Introduction

In writing about experiences in the Masters of Science program at Georgia State

University in the Department of Nutrition, I will demonstrate my achievements through this
portfolio. The artifacts presented are not only events, coursework, and internship experiencesthey have become a part of who I am. The memories and experiences that I am going to share
will never leave me, as they have been the stepping stones to becoming an MS, RDN. There is
wisdom in the words of the renowned author Michael Scott, who said, We are nothing more
than the sum of our memories and experiences.
Memories of making mud pies with the neighbor in our bakery remind me of how my
love of cooking began. I knew cooking and nutrition would be a part of my career path when I
found enjoyment working in small restaurants as a teenager. Another important milestone in my
life that lead me to nutrition was my experience with my mother as she battled HIV. She lost that
battle at age 38, when I was merely 16, but the importance she put on her nutrition and how it
ultimately extended her life expectancy is what encouraged me to learn more about nutrition.
Following these experiences, my mud pie daydreams transformed into a foodservice career in
catering in South Florida. After having two children, the benefits of higher education seemed
enticing, which led me to pursue a Bachelors degree in Nutrition. I was delighted by the
opportunities nutrition brought and it only made sense to complete enter a graduate program
immediately after.
The following portfolio of the eight learning outcomes in the Coordinated
Program will serve as my capstone. The reflections, projects, and artifacts I will provide are
meant to shed light on the experiences that lead to professional growth. My hope is that as you
read through my experiences, you will have a glimpse of the magnitude of the programs effect
on my career as a dietetic professional.
As I began in the program, my professional goals were to work in the area of Food
Research and Development. Now, with all the experiences you will soon read about, my options
seem limitless due to recognizing my love for counselling, critical care MNT, foodservice, and
food research and development. The coursework in the CP also sparked my interest in areas I had
not originally thought about. Inter-Professional Collaboration began to inspire me to use
communication between disciplines to give the best quality of care to the patient. Health policies
have never been an area I could see myself having interest in without the help of my professor
expressing her passion and knowledge. The Health Policy class gave me interest in seeing that
dietetic professionals must step up to be heard locally and in Washington to positively affect
government policies on healthcare. Understanding of the interrelationship between macro and
micronutrients is critical for my professional knowledge and was accomplished through two
focused courses in the CP that brought a deeper understanding of their effects on each other. The
internships and coursework gave me the skills for professional work in dietetics, but starting
something from the ground up with a group was also an amazing learning experience the CP
brought. Our cohort created a complete and thorough business plan to show CIMA their need for
an RDN and the influence he/she will have on patient care. This entailed defending their
efficacy with a research survey to develop and foresee implementation of nutrition services for
their population group in a variety of practice based settings.

Whether it be internship experiences, coursework, or volunteering community hours- the

educational experience brought about an extensive recognition of what opportunities are
available for people in the area of dietetics. These experiences combined have shaped my
professional portfolio and I am proud and excited to share it with readers.

Philosophy
Over the years I have witnessed how a persons overall health can be drastically affected
by their nutrition and lifestyle choices. As I mentioned, my mother was diagnosed with HIV in
the early 1990s, when the disease was not well understood and medications were less effective.
She chose to improve her diet by incorporating immune-boosting foods, homeopathic treatments
in combination with her prescriptions, as well as exercises such as Tai Chi. In doing this she was
able to preserve her health, which extended her life expectancy. Also, Ive seen the devastating
effects of diabetes and obesity first hand. My grandmother died due to complications from
diabetes and obesity at 63 years old and over 350 pounds. As hard as she tried, she could not get
her weight and blood sugars under control. If she had the help of a RDN, she may have been able
to improve her outcomes. Now, my father lives with diabetes mellitus 2, and happily uses
insulin to keep his blood glucose controlled. In the pre-contemplation stage of change, he is not
interested in improving his diet or exercising. I believe with some motivational interviewing and
the Opportunity to see the benefits, he may be more likely to change. Now, the question is how
to get him there. This thought brings me to my philosophy, Recognition of the benefits from
medical nutrition therapy is an important component to preventing diet related disease and is
instrumental for achieving improved overall health in our society.
Dont fix it until its broken seems to be the current perspective of health care, which is
reflected in government policies and insurance coverage as well. The ability to charge for
Nutrition Services does not come until after the diagnosis of obesity or diabetes. The fact there
is coverage at all is a step in the right direction but preventative coverage would be more
beneficial and bring billions of dollars in savings to insurance companies and government
spending on medical expenses through Medicare and Medicaid. Surely, it wouldnt happen
overnight, and many millions would be spent on preventative services, but the positive outcomes
would be exponential!
My role as a practicing RDN is to be an instrument of change to society. I would love to
say that I know exactly what I want to do and where I want to work, but that is just not the case.
First, I would like to begin working with my sons elementary school through Kids Eat Right to
bring awareness to children who are at a formative age. I would push to get their nutrition
services kitchen team together with the P.E. coach to implement some strategies for success to
prevent childhood obesity. A more long term goal of mine is to work in research and
development within the foodservice industry. As a dietetics professional, I would like to work
alongside food scientists to create products that provide balanced nutrition but still taste good.
The old adage is that if its healthy, it must not taste good. That thought has got to be combated
with the help of an RDN working in food research and development to make nutritious food taste

better. Likewise, the natural approach of removing addictive added sugars and artificial
ingredients with unknown side effects in large scale corporate food market products can begin to
improve our societies overall health. My philosophy of preventative nutrition therapy is
common among dietetic professionals. Working alongside my national, state and local Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics will make my voice louder, so I plan to bring my thoughts to the table
by being involved.