03/18/2026
It’s National Dietitian’s Day and a great day for reflection.
24 years ago, my journey as a Registered Dietitian began at the University of Saskatchewan—back in the days when "getting the internship" after completing your 4 year degree, felt like the Hunger Games. We all waited nervously to find out if we’d make the cut, right before the program changed to guarantee everyone a spot (thank goodness!). Those 10 months of placements? Pretty much working for free while being grilled—lovingly—by Registered Dietitians. We did it all: Food Service, Clinical Nutrition, specialty clinics (shout out to my Renal folks!), plus Community and Public Health.
Then came writing the National Exam—a true test of nerves- which allowed you to put RD (Registered Dietitian) behind your name.
Over the years, I’ve worn more hats than a dietitian at a cooking demo—sometimes all in the same week! From creating diabetes and heart health videos in rural Manitoba (move over, Spielberg), to juggling outpatient, renal, and community roles in Saskatchewan, to spending 17 years in Alberta’s Kidney Care Clinic (with a part time position in Prenatal and Women’s Health), this career has been as unpredictable as the weather in Medicine Hat.
• Launching a video career (well, sort of) while supporting diabetes and heart health in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan—never thought “dietitian” and “film director” would go together, but here we are!
• Juggling hats in Saskatchewan, from outpatient & renal dietitian in the tiny Yorkton hemodialysis unit to handling all things public health as a Community Health Educator—fun, chaos, and plenty of health education included.
• Surviving (and thriving!) for 17 years in the Alberta Kidney Care Clinic, with an extra helping of Women’s Health and Prenatal while working half-time—because who doesn’t love a challenge and not knowing which office you’ll be in that day?
In 2019, still riding the ever-changing wave of dietetics (and possibly running on adrenaline with family, new baby at 41 years old, pre-teen twins and a career) I dove into private practice—because why not add another hat to the collection? Private practice let me be there for my family while jumping into new passions, like nutrition management for infertility and guiding women through the wilds of the menopause transition. It’s been humbling to support others in life stages I know firsthand—turns out, shared hot flashes and brain fog build instant trust! Every chapter—chaotic, hilarious, and heartfelt—just deepened my passion for helping people heal, thrive, and laugh a little along the way.
I honestly can’t wait to see where this wild, rewarding profession takes me next. If there’s one thing I’ve learned (besides how to balance five roles, four clipboards, and a week’s worth of snack containers), it’s that Registered Dietitians bring skills to the table that no food label could ever sum up—adaptability, compassion, creativity, and a sense of humor that gets us through everything from internship nerves to the chaos of clinic life.
Happy Dietitian Day to all my fellow food warriors, nutrition nerds, furture Dietitians and behind-the-scenes magic-makers! Whether you’re surviving endless placement potlucks, writing the big exam with shaking hands, juggling several positions at once, or bravely pioneering new paths in private practice—here’s to you. You make a difference daily, one meal, one patient, one relationship, one laugh, and one well-timed meal recommendation at a time.
Nourish to Flourish 🌱
