Spotlight on: Monica Rodriguez, MSc, RD Consulting Private Practice Dietitian

 

Monica currently works as a consulting dietitian in primary health care providing nutrition counselling and group programs at several doctors offices and physical therapy clinics. She has been a practicing dietitian for the past 18 years and holds a Masters of Science in Nutrition Intervention, Communication, and Behaviour Change (Tufts University). After completing the MSVU Integrative Internship (1998), her career started as an outreach community dietitian in the inner-city of Boston, which has lead to a diverse dietetics career from nutrition research and public relations to school nutrition and the food industry. She has experience as an internship preceptor, and continues to promote the role of dietitians through her volunteer work with DNNS, NSDA, and DC. Currently she specializes in chronic disease and weight management and has additional training in health coaching, plant-based nutrition, culinary nutrition, and diabetes management. Besides her passion for nutrition, she is an avid runner and loves the outdoors, especially coastal Nova Scotia. She lives in Halifax with her husband and three energetic children.

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What is the most rewarding moment in your career?

There are two rewarding moments that truly stand out for me. One as a founding member of Nourish Nova Scotia, which was a two-year + process of developing and launching an official non-profit charitable provincial organization. The other as a member of a volunteer medical mission to Rural Haiti, with Team Broken Earth, delivering nutrition care via mobile health clinics and providing expertise towards a pilot school nutrition program. Both were amazing experiences and I continue to stay involved with each organization in various ways.

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What is the one food you always have in your pantry?

I have two staples that are always in my pantry – oatmeal and bananas. These are part our breakfast routine and are an important start to our busy days.  I love them not only for their nutrition and flavour, but because they are uncomplicated and easily portable. It’s hard to beat something so simple that fuels me through the morning!

 

What adventure do you dream of doing?

I dream of doing a lots of adventures that involve traveling and the outdoors! But if I can narrow it down, I would love to follow my heritage and spend a significant time in Cuba volunteering in a food-related capacity and rekindling my Spanish while there.

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What do you love most about your job?

I love working with people of all ages and helping them achieve their health goals, especially the diversity and new challenge each client brings. I also love working with supportive and like-minded professionals that value the importance and role of nutrition in their patients’ health care and know that every client who walks in the door to see me is truly invested in their health.