My story really starts with my family. Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure are part of my family’s health story, and seeing the people I love struggle with these conditions is what first pushed me toward becoming a registered dietitian. My mom’s Roux‑en‑Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) had a huge impact on me and still shapes the way I support people today. 

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I began my career with Kaiser Permanente in Northern California and later worked via telehealth for Kaiser Permanente Washington. Over my 26 year career with Kaiser, I specialized in diabetes, weight management, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. I also spent eight years in bariatrics, supporting people before and after surgery. With 400–600 surgeries a year, I saw just how much ongoing support people need — not just right after surgery, but years later.

 

I became a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) in 2007 and later became a board‑certified specialist in obesity and weight management (CSOWM). I’ve always loved learning, and earning these credentials strengthened my confidence. My hope was to show my clients how much staying informed matters to me.

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My personal health journey has been just as important. I’ve dealt with weight swings and emotional eating throughout my life. Perimenopause hit me in my mid‑40s, and suddenly everything felt harder — sleep, mood, anxiety, blood pressure, cholesterol, even how my clothes fit. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 50s. I resisted the idea at first, but after talking through symptoms with my family and being screened, it made sense. Going through this made me realize how little we’re told about the menopause transition, and it motivated me to become a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP). I knew I wanted to help other women.

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In 2023, I opened Balanced Bites Nutrition, a practice built around the kind of care I believe in. I love this work so much that I often joke it doesn’t even feel like a job. My goal is always the same: that you leave our visits feeling better, more hopeful, and more inspired than when we started.

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My husband and I moved to Idaho in 2022 and are enjoying life here with our playful goldendoodle, Kip. Thank you for reading my story. I hope this helped you decide if working with me feels like the right fit for you.​