Get to know the 2022-2023 TRANSCEND Trainee Alumni!
Sara Maksi is a PhD candidate in Nutritional Sciences at Penn State. She is also a registered dietitian with practice experiences in pediatric diabetes and weight management. Experience as a pediatric RD contributed to her passion for improving the health of children and research interests in the area of adolescent eating behavior. Sara’s TRANSEND project focused on exposure to digital food marketing with in a livestreaming environment and how this can impact adolescent snack intake. She is also exploring individual characteristics that moderate susceptibility and responsiveness to food marketing.
Tav Gross is passionate about maternal and child health because she can utilize her nutrition knowledge to help prevent disease and improve the overall health of women and children. Her thesis/TRANSCEND project wass on examining the proportion of daily nighttime sleep and how that associates with infant gut microbial community structures.
Amrita Arcot is a fourth-year Nutritional Sciences PhD student, with a minor in Social Data Analytics, at The Pennsylvania State University. She is also a registered dietitian with specialized training in clinical care. Amrita graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Nutritional Sciences (Dietetics Option) in 2016 and subsequently completed a dietetic internship at Tulane University, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She worked as a clinical dietitian in the Greater Philadelphia area before rejoining the Penn State team for graduate school. During the TRANSCEND fellowship, Amrita utilized Medicaid data to examine cognitive and behavioral outcomes and anemia among children in the Pennsylvania foster care system. Amrita is passionate about MCH nutrition and the ability to transform rigorous research into clinically translatable, and culturally-appropriate tools for nutrition intervention. She hopes to continue studying micronutrient and vitamin needs in vulnerable populations, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
For her TRANSCEND project, Nicole Skinner worked on a secondary analysis of Head Start mothers and examined associations between their executive function and control-based parent feeding practices. She is very passionate about MCH nutrition because parents are vital to helping their children develop healthy eating habits at an early age which can help them grow into healthy adults.
Nicholas Neuwald is a PhD Candidate in Nutritional Sciences at Penn State with a focus on Ingestive Behavior. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from the University of Miami. For Nick’s TRANSCEND project, he operationalized and measured a previously unstudied eating pattern defined by frequently alternating between differing foods within an eating event. He found that high food switching was related to overconsumption and was more common in children with overweight and obesity. Nick is passionate about MCH because childhood is a critical period for establishing healthy behaviors, which can greatly affect a person’s health trajectory.
Oryana Hannoona was honored to be a part of TRANSCEND in the Maternal and Child Health track of ASU's MS in Nutritional Sciences program. Through this program she worked on creating a website for a parenting program, Families Preparing the New Generation Plus, in collaboration with Dr. Vega-López and research colleagues. She also assisted with side projects including creating nutrition-education handouts for middle schools based on recent research findings, grant writing, and organizing study datasets. Oryana believes that the MCH field offers a unique opportunity for intervening in support of mother-child relationships to establish healthy eating behaviors early so they will become a lifestyle.
Bethany Liedike is a second-year Master’s student in the dual Nutritional Science - Dietetic Internship program at Arizona State University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics from Arizona State University. Currently, Bethany is completing her Master’s thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Corrie Whisner, and her project involves exploring breastfeeding mode and the infant gut microbiome over the first year of life. This research aims to better understand the relationship between exclusively at-breast feeding or pumped and bottle fed breastmilk, and alterations in the infant’s gut microbiome over time. Bethany is also currently completing her dietetic internship with Phoenix Children’s Hospital to fulfill the requirement to become an RDN. Future plans for Bethany include, applying to the Exercise and Nutritional Sciences program at Arizona State University, to become a research dietitian in the Maternal Child Health field and focus on breastmilk microbiome research. Bethany’s overall goal with her current and future research, is to empower new moms to make educated decisions, and feel confident with their choice of feeding mode.
Chante Coulombe is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Nutritional Sciences at Arizona State University. Her research, conducted under the guidance of mentors Dr. Whisner and Dr. Vega-López, explores the impact of infant feeding modes on breastfeeding duration. After earning her bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics, she worked as a nutrition and clinical dietetic technician at Phoenix Children's Hospital. This hands-on experience has fueled her passion for Maternal and Child Health, inspiring her dedication to researching various eating practices. She envisions her future role as a registered dietitian, aiming to educate communities on optimal eating patterns. She aspires to alleviate diet-related complications by focusing on preventative measures and promoting a sustainable quality of life. As she continues her academic journey, Chante is driven by a commitment to positively impacting the nutritional well-being of children and communities.
Get to know the 2021-2022 TRANSCEND Trainee Alumni!
For her TRANSCEND project, Christina Dandridge worked a project titled “The Association Between Time to Eat and Students Fruit & Vegetable Consumption, Selection, and Waste”. She is very passionate about about MCH and wants to continue to help the underserved community focusing on mothers and children learn the importance of nutrition by offering the necessary materials to guide them on the road to success.
Cayla Waxman is a Registered Dietitian and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Her passion is working with low income birthing parents and their children, ensuring these families have access to essential resources and support. Her research surveyed caregivers to see what perceptions and barriers existed for families regarding enrollment in or utilization of federal nutrition programs, such as SNAP and WIC. The objective of her research was to pinpoint service gaps and enhance accessibility to these crucial nutrition programs, ultimately fostering improved health outcomes for these families. She hopes to continue research and advocacy in this field for many years to come.
Monica Diaz is a master’s student in the Nutritional Sciences program at Arizona State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics at Arizona State University and completed her dietetic internship at Iowa State University. Monica is currently working under the mentorship of Dr. Gabriel Shaibi on describing a process that guided an adaptation of a diabetes prevention program (DPP) for Latino families. Documenting the adaptation process of diabetes prevention programming has the potential to support future strategies to adapt and scale family based DPPs for diverse populations. Monica also practices as a Registered Dietitian and specializes in diabetes prevention and management in Latino populations. Monica is passionate about supporting families in identifying strategies to work together towards improving their health.
Alexandra Stolworthy is a Registered Dietitian and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She received her first undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona in Art History and Psychology, before receiving an additional degree from Arizona State University in Nutrition and Dietetics. Having worked for the Arizona WIC program for the last 8 years, receiving her Master's Degree as a TRANSCEND Trainee and being able to expand her understanding of maternal and child health was an honor. Alex's thesis explored the impact of SNAP participation on weight related outcomes and participation indicators in pregnant WIC participants. As a WIC Nutrition Consultant, Alex uses her passion for MCH to create and implement statewide policies to support nutrition and breastfeeding initiatives.
For her TRANSCEND project, Megan explored possible links between the experience of food insecurity and how a mother soothes her child to sleep (with or without food). She completed her research as part of the Snuggle Bug study (a large observational study of the sleep and gut microbiome of mothers and their babies) run by Dr. Corrie Whisner and Dr. Megan Petrov at Arizona State University. She currently works as a pediatric dietitian at Phoenix Children's Hospital and loves serving children and their families. Megan is passionate about providing the best nutrition care to mothers and their children firstly because she has seen the positive impact that having access to nutritious foods and a healthy lifestyle creates for both populations. Secondly, through her research and her work, it has become clear that mothers and children thrive most when they have the support of a village behind them. So, getting to be a part of that village is exciting and rewarding.
Gabriella Fahmy was a first year graduate student of the Nutritional Sciences program at ASU during her time with TRANSCEND as a maternal child health trainee. She had previously received her bachelor’s of science in human nutrition with a minor in psychology from Oregon State University. Working with Dr. Roseanne Schuster and Dr. Corrie Whisner, her thesis explored the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity in immigrant and refugee populations compared to their U.S. born counterparts. Gabriella is interested in maternal child health due to the influence of social determinants of health on generational health behaviors and chronic disease prevention. She graduated from ASU in 2023, received her license as a registered dietitian, and began working in a private practice with an emphasis on the nutritional implications on mental and physical health.
Amy Coulter is currently a master’s student in the Nutritional Sciences program at Arizona State University and expects to graduate in Spring 2024. Through collaboration with Phoenix Children’s Hospital and ASU’s MCH dietetic internship track, she was able to complete her clinical and food service rotations at PCH, an opportunity she is still so grateful for to this day. Her thesis explores fruit and vegetable consumption, selection, and waste related to outside air temperatures in school-age children and adolescents. She has also researched how we can best support children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN) who face disability stigma. Through this research, she has found a passion for the CYSHCN population and their families and how she can provide the best care and support for their complex needs. She also has a long-standing passion for the pediatric population, particularly those dealing with chronic gastrointestinal conditions.
Get to know the 2020-2021 TRANSCEND Trainee Alumni!
During her time with TRANSCEND, Gabriela Martinez was a 1st-year Nutritional Science graduate student and future dietetic intern. She graduated from Arizona State University in the spring of 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Dietetics. Gabriela worked for WIC as a nutritionist and ASU as a graduate research assistant. She had been working in the research field for over 1 1/2 years with her mentor Sonia Vega Lopez. Gabriela worked on the development of the online adaptation of the Families Preparing the New Generation program (a nutrition-focused parenting intervention). Her thesis explored weight-related conservations between Latino parents and adolescents and the overall mealtime environment.
Ivan Zacarias is a Registered Dietitian, IBCLC and was first year Masters student during his time as a first year TRANSCEND Trainee. He received his Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Arizona. Ivan worked as a Nutrition Consultant for the Arizona WIC program at ADHS and as a PRN Clinical Dietitian at Valleywise Health Medical Center. His thesis explored how WIC benefit redemption is affected by allowing issuance of 2% milk for certain eligible WIC participant categories.
Julia Nieforth is originally from New Jersey and she received her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition with an emphasis in Dietetics at UArizona. She was a master dietetic intern at ASU where she was a part of the Maternal Child Health Training Program. She did research for the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition under the GusNIP grant. Her thesis looked at Produce Prescription Programs and their relationship between consuming Fruits and Vegetables and add sugars in households with children.
Kala Narramore is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and was a 1st year Master’s student during her time as a 1st year Maternal and Child Health trainee working under Dr. Meg Bruening in the College of Health Solutions. Kala worked as the Nutrition and Wellness Specialist at a local Phoenix school district. Kala first received a BS in Exercise Science with a minor in Chemistry from NAU with her second BS in Nutrition (Dietetics) from ASU. Upon graduation, she worked as a Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) at a Banner hospital where she was then accepted in the Maricopa County Department of Public Health Dietetic Internship. Her thesis examined the participation of facilities in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and potential barriers to non-participants.
In May of 2020, Megan Hoovler received her BS in Nutrition (Dietetics) from the College of Health Solution and a certificate in Leadership and Ethics from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at ASU. She worked with Drs. Meg Bruening and Jennie Bever alongside second year DNP student, Danielle Lopez, on a project with 4th Trimester, a community based organization that embraces families in transition to parenthood. Her thesis project was examining nutrition during this transition as well as postpartum complications. Megan planned to complete her dietetic internship and sit for the registered dietitian exam the following year. Once credentialed, she hoped to serve families in a community close to the mountains where she could pursue her love of hiking with her two pups!
During his time with TRANSCEND, Steven Ortiz was a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, first year master’s Student, and first year Maternal and Child Health Trainee working under Dr. Meg Bruening in the College of Health Solutions. He worked as a Registered Dietitian for the Pinal County’s Women Infant and Child (WIC) program. He received his first bachelor’s of Arts from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, and his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition (Dietetics) from Arizona State University (ASU). Upon graduating from ASU, he continued to work for the WIC program and was later accepted in the Maricopa County Department of Public Health Dietetic Internship. His thesis explored the redemption rates of fruit and vegetables among WIC participants in rural and urban food deserts.
Victoria was a first year Master's student and also Maternal and Child Health trainee working under Dr. Meg Bruening and Dr. Whisner in the College of Health Solutions. Victoria graduated with her Bachelor's in Nutrition Dietetics from ASU in Fall 2019, in addition with a certificate in School Nutrition. Upon graduation, she obtained her DTR certificate and had been working in Phoenix Children's Hospital as a Nutrition Technician where she worked with supplemental nutrition and breast milk needs for the hospital's patients. In addition to that, she was a teaching assistant for Medical Nutrition Therapy laboratory. Her thesis focused on researching how sleep wake patterns and dietary intake impact the development of gut microbiome and its correlation with childhood obesity.
Get to know the 2019-2020 TRANSCEND Trainee Alumni!
Carina Liddicoat was a Masters in Nutritional Science student and dietetic intern. She received undergraduate degrees in Nutrition (Dietetics) and Finance at Arizona State University. Her thesis examined which school lunch menu items students were wasting and consuming most frequently in Arizona elementary, middle, and high schools.
Clinton Stevens was a Master's student and dietetic intern at Arizona State University. He received his BS in Nutrition/Dietetics at ASU and worked under Dr. Punam Ohri-Vachaspati as part of ASU's Food Policy and Environment Research Group. Clinton received the distinction of Outstanding Dietetic Student for Arizona in 2018. His thesis research studied the impacts of community food environments on child food consumption behaviors and his professional interests included community nutrition and public policy, particularly surrounding maternal and child health.
Erinn Cutright was a first year Masters student, and planned to complete her dietetic internship the year following her traineeship. She earned her Bachelor's degrees at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she was a double major in Dietetics and Spanish. Her research involved a parenting intervention program which aims to reduce obesity and substance abuse among Latino adolescents near Phoenix.
Madison Schmucker was a 1st year Masters student, dietetic intern, and 1st year Maternal and Child Health trainee working under Dr. Meg Bruening in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. She received her BS in Dietetics from Indiana University and interned at the University of Notre Dame on the Wellbeing at Work research project, looking at resilience and burnout in clergy and physicians. Madison’s MS thesis research incorporated the SPARC study, a longitudinal study of nutrition and weight outcomes among college freshman. She specifically analyzed the impact of romantic relationships on eating out habits and alcohol consumption in freshman students at Arizona State University.
Molly Jepson was a first year Master's student and dietetic intern studying Nutritional Science through the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. She received her Bachelor's degree in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics from the University of Arizona Honors College in 2019. Molly had a great interest in the role of nutrition and eating behaviors in preventing poor health outcomes for youths. During her undergraduate education, she completed a thesis which investigated food demonstrations as a potential intervention to promote healthy eating behaviors in childhood cancer survivors. During her traineeship, Molly was completing her Master's thesis under Dr. Meg Bruening, and sought to understand through her research if rural vs. urban school status is associated with differences in students' fruit and vegetable consumption during school lunch.
Raevyn Xavier was a first-year Master's candidate pursuing a degree in Nutritional Sciences at Arizona State University and a first-year Maternal Child Health trainee working under Dr. Meg Bruening. She began her nutrition studies at Arizona State University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Dietetics with a minor in Integrative Health and an additional degree from Barrett the Honors College. She completed an undergraduate honors thesis on nutrition marketing in K-12 school cafeterias and explored this topic further in her Master's thesis. During her traineeship, she worked for Arizona State University's College of Health Solutions as a study coordinator and hoped to continue working in research and impacting the field of nutrition and public health from a systems-level perspective.
Samantha Toffoli was a first year Master’s student in Nutritional Science and a dietetic intern. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Florida. Her thesis examined associations between the infant microbiome and rapid infant weight gain. Samantha’s research interests included nutritional epidemiology and the role of the gut microbiome in maternal and child health outcomes related to obesity.
Get to know the 2018-2019 TRANSCEND Trainee Alumni!
Armando Peña was a 3rd year doctoral student and 2nd year Maternal and Child Health trainee working under Dr. Gabriel Shaibi in the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Arizona State University. Armando received his Bachelor's degree from Arizona State in Kinesiology and Master's degree from Northern Arizona University in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology. His research focused on understanding the underpinning biological mechanisms of diabetes prevention through lifestyle interventions among high-risk youth.
Emily Masek was a first-year Master’s degree student and dietetic intern. She began her nutrition studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, earning a Bachelor’s in nutrition sciences with a minor in kinesiology, and helped publish two papers about the role of dietary polyphenols in inflammatory diseases. Her MS thesis research involved a pilot study about the effects of a parenting education intervention on the diet quality of Hispanic and Latino adolescents in Phoenix, Arizona.
Jose Rosales Chavez was a PhD Candidate in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University. Jose was granted funding to participate in the MCH Nutrition Leadership Training Program by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Western MCH Nutrition Partners. His research interests focused on the food environment, social determinants of health, access to food, dietary intake and health outcomes. His dissertation looked at the availability, density, and distribution of street food stands in Mexico City and whether food and beverage availability and variety vary across income levels. Jose began a tenured track position at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University in fall 2020.
Kiley Vander Wyst was a doctorate student who will graduate in May 2019 with a degree in Nutritional Sciences. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2009 and her Master of Public Health degree from Boston University in 2011. Upon completing her Masters education she worked as a Research Associate Senior at the Center of Urban Population in Milwaukee, WI and worked as a Research Analyst at Phoenix Children's Hospital during her time as a trainee. Honors include Research Service Award (2012) from Aurora Healthcare for her active involvement and collaboration with investigators in completing research studies. Kiley’s research interests included relationship to health outcomes and disease as it relates to maternal child health.
Marisa Gutierrez was a first year Masters in Nutrition student as well as dietetic intern. She received her BS in nutritional sciences from ASU, and worked in WIC for several years before pursuing her MS degree. Her MS thesis examined the relationship between food insecurity and childhood obesity among preschoolers in the Phoenix area. She also served as the trainee representative on the TRANSCEND Advisory Board.
Kenzie Millner was a first-year Master's student in Nutrition and VA Dietetic Intern. Kenzie's trainee project was titled "The Mediating Role of Lifestyle Factors in the Relationship between Ethnicity and BMI in Middle School Students" and focused on determining the role of certain behaviors in health disparities among adolescents.
Raquelle Weight graduated from Brigham Young University and was a Master's student and dietetic intern at ASU during her time as a trainee. She was particularly interested in the connections between psychology and nutrition, and how the eating environment can lead to more healthy food choices. Her MS thesis was on how plate type impacts youth consumption and waste of fruits and vegetables.
Sydney Pisano was a Masters in Nutrition student during her time as a trainee. She received her Bachelors in Nutrition (Dietetics) at Arizona State University. Her thesis was on the acceptability of fruit and vegetable marketing materials among adolescents in grades 6th-12th.