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Current Interns (2009-2010)

Margaret Basiaga

 Margaret graduated from UC Davis in June of 2008 with a BS in Clinical Nutrition. She achieved a 3.12 DPD GPA and cumulative GPA, and 2.89 Science GPA. She is fluent in Polish, and is proficient in conversational Spanish. She enters the program with over 1600 hours of experience; the majority is in clinical followed by foodservice aspects of dietetics. Her experiences include being a diet assistant at UC Davis Medical Center and as a volunteer nutrition intern at Lodi Memorial Hospital and Vacaville Unified School District (Child Nutrition Office). She hopes to be a clinical dietitian, and perhaps open a private practice one day. Her references describe her as “very conscientious”, “able to work independently, yet asks questions when she is unsure of something”, “dedicated and reliable”, “flexible and ready to jump into any position needed”, “possess excellent communication skills and works well with people”, “able to multi-task and stay calm in high stress situations”, and “dependable, enthusiastic, and a very fast learner”. She is looking forward to the diverse exposure our program provides and the ability to network with professionals in the area to seek employment opportunities after graduation. Back to top

Andrea Chapin

 Andrea graduated Cum Laude from San Diego State University in May of 2009 with a BS in Foods and Nutrition. She achieved a 3.64 DPD GPA, 3.36 science GPA, and 3.60 cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 3200 hours of experience; the vast majority from foodservice experience hours, followed by clinical aspects of dietetics. Her experiences include being a foodservice worker at Sprouts Natural Foods Café, nutrition services intern at Barton Memorial Hospital, nutrition assistant at WIC, and student intern in the research and development kitchen at Jack in the Box Corporate Innovation Center. As an undergraduate at San Diego State, she co-authored a study examining the role of dark chocolate on the risk of cardiovascular disease, and is currently involved in a study with CSU San Marcos looking at bone density in young females. She has interests in clinical dietetics and research, and is eager to explore all aspects of dietetics through our program. Her references describe her as “(having) excellent personal qualities”, “reasoning abilities and customer service skills are exemplary”, “extremely strong work ethic and able to grasp systems”, “natural leader”, “congenial and confident”, “team player”, “conscientious”, “an asset”, “self-composed, professional, and able to clearly articulate”, “creative and self-motivated”, “a very fast learner”, and “(a) well organized person with integrity”. She is from Northern California, and hopes to network and seek job opportunities in close proximity to family after completion. Back to top

Paige Einstein

 Paige graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA in May of 2009 with a BS in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise. She achieved a 3.66 DPD GPA, 3.44 Science GPA and 3.68 cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 700 hours of experience, represented predominantly from foodservice and clinical hours. She is also ServSafe Food Protection Manager certified. Her experience includes being a diet clerk at Montgomery Regional Hospital, a nutrition counselor and nutrition educator at her university, and a hostess at Marie Callender’s restaurant. Her career aspiration is to work in an outpatient education clinic and is excited at the prospective community rotations our Program offers in diverse and stimulating settings throughout our service region. Her references describe her as “a team player”, “able to handle stress like a seasoned professional”, “impressive”, “self-directed”, someone who demonstrates “dedication, focus and maturity”, and “confident in her abilities”. She is a frequent visitor to northern California and would like to seek opportunities in the Sacramento area after graduation. Back to top

Christel Heinz

 Christel graduated from CSU Sacramento in December of 2008 with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences: Dietetics. She achieved a 3.49 DPD and cumulative GPA, and 3.25 Science GPA. She is proficient in conversational Spanish and German. She enters the program with over 1400 hours of experience, represented predominantly from clinical followed by foodservice hours. She is also ServSafe Food Protection Manager certified. Her experiences include being an on-call diet clerk at Sutter Medical Center Sacramento, nutrition services volunteer at UCD Medical Center, nutrition volunteer at Elk Grove Unified School District, and food server at a sushi restaurant. She has an interest in pediatric nutritionand sports nutrition, and hopes to one day go into private practice where she can develop personal relationships with clients to better effectively facilitate healthy lifestyle changes. Her references describe her as “intelligent, organized, and motivated”, “exemplary”, “friendly and approachable”, “(shows) leadership and congeniality”, “always willing to help”, “eager to learn”, “energetic”, “most enthusiastic and focused”, “very smart… with a solid foundation”, and “strong leadership skills”. She has lived in Northern California for over 10 years and has family sprinkled in the area as well. She is eager to put her knowledge into action, and feels it would be rewarding and a joy to serve the community in which she was raised. Back to top

Brittany LaPorte-Miller

 Brittany graduated Cum Laude from CSU Sacramento in May of 2008 with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences: Dietetics. She achieved a 3.48 DPD GPA, 3.28 Science GPA and 3.40 cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 13,000 hours of experience, of which the vast majority from foodservice experience hours, followed by community aspects of dietetics. She is also ServSafe Food Protection Manager certified. Her experiences include being a nutritionist/vendor liaison for HRC Motherlode WIC, community nutrition outreach volunteer for Folsom Mercy, head kitchen manager for Windwalker Winery, and nutrition volunteer at a DaVita Dialysis Center. She also had a 5-month practicum placement at Raley’s Corporate Office working on community outreach projects. She hopes to work in the community to educate and counsel diabetic patients, eventually to become a Certified Diabetes Educator. Her references describe her as “energetic, has a positive attitude and is self-motivated”, “continually seeks opportunities to advance her knowledge”, has “the work ethic to go above and beyond”, “passionate”, “task-oriented”, and “maintains a high standard of performance”. She is dedicated to the dietetics profession and to the Sacramento community, and looks forward to the opportunity to shine in our program. Back to top

Brittany Laikin

 Brittany graduated Summa Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University in Denver, CO in May of 2008 with a BS in Culinary Nutrition. She achieved a 3.72 DPD GPA, 4.00 Science GPA, and 3.9 cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 2600 hours of experience; the majority is in foodservice followed by clinical aspects of dietetics. Her experiences include being a nutrition clerk at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, kitchen & nutrition intern at Project Angel Heart, volunteer culinary educator at Operation Frontline, and restaurant line and pantry chef. Her career goal is to combine her two passions of culinary arts and nutrition as a personal chef, creating nutritious foods to promote lifestyle changes for her clients. Her references describe her as “very caring and compassionate”, has “excellent work habits”, “always professional, punctual, and dependable”, “willingness to learn and eager to provide excellent customer service”, “takes initiative”, “grasps concepts easily and assimilates information well into practical application”, “works easily with groups or as an individual”, “always presents high quality work”, and “authentic and is highly regarded by both peers and instructors”. Although Brittany is from Southern California, she has a sister currently attending UC Davis. She is eager to discover the opportunities available in the Sacramento region upon completion of her internship. Back to top

Marie Staudy

 Marie graduated from CSU Sacramento in May of 2009 with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences: Dietetics. She achieved a 3.69 DPD GPA, and 3.68 Science and cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 800 hours of experience; the majority represented by foodservice followed by community nutrition aspects of dietetics. She is also ServSafe Food Protection Manager certified. Her experiences include being a nutrition services volunteer at Mercy General Hospital, student intern at Senior Nutrition Services, server at University Dining Commons, and University wellness educator. Through these experiences, she has determined that the community is where she would like to utilize her RD. She enjoys working with people of all ages and feels excitement when interacting on the community level. She also has interest in becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator. Her references describe her as “driven, well-rounded and personable”, “superb oral communication skills”, “team player”, “motivated by challenge…and creativity shows”, “dependable”, “impressive”, “excellent”, motivated and dedicated… who shows a great deal of initiative”, “shows commitment and passion to dietetics”, and “hard working and can manage different tasks well”. She is drawn to the assortment of facilities our Internship provides, and hopes to stay in Northern California to practice dietetics upon completion. Back to top

Alisa Steenblock

 Alisa graduated from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington in December of 2008 with a BS in Food Science and Human Nutrition. She achieved a 3.10 DPD GPA, 2.59 Science GPA, and 3.18 cumulative GPA. She enters the program with over 700 hours of experience; the majority is in foodservice followed by clinical aspects of dietetics. Her experiences include being a clinical nutrition volunteer at San Joaquin General Hospital; retail, catering and dining foodservices; and teaching nutrition with HEADSTART preschoolers in a community health care center. She feels that nutrition and fitness are strongly intertwined and recently became a certified personal trainer. Through her background in fitness and obtaining her RD, she hopes to improve the health and quality of life of others. Her references describe her as “professional and (has a) competent attitude”, “her critical thinking was accurate, and questions insightful”, “ideas were top-notch”, “extremely pleasant, sociable, and respectful”, “genuine light in her eyes of interest”, “(keen) attention to the individual and situation she faces at the time”, “above average competency”, “her interpersonal “people” skills really bowled me over”, “warmest, most genuinely caring individual”, and delightful to work with, enthusiastic, energetic, very easy to interact with, and works very well with peers”. She is originally from Northern California and is excited to embark on the next phase of her journey to attain her RD. She looks forward to the opportunity to rotate through the program facilities and become familiar with the diversity of healthcare services in the region. Back to top