Season 3 Episode 2: Making a Difference as a RD in Nutrition Communications

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Feed Me the Facts

Diversify Dietetics, Inc

35 episodes

1 day ago

In this Season 5 kickoff of Feed Me the Facts, we sit down with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, author of Eating from Our Roots, and frequent national media contributor. Maya shares her unique journey from avant-garde theater to nutrition science, her passion for culturally humble care, and her mission to make nutrition education accessible and approachable. We dive deep into what it means to stay credible and authentic in the media space, how dietitians can leverage social platforms without burning out, and why continuous learning and evolving are critical for the future of dietetics. Whether you’re a current or future dietitian, or someone passionate about inclusive health messaging, this episode is packed with insights on growth, media presence, and making a lasting impact. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Maya’s Unconventional Path to Dietetics (00:00) From avant-garde theater to NYU nutrition — and why she initially wanted to work for UNICEF. Early Career Lessons & Community Work (06:00) How working with marginalized communities shaped her approach to care. Building a Private Practice & Breaking into Media (08:00) The pivot from consulting to running her own practice and landing TV opportunities. The Power of Social Media & Storytelling (11:00) Why Maya launched her YouTube series and how she balances evidence-based messaging with relatability. Being a Forever Learner (20:00) How reading research, attending conferences, and collaborating across disciplines keep her credible and fresh. What Influencers Are Doing Well — and What RDs Can Learn (22:00) The importance of storytelling, empathy, and connecting with your audience. Evolving as a Profession (42:00) Why dietitians need to unpack bias, take stronger stances, and meet the needs of today’s diverse populations. Measuring Success in Media & Business (32:00) Redefining success beyond followers — doing the work you love, being compensated fairly, and serving your community. Turning Expertise into Income (35:00) Practical advice on writing, content creation, brand partnerships, and staying authentic. What’s Next for Maya (52:00) Her passion for food science, biodiversity, and connecting with real people through street interviews. Resources & Links: Connect with Maya: Maya Feller Nutrition – Learn more about Maya and her team’s work: www.mayaellernutrition.com Follow Maya on Instagram & YouTube: @mayafellerrd Maya’s Books: Eating from Our Roots Southern Comfort Diabetes Cookbook Watch Maya’s “Ask a Dietitian” YouTube Series: Maya Feller Nutrition on YouTube ️ Stay connected with Feed Me The Facts: Website: www.diversifydietetics.org Instagram & Facebook: @DiversifyDietetics Send in your thoughts/questions: fmtf@diversifydietetics.org Don’t forget to subscribe to The Squeeze, Diversify Dietetics’ monthly newsletter for the latest updates in nutrition and dietetics. Listen now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

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Season 3 Episode 2: Making a Difference as a RD in Nutrition Communications

Feed Me the Facts

42 minutes 26 seconds

4 years ago

Season 3 Episode 2: Making a Difference as a RD in Nutrition Communications

Are you interested in nutrition but unsure of whether or not you will enjoy working in a clinical setting or one on one with clients? Then you’ll want to tune into this episode as we sit down with Melanie Hall, MS, RD. Melanie was inspired to study nutrition by her mother. Since her mother had a hard time getting an education and had to persevere in order to become a nurse, she fought for her children to receive a quality education in the sciences. This led Melanie to choose a major in nutrition. While pursuing her nutrition degree, Melanie worked as a diabetes educator for Kaiser and it was in this role that she realized she was not meant to save the world just one person, at a time. She went on to obtain a Masters’s degree in Nutrition Communications and begin her career in marketing and is currently the Director of Brand Marketing at Kashi. Tune into this episode, to hear more about her RD journey including her various jobs and “accidents” until she figured out that nutrition communications was the area she was meant to be in. About Melanie With a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from UC Berkeley and a Masters degree in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University, Ms. Hall started her career as a marketing manager with the California 5 a Day African American Campaign, where she helped promote fruit and vegetable consumption through Sacramento and Los Angeles health ministries. Then, as the manager of the Network for a Healthy California–Retail Program she learned the ropes of the produce industry and worked with retailers throughout the state to create in-store marketing and events that increased fruit and vegetable purchases among low-income households. In 2010. Ms. Hall joined the Kellogg Company Wellness team to create and drive the company strategy for partnering with the Women Infants and Children program. In that role, she worked to help brand teams expand their portfolio of WIC foods and helped WIC staff use commercial marketing techniques to find new ways to get participants excited about making healthy choices. In 2020, Ms. Hall joined the Kashi team as the Director of Brand Marketing, where she works with her team to create food, content, partnerships, and programs that help make eating well easy for people and the planet.

Feed Me the Facts