Lansing Dietetic Association
LDA  Member Spotlight

January 2006
Interview with Mary Angela Niester, RD, MPH

Mary received her undergraduate degree in dietetics from Central Michigan University and completed her internship through the Oakland County Health Division’s AP4 program.  She’s worked in a variety of clinical and public health settings; including the Oakland County and Lenawee County Health Division’s, the Oakwood Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Hospitals, before receiving her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan.  She’s held the positions of Secretary and Secretary/Membership on the Lansing Dietetic Association’s board for 4 years and served as past sponsor co-chair of the Food-N-Fitness race.  She lives in Brighton with her husband Joe and her children Joey, age 6 and Katelyn, age 4.  She is currently part of the Leadership Team of St. Patrick Church’s Parish Health Ministry in Brighton, chair of the Set-up/Tear Down committee for the 2006 Lansing Dietetic Association Food-N-Fitness race, and the Chair of the 2006 Michigan Dietetic Association Conference Planning Committee.  When she gets the time, she would like to play more golf, go biking, ice skating and kayaking. 

Q: What do you like best about being an RD/the field of nutrition? 
A: I enjoy the variety that this field has to offer and am amazed at the numerous conditions and diseases that have some sort of nutritional component.  Every patient, client and situation is unique -- as is the positive impact that you have on their health.  I’m very excited about the future of nutrition, especially in the emerging field of Nutrigenomics.   

Q: Which job or volunteer activity was your favorite? Why? 
A: Working at the University of Michigan Medical Center, especially in Pediatrics, has to be one of my favorites.  In this setting I was able to deal with conditions, diseases and procedures that you wouldn’t really be able to find in other healthcare facilities.  Because it’s a teaching hospital, I was able to learn right along with many of the medical students, interns and house officers.  I was also able to better understand what role each healthcare provider plays in the care of the patient. 

Q: What is the most challenging thing you've done related to the field? What did you learn from the challenge? 
A: I would have to say working at a small community hospital with medical staff that are “set in their ways”!  Many of these clinicians did not understand the role of a dietitian and how we could have a beneficial impact on patient care.  One experience that I had was when a surgeon wondered why I was charting in the medical records and shouldn’t I “be down in the kitchen making Jello”.  Through my persistence and visibility as the nutrition expert at the hospital, I was able to make such an impression that a year or so after that incident, the same surgeon consulted me to make parenteral nutrition recommendations on one of his patients.   

Q: Do you have any advice for RDs who are just starting their career? 
A: Brush up on your presentation skills!  When I was an undergrad and had to take a required speech class, I thought the class was “useless” because I didn’t see myself speaking in front of groups of people.  I soon found out that at every job I had, I needed to do quite a number of presentations to a variety of populations; from elementary school children to senior citizens and from clinicians to chronic disease support groups. 

Q: Anything else you'd like to share? 
A: Become actively involved with your community and dietetic association.  Volunteering in these areas is a very rewarding and worthwhile experience.  You gain skills and knowledge that can enhance whatever nutrition path you’ve chosen.

  Melissa is a clinical dietitian at Foote Hospital in Jackson and lives in East Lansing. She is married to Bob Rock and has two cats, Samantha and Magdalena. She enjoys Okinawan karate, running, culinary arts, reading, and travel. She has traveled to Italy, France, Ireland, Scotland, and England. Melissa’s photo was taken during her second Kyu test in August.
   Melissa was a graduate assistant for Dr. Lorraine Weatherspoon at Michigan State University from January of 2004 until June of 2005. She has also worked for Michigan State University Extension’s Family Nutrition Program, and as a foster care department analyst for the Department of Social Services Family Independence Agency with the State of Michigan.   
   Melissa holds two bachelor’s of science degrees from MSU -- one in social science and one is dietetics. She completed a dietetic internship at MSU and is currently a graduate student. Melissa will receive her master’s in human nutrition from MSU in June of 2005.

Nichole is currently working full-time at Foote Hospital in Jackson and pursuing a Masters in Human Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. Previously, Nichole was a Clinical Dietitian at Mott Children's Hospital at University of Michigan Health System and a Community Dietitian for Life Time Fitness in Novi. Nichole earned a B.S. in Dietetics and Speech & Language Pathology from Central Michigan University and completed a dietetic internship at University of Michigan Health System. She enjoys competitive running, hiking, biking, and spending time with her family and two dogs.

Q: When you were in your dietetic internship, what area of dietetics/nutrition interested you most?
A: I did my internship at U of M, so I was exposed to a wonderful variety of patients. My favorite areas were pediatrics, trauma/burn, renal, and outpatient nutrition counseling.

Q: Tell us about your present job.
A: Currently I’m working full-time at Foote Hospital in Jackson. There’s a lot of cross coverage at this facility so I am exposed to all areas on a daily basis, but I mostly cover renal, oncology, and behavioral health, which includes teaching a weekly nutrition class to recovering drug and alcohol users.   

Q: What is your “dream job”?
A: My long-term goal is to finish my Masters, which I’m currently doing on-line through EMU, and then pursue my doctorate degree and teach. So, my dream job would be to teach at the university level and do research. Until then, my dream job would be working with the pediatric population, teaching nutrition classes to all ages, and encouraging healthy lifestyles. 

Q: What do you see as the biggest benefits of being involved in LDA and/or MDA?
A: Definitely networking.  I have met some wonderful dietitians through LDA and have learned a great deal about the career of dietetics and what opportunities are out there for dietitians.

Q: What advice would you give to someone just entering the job market as a dietitian?
A: My advice to new RDs???  Never be afraid to ask questions (of RDs and other health professionals) because you can learn a ton from those with experience.

Q: Tell us a little more about yourself.
A: I live in DeWitt with my husband, Erik, an environmental scientist, and our daughter, Madelyn, born August 15th. We also have two beautiful Labs, Kona and Lambeau. 
 

Education:  B.S. in Dietetics from Michigan State University in 2000. Completed dietetic internship at the University of Michigan Health System in 2001.

Work Experience: Clinical Dietitian at Sparrow Health System specializing in pediatric and cardiac nutrition. Prior to employment at Sparrow, Emily was Assistant Food Service Director and the Clinical Dietitian at Carson City Hospital.

Q: What influenced you to make nutrition your career?
A:  I wanted a career that would allow me to work closely with people and make a difference in their lives.  I had a personal interest in my own nutrition and a desire to work in a medical setting.  After my first nutrition class at MSU, I knew that nutrition was the best fit for me and would provide me with so many opportunities to help others.    

Q: What is the most exciting part of your current job?
A: The variety that I currently have working as a clinical dietitian.  I’m working part time so that I can be home more with my one-year-old son.  I don’t have a defined group of patients that I see; I cover a different unit each day.  It keeps me up on different diseases and age groups.  It’s even allowed me to be trained to cover the pediatric unit, an area that I used to have zero confidence in.

Q: What are your career goals?
A: I’m really enjoying the clinical setting right now, but I may want to pursue a management (clinical) position in the future.  I had a little experience with management during my first job as a RD/assistant food service director at a small rural hospital and found it challenging, but rewarding to help bring out the best in people.  I also hope to go back to school in the next few years to start working on a Masters degree. 

Q: What/who encouraged you to become involved in your local dietetic association? Has the experience helped you?
A: I first became involved with Michigan State University’s Food and Nutrition Association when I was an undergraduate and heard great things about LDA through our liaison.  As soon as I graduated from my internship I joined LDA and started going to the meetings right away.  It was so neat meeting dietitians from all different fields—especially when I was job searching!  It’s so important that dietitians get together to share ideas, and support the community we live in—we have so much to offer!  I just finished my first year on the LDA board and enjoyed the experience. I especially liked being part of the LDA “Food and Fitness” race that brought our profession and the community together for the common interest of supporting our local foods banks. 

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to students interested in the field of nutrition, what would it be?
A: Be opened minded about where you’ll land your first job.  I never thought that a city girl like me would enjoy a job as a clinical dietitian and assistant food service director in a small rural hospital.  But I did, and the experience gave me the confidence to pursue my current job as an acute care setting dietitian. 

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