My name is Chelsea Edwards. I graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s of arts in Public Relations in 2010. After working in healthcare marketing for 2 years, I decided I wanted to pursue dietetics to help people in a more direct way. I returned to school in March 2013 to pursue my passion for nutrition. I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama with a bachelors of science in Food and Nutrition in December 2016. I am currently pursuing my masters degree in clinical nutrition from The University of Alabama and anticipate graduating in 2018.

My experience in healthcare marketing gives me an understanding of effective communication with various publics, public speaking skills, and the ability to write for various platforms and audiences. It also familiarized me with working in a medical setting–from interacting with doctors, nurses and office staff to communicating with patients through social media and marketing materials. In my role at The Doctors Clinic, I served as the sole communications and marketing professional for a practice with more than 75 physicians, and I reported directly to the CEO. I frequently worked with physicians to develop collateral and gathering information to create a practice website for them.

In my free time, I enjoy reading fiction novels, as well as books about food policy, nutrition and sociology. I love spending hours in the kitchen testing new recipes and coming up with my own concoctions. Photography is another passion I enjoy pursing–mostly landscape photography and food photography. Nothing makes me happier than a good workout. I enjoy weightlifting and running. I also enjoy swimming, which I did competitively for almost a decade.

As a parent, I want to see our world a healthier place for my daughter to grow up in. Becoming a registered dietitian gives me the credibility I need to have a small but profound impact on the health of our population. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be a stay at home parent to my daughter since her birth in 2014. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has allowed me to take classes while still getting to savor the early years of her childhood. My husband’s military career has taught me to be incredibly flexible and has made me a stronger, more independent person.

My areas of interest include clinical dietetics, outpatient counseling and wellness programs.

My long term goals include teaching at the collegiate level, opening my own practice and becoming a thought leader in the nutrition community. While I’m certain my goals will evolve as my experience in the field grows, I’m excited to continue to pursue something I’m passionate about.