Those who know me realize that talking about myself is not something I relish. None-the-less the author of a blog providing at least some background information is, in my opinion, something of a requisite. So, here it goes...
Academic Background & Career Path
I've been a southern girl all my life; born in raised in Greenville, NC home of the East Carolina University Pirates. After graduating from J.H. Rose High School in 2000 I began my studies at North Carolina State University (NCSU) where I quickly traded in my purple and gold roots for new red and white ones! At NCSU I studied biology with a concentration in nutrition. While I enjoyed many aspects of science, nutrition was obviously my passion.
To my dismay, when I graduated from NCSU in 2004 my career path seemed all but clear. Not wanting to jump into anything prematurely, I took two years off to more carefully consider my career options. During those two years I worked as an office assistant for a real estate attorney in Raleigh. While quickly realizing a legal career was not in my near (or distant) future, this time away from school allowed me the opportunity to do some serious soul-searching. I had the opportunity to volunteer at food relief organizations and a low-income health care clinic in Wake County. It was during this time that I also stumbled across the field of public health. The pieces seem to be falling into place and in 2006 I was admitted into the Nutrition Department at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) (although this time my roots didn't change to blue and white!).
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| Graduation, May 2008 |
In 2008 I graduated from UNC with my Master of Public Health (MPH) and soon thereafter passed my licensure exam to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). For two years following graduation I worked at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at UNC as a Project Manager where I managed a few school-based nutrition and physical activity interventions.
In 2009 I decided that a career in academia was where I was being led and applied to the doctoral program in the Nutrition Department at the School of Public Health at UNC. By God's grace I was admitted and I started the program in fall 2010. I am currently in my second year of the program and am interested in studying: weight loss, weight maintenance, environmental contributors to obesity, health disparities and community-based participatory research (CBPR). My career goal is to have the opportunity to continue doing research while training future generations of public health professionals.
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| Raleigh Rocks 1/2 Marathon |
Faith Journey
While I grew up in a Christian home and called myself a Christian growing up, I don't feel I fully developed a relationship with Christ until after I finished my studies at NCSU. Finding Hope Community Church (Hope) in Raleigh, NC was one of the most transforming events of my life. Although, admittedly, I was somewhat reluctant and trepidatious at first I quickly found that Hope was a place where I could be myself. The staff and members of Hope challenged me to confront many areas of my life that needed examining but also provided the support and encouragement I sorely needed to move forward in my Christian walk.
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| State Fair with Family |
Every day I am humbled by God's faithfulness, mercy and love and my goal is to spend my life doing His work. I recognize that I'm going out on a limb by publishing this blog and that many of my friends may see me in a different--and even perhaps even unfavorable--light. But this is what I feel I have been called to do and I am proudly and unabashedly taking the next steps. This is one way I can serve and use my time, treasures and talents for His kingdom. My hope and my prayer is that this blog will help others understand the importance of preserving and protecting their health in the context of their Christian walk and provide the tools and resources necessary to help make that possible.
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
--Prayer by St. Teresa of Avila
Current Work, Activities and Interests
In addition to being a student and working as a Graduate Research Assistant at UNC I also work part-time at a weight loss clinic in Apex, NC called Peak Nutrition and Weight Loss (PNWL). At PNWL I have the opportunity to work with clients to help them meet their diet, physical activity and weight loss goals. This job has been both challenging and inspiring and I find my patients often teach me far more than I can ever teach them.
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| Walt Disney World with family, July 2010 |
In my spare time I enjoy reading (both fiction and non-fiction), running and spending time with friends and family.
