Department of Nutrition Events

Story Telling Workshop with Tamara Melton, MS, RDN

Part 1: January 30th, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84361555422 

Part 2: February 27th, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85399744663

This two part workshop hosted by Tamara Melton, MS, RDN, will teach you how to tell a thought provoking and well organized story whether it may be for a presentation or interview. Tamara will discuss how to determine a theme for a presentation as well as highlighting slide design principles to improve accessibility for diverse audiences.

Guest Speaker Event with Denee Bex, RDN

February 15th, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85828671720

Denee Bex is an outpatient Registered Dietitian on the Navajo Nation and is and an advocate for traditional Indigenous diets and home-grown foods in Native communities. She was born and raised on the Navajo Nation. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Arizona State University in 2011 and a Master of Public Health with a focus on community health education in 2017 from New Mexico State University and is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Her concentrations are in diabetes nutrition, community health education and intuitive eating. Denee contributes gardening articles for a local Native community newspaper and works with community organizations to encourage families to start growing their own food. Lastly, Denee is the owner and founder of Tumbleweed Nutrition LLC, a nutrition education consultant company that aims to provide evidence-based nutrition consultations for organizations serving the American Indian community.

Guest Speaker Event with Luis Perez, PhD, RDN

March 6th, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84759256245 

Luis Perez is a veteran, Registered Dietitian, and second-year Postdoctoral Fellow at the Veterans Affairs (Aurora, CO). Luis completed his first postdoctoral year at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in the Renal Division within the School of Medicine. He has spent nearly 9 years in the field of clinical nutrition and 7 years in CKD. Dr. Perez’s research has focused primarily on nutritional interventions within the chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patient populations. Dr. Perez is also primary interested in studying medically tailored meals for chronic disease management, along with food security, racial/ethnic disparities, and quality of life.

Guest Speaker Event with Starla Garcia, RDN

April 3rd, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87512386204

Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD, is a Houston-based Dietitian who helps athletes shed destructive diet culture beliefs, by discovering harmony and freedom with food. Her journey with wellness came after battling an eating disorder as a student-athlete at the University of Houston. Today, Starla is the founder and owner of her own private-practice, The Healthy Shine, through which she helps runners discover healthy lifestyles that are sustainable and enjoyable.

Starla devotes her platform to not only helping runners fuel, but to discussing cultural competency in sports dietetics. She works to prevent RED-S in communities of color and advocates for cultural and body diversity with the endurance athlete space. Beyond her dietetics work, Starla is a 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier!

Guest Speaker Event with Bonnie Johnson, MS, RDN

April 24th, 2023 4:00-5:15 pm MST
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86111505963

Bonnie Johnson is a registered dietitian with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry. She calls herself a “Nutrition Translator” working to translate and deliver credible, science-based information to business partners, health care professionals and consumers to build trust, respect, and reliability with consumers. Over the past 10 years she has partnered with a number of start-up ventures and big food companies to bring healthy food products to life. Her passion for commodity marketing was cultivated at the Dairy Council and the National Peanut Board among other smaller boards. Bonnie graduated from The University of Arizona with a BS in Nutrition and lives for UA basketball; she earned her MS in Nutrition at Colorado State and is currently working on an MBA at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She’s is a 6^th generation Coloradan and lives in Morrison with her husband, 5 kids and one spoiled COVID rescue dog. When she’s not working, you can find her in the kitchen with her kids or on the golf course with her husband. Her favorite way to eat potatoes is as extra crispy French fries.