

For a complete curriculum vitae and professional history, please visit my LinkedIn profile.

My Approach

“Why should we tolerate a diet of weak poisons, a home in insipid surroundings, a circle of acquaintances who are not quite our enemies, the noise of motors with just enough relief to prevent insanity? Who would want to live in a world which is just not quite fatal?”

― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that nutrition plays a critical role in disease prevention, healthy aging, and recovery from illness and surgery. At the same time, chronic diseases continue to increase worldwide despite remarkable advances in medical science. Addressing this challenge requires a broader understanding of the complex interactions among nutrition, lifestyle, environmental exposures, genetics, and the social determinants of health.

Individuals seeking nutrition guidance often encounter conflicting information from a wide range of sources. The rapid expansion of online health information, commercial marketing, and dietary supplements has created opportunities for education, but also significant challenges in distinguishing evidence-informed recommendations from unsupported claims.

Throughout my career, I have remained committed to scientific inquiry, critical evaluation of emerging evidence, and translating nutrition science into practical, individualized strategies. While no single approach is appropriate for everyone, research consistently supports the importance of nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and other healthy lifestyle practices in promoting long-term health and resilience.

My goal is not simply to provide information, but to help individuals and professionals better understand the complex factors that influence health and resilience throughout the lifespan. Sustainable improvements in health rarely result from a single intervention; they are cultivated through informed decisions, consistent everyday practices, and meaningful behavior change over time.

My journey into clinical nutrition was shaped not only by years of education and professional experience, but also by my own personal health challenges. Seeking answers for myself gave me a deeper understanding of the complexities of health and the many obstacles people encounter while trying to improve their well-being.

More than two decades in the healthcare industry, combined with advanced education in clinical nutrition and resilience research, have strengthened my belief that health is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. While genetics play an important role, many of the factors that influence health—including nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep, social connection, and environmental exposures—are modifiable and offer meaningful opportunities to promote well-being and prevent chronic disease.

My research has further reinforced that resilience is not a fixed trait but a dynamic process that develops through everyday practices, relationships, and life experiences. This understanding has broadened my perspective beyond nutrition alone and deepened my appreciation for the interconnected nature of human health.

Throughout my career, I have remained committed to lifelong learning, scientific inquiry, and translating research into practical knowledge that empowers individuals, healthcare professionals, and communities.

Perhaps the most valuable lessons I have learned are to be patient, to treat the body with kindness and respect, and to recognize that every person's journey toward health is unique. Lasting change rarely comes from quick solutions; it develops through curiosity, self-awareness, evidence-informed decisions, and consistent everyday practices.

I believe the future of healthcare will continue to move toward more personalized and precision-based approaches. As advances in nutritional science, genomics, and systems biology continue to evolve, our ability to better understand individual differences will expand, allowing prevention and treatment strategies to become increasingly tailored to each person's unique needs.