Applied Nutrition Faculty & Staff

Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology
University of Central Arkansas

Masters degree in Nutrition Education
Texas Woman’s University

Masters degree in Public Health
University of Texas Health Science Center

Master of Arts in Historical Studies
Norwich University Military College of Vermont

Doctorate in Education
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences

Doctor of Health Sciences
A.T. Still University

Master of Science, Nutritional Science
California State University, Los Angeles

Orville Bigelow, DHSc, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian who lives in Palm Springs, California.  He completed his Coordinated Dietetics Program with California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).  He has an Associate of Arts degree in General Science from Santa Monica College, a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Nutritional Science from CSULA, and a Doctorate of Health Sciences degree from A.T. Still University.  He also has a Certificate in Alternative Nutrition from CSULA and a Certificate in Value-based Health Care from the Dartmouth Institute (part of Dartmouth College).

Dr. Bigelow has worked in various areas of nutrition, but much of his focus has been in education, public health, and community nutrition.  He also has experience working in foodservice and in clinical settings.  He has a strong interest in population health, patient centered medical homes, and the role that social media and networking play in promoting health and wellness.

Moira Burke completed her Certificate of Didactic Program in Dietetics at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and completed her dietetic internship and Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Emmanuel College. Her graduate thesis research focused on the relationship between environmentally sustainable eating practices (“green eating”) and health behavior in college students.

Moira works as a Clinical Dietitian at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Her professional interests include disease prevention and treatment throughout the lifecycle, nutrition support, clinical research, and the relationship between environmental sustainability and our food system. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new recipes, hiking, and yoga. 

DrPH, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Boston University
2016

MSPH, Health Policy and Administration
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2000

BA, Biology and Women’s Studies
Gettysburg College
1998

I have a strong interest in improving the health, particularly chronic disease status, of populations across the lifespan. Much of my work has focused on the area of physical activity promotion. I have been fortunate to work in a variety of settings: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health departments, and within small communities. I have been working as an independent consultant for 10 years and enjoy the variety of projects this allows me to work on. I enjoy teaching in the UNE GPPH, and to learn about the varied interests of my students. In my free time I enjoy walking, reading, traveling, camping, and spending time with my husband and daughters.

I am currently part of an evaluation team looking at the effectiveness of multiple statewide efforts to improve chronic disease status within a statewide population. I also develop communication materials for a national-level workplace cardiovascular disease prevention effort.

I am currently part of an evaluation team looking at the effectiveness of multiple statewide efforts to improve chronic disease status within a statewide population.

Ph.D., Food Science and Human Nutrition
University of Florida

M.S., Food and Nutrition
Florida State University

Dr. Beth Falls began her career as a pediatric pulmonary dietitian at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She received her Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Florida in 1993 where she conducted research to identify, standardize and test biochemical parameters to assess nutritional status in humans. She was on the faculty in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech University, before returning to her home state of Florida and joining the staff at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution as Deputy Director of Education. Since 2009, Dr. Falls has worked as a research scientist at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association – an independent non-profit organization focused on solving problems caused by water pollution. ORCA takes a One Health approach to their work. One Health – as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. Dr. Falls is particularly interested in the overlap between environmental and human health.

PhD, Nutrition
University of Maryland

BS, Dietetics
University of Delaware

MBA
Benedictine University

Lori Granich, MBA, RDN is the Director of Lifelong Learning and Engagement for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. In this role, she is responsible for the conceptualization and implementation of professional and career development programming to best position over 72,000 Academy members and prospective members as the nation’s food and nutrition leaders. Lori serves as the strategic lead for all Academy continuing professional development and education which is based on emerging trends, state of the art professional development opportunities and lifelong learning principles that support the Academy Mission, Vision, Philosophy and Strategic Goals.

A registered dietitian nutritionist, Lori began her career serving as a clinical dietitian and then transitioned to an outpatient bariatric dietitian for ARAMARK Corporation. During this time, she also consulted for Vitas Hospice. She went on to earn her MBA from Benedictine University, then applied her passion for improving health and advancing the dietetics profession to the business of association management. She was recently awarded as a 2018 Forty Under 40 recipient for her accomplishments, commitment to the industry, leadership skills and continued potential in the association space.

Doctor of Philosophy, Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition
Tufts University, Boston, MA
2017

Masters of Science, Food and Nutrition Science
Ohio University, Athens, OH
2012

Bachelor of Science, Life Science & Bachelor of Arts, Integrated Arts
Penn State University, University Park, PA
2010

Stephanie Harshman holds her doctorate in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Her research interests include drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, and nutrition support in pediatric populations. Currently, she is completing her dietetic internship at Simmons College with recent rotations in pediatric acute care and long-term care settings.

ScD, Biomedical Computing
Harvard School of Public Health

MS, Biostatistics
Harvard School of Public Health

MS, Epidemiology
Harvard School of Public Health

BS, Mathematics
University of Massachusetts

Anne Hunt received her masters and doctoral degrees from Harvard School of Public Health, where she taught for twelve years before leaving to start a small medical consulting company. In recent years, she has also served as adjunct faculty at UNE. Her research has been primarily in public health nutrition and medical genetics.

Currently studying the prevalence of birth defects, dysmorphology, and developmental disabilities in children exposed to anti-epileptic drugs in utero. Also involved in several studies related to better addressing the needs of the disabled during Emergency Preparedness and Response.

DCN, Clinical Nutrition
Rutgers University – Biomedical and Health Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences
2016

MS, Nutrition
Eastern Michigan University, School of Health Sciences
2010

Post-Bachelor Certificate, Dietetics – Coordinated Program
Wayne State University, Department of Nutrition and Food Science
2007

BS, Foods and Nutrition
Bob Jones University, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
2006

MSPH, Human Nutrition
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

BA, Psychology
Cornell University

PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology
Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Micaela Karlsen, PhD, serves as Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Economic Research Consortium from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Lifestyle Medicine Institute, as well as co-investigator on the Adhering to Dietary Approaches for Personal Taste (ADAPT) Study from Tufts University. She is the author of A Plant-Based Life and a contributor to the New York Times bestseller Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, Micaela created and maintains PlantBasedResearch.org, an online library of original, peer-reviewed research studies relevant to plant-based nutrition, as well as SustainableDiet.com, a 3-month transition program for supporting successful and permanent transitions to plant-based diets. Her expertise is in dietary patterns, plant-based nutrition and nutritional adequacy, and predictors of successful behavior change. She holds a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a Masters degree in Human Nutrition from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

MS, Public Policy
University of Massachusetts, Boston

MS, Policy, Planning and Management
University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service

BA, Liberal Studies
University of Maine

Mary Krebs is a health policy analyst engaged in research through UMass Boston’s Public Policy PhD Program, and as a consultant to George Mason University’s MEDx health app evaluation project. She is the founder of HealthTech Analytics LLC, a health-related technologies research firm with a specific focus on usability and the digital delivery of health care. Her work has a theoretical emphasis on models of engagement for ehealth + mHealth technologies, as well as an explicit focus for developing standards for health-related apps.

Prior to doctoral studies, Mary spent 15+ years in the business sector and 3+ years in the nonprofit sector, engaged in government relations and research analysis. She served as the Deputy Director for the Maine chapter of a national nonprofit, and has lobbied the Maine State Legislature on behalf of healthcare professionals on social justice policy issues.

In addition to earning a Master’s of Public Policy and Management at USM’s Muskie School, she earned a Master’s of Science in Policy, and is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Mary was chosen to serve as a 2011 Maine Policy Scholar alongside previous Governor, and now Senator Angus King, and earned the McCormack Policy Fellowship award in 2014. Further education includes professional training at MIT and graduate certificates in government management, performance evaluation, and nonprofit management.

Michele Lefebvre is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from the New York State University College of Oneonta and a Master’s Degree from the Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business. Michele has a strong background in foodservice and culinary nutrition, wellness, and food allergies. She started her career by opening a personal chef company cooking meals for people and families with special dietary needs. She then worked for Cornell University as their Director of Nutrition for their dining services.

Most recently, Michele has been an adjunct faculty for foodservice management and nutrition and food topics courses and has a consulting business in which she helps food and beverage companies with their nutrition labeling needs.

MPH
Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill

MS
Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy

Jessie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and holds an MS in Biochemical & Molecular Nutrition from Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, as well as her MPH from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill, where she also completed her dietetic internship. Previous work includes community nutrition and outreach, chronic disease management such as diabetes education, and pediatric nutrition.

She recently joined the Compass @ Google team as the Food Literacy Specialist, where she will be developing training and teaching materials used in the teaching kitchens, culinary skill building, and food literacy programs globally.

Thomas Merrow graduated with a Master’s of Science from the University of Maine, Orono, within the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Thomas’s thesis research focused on the morphological and biochemical effects of wild blueberries and the metabolic syndrome.

Thomas completed his dietetic internship at Southern Maine Health Care, Biddeford Maine, where he specialized in clinical and community nutrition with an adjunct concentration in public policy.

Thomas has taught as a graduate assistant for courses focusing on medical nutrition therapy and introductory nutrition. He has also been a guest lecturer for sports nutrition therapy and HIV/AIDS medical nutrition therapy at the University of Maine. Recent related academic concentrations focused on, obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as complementary alternative nutrition.

Thomas is a member of the Maine Academy of the Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND), is involved in the annual MAND conferences, and has attended the Public Policy Workshop held in Washington D.C. to advocate for nutrition related bills.

Thomas has participated in several community awareness building efforts concerning food, food production, food access and raising community awareness about the importance of understanding good nutrition as well as food issues in public awareness for policy and institutional healthcare nutritional approaches.

Master of Science
New York Chiropractic College

Undergraduate degree
University of California, Berkeley

Kathy Pollard has been a nutrition instructor and educator for many years and been teaching online since 2011. She earned her Master of Science degree in applied clinical nutrition with honors from New York Chiropractic College, and her undergraduate degree in mass communications from the University of California, Berkeley. Kathy also has training in motivational interviewing and a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. In fact she spent six years instructing this program, of which is the most popular online certification course delivered through eCornell.

Kathy is co-founder of the SustainableDiet.com, an online support program that supports people to successfully transition to a whole food, plant-based diet for health.

Through her research, writing and speaking, Kathy focuses on the sustainability of food choice. She is author of the upcoming book, Climate Party! Kathy also serves on the Board of Directors for the annual Plant-Based Prevention of Disease Conference.

PhD, Food and Nutrition Sciences
University of Maine

MS, Food Science and Human Nutrition
University of Maine

BS, Human Nutrition and Foods
University of Maine

BA, Zoology
University of Maine

Joanna Fichthorn Rosebush PhD, RD, LD has worked in the field of nutrition for over fifteen years. Dr. Rosebush has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Maine and Husson University and has conducted continuing education seminars for healthcare professionals. Dr. Rosebush has conducted nutrition and wellness seminars for employees of various local businesses, including hospitals and gyms. She worked as a licensed provider for a web-based nutrition and wellness consulting company and has appeared as a nutrition expert in a weekly series for a local media outlet. She serves as an Advisory Board Member for Cura Weight Loss. Her extensive experience in clinical nutrition has led to a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of making wellness a part of everyday life to reduce the risk of chronic health conditions and is employed by the University of Maine System as the Manager of Health Improvement.

Dr. Rosebush earned a Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition Sciences with a special skill requirement in physiology from the University of Maine. Her undergraduate programs of study include a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology and Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Maine.  She is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian and has been an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics since 1995. In 2006 she was awarded the Maine Dietetic Association Emerging Dietetic Leader of the Year. She is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer.

MS, Education
Kaplan University

MS, Nutrition and Wellness
Benedictine University

BS, Nutrition
Benedictine University

Nazia Sadat is current a Registered Dietitian working for United Health Group. She is also an instructor at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, IL and DePaul University, Lincoln Park, IL.

Nazia received her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. She then went onto complete her Master of Science in Nutrition and Wellness (MSNW) and Masters of Public Health (MPH) alongside her Dietetic Internship at Benedictine University. She then worked for Kaplan University for their Nutrition Department as an adjunct instructor. She has also worked as a clinical dietitian for Good Samaritan Hospital. While at Kaplan Nazia completed her Master of Science in Education in Instructional technology (MS Ed.). Nazia is currently working on her PhD in Health Sciences.

Nazia’s Master’s thesis focused on the comparison between measured and predicted resting metabolic rate in healthy college students. Some of Nazia’s professional interests include instructional design and designing nutrition courses/materials; nutrition support, obesity prevention in children, disease prevention and clinical research.

Publications:

Sadat, N (2006). Comparison between measured and predicted resting metabolic rate in healthy college students. Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of MSNW and MPH.

Sadat-Ali M, Al Elq A, Al-Farhan M, Sadat N (2013). Fortification with vitamin D: Comparative study in the Saudi Arabian and US markets. Journal of Family and Community Medicine. 2013;20:49-52

Ph.D. in Health Education/Health Promotion
University of Texas at Austin

M.S. in Nutrition
University of Incarnate Word

A health educator and worksite wellness expert, Mary Kaye Sawyer-Morse, has over 25+ years experience in the health, wellness and nutrition fields. Mary Kaye holds a PhD in Health Promotion and Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a registered dietitian and a Certified Wellness Coach. A former university department chair, Mary Kaye is the Executive Director for The Center for Success, a Texas-based company. In her role as Director, she consults on the design, implementation and evaluation of wellness and coaching programs for diverse companies of all sizes across the United States. She is listed in Who’s Who among American Women and is a past recipient of the American Dietetic Association Educator of the Year award. Her areas of expertise include creating behavior change, worksite and community wellness programming, health coaching and applied nutrition.

DCN
Maryland University of Integrative Health

MSACN
New York Chiropractic College

MPH
University of New England

MBA, Leadership
St. Joseph’s College

BS, Health Science
University of Southern Maine

Leanne Skehan has been a course facilitator at UNE for over eight years and has taught a variety of courses in the field of public health and nutrition. Leanne received her Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition degree at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She also has Masters degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition (MSACN) from New York Chiropractic College, Masters of Public Health (MPH) from the University of New England and her Masters of Business Administration from Saint Joseph’s College.

Leanne works at Tufts Health Plan in the Department of Population Health and Wellness (Watertown, MA). She leads a team with a focus on managing disease management programs and vendors. Leanne’s prior places of employment include the Healthy Community Coalition (Farmington, ME) and the Women, Infants, and Children Program (Auburn, ME).

Leanne’s research interests include developing effective health and wellness related programs that promote behavior change in populations. Other research interests include inflammation, the microbiome, pre-diabetes, eating disorders, how the social determinants of health impact nutrition and overall health.

Leanne lives in Farmingdale, Maine. Outside of work and school she enjoys running, reading, and spending time with family, especially her eight-year-old nephew.

Increasing engagement in health plan disease management programs.