Get to Know a BoD Member

Get to Know a WAMDA BoD Member: Elizabeth Devine, MS, RDN, LDN (WAMDA Past Webmaster)

Current place of employment and job title:
Eat & Run, LLC (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Owner) and University of Massachusetts Amherst (Student Nutritionist Program Director & Lecturer)

What inspired you to pursue a career in nutrition and dietetics?
After beginning my career in health and exercise science, working in various capacities from clinical research to non-invasive cardiology and high school science education, I always felt something was missing. It turns out that the missing piece was nutrition, but it took healing myself from persistent health issues via food, and reconnecting with my past, for me to realize it.

My father was a talented coach and teacher, and my mother always cooked delicious meals from scratch – in retrospect it’s no wonder that I grew up loving both sports and food, and that this combination is what I ultimately sought in a career. In the end, marrying the fields of kinesiology and nutrition science brought me back to my roots, and allowed me to align my personal and professional interests.

As a registered dietitian working both in private practice and academia, I get to do a whole lot of what I love. To me, that makes any career choice worthwhile.

Why did you become a WAMDA member?
I was recruited onto the WAMDA board nominating committee in 2010 as a newly minted dietitian, transitioned into the Corresponding Secretary/Webmaster role a year later, and I haven’t left! As a dietitian in Western MA, it is wonderful to have a way to connect with a group of like-minded individuals, give back to the community and the profession, and continually challenge myself in an area outside of teaching and counseling.

What goals do you have for your career?
I aspire to continue to inspire and empower others, wherever they are on their journey; to give back to the community; to work to spread accurate and reliable nutrition information both within the nutrition field and among the general public; to advocate for health promotion and disease prevention and reversal through lifestyle change; and to continue to feel inspired, empowered, and motivated to do the work I do.

What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
Running, reading, enjoying time with family and friends (2- and 4-legged alike), plant-based cooking and baking, gardening, and spending time outdoors.

Interested in joining the WAMDA BoD? Please reach out to [email protected]