Dietetics Next – Details, episodes & analysis

On the latest episode of Dietetics Next, we will be diving into the world of community nutrition with an interview from Jessica Alfonso, an FIU alum, who is a registered dietitian and current supervisor of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) located in Miami-Dade County. Tune in as Jessica shares her unique perspective on community nutrition and the importance of cultural sensitivity when delivering tailored nutrition education to diverse populations.

On today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Maria Vallasciani, a well-rounded dietitian and FIU alum who has many roles including being a pediatric and adult clinical dietitian, a registered nurse, & a lactation consultant. She also works with sports nutrition and wellness and has an ISAK level 1 certification. Join in to hear all about Maria's inspiring story and how she successfully balances her many roles along with her own personal life. 

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie MacManus MS, RD. Leslie has worked with FIU’s athletic department since January of 2022 where she oversees the nutritional status of 18 athletic teams and over 400 student-athletes. Her previous work experience includes competitive youth, collegiate, professional, and elite athletes, as well as the general population. In this interview, Leslie will give an insight into collegiate sports nutrition and will share some tips that can be useful for all future dietitians. Conducting our interview today, we have 3 dietetic students from FIU: Alberto Davila, Daira Deicmane, and Jesus Vazquez Torrez. 

In this episode, we had the opportunity to interview Jackie Kaminski, a registered dietitian and specialized fighter nutritionist. Tune in as Ms. Kaminski explains the details of providing nutrition advice to athletes in the sports industry including workout routines and meal plans. She also gives insight into what it's like to be a private practice RD and discusses the many responsibilities that come with the job title. 

On this episode, our dietetic students had the pleasure of interviewing Paige Myers. Ms. Myers is a Registered Dietitian who works for Vivante Health, a business-to-business consumer company that specializes in patients with gastrointestinal disorders and provides counseling through telehealth. Tune in as Ms. Myers shares with us the pros and cons of telehealth, details about working with patients who have GI disorders, and the importance of the gut microbiome and proper nutrition.

On this episode, our dietetic students had the pleasure of interviewing Diana Mesa. Diana is a registered dietitian certified as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist well known for using cultural competency, food freedom, and social determinants of health as foundations in her practice. She runs a private practice called En La Mesa Nutrition in which she works mostly with Latinos and Cubans. She will also start a new role as a Senior Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist which we will learn about in this episode. This conversation will give the Dietetics Next’s audience a new perspective on nutrition education and cultural competence in the spectrum of diabetic patients.

In this episode, we had the opportunity to interview Maika Luongo, the president of the South Florida’s Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (SFAND). Aside from being president of SFAND, Maika is a telehealth RD, owns a private practice, and has expertise in a wide array of clinical areas. This interview will showcase Maika’s journey into the dietetics field and details on her current professional life as she juggles multiple roles as an RD. Conducting our interview today, we have 5 dietetic students from FIU: Jennifer, Kimberly, Gina, Valeria, and Briana.

In this episode, we had the opportunity to interview Micah Siva, a registered dietitian and trained chef. Ms. Siva creates amazing content through food photography, recipe writing, and product development! This interview will showcase Ms. Siva’s experience as she explains how she cohesively merged her passions of interest to enhance her dietetic practice. Conducting our interview today, we have 5 dietetic students from FIU: Alexandra, Kaylen, Jendeya, Tamarah, and Lisandra.

In this episode, Dietetics Next had the privilege of interviewing Ashley Hinds. Ms. Hinds is a registered dietitian (RD) certified in eating disorders and specializes in behavioral health nutrition. 
Today, you will have the opportunity to learn about Ms. Hinds' personal experience in the field and her unique approach to meet her client’s nutritional and psychological needs with eating disorders including ARFID, picky eating, and more! Conducting our interview today, we have 4 FIU senior dietetic students Alexandra, Irene, Oriana, and Mitzi.

In today’s episode we have the honor of interviewing Ivonne Cobelo Duboy, an accomplished Registered and Licensed Dietitian with 27 years of experience specializing in the areas of Eating Disorders and Women’s Health and Wellness. A known expert in the field, Ivonne has run a private practice since the year 2000. In that time, she has treated hundreds of patients and conducted several support groups. Ivonne has participated in yearly eating disorders prevention and treatment events as well as presented at community and professional venues. She is currently a professor and completing her PhD in Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University. She is conducting research on eating disorders in menopausal women with diabetes. In this episode, we will discuss Ivonne’s path to becoming an Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and the steps on how to become certified in Eating Disorders. We will talk about popular topics like health at every size and mindful eating. If you’re thinking about becoming an eating disorder registered dietitian, believe us, you won’t want to miss this inspiring interview. Performing the interview today are Regina, Ariel, Vanessa, Gabriela and Maira.