Kamaria Mason, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN
Kamaria Mason, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN
About
Kamaria Mason, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN is an educator based in North Carolina who contributes to the nationwide discourse on public health nutrition. Her commitment to excellence in education extends beyond the classroom. Her insights gained from roles in academia, clinical nutrition, local government, research, and community engagement uniquely position her to shape the next generation of public health nutrition leaders.
As a co-founder of The Culture of Wellness, she works with organizations to empower individuals, communities, and food systems to make changes from the inside out to create a food culture where healthy choices are inclusive, balanced, and accessible. In her role at UNC Gillings School of Public Health, she works primarily with students enrolled in the bachelor's and master's programs seeking to become registered dietitians. She teaches three nutrition counseling, communication and culture courses, and a nutrition practicum course. Through her involvement in local initiatives, Kamaria brings a nuanced understanding of the public health challenges faced by marginalized populations to the classroom while uplifting diverse perspectives.
Kamaria believes that much of our identity centers around the dining table. Food culture extends beyond our food choices; it shapes how we engage with others in familial, communal, and professional relationships. Through food, we engage in shared experiences that influence how we connect with individuals and communities.
Teaching Interests
Representative Courses
NUTR 630 - Nutrition Communication, Counseling and Culture
NUTR 701 - Nutrition Practicum Preparation
NUTR 712- Nutrition Communication, Counseling and Culture
NUTR 713- Nutrition Communication, Culture and Equity
NUTR 992- Master's (Non-Thesis)
PUBH 781- Community Engagement and Leadership in Health
Research Activities
Service Activities
Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Fall 2023-Present)
- Presents strategies for increasing food access in rural and economically marginalized communities.
Subject-level expert in Listening Sessions on the role of school health as wellness and food access hubs.
Office of Health Equity| NCDHHS (Summer 2022-Present)
- Presents strategies for mobilizing and disseminating resources in marginalized communities.
Serves as subject-level expert and historian for the North Carolina Diabetes Prevention Program (NC MDPP).
Durham County COVID-19 Food Security Taskforce (2020-2021)
- Collaborated with internal and external partners to mobilize resources and identify gaps and barriers to food access amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Developed resource packets including COVID-19 safety protocols for school cafeterias and food pantries, as well as instructional guides for accessing pandemic relief resources.
Kamaria has served as a subject matter expert for local and national organizations including Durham County Department of Public Health, the North Carolina Office of Health Equity, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Practice Activities
Wholistics Health (Fall 2022- Present)
- Presents strategies that promote for culturally inclusive person-centered engagement with virtual health platforms.
- Develops and evaluates materials for a mobile chatbot supporting individuals experiencing prediabetes and diabetes.
Serves as subject matter expert for the Tennessee Statewide Diabetes Coalition.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Summer 2021- Present)
- Conducts sensitivity reviews addressing the challenges nutrition professionals face to adopt culturally inclusive practices.
- Created a framework for the ‘Examining Existing Models of Nutrition Care Practices’ that uplifts culturally inclusive practices for Registered Dietitians and other Healthcare Professionals.
American Diabetes Association (Fall 2019)
- Provided conscious language guidance to developing inclusive workshops and remodeled the presentations to include strategies for promoting health equity among diverse populations.
- Served as a panelist for a live webinar series on health equity and patient access in Diabetes Prevention Programs.
North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council (Spring 2017- Winter 2019)
- Provided insight on community-identified barriers to Diabetes Prevention Program in North Carolina.
- Established action plans to address to mobilize resources within marginalized communities to address access barriers.
Kamaria has served as a consultant for local and national organizations including Wholistics Health, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Diabetes Association, and the North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council.
Key Publications
Culture, Foodways, and Counseling: A Guide to Culturally Sensitive Nutrition Care in the United States. K. Briggs (Eds.), R. Duff (Eds.), K.Mason (Eds.), S.Robinson (Eds.) (2024).
Cultural Inclusion: Challenges and Actions for Nutrition Professionals. . Mason, K., Robinson, S., In K. Briggs (Eds.), R. Duff (Eds.), K.Mason (Eds.), S.Robinson (Eds.) (2024). Culture, Foodways, and Counseling: A Guide to Culturally Sensitive Nutrition Care in the United States..
Diabetes prevention through a multicultural, community-centered approach: The North Carolina Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (NC MDPP). Mason, K.L., Grimes, S., Wright, C.P., Hodges, L., Blackwell, C., King-Edwards, R. (2019).
Scaling up the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in rural North Carolina (NC): Region 7 experience. Samuel-Hodge, C., Constantino, M., Isom, S., Blackwell, C., Wright, C., Mason, K., Reese, A., Harrison, L., Grimes, S., Hodges, L. (2018).
Evaluating the presence of formal nutrition and physical activity policies in childcare centers in North Carolina. Temitope, E.O., Mason, K.L., Morris, E., Schwartz, M.B., Ward, DS. (2014).
Education
- MPH, RD, Nutrition, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, 2015
- MS, Biomedical Sciences, Barry University, 2010
- BA, Women and Gender Studies, University of Michigan, 2007