RDN Spotlight: Angela Stancil, MS, RD
Follow Angela on IG at @angelastancilrd!
What is your ethnicity/race?
Black
Where/when did you go to undergrad/dietetic internship/grad school?
Undergrad - North Carolina State University, Grad School - University of Maryland, Baltimore DPD - University of Memphis, Internship - Memphis VA Medical Center
Why did you decide to choose nutrition and dietetics as a career?
I love the idea of preventing chronic disease with food. I also love teaching and helping people reach their “a-ha” moments.
Did your family have any customs related to food? What were some of your favorite foods growing up or your favorite memories surrounding food? Please describe.
One thing I miss about living in the same city with my parents is sharing a Blast from Sonic with them. On Sundays, we had dinner together and would have ice cream afterward for dessert. I love ice cream (like REALLY love it !) and it’s special to share some with people I care about.
What do you do now as an RDN and what does a typical day/week look like for you?
I am an outpatient dietitian at a VA clinic. I work with veterans to create and move toward their nutrition goals. I offer individual appointments (phone or video mostly right now d/t COVID), offer walk-in appointments through my role in the weekly Endocrine clinic, and teach diabetes nutrition classes.
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?
The biggest challenge for me has been navigating a space of mostly white women as a black woman. Whether I want to or not, I have to be on top of my game because people are looking to me to set an example. Before I worked as an outpatient dietitian I worked in food service as an administrative dietitian. In that role, it was important for me to advocate for the food service workers (who are often black or brown working for white managers) and to help bridge a gap between them and their managers who they often viewed as unapproachable. Similarly, I recognize that my presence is an important representation to both my patients (who may not ever come in contact with another black dietitian) and the interns I precept who have unique challenges that I may be able to help them navigate. Representation in the field is a huge motivator for me and it has helped me to stay encouraged, continuously learn, and be professional because I know that my role is more than just providing MNT to so many people who don’t see providers or educators that look like them.
Have you had any mentors in your career? if yes, how have those mentors affected your career/life?
Yes! I am fortunate to have had fantastic mentors to help me along the way. Having a sounding board to help you think through decisions is such a valuable resource. I’ve also had fantastic examples of RDs in my life that have opened my mind to the many avenues dietitians have available. I believe the experiences I’ve had with mentors are part of the reason I feel so strongly about mentorship and capitalizing on opportunities to lead.
Why do you think diversifying this field is important?
Representation! The role of the RD is heavily reliant on building relationships with people. Shared experiences as a person of color, a man, a person living with a disability, etc. can be helpful with establishing genuine connections to get the most out of every interaction. Understanding your audience as a provider, a manager or an educator helps you to be more successful at your job. And while we know that access is a huge challenge to medical care in communities of color, we also know that distrust is another factor. Having more representation in the field is a great way to encourage those who need help to seek it from someone they may trust.
What is a piece of advice you would give a student of color interested in entering the field of dietetics?
Be open to opportunities outside of the plans you laid out for yourself. Some of the best experiences may be unexpected ones. So don’t be afraid to do the thing that scares you because you may be surprised at the other doors that could open from that moment