What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? I have always had a passion for helping others and an incredible love for food. My family, like several other Americans, was always trying every new fad diet that came out hoping for promised results, but always fell short. I wanted to learn more about how to have a healthy relationship with food and help others along the way. 

Your Job Title? Regional Registered Dietitian

Company you are with now? Elder Care Alliance

Website: foodfilosophies.com

Social Media: 
– Instagram: @smontevecchird 

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you? I spend a large amount of my day assessing residents and providing nutritional counseling. I usually check in with the rest of the medical team and the kitchen to communicate any updates and help make sure meals run smoothly. My favorite part of the job is when I get to spend time with the residents discussing their diet and what foods they used to love cooking. Food is personal, and I think a lot of people take that for granted when serving food in clinical settings. It can be a challenge accommodating for individual preferences when you are cooking for 200 or more people, but sometimes just listening and acknowledging peoples personal experiences with food, provides a sense of dignity that is key to making a person feel whole. On “extra fun” days I will do a cooking demo or presentation on various nutrition topics for residents and my peers. 

I am also exploring starting my own business and spend most of my free time networking, social media/blogging, and researching. I currently am working on my first website, which I hope to have up and running very soon. My goal is to start providing personalized nutrition counseling using a telehealth platform. I live in the Bay Area, and everyone is so busy with their daily lives, I believe using a digital approach to connect with busy clients on the go is the perfect tool to helping people reach their health goals. I am just in the very beginning phases, so most of my free time is spent researching and networking to launch my dream!

How did you get your current job in dietetics? I had a recruiter reach out to me and present a new model of food service in which communities provide as much fresh food and from scratch cooking as possible to provide high quality meals to residents. I loved the idea and the challenge of providing real food to people who truly need it and made my move.

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? I have loved food from my first bite as a baby. I was always in the refrigerator or pantry looking for snacks, so much so that my mom found me in the refrigerator during the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco. I am also a born entrepreneur. Growing up I was always either baking food to sell at a lemonade stand or picking the neighborhood flowers to resell them back to my neighbors as bouquets. I always liked to hustle and the feeling of working hard. I continue to grow my skills as a leader and to push myself out of my comfort zone to take on new challenges.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you? Keep taking on new challenges, but also take time to rest and appreciate what you have accomplished before taking the next leap.

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what would it be? I think I would love to be paid in recipes! Extra points for old family recipes!

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.