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 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. lorasilver@gmail.com
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 is co-chair of 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, as well as 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. analygonzalez4@gmail.com
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. regina.barflo@gmail.com
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. sthomsenferreira@gmail.com
Sarah Elster, RDN, LDN, FNCE Planning Chair 2021-2023
Sarah is currently working as an Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietitian in Chicago, IL. She has a passion for 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, in addition to, 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 and practicing in integrative and functional medicine and to build a strong connection between members at events this year. Sarah.a.elster@gmail.com
Kristen Nicolai, Marketing Associate 2022-2023
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 is a recent recipient of 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. When she is not studying or interning, she enjoys cycling, baking, reading, and traveling. kmnicolai@gmail.com
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. ahinojosa.rd@gmail.com
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 has a passion for 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. kayfarrell07@gmail.com
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 that combines nutrition, yoga, and mindfulness. She is also a regular virtual speaker for dietetic internships and nutrition students on leadership and career development topics. pamela@pamelamalo.com
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 very best nutritional science and mind-body modalities.
An educator at heart, Kathie has a particular interest in digestive disorders, chronic pain conditions, and brain health. She is the co-founder of the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, www.IFNAcademy.com, an online functional nutrition training program for health care 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. kathie@kathieswift.com
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 related to 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. joezast1@yahoo.com
Jena Savadsky Griffith, RDN, IHC, Newsletter Editor 2022-2023
Having worked in nutrition for almost 16 years, Jena was inspired to redirect her career path and return to school after transforming her health with integrative and functional nutrition. She is currently the director of nutrition for the Culpeper Wellness Foundation and Powell Wellness Center, the top-ranking medical wellness center in Virginia. Jena has been the lead nutrition instructor for Charlottesville’s community education program for the last ten years and maintains a private practice specializing in digestive health and chronic pain. She has received certifications from the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She uses food and nature as a doorway to improving mind, body, and spirit. She is an author, writer, educator, and fervent presenter on various integrative and functional nutrition topics. She believes that IFN RDs are uniquely positioned to make the most impact on the health of this nation. Jena joined DIFM in 2015 as Associate Editor of The Integrative RDN and became Editor in 2018. With a BA in journalism, serving as an Editor is a perfect combination of past and present passions. Although a New York City native, Jena is mainly adapted to the tranquility of Virginia, where she lives with her son. jenas_mailbox@yahoo.com
Janie Jacoby, MS, RD, Associate Newsletter Editor 2022-2023
Janie Jacoby is a master’s student in Community Nutrition and Dietetics at Colorado State University. She is applying to dietetic internships and is excited to see where that takes her next year. She is also currently working on her master’s thesis, which is focused on nutritional approaches to addressing Alzheimer’s disease and online curriculum development. Janie works in the CSU Extension office, where she develops nutrition-related educational materials. She is also the president of the Holistic Health Alliance at CSU, a student organization that hosts speakers and events on various holistic health topics. When not working, she enjoys cooking, hiking, practicing yoga, listening to functional nutrition podcasts, and wandering farmer’s markets with a good cup of coffee. Janie.Jacoby@gmail.com
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 with a passion for healthy living and her family. Outside of nutrition, she spends her time raising two boys and teaching Pilates, TRX, and barre group fitness classes. hollypnpg@gmail.com
Staci Belcher, MS, RDN, LDN, Newsletter CPE Editor 2022-2023
Staci is a Florida native currently residing in Athens, GA. She is a graduate of 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. stacibelcher5@gmail.com
Dina Ranade, RDN, LD, Newsletter Editor/Botanicals 2022-2023
dranade@comcast.net
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 her time educating 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, 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 encourages many of her clients to incorporate yoga and other mindfulness-based practices into their lifestyles. chrissy@nutritionlifestyleeducation.com.
Jane Selitto, RDN, Policy Advocacy Associate 2022-2023
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Jane Selitto (Harrington-Noonan), RDN, works with patients of all ages with diabetes, heart disease, migraines, 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. janehn93@gmail. com
Karen Komine, Social Media Chair 2022-2024
kominekaren@gmail.com
Valerie Vieira, RD, Sponsorship Chair 2022-2023
Val Vieira 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
Sangeeta Shrivastava, Ph.D., RDN, State Coordinator, CA 2022-2023
Dr. Sangeeta Shrivastava, Ph.D., RDN, is a Clinical Dietitian in a subacute setting and a faculty at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, CA. She holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry.
Sangeeta originally started working as a consultant dietitian and nutritionist in 1995 and served on the University faculty in India from 2000 to 2002. During her term at the university, she was responsible for coordinating the department; she also guided ten students with their master’s degree thesis and established collaboration with local hospitals and MDs. She moved to the USA in February 2003 and went back to school to become a Registered Dietitian in the USA.
Nutrition and Dietetics is her profession and 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 firmly believes that if nutrition is at the forefront of the care, the cost of health care, length of hospital stay, and readmission rate will be significantly reduced. She works very closely with MDs, nursing staff, and other healthcare providers to achieve this.
Born and raised in India, where the Ayurvedic Lifestyle was the daily norm of Sangeeta’s grandparents- She feels that an integrative approach is the best way when we talk about the prevention of chronic diseases- where we can blend ancient wisdom with modern medicine to find the root cause and holistically treat health problems. As an educator, she firmly believes it’s possible to combine the integrative approach in contemporary medicine/nutrition. She co-authored a chapter on Ayurveda in the latest text of Integrated and Functional Medicine.
Sangeeta won the Emerging Dietetic Leader Award in CA in 2018; she also earned AIND/ MIG Star Award during FNCE® in Washington DC. Based on her student nomination, Sangeeta was named Outstanding Faculty by CPP athletic department.
She is CA State Coordinator for DIFM-DPG and has been for several years. Her goal as a CA coordinator is to keep CA DIFM members connected via a closed Facebook group and provide networking and unique learning opportunities through the annual SoCal DIFM symposium.
She has served on the board of the IND-MIG and the nominating committee for the California Academy of Nutrition. She served as president of the California Academy, Orange District 2013-2016, organized many educational events, and celebrated the 50th anniversary of Orange District.
She enjoys enriching children and the community with the transformative power of nutrition and regularly visits classrooms and speaks to the community.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. a.sangeeta.aa@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 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. crbegoso@memphis.edu
Amy Jarck, Executive Director
info@integrativeRD.org