RDN Spotlight: Keisha Banks-Thornton, MPH, RD, CHWC

What is your ethnicity/race? Did your family have any customs related to food? Please describe.

African-American. Every Thanksgiving our family always has several side dishes staples of the African-American tradition (homemade rolls, candied yams, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese). Every New Year's day, we like to eat black-eyed peas to bring good luck.

Where/when did you go to undergrad/dietetic internship/grad school?

I received my dietetic degree from James Madison University in Harrisonburg Virginia. I graduated in 2001. I received my Masters in Public Health from Indiana University Bloomington in Bloomington Indiana. I completed the dietetic internship at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis In 2007. I worked at the Indiana State Department of Health for 3 years before deciding to complete the dietetic internship.

Why did you decide to choose nutrition and dietetics as a career?

I started out as a kinesiology major, but after taking a few classes I wasn't sure what I would do with that degree. After meeting with one of the dietetic professors, I was able to solidify my decision to major in dietetics. Growing up my parents were always active and my mom cooked homecooked meals for the family every night; therefore fresh ingredients and cooking have always been a part of my life. This is truly where my interest was born for healthy living, fitness, and nutrition. Also, being a collegiate athlete on the track team further increased my interest in healthy eating. I ran the middle distance and knew I had to fuel my body with healthy food; therefore, I wanted to increase my knowledge.

What do you do now as an RDN and what does a typical day/week look like for you?

I am also a certified health and wellness coach through Wellcoaches. I am a Cigna employee and provide individual health coaching/nutrition education, conduct presentations, webinars, and food demonstrations to our client’s employees. I am also the founder of Good Nutrition. I have developed a healthy cookie product line called Delish! cookies sold in stores as well as online.

What is/was the biggest challenge for you in becoming a dietitian and how did you overcome that challenge? This can be related to being an RD of color or not just any challenge?

My biggest challenge was waiting 5 years from when I graduated from undergrad to complete the internship. I wasn't as confident entering my first job, but I read a lot, studied what I had learned in undergrad and the internship and my confidence increased.

Have you had any mentors in your career if yes how have those mentors affected your career/life?

My mentor, an African-American dietitian who also has her PhD encouraged me to go back to school and complete the dietetic internship, and I am so glad I did. After graduating undergrad I went straight to graduate school and then I started working. At that time, I didn't see how I could complete an unpaid internship, but I am so glad I made a way to complete it and become a dietitian. I am in the perfect career for my interest and personality.

Why do you think diversifying this field is important?

I use to work in a hospital that had predominately African-American patients and staff. I could tell, the patients appreciated seeing professionals who looked like them providing care. I could tell the patients felt comfortable with me providing their nutrition education. In addition, In order for policies to change there has to be a variety of ethnicities at the table making decisions.

What is a piece of advice you would give a student of color interested in entering the field of dietetics?

I would encourage students of color to get a mentor of color even if the individual isn't a dietitian, to pursue at least a master’s degree to be competitive in the job market and increase knowledge, and try to work in a couple of different settings to see what they prefer. It's important to listen to your inner self. If a professor says, "you would be a great WIC dietitian," but you know you have other goals, don't let those folks hold you back.