Meet Edwina Clark, MS, RD, APD (Aus), CSSD, a dear friend of mine who is inspiring, encouraging, supportive, and a ton of fun. Edwina works for Yummly, a food discovery platform, in the heart of the tech world. Just another incredible niche that dietitians can get into – technology and start-ups! Read on to learn about her career journey. – Sarah

What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? I started running competitively when I was nine so I have been interested food and performance for as long I can remember. My parents were really thoughtful about fueling me for exercise as a child. They would lug a cooler full of tabouli, pita bread, pancakes, and chocolate milk to track meets for me to nibble on between events, and feed me a big bowl of spaghetti the night before a race.

As I got older, I started tinkering in the kitchen and coming up with new recipes on my own. I excelled at science, and loved learning about how the body worked. Becoming a Dietitian couldn’t have been a more natural fit!

Your Job Title? Senior Manager, Nutrition and Wellness at Yummly.

Company you are with now? Yummly, a food discovery platform with 15 million users.

Website: www.edwinaclark.com/blog

Other Social Media links you would like to include:

• Instagram: edwinalclark
• Twitter: edwinatheRD
• LinkedIn: edwinatheRD

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you? My days start pretty early, often with a run and avocado toast! After that, I am out the door, and on my way to Yummly HQ in Redwood City (approx. 60 minutes from SF).

My work day begins on the train with replying to emails, and scheduling social posts. At Yummy HQ every day looks a little bit different. Some days I am knee-deep in product work, brainstorming digital tools to help people make healthier food decisions. Other days, I spend my time writing media pieces, developing seasonal emails, designing users studies and diving into nutrition trends. Start-up life is fast and dynamic, but I wouldn’t want it any other way!

How did you get your current job in dietetics? My first job out of graduate school was running the corporate wellness program at State Street (SS) Boston for EXOS. There were only two of us for 10 000+ employees, and our work included everything from 1:1 counseling, to leading webinars, writing marketing materials, and meeting with senior executives on the SS benefits team.

Within the first couple of years of graduating, I realized how valuable tech was for scaling nutrition care. I slowly got plugged into the Boston start-up scene and eventually landed a job with a tech company that delivered behavior change courses via mobile. A year later that spun into a cross country move, and a job as Head of Nutrition at Orange Chef. In November 2015, Orange Chef was acquired by Yummly. With the exception of my job at Orange Chef, all of my roles to-date have come from referrals within my network.

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? I have always been an extrovert and a natural ‘people-person’. I keep lots of lists, and get great satisfaction from getting things done. Just about everything else is learned. More specifically, working in tech has helped me become a more effective communicator across many disciplines, and expanded my skills in marketing, branding, and social media.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you?

1. Think outside the box: Dietitians have an incredibly valuable skill set with SO many different applications. Opportunities exist everywhere— it’s just a matter of keeping your eyes open.

2. Educate, educate, educate: Most people don’t know the difference between the rigorous training of a dietitian and a ‘nutritionist’. Becoming a dietitian is not an easy path— it’s competitive, and intellectually demanding. Don’t be afraid to educate people about your skills and training!

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what  would it be? Tough question! It’s a toss up between Wholefoods gift cards and travel credit. Running gear is a close third.

Sarah Koszyk is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta. A family-based wellness program and blog focusing on recipes, family health tips, and videos with kids cooking in the kitchen. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach specializing in sports nutrition and adult and pediatric weight management. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.