Congratulations to 2021 master’s and GCPD graduates

Friday, August 20, we recognized the accomplishments of our students who will complete their graduate degrees and Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics (GCPD) training in 2021. The small gathering consisting of students, staff, and faculty took place in the UW Quad. 

Anne Lund, the program director said, “Graduation looked a little different this year as we quietly celebrated a cohort of students who showed great perseverance by completing grad school and an internship during the pandemic. There was no script for them to follow as the rules and guidelines changed repeatedly. This group was resilient and flexible as they navigated multiple online platforms and work settings but they always seemed to find the next right thing to do. I hope they are able to maintain these attributes as they enter the workforce because thinking outside the box and making decisions in ambiguous situations is what is needed to move our profession forwards.” 

Congratulations to all of our students!

Diana Gabriela Aguilera

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Thesis: Assessment of a Weight Bias Session 
• Advisers: Michelle Averill, Cristen Harris

Cairo Archer

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Thesis: The role of adiposity in the association of branched chain amino acids and metabolic biomarkers in the context of a controlled feeding study 
• Advisers: Johanna Lampe, Sandi Navarro

Jessa Engelken

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Capstone:  Examination of Early Learning Mealtime Best Practices: Opportunities and Challenges for Specialized Responsive Feeding Practices 
• Advisers: Cristen Harris, Lina Walkinshaw

Josh Floberg

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Thesis: Stress and Eating Behaviors of Dietitians During the COVID-19 Pandemic 
• Advisers: Cristen Harris, Liz Kirk

Alexandra Garrity

• Programs: Master of Public Health
• Capstone: Employers’ Needs and Intentions to Implement Evidence-Based Healthy Eating Practices in the Workplace
• Advisers: Anne-Marie Gloster, Lina Walkinshaw

Emahlea Jackson

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Thesis: The association between household food security and disordered eating behaviors among youth and young adults with diabetes: the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study
• Advisers: Jason Mendoza, Jesse Jones-Smith

Molly Knowling

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Capstone: Case review of nutrition diagnosis and surgical outcomes 
• Advisers: Michelle Averill, Haley Wilson

Dani Ladyka

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Thesis: Impacts of COVID-19 on the revenue and market channels of Washington State small, direct marketing farms 
• Advisers: Sarah Collier, Yona Sipos, Marie Spiker

Dorothy Nguyen

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Capstone: Developing a Culturally Relevant Nutrition Education Curriculum for Low-Income, Community-Dwelling Older Adults 
• Advisers: Michelle Averill, Lina Walkinshaw

Sarah Perlin

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Capstone: Developing a Culturally Relevant Nutrition Education Curriculum for Low-Income, Community-Dwelling Older Adults 
• Advisers: Michelle Averill, Lina Walkinshaw

Maryann Ruiz

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Capstone: Nutritional Complications and Interventions in Substance Use Disorders 
• Adviser: Michelle Averill

Lauren Sawyer

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Thesis: Impacts of the Seattle sweetened beverage tax on perceived healthfulness of sweetened beverages 
• Advisers: Jesse Jones-Smith, Mandy Fretts

Aline Seroussi

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Capstone: Program Evaluation of the United Way of King County’s DoorDash Home Food Delivery Program
• Adviser: Lina Walkinshaw

Stephanie Winterbauer

• Programs: Master of Public Health and GCPD
• Capstone: Screen Time in Early Learning Settings: Current Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities 
• Advisers: Cristen Harris, Lina Walkinshaw

Kazue Yoshida

• Programs: Master of Science and GCPD
• Thesis: Macrophage Accumulation and Lipid Loading in Diabetic Kidney Disease 
• Advisers: Michelle Averill, Jenny Kanter

August 20, 2021