Alessandra is a registered dietitian who learned at a young age the impact of nutrition after struggling with health issues. Alessandra incorporates functional nutrition and root cause analysis to dig deep into what is going on, taking a whole client approach. She combines this approach with intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size philosophy. Alessandra meets her clients where they are and helps them to find ways to build on what they are doing well while filling in the gaps to get them where they want to go. Alessandra takes pride in supporting her clients as they embark on their health and wellness journey through thoughtful conversation, education, and barrier exploration.
Alessandra received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, where she also completed her clinical training. She is also a Health Coach, certified by the National Health Coaching Society. She is currently pursuing a board certification in Integrative and Functional Nutrition.
Prior to joining Healthier Tomorrows, Alessandra worked in a variety of outpatient settings, where she worked with clients diagnosed with disordered eating, chronic kidney disease, pediatric and adolescent nutrition, GI concerns, and other health conditions.
Alessandra loves spending time with her husband, her son, and her two dogs, Maverick and Molly. She enjoys running, cooking, traveling, gardening, and hiking. Alessandra is excited to provide virtual nutrition education, counseling, and support!
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!
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!
Lauren Burkett, MS, RDN, LD 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/SIBO, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and low-fat diet post gallbladder removal, pancreatitis, diverticulitis/diverticulosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. She also enjoys working with clients on challenges around emotional eating (with or without binge eating disorder), diabetes (with or without chronic kidney disease), women’s health issues (such as polycystic ovarian syndrome), endometriosis, infertility, and low-sodium diets (for hypertension and/or heart disease).
Lauren believes that mental health is just as important as physical health, and she supports her clients in developing behaviors that will assist them in both areas of their lives. She takes great pleasure in providing individualized care to each of her clients and in working with them as they strive to reach their health and wellness goals that will help to support an improved lifestyle for years to come.
Lauren completed her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics with minors in Biology, Medical Humanities, and Sociology from the University of Delaware (UD). She also earned her Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship and Design from UD. Lauren is currently working towards earning her Masters in Nutrition Education.
In her free time, Lauren loves to cook balanced meals (her favorites are shrimp scampi and chicken à la King), paint on canvas, go to spin and swim classes, and play with her pet bunnies, Quinoa and Pancake, and her Siberian husky/Alaskan Malamute and border collie/American Eskimo dogs, Bruno and Eevee!
Grace is a registered and licensed dietitian who enjoys helping people develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food. She empowers people to move away from fad diets and diet culture to a more intuitive and mindful way of eating. She takes an individualized approach with each client to help them achieve their nutritional goals. Additionally, being Nigerian-born and Houston-raised, Grace has had the opportunity to work with people from various backgrounds. She believes that healthy living does not have to exclude traditional foods.
Grace received her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Food and Nutrition from the University of Houston. She went on to complete her dietetic internship through Marywood University with a focus on mental health and nutrition. She began her career working in behavioral hospitals and helping patients make the connection between their nutritional and mental health. Grace has extensive experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help those struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating on their road to recovery.
In her free time, Grace loves traveling nationally and internationally, reading, and playing with her pups. She is fluent in her native tongue – Igbo – and is currently learning French!
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!
Haley is a registered and licensed dietitian with a passion for helping clients achieve optimal health outcomes by applying knowledge of preventative health care, mindfulness and clinical nutrition. Haley focuses on building relationships and providing a safe environment for her clients to share their struggles. Haley helps her clients remove the rules and learn that all food can fit. She believes food is meant to be enjoyed and to nourish our bodies and minds.
Haley received her bachelor’s degree from Fontbonne University and completed her clinical training at St. Louis University. She also received her MEd at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH. Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Haley worked with patients diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease receiving dialysis. Prior to that, she worked in an outpatient setting where she worked with adults and adolescents diagnosed with eating disorders, diabetes, Celiac Disease and other health conditions.
In her spare time, Haley loves doing DIY house projects with her husband and spending time with her family. She also enjoys hiking, golfing and thrifting.
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 management, bariatric surgery, and dietary strategies for managing GERD/acid reflux. Through these experiences, she has learned that years of dieting and inflexible food rules 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 toward, their health goals. This has led her to be passionate about a non-diet, weight inclusive approach to nutrition.
Adrienne strives to help clients develop a “no fuss” relationship with food. Part of this involves dismantling disordered beliefs surrounding food that many individuals have internalized from years of dieting and myths prevalent in the media. This also involves helping clients to implement straightforward and timesaving nutrition habits. Adrienne herself is not an avid cook, and prefers instead to keep it simple in the kitchen (while still desiring nourishing, delicious food!).
In her free-time, she enjoys exploring the city through slow jogs in different neighborhoods, trying new restaurants and unique beers in good company, resting and reading, and most importantly, playing the role of a “monster/super villain” in order to entertain her four year old twin nephews.
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!
Hannah Walker is a registered dietitian focused on helping her clients create and maintain a healthy relationship with food and achieve and sustain balanced lifestyles. Hannah has a true passion for helping clients live happier, heathier lives with the support of nutrition counseling. She works with her clients to help them establish balanced eating patterns, create healthy daily habits, and reach their desired health and wellness goals through empathetic, non-judgmental nutrition counseling techniques. Hannah believes health is not determined by a number on a scale, and she strives to create balance in the lives of her clients while debunking the harmful beliefs of diet culture.
Hannah was born and raised in northwest Ohio. She received a bachelor’s degree in dietetics along with a graduate certificate in Food and Nutrition from Bowling Green State University. She then completed her dietetic internship in Boston, Massachusetts.
Before joining Healthier Tomorrows, Hannah worked in an outpatient clinic setting focused on nutrition counseling for improved overall health and wellness. She also has experience working as a personal chef, helping her clients adopt healthier cooking techniques in their own homes. Along with providing one-on-one nutrition counseling, Hannah is well-equipped to provide virtual cooking sessions and support her clients with meal prep, and she also offers grocery store tours.
Hannah absolutely loves to cook and create new recipes in her free time. She also enjoys traveling and planning road trips with her husband, doing yoga, and enjoying joyful movement in nature!