About Us
The Practice and Continuing Education (PACE) Division has the mission of bridging education with real-world practice in the field of nutrition and dietetics. We support students during their training to become Registered Dietitians, further the practice of nutrition through providing services within our practice component and provide professional continuing education to current practitioners.
Within the Practice component of the PACE Division, Registered Dietitians strive to provide optimal care in a variety of specialties.
Our continuing education program strives to provide opportunities for Registered Dietitians to further knowledge and learning. As a CDR Accredited Provider, we are able to offer a variety of activities for Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEUs).
The Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration is located within the PACE division.
PRISM is an online platform that is used by all parties involved in the dietetic internship process. Each audience has individual functionalities to help them complete needed documentation and the system can be personalized for your institution.
PACE Division Faculty and Staff
Amanda Holliday, MS, RD, LDN
Amanda S. Holliday, MS, RD, LDN
Associate Professor, Nutrition
Program Director, Nutrition and Dietetics Program
Director, Practice and Continuing Education Division
A native of North Carolina, Amanda is the program director of the Future Education Model – Graduate Program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an associate professor. Amanda teaches several classes within the Nutrition and Dietetics Program and co-chairs the MPH Academic Committee. She is also the chair of the PACE Division within the Department of Nutrition, a division focusing on practice, advancement and continuing education. Additionally, Amanda is a site visitor for the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Her areas of interest are dietetic education, aging, dementia care, interprofessional education, clinical nutrition and management.
Beth Jenks, MS, RD, LDN
Beth Jenks, MS, RD, LDN
Assistant Program Director, Master of Public Health (MPH)/Nutrition and Dietetics Program
Beth completed her BSPH in Nutrition at UNC’s School of Public Health and both her MS in Food and Nutrition and dietetic internship at UNC-Greensboro. She is the assistant program director of the MPH/Nutrition and Dietetics Program at UNC-CH and co-teaches a pre-practicum preparation course and coordinates supervised learning experiences for students. She enjoys walking, gardening, cooking and visiting North Carolina’s beautiful mountains and beaches.
Seema Agrawal, EdD
Seema Agrawal, EdD, MS, DipSAD, RDN, LDN
Dr. Agrawal is a teaching assistant professor with more than thirty years of clinical experience in dietetics. She is interested in populations with special needs, and the development of specific interventions to improve the quality of life. She works primarily with students enrolled in the Nutrition and Dietetics program. Dr. Agrawal is a member of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
David Gaviria, MPH, RDN, LDN
David Gaviria, MPH, RD, LDN
Originally from a small beach town in Florida, David holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Health Science and Psychology from the University of South Florida. He moved to North Carolina in 2019 to attend the UNC MPH Dietetics & Nutrition program, which he completed in 2021. David is now a registered dietitian and doctoral student in the UNC Department of Nutrition. His areas of interest include quality improvement in graduate-level dietetics curriculums, sports nutrition, military nutrition, and eating disorders. In the PACE division, David works as a program specialist focusing on PRISM operations. Outside the office, you can find David training for endurance races, hiking, traveling, and exploring local coffee shops and breweries.
Melissa Walter
Melissa Walter, MPH
Melissa is the Director of PRISM, a web application that supports dietetics programs with competency tracking and internship management. The app was designed and developed for dietitians, by dietitians, to support the growth of the dietetics profession. Melissa is passionate about curriculum design; in addition to her work with PRISM, she manages the food service and management curriculum for the MPH Nutrition and Dietetics program. She received a Lenovo Innovation Grant in 2021 for the development of a foodservice simulation utilizing technology to highlight the partnership between education and industry. Melissa obtained her MPH at Gillings School of Global Public Health in 2016; she also holds Bachelor of Science degrees in both design and nutrition. Melissa spends her spare time teaching nutrition classes at the Orange County Department on Aging, gardening, and hanging out with her pups, Birdie and Roo.
Tammy Elliott
Tammy Elliott
Administrative Manager of the Practice and Continuing Education (PACE) Division
Tammy is the Administration Manager of the Practice and Continuing Education (PACE) Division. She oversees the administrative on-boarding and compliance of contracts for internship placements and provides assistance for the continuing education component of PACE. Tammy and her husband enjoy jet skiing, kayaking, and fishing on the Neuse River in New Bern, North Carolina. Tizzy, the family’s beloved Boston Terrier, enjoys barking at the rustling marsh grass.
