Jessica is thrilled to be a part of the Healthier Tomorrows team! She is a registered dietitian who loves food and deeply enjoys working with each of her clients, helping them discover or rediscover healthful eating and fall in love with food again. She has found that so many of her clients are dealing with stress and anxiety related to nutrition, and with positive energy, warmth, and empathy, she wants to work side-by-side with them to get back to basics and customize a pattern of healthy eating and lifestyle habits that best fits their individual needs and goals.
As a Certified Functional Nutrition Informed Professional (CFNIP), she believes that food does in fact act as medicine for the body and takes a functional nutrition approach to address the underlying cause of disease and nutrition-related health issues. She is here to help her clients use whole foods, eating patterns, and other lifestyle components such as sleep, stress management, mindfulness, and exercise to get back into balance and improve health outcomes. She particularly loves working with clients needing help with weight and metabolism, hormone imbalances, food intolerances and allergies, GI health issues, eating disorders, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum nutrition, blood sugar management issues such as Prediabetes and Diabetes, and general wellness. Jessica is here to support her clients while they take action, and can help them find recipes that delight their tastebuds and preferences while still suiting their nutritional needs, strategize with grocery store shopping, and help them build confidence in cooking! She can also help keep things streamlined and focused when working with families with differing nutritional needs among family members, keeping mealtimes joyful rather than stressful.
Jessica attended Meredith College where she received her Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition and completed her dietetic internship program. She worked for over five years with the WIC Program, helping prenatal and postpartum women, infants, and children build a solid foundation with healthful nutrition patterns during those precious early years. She then began working as a consultant dietitian for ten years in various clinical and food service capacities. She has worked with the elderly population in the PACE program, helping clients with issues such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Weight Maintenance, and feeding issues such as difficulty chewing and swallowing and altered taste. Additionally, she worked for three years with adults with Autism, helping them navigate meals and mealtime habits while overcoming barriers such as food aversions and social anxieties. She also worked for over five years with pediatric and young adult populations with food allergies and intolerances, and texture issues including dysphagia and other feeding difficulties, helping develop safe and appropriate menus while still including a variety of foods and nutrients.
In her spare time, Jessica loves to run, walk, bike, or swim outside. She lives for southern summers- perusing farmer’s markets, outdoor garden spaces, going to the pool, lake, or beach with her husband and 2 kids, and outdoor movie nights. She also loves volunteer work, listening to Yacht Rock, and diving into the local library’s “Staff Picks” for a good read. And her happy place is a toss up between Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s!
Cara Best received her Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Carson-Newman University, and her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Memphis. She completed a graduate assistantship with St. Jude Children’s Hospital and clinical rotations within Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare system. She has experience working as an inpatient dietitian, including leading an inpatient clinical team, and also previously worked as an outpatient adult oncology dietitian for eight years. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Cara is passionate about providing care for patients going through the heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis. Across her years of education and professional experience, her passion has given her the opportunity to work with clients across a spectrum of diagnoses, including diabetes management, cardiovascular health, digestive concerns and disorders, and medical nutrition therapy. She is an eager learner and enjoys bringing fun and excellent, evidence-based nutrition therapy to her client sessions, making it easy for her clients and their families to make nutrition-related choices that help them to maximize their health and wellness.
Cara grew up in Tullahoma, Tennessee and adores her songwriting husband, her toddler, and her orange tabby named Halli. She loves to spend time with loved ones, and loves being outdoors!
Lauren Burkett, MEd, MS, RD, LDN is a registered dietitian who enjoys working with clients with a variety of disease states and supporting them in developing mindful eating habits and learning to recognize and honor their hunger cues through intuitive eating habits. She has a particular passion for working with clients struggling with gastrointestinal issues, including IBS/GERD/SIBO, diverticulitis/diverticulosis, fatty liver issues such as NAFLD/NASH, and low-fat diet post gallbladder removal. She also enjoys working with clients on challenges around emotional eating (with or without binge eating disorder), diabetes (with or without chronic kidney disease), and developing heart-healthy diets (for hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or heart disease).
Lauren believes that mental health is equally as important as physical health, and she supports her clients in developing behaviors that will assist them in both areas of their lives. She works with her clients to develop a more regular eating routine that works best with their lifestyle and allows them to get joy out of eating again. She takes great pleasure in providing individualized care to each of her clients. She guides them as they strive to reach their health and wellness goals. This supports them in having a more balanced lifestyle for years to come.
Lauren completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics with minors in Biology, Medical Humanities, and Sociology from the University of Delaware (UD). She also earned her Master of Education as a Nutrition Education Specialist through Framingham State University and a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Design from UD. Lauren completed her dietetic internship program through Virginia Tech and considers herself a learner and self-starter.
In her free time, Lauren loves to cook (her favorite meals are shrimp scampi and chicken à la King), paint on canvas, go to spin classes, and play with her two pet bunnies, Quinoa and Pancake, and four dogs, Eevee, Bruno, Twinkie, and Cloud!
Summer Cooper is a registered dietitian who enjoys working alongside clients on their individual health journeys and guiding them to a positive and sustainable relationship with food and body image. Her work focuses on targeting ineffective behaviors and beliefs about food and body using Health at Every Size principles, Intuitive Eating, food exposures and FBT-informed care. Summer appreciates everyone’s uniqueness and offers a gracious and affectionate approach throughout the treatment process as she works to balance nutrition science and education successfully. She enjoys working with individuals of all ages!
Summer was born and raised in Kentucky but now calls Indiana home. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University, where she also completed her dietetic internship.
Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Summer worked as a college campus dietitian and collegiate sports dietitian, followed by extensive work at an eating disorder clinic where she served as a dietitian in the individual and group nutrition counseling and intensive outpatient program settings. Summer is passionate about creating safe spaces for clients to work through their eating disorder/disordered eating concerns as well as supporting other chronic health conditions during one-on-one nutrition counseling.
Outside of work Summer enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, church community, reading, the outdoors, and thinking of movie quotes to match most situations!
Emily is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who is passionate about helping others achieve optimal wellness and build a healthy relationship with food and their body. Emily takes a functional/lifestyle medicine approach to nutrition, where she focuses on understanding the whole person and working with her clients to help them resolve their unique health concerns. She strives to provide a safe and empathetic environment where every client feels understood, empowered, and encouraged when discussing food and lifestyle.
Emily holds a Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Villanova University.
In her free time, Emily enjoys being outdoors, cooking, and discovering new recipes to test out with family and friends. Her last name – DaCosta – means “of the coast” which is surely on point because of her love for the ocean and the beach!
Lauren is a registered and licensed dietitian with a passion for helping individuals who are struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. She attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she received her dual Bachelors in Dietetics and Kinesiology, along with her Masters in Exercise Science. She went on to complete her dietetic internship through the University of Chicago Medicine, Ingalls Memorial Hospital. She is currently working towards becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS).
Lauren is devoted to creating a safe space for working through eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. She takes a client-led approach to counseling, utilizing empathy, validation, and humor. She is passionate about the physiological and psychological implications of eating disorders and disordered eating and takes a holistic approach when supporting clients through recovery.
In her spare time Lauren enjoys exploring new coffee shops, traveling, and learning new languages!
Adrienne is a registered and licensed dietitian who received her Masters of Science in Nutrition and internship training from University of Illinois at Chicago.
Adrienne’s background involves counseling on the topics of weight concerns, bariatric surgery, and dietary strategies for managing GERD/acid reflux. Through these experiences, she has learned that years of dieting, inflexible food rules, and a focus on weight loss can lead to disordered eating habits and a poor relationship with food and one’s body. This tends to take individuals away from, rather than moving them toward, their health goals. This has led her to be passionate about a non-diet, weight-inclusive approach to nutrition.
Adrienne enjoys supporting clients who suffer from eating disorders, disordered eating, or chronic dieting, and clients who want to improve their relationship with food and their body. She also enjoys supporting clients who suffer from IBS, acid reflux, and other chronic GI concerns.
Adrienne strives to help clients develop a “no fuss” relationship with food. This involves dismantling disordered beliefs surrounding food that many folks have internalized from years of dieting and myths prevalent in the media. This also involves helping clients implement straightforward and timesaving nutrition habits. Adrienne herself is not an avid cook, and prefers instead to keep it simple (while still desiring nourishing, delicious food!).
In her free time, she enjoys exploring Chicago through meandering runs, trying new restaurants and beers in good company, resting/napping, reading, and most importantly, making up new games and art projects to keep her six year old twin nephews entertained.
Cara is a registered and licensed dietitian and an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) who enjoys walking alongside clients in their health journeys to provide tailored support that meets their needs and fosters a positive relationship with food. She believes food is meant for both nourishment and enjoyment and strives to help individuals worry about food less so they can focus more on what’s important to them. Prior to joining the Healthier Tomorrows team, Cara worked in residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment. She has particular interests in women’s, pediatric, and adolescent health. As an IBCLC, she loves sharing her passion for breastfeeding with families and offering breastfeeding education and support to help them meet their infant feeding goals.
Cara attended North Carolina State University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Sciences. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Nutrition and dietetic internship through Meredith College. She completed her lactation coursework and clinical lactation training to become an IBCLC through North Carolina State University.
Outside of work, Cara enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and church community, baking, reading, and cheering on the NC State Wolfpack!
Kimberly is a registered and licensed dietitian who is passionate about assisting her clients in achieving their health and wellness goals. Kimberly received a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition from University of Illinois in Chicago, and she completed her clinical training at UIC Medical Center, with rotations at Advocate Sykes outpatient wellness center, FoodMinds, Gourmet Gorilla, and CEDA WIC.
Kimberly has worked in outpatient private practice since becoming a registered dietitian, and uses a client-centered approach and motivational interviewing when working with her clients. She believes that all foods have a place in a well-balanced diet and that small but powerful changes over time will help individuals’ reach their goals.
Kimberly enjoys working with clients on a range of food-related issues, including eating disorder recovery, food allergies and intolerances, diabetes management, cardiovascular conditions, pre- and post-natal nutrition, pediatric nutrition, and general wellness.
Kimberly spends her free time teaching fitness classes, cooking, walking her over 100-pound dog, and planning her next vacation. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, especially her husband and son.
Lauren is a registered dietitian who is passionate about helping her clients develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food. Lauren incorporates intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size philosophy into her nutrition counseling, and she strives to create an upbeat and positive atmosphere when working with her clients. Lauren takes pride in supporting her clients as they create more balanced lifestyles and focus on being flexible and adaptable in order to recognize the power of food to create positive change in their lives.
Lauren received her bachelor’s degree from Madonna University and completed her clinical training at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, MI. She also received her MBA at Walsh College. Prior to joining Healthier Tomorrows, Lauren worked in an outpatient setting where she worked with adolescents diagnosed with eating disorders, as well as anxiety, depression, GI concerns, and other health conditions.
Lauren loves spending time with her two dogs, Pepper and Murray, and her husband. She enjoys cooking, traveling, golfing, and hiking. Lauren enjoys providing virtual nutrition education, counseling, and support!