Author:
JennyDescribe your current job responsibilities
Author of Untangling the Nutrition Web in Career Development. Manage marketing of book.
Highlight key parts of your career path, challenges and choices
Just out of graduate school I was determined to work directly in a community, so my first job was with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. I learned a tremendous amount about people and education. I worked as an adjunct instructor for several institutions. Managed the web and reference team of the Food and Nutrition Information Center. Most recently, I developed and directed a program called Community Voices for Health at American University targeting middle schools with low-income students. Throughout the years, I have managed Nutrition Careers, updated the book and sold almost 10,000 copies. The 4th edition is due out the end of 2015.
What has been the hardest part of your journey?
I had the option to complete the requirements to attain the registered dietitian credential after graduate school, but at the time I had been living in a different city from my fiancee for 2 years and we were getting ready to get married. Since I was focused on education, I was advised that an RD wasn’t going to be necessary. It turns out that the RD credential would have made getting a job a lot easier and given me a large professional community to engage with.
What’s the best decision you’ve made?
To continue to work part time while raising my children.
Knowing what you know now, what advice do you have for others building a career?
Establish your career for 5 – 10 years before having a family. That will give you more leverage to reduce your hours if you want and get back into the field when you are ready.
Professional Profiles