Rachel Ashley Reyes-Aldan, RD2BE
Meet Rachel Ashley Reyes-Aldan, RD2BE
Q: When did you first get connected into the DD Community?
A: Diversity Dietetics, together with one of their sponsors HUM Nutrition, awarded me with a grant that allowed me to pay for tuition at a time when I needed the help most. I am forever grateful. In addition to that, I have a community of RDNs who I can seek mentorship from, which is truly priceless.
Q: Why do you want to become a registered dietitian?
A: I want to give back to my Pacific Islander community. I've always been passionate about nutrition, even more so watching my father struggle with cardiovascular and kidney disease and after becoming a mother. There are only two Registered Dietitians from the Mariana Islands, and yet there is an immense demand for RDs.
Having worked in healthcare and understanding how impactful representation can be in improving care for patients and increasing cultural competence in the field, I knew I wanted to join the growing list of Pacific Islander RDNs.
Q: How did you feel before finding the DD community?
A: I felt a little lost in the community. With so few Pacific Islander RDNs, and my experience being such a unique one, I gravitated towards minorities who could understand the experience I was going through.
Q: How did you feel after finding the DD community?
A: I felt reassured, supported, and heard. The DD community supports BIPOC RDNs and aspiring RDNs. This helped me to gain confidence in myself, my potential, and my place in the field.
Q: It’s been over a year since you received the scholarship funding, what are you up to these days?
A: I am currently finishing up the last semester of my Masters of Science in Applied Nutrition program through the University of New England, due to graduate on December 31st of this year.
I finished my dietetic internships in August. I completed Clinicals and Food Service Management at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation--the sole, regional public hospital in the Mariana Islands--through their In-Patient and Dietary Departments. I also finished my Community rotations at the CNMI WIC Clinic.
For this final semester, I'm taking Advanced Nutrition Research and the final Nutrition Capstone course. Currently, I've been conducting my first secondary analysis study examining the relationship between dietary fiber intake in children ages 2 through 5 and WIC participation using NHANES data. It's been an eye-opening course, and the most enlightening experience in applied nutrition research!
(Fun fact: I also give birth to my second child in January of next year, so it's been quite the hustle preparing for graduation and the next baby on the way!)
We can’t wait to see the impact Rachel makes in her community and her growing family! If you want to support the future change makers in the field of nutrition consider donating to our annual Fund the Future campaign today!