About GASPEN

Fun facts: I am very active on Twitter! Follow Me @LifeWithoutDiet for lots of nutrition related content!

Interest areas: Critical Care, Quality Improvement, Social Media as an Education Tool

Why I serve: I serve to help advocate for and advance dietetic clinical practice.

Fun facts: Horse owner and rides dressage, enjoys spending time w/ her 2 boys who are now 11 and 15 y/o, loves European antiques. 

Interest areas: Ethical aspects of artificial nutrition and hydration (AANH), Complex Surgical/GI pts dependent on HPN and HPN/micronutrient dosing and monitoring. 

Why I serve: To provide ongoing education and resources for all clinicians across our state who are writing, managing and optimizing PN for the patients we serve, in order to optimize clinical outcomes and prevent associated complications.

Fun facts: I am one of five kids (including my twin brother) and our birthdays are all in a row by age order.

Interest areas: inpatient nutrition support, home infusion, and oncology

Why I serve: I serve on the board to gain knowledge from other professionals in our field and to share my own experience/knowledge, to interact with others with similar interests, and to stay up-to-date on the most evidence-based practices and nutrition guidelines so that I can provide the best possible care to my patients. 

Fun facts: I met my husband while we were both training for a half-Ironman triathlon. Our running now consists of chasing after two toddlers!

Interest areas: Safe transitions for PN patients from hospital to home. 

Advocating for adequate home PN Reimbursement so patients can obtain the services they need. 

Why I serve: Nutrition Support is my passion! I want to increase awareness of the importance of the nutrition support profession and the benefits of an interdisciplinary team when caring for PN and EN patients.

Fun facts: Love everything about cooking except cleaning up afterwards.

Interest areas: Vitamins and minerals, drug-induced micronutrient deficiencies.

Why I serve: I enjoy working alongside experienced similarly passionate clinicians. Serving on the GASPEN board has allowed me to meet and network with a diverse group of practitioners, to contribute to something meaningful, and to gain unique experience.  I believe the more I care and contribute, the more I grow.

Fun facts: I love to travel, especially internationally.  I also have a passion for weight lifting.  

Interest areas: Electrolyte and insulin management in PN 

Why I serve: Nutrition support is often a weak area for most pharmacists. Serving with GASPEN helps me provide the tools and resources to educate others in the area of nutrition.  GASPEN aslo serve as a great platform for the networking and supports my professional growth and development in this area.  

Fun facts:  Met Mike Tyson at an ice cream shop

Interest areas:  Nutrition & Metabolic Support, Parenteral Nutrition Education & Safety, Home Parenteral Nutrition, Extended Drug Stability.

Why I serve:  To connect with nutrition support professionals with the aim to advance and improve nutrition support practice.

Fun facts: Feline Fanatic, Fitness Instructor, Zumba Certified, Runner, Photographer, Specialty Baker 

Areas of interest: Nutrition support of the adult in acute care and home care; also, have a special focus on GI, Oncology, Critical Care, micronutrients 

Why I serve: As long as I have been a dietitian, I have had a passion for nutrition support. I have been a part of GASPEN since its inception, serving on the board and in numerous elected positions. I believe it's important to support and give back to a profession that you love. In addition, I feel that the strength of our organization lies in the multidisciplinary nature of the group and the diversity of its members.

Fun facts: I know how to speak 4 different languages.

Interest areas: Refeeding syndrome, gastric bypass, and home PN management

Why I serve: To have an active role and involvement in our local nutrition organization, connect with other professionals, and pursue leadership opportunities

Fun fact: I spend my free time showing horses and sharing that passion with my daughter.

Interest areas: parenteral nutrition, intestinal transplant, intestinal rehabilitation, multi visceral transplant

Why I serve: I serve to share knowledge to fellow clinicians in nutrition support with what I have learned as a practitioner and also to grow from what others have done in their practice.

Fun facts: I was born in Atlanta and did my residency at the same hospital where I was born! 

Interest areas: PN education, Parenteral nutrition safety, enteral nutrition safety, electrolyte imbalances, acid-base disorders, immunonutrition 

Why I serve: I am passionate about the field of nutrition support and about educating clinicians and students, serving on the GASPEN board has allowed me to accomplish this with our educational events and newsletters and allows me to be in contact with excellent nutrition support practitioners in Georgia!

Fun facts: When I was a pharmacy resident, my mentor David Martin arranged lunch for me and my fellow residents that included Stanley Dudrick, Bruce Blackburn, Mitch Kaminsky and Harrison Wilcutts. 

Interest areas: Politics, history, cinema, sports and my lovely wife.

Why I serve: I think it important to “pass it forward.” I am fortunate to have been influenced by some remarkable nutritional support professionals who instilled in me the importance of metabolic support in the recovery from illness and maintenance of health. GASPEN is a local forum for extending best practices into the future.

Fun facts: I have a previous background in the humanities with a BA in philosophy and a MA in theology. I am one of the founding members of a dietitian led feeding tube placement team at my hospital.

Interest areas: Clinically, I am particulalry interested in solid organ transplant, pulmonary disease, enteral nutrition support, and feeding tube placement and safety. Personally, I am interested in hiking, distance running, and finding the best pastries in any city I visit.

Why I serve: I am passionate about safe and timely nutrition support. Mentors as an intern and an early career dietitian inspired me to invest in and advance my profession!

Fun facts: I've been an aerial artist for over 5 years, specializing in sling and trapeze.

Interest areas: Critical Care

Why I serve: I serve to connect with other professionals passionate about nutrition support, to advocate for Dietitians, and to stay current with evidence-based practices.

Fun facts: I play the Flute and Oboe. I also originally majored in music performance during college. I have visited 10 national parks and hope to eventually visit them all!

Interest areas: nutrition in critically ill patients, enteral nutrition, safe practices for feeding tube placements, and enteral nutrition administration

Why I serve: to help promote awareness and education of nutrition principles among practitioners, to assist in providing the best patient outcomes possible

Fun fact: I have a pet pig named Ellie who keeps life entertaining outside of work.

Interest areas: Nutrition support; trauma and oncology nutrition; malnutrition care; and improving outcomes through evidence-based, patient-centered nutrition therapy.

Why I serve: Being involved in GASPEN allows me to stay connected with clinicians who are passionate about advancing nutrition support and improving patient outcomes. The organization fosters collaboration, ongoing learning, and the opportunity to support the continued growth of our profession.

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Interest areas: Oncology, home tube feeding education. Head & neck cancer

Why I serve: Share my experience and knowledge on nutrition for the oncology patient. Specifically managing home tube feeding patients. Network and learn from other professionals to further my knowledge and passion.

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Interested areas: neurology, critical care, and clinical nutrition, particularly hyperammonemic encephalopathy in liver failure and post-bariatric surgery patients.

Why I serve: ...