Elise Felan

Name: Elise Felan
Hometown: Denton, TX
Undergraduate School and Degree: Texas State University, BS Nutrition/Dietetics
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Nope! I graduated, got married, moved to North Carolina, and started the program!
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? Too busy being married and having 2 dogs
What do you like to do in your free time? I really enjoy reading, hanging out with my dogs and husband, playing board games, doing yoga & HIIT, cooking, traveling, volunteering, and attempting to garden. There’s also a ton of breweries and cool restaurants in the area, so I love checking those out!
What are your career goals? I hope to work as a clinical dietitian and also be a certified diabetes educator.
What did you do for your summer internships? Nothing yet! I’ll be going through my first round this upcoming summer!
What is your favorite part of the program? The dedicated staff and faculty who genuinely enjoy what they do/teach/research and who are there to enhance your learning. Having professors like that really makes a positive difference in my learning experience.

Meredith Edelman

Name: Meredith Edelman
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.S. Animal Behavior and Conservation, SUNY at Buffalo
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Yes! I worked as a zookeeper, wildlife rehabilitator, and marine mammal trainer for 10 years before coming back to school.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? Not currently, but while I was in undergrad I did research in the SUNY at Buffalo Nutrition and Health Research Lab and worked on the UB SNAK Study of nutrition and activity in kids.
What do you like to do in your free time? I love to hang out with my dog and do things in the area with him. I also love to explore the local food scene!
What are your career goals? I am interested in exploring weight-inclusive dietetics and becoming a clinical practitioner who promotes healthy behaviors and enjoying food.
What did you do for your summer internships? I’ll be going through my first internships this upcoming summer.
What is your favorite part of the program? All the free food! There are always events going on at Gillings, and they do a great job of giving the leftover food to the students. In our Nutrition Counseling, Communications, and Culture class, we do a big potluck at the beginning of the semester where groups pick a country and then bring in typical food from that country. It was a lot of fun and the food was amazing! Also, this program is full of inspiring people, and I can’t wait to meet them all!

David Gaviria

Name: David Gaviria
Hometown: Melbourne, FL
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.S. Health Sciences & B.A. Psychology, University of South Florida
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Nope! I graduated and worked at USF for the summer before moving up to North Carolina.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I’m currently a graduate assistant for Amanda Holliday in the Department of Nutrition and serve as Co-President of Gillings Student Government Association. I work a part-time catering job as well for extra money!
What do you like to do in your free time? I ran cross country in high school, and I’m still a big runner even though the hills here make it a lot harder! Florida also doesn’t have great hiking, so I’ve really gotten into that since I moved up here. A few of us in the cohort go on weekly Sunday hikes at different local trails. I’m also having a great time exploring the local food scene and coffee shops. Outside of Chapel Hill, I like traveling, going on road trips, and visiting my parents in Seattle whenever I get a chance!
What are your career goals? After I graduate, I plan on staying at Gillings for my PhD in either Nutrition or Health Behavior with the ultimate goal of being an eating disorder researcher. I want to create prevention programs for universities, especially for students in dietetics programs. In a clinical setting, I also find nutrition interventions for cystic fibrosis very interesting!
What did you do for your summer internships? I’ll be going through my first internships this upcoming summer.
What is your favorite part of the program? The people are amazing. We are like one big family! All the professors make an effort to know your name and there’s no feeling of inferiority when talking to them. They’ll always invite you into their office and might even offer you a cup of coffee! Even Dean Rimer, the dean of Gillings, will say ‘hi’ to you if you pass her in the hallway. I love that they’re always looking for feedback on the classes and student experience, too. Oh, and the campus is gorgeous, so that helps too!

Kayla Ferro

Name: Kayla Ferro
Hometown: Ponte Vedra, FL
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.S. Health Sciences, University of Central Florida
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Nope! I graduated and moved to North Carolina.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I’m the Co-founder and CFO of Hearts for the Homeless International Inc., GPSF Senator, and a Buckley Public Service Scholars graduate assistant. I also work a part-time catering job!
What do you like to do in your free time? I played a lot soccer growing up and still enjoy doing that. I’m also really enjoying the hiking here. When I’m not doing that, I’m probably watching the Office!
What are your career goals? After I graduate, I want to continue growing my non-profit as well as return to school for my DrPH.
What did you do for your summer internships? Since I’ll be going through my first internships this upcoming summer, I haven’t done anything yet! The great part is the department of nutrition takes care of all the internship work for us.
What is your favorite part of the program? My favorite part of the program is collaborating with other community leaders on public health issues. Gillings is full of revolutionary thinkers and influential leaders. They are always exploring new topics while never forgetting the core of the community. Like they say, ‘Global is Local’.

Kevin Shih

Name: Kevin Shih
Hometown: Taiwan
Undergraduate School and Degree: Chung Shan Medical University, B.S.
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2020
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Yes. I spent time both working and volunteering before starting the program.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I’m involved in research, volunteering, the Chinese Medicine Club, and a sport club. I also serve as a teaching assistant and a lecturer.
What do you like to do in your free time? I enjoy spending time playing sports, reading, and volunteering.
What are your career goals? After graduating from the program, I hope to become a nutrition scientist/researcher in nutritional immunology and biochemistry, so I’ll be seeking a PhD program for further training.
What did you do for your summer internships? For my public health internship, I was placed at Wake County Human Services (WIC). I helped individuals see how an RDN can help people in need through the benefits of the WIC program. For my clinical rotation, I was at Murdoch Developmental Center. I learned how to do medical nutrition therapy with people possessing various rare diseases and psychological problems. The preceptors and colleagues at both of these sites were genuinely wonderful!!
What is your favorite part of the program? The people are definitely my favorite part – great professors, staff, and good friends.

Kelsey Cossio

Name: Kelsey Cossio
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.S. Nutrition & Dietetics, East Carolina University
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? Yes – The summer after I graduated, I went on a three-week study abroad program to Antigua Guatemala, with a public health emphasis. I took Spanish classes and disseminated foundational nutrition topics (i.e. MyPlate) as well as volunteered at a pediatric malnutrition clinic. I then worked as a bilingual nanny for a year. The following year, I got hired as a Research Diet Tech for UNC Hospital’s Nutrition Department where I worked on an NIH funded project that evaluated the impact of fatty acids on headache occurrence and severity in military personnel.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I’m currently the MPH Nutrition/RD Concentration Representative for the Gillings Student Government Association. I also help facilitate a recitation section for NUTR 175: Intro to Food Studies once a week. I have a catering job that I work in my spare time as well.
What do you like to do in your free time? I like to spend my free time outdoors hiking, biking, or walking my dog. I enjoy hanging out at local breweries on the weekends with my boyfriend and our friends!
What are your career goals? There are a lot of things I want to accomplish in my career! I’d like to work with parents to help promote healthy eating habits among their children. I’d also like to obtain my IBCLC and work with mothers to increase their adherence to breastfeeding during the first years of a baby’s life. I could also see myself working on college campuses developing body positivity campaigns and programs for students. Finally, I see myself working in global pediatric malnutrition research.
What did you do for your summer internships? I’ll be starting them this coming summer! I’m very excited.
What is your favorite part of the program? The interdisciplinary component of the program is really fun! We have a large MPH cohort this year at Gillings, so it’s a great way to get to know everyone.
P.S – I applied to the MPH/RD program twice. That being said, don’t give up on your dreams!!

Dylan Harris

Name: Dylan Harris
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.S. Nutrition & Foods, Appalachian State University
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? I didn’t take time off before starting graduate school, but I did serve in the U.S. Navy before starting my undergraduate career.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? In undergrad, I worked in nutrition research and volunteered at hunger and health coalition.
What do you like to do in your free time? I like to spend my free time running and rock climbing. I’m also married, so I like to focus on that!
What are your career goals? My primary career goal is to pass the RD exam! Once I do that, I’m interested in working in either clinical or community nutrition.
What did you do for your summer internships? I’ll be starting them this summer!
What is your favorite part of the program? I really enjoy the faculty at Gillings. They are very knowledgeable and always open to discussion. My other favorite part is my MPH/RD peers!

Franklin Muntis

Name: Franklin Muntis
Hometown: Adrian, MI
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Louisville, Health & Human Performance, B.S.
Graduate School and Degree: University of Louisville, Exercise Physiology, M.S.
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2020
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? In between graduate programs, I worked as a strength and conditioning coach and volunteered with the Mayer-Davis Research team at Gillings.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I am a member of the Mayer-Davis Type I Diabetes Research Team, teaching assistant for SPHG 712, and a competitive weightlifter.
What do you like to do in your free time? In my free time, I like to spend time with my wife and our dogs as well as training for my sport, weightlifting!
What are your career goals? My career goal is to become a professor, researching the effects of nutrition and exercise interventions on the promotion of health and well-being and teaching the next generation of nutrition professionals. I actually just applied to the PhD in Nutrition here at Gillings!
What did you do for your summer internships? I interned this past summer with the UNC Medical Center working largely within family medicine, head and neck cancers, and the burn intensive care center where I was able to develop my counseling skills and clinical knowledge under the guidance of an excellent team of dietitians. I also interned at the Durham County Department of Public Health where I gained experience working with a dietetics team to create lessons and workshops among other programs to benefit communities with Durham County. I also interned with the Sports Nutrition Department at UNC where I gained hands on experience in providing nutrition support to the UNC football team during their pre-season training.
What is your favorite part of the program? The faculty are without a doubt the best part of this program. They go above and beyond to get us connected with opportunities to explore our interests and grow in our profession. They are also quick to listen to our concerns and feedback and work to improve our experience with the program.

Christian Fell

Name: Christian Fell
Hometown: Pollocksville, NC
Undergraduate School and Degree: UNC-Greensboro, B.S. Human Nutrition (Dietetics)
Degree Currently Pursuing: MPH/RD, 2021
Did you take time off before starting graduate school? I did not take any time off aside from the summer in between. I mainly helped my family rebuild their home because of Hurricane Florence. It was quite the life learning experience really opens your eyes on what goes into a house!
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? I have a merit assistantship through the graduate school here at UNC. My latest project has involved research, synthesizing, and postulating an argument for the dietitian licensure board of the state (NCBDN). This is a unique opportunity to dig deeper into the inner workings of legislature and procedures.
What do you like to do in your free time? Generally, I spend the majority of my free time with my girlfriend. Always trying new foods, watching new movies, and traveling when possible. In fact, we’re going to Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) for the first time soon! I have also taught myself piano, and so I enjoy spending a little bit each day learning new pieces.
What are your career goals? It is a definite goal of mine to work as a registered dietitian. My main plan is to find a job in the clinical setting, as I enjoy critical care and renal. I have very limited exposure with pediatrics – so, that is an area I look forward to gaining my experience with. Alternate routes such as PA school have piqued my interest, too!
What did you do for your summer internships? I’ll be starting my internships this coming summer!
What is your favorite part of the program? Gillings staff and faculty are leading experts in the field of nutrition, yet they still take the time to be human. Many, if not all of the faculty, are willing to take time to talk to you outside of class, especially if you are showing active interest. Additionally, they do not make you feel like it is a burden and encourage your desire to learn more and branch out!