With more than thirty years of experience as a registered dietician, Melissa brings extensive expertise in medical nutrition across the continuum of care. Her background spans long-term care, acute care, and dialysis settings, providing her with a deep understanding of how nutrition impacts recovery, chronic disease management, and quality of life.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and completed advanced clinical and healthcare nutrition operations training within a national healthcare system, with emphasis on regulatory standards, interdisciplinary coordination, and high-acuity patient populations. Her work is grounded in evidence-based practice and informed by decades of experience supporting medically complex individuals.

Within our organization, Melissa is one of our experienced clinical team members, contributing specialized nutrition expertise as part of comprehensive care oversight. She collaborates closely with our care managers and our clinical team to ensure nutrition considerations are appropriately integrated into each client’s broader plan of care.

She is frequently engaged in complex cases involving clients transitioning home with feeding tubes, individuals navigating diabetes management, renal and dialysis-dependent conditions, cardiac-related dietary needs, dysphagia and modified texture requirements, and medically frail adults experiencing malnutrition or unintended weight loss. She also supports more routine cases, including weight management, chronic disease risk reduction, and personalized nutrition planning aligned with lifestyle and functional goals.

In these cases, Melissa reviews relevant medical information, identifies nutrition-related risks, and provides consultative guidance to clients, families, and treating providers. She supports caregiver education and collaborates with physicians, home health agencies, and other members of the treatment team to help ensure safe coordination and continuity within the established medical plan.

Melissa’s involvement strengthens care oversight, mitigates preventable nutrition-related complications, and supports improved stability and quality of life across a wide range of client needs.