Graduate Students
Amy Nichols, PhD, MS, RD ’22
Dissertation Title: Novel Approaches to Examine Weight Trajectories in High-Risk Pregnancies: Maternal Obesity and Twin Gestations
First Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition
Current Position: Assistant Professor (tenure-track), University of California Davis, Department of Nutrition
Rachel Rickman, PhD, MS, RD ’23
Dissertation Title: Examining Body Composition and Growth Patterns of High-Risk Infants
First Position: Metabolic Dietitian, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Genetics and Metabolism Clinic
Current Position: Clinical Education Manager, Cycle Pharmaceuticals
Saralyn Foster, PhD, MS, RD, LD ’25
Dissertation Title: Eating Right from the First Bite: Associations between breastfeeding, complementary foods and body composition in high-risk infant populations
First Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Texas at San Antonio
Current Position:
Staff and Volunteers
Gracia Dala, RD
Tamara Garza
Juan Pablo Robayo, MPH
Anita Mahmood, MD
Heather Jones, RD
Michelle Contreras
Kimberly Ornelas
Undergraduate Researchers
Yash Motwani, BS Public Health 2019
Caroline Riley, BS Nutrition 2020
Julia Smith, BS Honors Nutrition 2021
Helen Nguyen, BS Nutrition 2021
Gabriella Colon, BS Nutrition 2022
Jean Nie, BS Nutrition 2023
Victoria Villegas, BS Nutrition 2024
Jessica Dziuba, BS Honors Nutrition 2019
Inaara Aly, BSA Nutrition 2020
Sophie Lee, BS Honors Nutrition
Lauren DeMasie, BS Honors Nutrition ’22
Damini Patel, BS Honors Nutrition 2023
Marcela Salinas Domene, BS 2023
Kushi Kura, BS Public Health 2025
Mariam Eid, BS Nutrition 2020
Rebecca Choi, BSA Nutrition 2021
Emily Merriman, BS Nutrition 2021
Jose Castellanos, BS Nutrition 2022
Mariana Lozano, BS Nutrition 2023
Gabriella Toral-Garcia, BS Nutrition 2023
Maria Ortega Herranz
Kara Nutson, BS Public Health 2025
Ryan Kwong, BS Nutrition 2020
Samantha Bovino, BS Nutrition 2021
Minji Hong, BS Nutrition 2021
Solina Chem, BS Nutrition 2022
Haley Etzler, BS Honors Nutrition 2023
Poorna Menno, BS Biology 2024
Marianna Deynzer, BS Nutrition 2024
Pranavi Kolli, BS Nutrition 2025