Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

As a seasoned professional in the field of nutrition and diabetes education, I bring over 23 years of experience and expertise to the table. With my passion for helping individuals manage their health and diabetes, I am dedicated to empowering others to live their healthiest lives.

Through a combination of education, counseling, and support, I have helped countless individuals overcome the challenges of diabetes and other health conditions, and achieve long-term wellness and vitality.

I am an experienced and well-established healthcare professional. I have been nationally registered as a dietitian since 1999 (RD). Registration #864100. I am also licensed for the state of Minnesota (LD), License #2146. I am certified as a dietitian for the state of Wisconsin (CD), and I’m also recognized as a Certified Life Coach.

I have been involved with diabetes education since the beginning of my career, but was officially recognized as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in 2006 (CDCES), which was previously titled Certified Diabetes Educator, or ”CDE.” Certification #20620431.

I am currently working on my ”Food as Medicine” certification, as well as my “Nutrition for Mental Health” certificate.

My experience is extensive and diverse. I have worked as a dietary manager and dietitian at several local nursing homes. I worked as a consulting dietitian and diabetes educator in a nursing home/rehabilitation center. I have invested nearly 15 years working at a local hospital and regional trauma center. In this facility, I specialized in diabetes education, as well as bariatric surgery, St. Lukes Hospital.

I have worked with clients of all ages, with a wide range of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, organ failure, mental health, orthopedic surgical recovery, geriatrics, obesity, gastrointestinal problems and disorders, food allergies, infectious diseases, as well as critical issues/trauma patients in intensive care units.

Most recently, I worked For the Fond du Lac tribal reservation, Center for American Indian Resources (C.A.R.E.), providing diabetes education and counseling. While working with the tribal community, I co-facilitated groups participating in the national DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program). Fond du Lac is one of the first reservations to be accredited by the CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.html

National Diabetes Prevention Program | Diabetes | CDC The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I spent my collegiate years at the University of Minnesota Duluth campus for four years, where i earned a bachelor’s degree in health education, while minoring in psychology and Spanish. I spent the next three years at the College of Saint Scholastica, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics. I am proud to have completed my dietetic internship at the highly recognized Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.