Healthy Mom University: Fall 2019 Session

Health promotion and optimal nutrition have been my love since I was a teen when I began to notice how my food choices affected my moods, energy levels, and overall mental and physical health. I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies in Dietetics and Human Nutrition in 2003 and 2006. I began my career working for the Western Human Nutrition Research Center at U.C. Davis and Northbay Medical Center in Northern California. After my husband and I moved to the East Coast, I became employed by the Florida Department of Health's "Healthy Families" and "Women, Infants, and Children" programs. Currently, I am a faculty member at Eastern Florida State College, teaching courses within the Health Sciences Dept. since 2012. I have also designed and facilitated corporate and community nutrition education programs and provided health promotion and wellness consults to individuals and families.

I discovered my passion for breastfeeding and lactation while appointed as the Indian River County W.I.C. Breastfeeding Coordinator in 2006. Five years later, I proudly sat for and passed the I.B.C.L.C. board exam. Over the years, I have become an advocate for breastfeeding and mother's milk, as we understand this to be the foundation of a lifetime of good health and the way nature intended us to nourish our babies.

My most important accomplishment to date is becoming the mother of three amazing children, all of which were breastfed for many, many months, each with their own unique breastfeeding challenges and journey. After the birth of my daughter in 2017, I felt the Lord calling me to create the first online learning school designed specifically for moms who want to improve overall health and appearance, reduce the risk for chronic disease and navigate the food and wellness information and misinformation of our current culture.

A mother is the glue that holds a family together, yet we are so busy caring for those around us that our health and wellness are often put on the back burner. If our mental, physical and spiritual needs are not being met and our food and environment are toxic, our ability to mother well is impacted and chronic dis-ease will follow. The good news is with proper knowledge, support, and the right tools in our toolbox, we can stay healthy, vibrant and resilient. It will be my privilege to educate and support you in reaching your health and wellness goals.