Lauren’s mission as a dietitian is to empower her clients with the tools and knowledge to make confident, informed choices about nutrition. She is dedicated to supporting individuals from all walks of life, meeting her clients where they are at on their journey, and removing the stress often associated with food. By seeing each client as a whole person and providing individualized care, she strives to create a supportive and personalized experience that fosters both physical well-being and personal growth.
Lauren enjoys creating a comfortable and affirming environment where she can make the information digestible (pun intended) and truly actionable for her clients’ lives. Together, she believes in uncovering solutions to any barriers, while always keeping the big picture in mind. Lauren is focused on implementing a weight neutral and non-diet method to nutrition counseling. She creates a welcoming and inclusive space for queer-identifying and LGBTQIA+ individuals, as well as those who are neurodivergent and have diverse nutrition needs.
Lauren feels comfortable with clients with complex medical histories, including: post critical hospitalization and new diagnoses; pre/post transplant (heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung); ADPKD and chronic kidney disease; cirrhosis of the liver, NASH/NAFLD; neurologic disorders such as Parkinson’s, dementia and traumatic brain injury; chronic heart failure and coronary artery disease; respiratory dysfunction such as COPD; gastrointestinal dysfunctions such as dysphagia, Crohn’s disease, acid reflux, IBS, short bowel, and ostomy care; diabetes; thyroid conditions; autoimmune disorders; oncology and general wellness.
Though Lauren’s hobbies and interests are ever evolving, the constants are consuming pop culture, expanding her music library, reading fantasy and science fiction, dancing with her cats (Ken and Dennis), traveling and board game nights with her chosen family.
Allie is a friendly and approachable registered dietitian who enjoys connecting with clients at any stage of their nutrition journey, and helping them develop a healthy relationship with food in a culture dominated by dieting.
Allie’s approach to nutrition is centered around Health at Every Size®, Intuitive Eating, and a non-diet philosophy. She’s particularly enthusiastic about working with kids, teens, and adults to help them navigate their specific nutrition needs and goals. Allie has a special interest in eating disorder recovery, diabetes management, ARFID, family-based therapy, intuitive eating, and hormonal/autoimmune concerns.
Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Allie worked at the partial hospitalization level of care, in a facility that provided personalized care for eating disorders. In that role, she conducted individual nutrition counseling sessions, led nutrition education and cooking groups, and organized food exposure sessions with her patients. Allie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and biology from North Carolina State University and her Master of Science in Nutrition from Meredith College.
In her free time, Allie loves getting lost in a good book and exploring new restaurants. She also enjoys listening to true crime podcasts and compelling stories and mysteries.
Rachel is a registered and licensed dietitian with a passion for helping clients optimize their health outcomes while discovering the root-cause of their symptoms, intolerances, or hormonal imbalances. Rachel believes in the human body’s inherent wisdom, that when given the right tools, it can heal itself. She is well versed in functional nutrition and works hard to discover the root-cause of unexplainable health issues and symptoms. Rachel believes that all clients should be heard and their concerns validated, and that there are myriad options to support hormonal health or seemingly mysterious symptoms.
Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Rachel worked with oncology patients to help them thrive through their treatment, optimize their nutrition status, and prevent cancer recurrence. She has had success working with individuals with many different nutrition related medical conditions, and has guided them through lowering their blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, as well as helping women with estrogen dominance, PCOS, and nutrition support during pregnancy and postpartum.
Rachel obtained her undergraduate degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics at Western Carolina University and completed her dietetic internship through Lenoir Rhyne University. She would be honored to walk alongside you in your journey to achieving optimal nutritional and physical health!
Kara is a registered dietitian that is passionate about providing judgment-free, individualized nutrition counseling while meeting clients where they are at in their journey. Kara practices from a non-diet, Health at Every Size, and trauma-informed perspective. She aims to help others understand their relationship with food and how it impacts their minds and bodies. Kara has experience working with individuals struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, addiction, weight and metabolism, and sports nutrition. As a runner herself, she believes in the importance of fueling to feel and perform your best!
Kara graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Foods – Dietetics. Kara then went on to complete a master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition combined with a dietetic internship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Before Healthier Tomorrows, she worked with a residential facility working with clients with eating, mood, and substance use disorders. Kara has experience facilitating 1:1 cooking lessons, restaurant and food exposures, and grocery store tours.
In her free time, Kara enjoys running with her run club, baking/cooking new recipes, and spending time with her two pugs (Cashew and Cannoli)! On the weekend, you can find her trying out local Chicago coffee shops and walking through the farmer’s market!
Kelly is a licensed registered dietitian who takes an empathetic, goal-oriented approach to helping her clients appreciate the beauty of food and its power to nourish the body. Knowing that people have unique and personal relationships with food, Kelly focuses on helping her clients explore and identify any obstacles that may get in the way of desired food behaviors. By partnering with each client, she is able to guide the process of establishing goals that are both attainable and long-lasting.
Kelly earned her BS in Nutrition from Benedictine University, completed a post-baccalaureate internship at Loyola University, and received a diplome de cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in London, England. She is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is part of the Behavioral Health, Weight Management, and Food and Culinary Professionals dietetic practice groups. She often uses her culinary background to include sensory experiences aimed at building and achieving mindfulness through innovative cooking demos, recipe development, and eating exercises.
Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Kelly worked in a public health setting supporting adolescents and young adults who struggled with food-related issues that included food insecurity and malnutrition, disordered eating, weight management, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and hormonal-related issues that affect hunger and satiety. Kelly has a particular interest in working with clients who have binge eating tendencies, providing education and guidance on how to modify this eating behavior.
In her free time, Kelly is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, and appreciating all things that nature has to offer. She also enjoys spending time in the kitchen creating recipes and sharing meals with family and friends.
Kelsey is a registered dietitian who is very passionate about eating disorder care and assist her clients with their recovery. She views nutrition and caring for the body from a social justice, body liberation, Health At Every Size® (HAES®), intuitive eating lens.
She has her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science – both in Nutrition and Dietetics-from the University of North Florida. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor – having trained under Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, authors of Intuitive Eating.
Kelsey has experience working in eating disorder treatment at partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient levels of care. She also has experience working in community nutrition, supporting families in nourishing with limited financial resources. Her varied experiences have sharpened her appreciation for the intersections of mental health, physical health, and social determinants of health.
She works with all ages and genders but especially enjoys supporting adults in nourishing their body and managing their medical conditions through an evidence-based, individualized, weight-neutral approach for management of:
Being a queer-identified, neurodivergent dietitian – Kelsey loves creating space for people to come as they are, to learn, to unlearn, laugh, cry, take up space, be imperfect, foster self-compassion, and heal their relationship with food, body, and movement.
Taylor is a registered and licensed dietitian dedicated to helping her clients improve their relationship with food through an anti-diet and intuitive eating approach to nutrition therapy. With kindness and compassion, Taylor enjoys walking clients through nutrition information while utilizing evidence-based research. Through empathetic coaching and support, Taylor guides her clients in unraveling the complexities of their relationship with food. She provides practical and personalized strategies that help her clients embrace a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Taylor enjoys her work as an outpatient eating disorder dietitian! Her approach to helping others achieve recovery is centered on listening to the body’s cues and honoring its signals, as well as challenging distorted beliefs and behaviors related to food, weight, and body image. Taylor helps clients reconnect with their bodies and rediscover the joys of eating without rules and judgement.
Taylor received her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science at Iowa State University. She completed her dietetic internship and earned at Masters in Nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago.
In her free time, Taylor loves spending time with her husband and daughter, taking her golden retriever on walks, participating in a book club and trying new recipes!
It’s not uncommon to feel lost and confused when it comes to food. In fact, it’s frequently the norm. Jess steers away from the diet-mentality and focuses on a food-as-medicine and a “good, better, best” approach to educate and motivate clients to thrive and grow. Using her philosophy and approach, which are rooted in functional medicine, she has guided clients in healing and repairing their gut; supporting thyroid and immune health, reversing diabetes, elevated cholesterol, and high blood pressure; minimizing and managing pain and headaches; and supporting couples in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum health. She works with her clients to create a highly customized plan to support their specific health and wellness goals for optimal health. In addition, with her emphasis on functional nutrition, she takes into consideration every aspect of each client’s health, diet, and overall lifestyle when providing nutrition recommendations.
Jess is also a Certified Functional Nutrition Informed Professional (CFNIP), Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT), and serves as the Functional Nutrition Director at Healthier Tomorrows. Practicing functionally offers individualized food and lifestyle goals that address the root cause of illness and health struggles, rather than just addressing symptoms. As Functional Nutrition Director, Jess advises and clinically supervises the dietitians at Healthier Tomorrows in looking at wellness from a functional perspective and addressing the whole body to support clients in optimizing their health.
Being food and chemical sensitivities are often at the root of the inflammatory processes within the body, Jess obtained her CLT certification. With her CLT certification she uses Mediator Release Testing to measure an individual’s reaction to 176 foods and chemicals to establish the most effective anti-inflammatory diet plan for the individual’s specific needs.
Jess obtained her undergraduate degree in dietetics from Bradley University and completed her dietetic internship through the University of Houston. She was part of the Healthier Tomorrows dietetic team from 2013 through 2015, and rejoined Healthier Tomorrows in 2020 to provide virtual nutrition education and support! She has significant experience working with clients in outpatient settings, and she enjoys fostering relationships with clients and providing ongoing support.
Clients appreciate her non-judgmental, realistic, and upbeat approach!
Elizabeth is a registered and licensed dietitian who received her Master of Science in Nutrition from University of Illinois at Chicago, where she also completed her clinical training. Elizabeth specializes in eating disorders, disordered eating, picky eating, food aversions, and general wellness. Elizabeth enjoys working with clients seeking assistance with healing their relationship to food, incorporating joyful movement, and managing stress. In addition, Elizabeth has experience counseling on plant-based diets with both pediatric and adult populations.
Elizabeth believes in setting small and achievable goals for long-term success when it comes to habit and lifestyle change. She utilizes a motivational interviewing and client-centered approach in order to initiate positive and sustainable behavior change. Elizabeth believes that trust and acceptance play an important role in a client’s journey to success.
In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys weight lifting, cooking recipes from all around the world, reading and baking.
Crysta is a registered dietitian whose mission is to empower individuals to embrace nutrition as a fundamental pillar of health, fostering lasting change through personalized, compassionate support.
She approaches nutrition counseling with a holistic mindset, focusing not just on dietary changes but also on understanding her clients’ unique lifestyles and challenges. Crysta strives to create a welcoming environment where clients feel comfortable discussing their goals and struggles, enabling them to collaboratively develop sustainable strategies for healthier living.
Crysta has gained extensive experience in managing various health conditions, having spent a significant portion of her dietetic internship at the University of Chicago Ingalls Memorial. There, she honed her skills in medical nutrition therapy (MNT), particularly in areas like gastrointestinal issues, celiac disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular counseling. This experience allowed her to work with a diverse patient population, deepening her understanding of individual needs.
Additionally, her time as an outpatient dietitian at a functional nutrition clinic sparked her passion for a more integrative approach to health. She believes nutrition can be a proactive and preventative means to address root causes of health issues, rather than just treating symptoms.
Originally from Seattle, Crysta completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Chapman University in Southern California. She continued on to pursue her graduate studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she received her MS in Nutrition. Crysta has loved exploring the vibrant food scene of the city, and when she’s not working, you’ll often find her baking or cooking up new recipes. She has a mini bernedoodle who keeps her active with daily park walks, adding joy and energy to her life.
With her diverse background and passion for nutrition, she looks forward to supporting individuals on their journey to better health.