About Mel
A Journey of Nourishment, Healing, and Empowerment
I believe everyone deserves to be healthy and feel good. We all have the power to make choices that move us in that direction. While our past often shapes our behaviors, it doesn't have to define our future. My goal is to explore the possibilities ahead, uncover what truly motivates each individual, and empower lasting, meaningful change.
I’m a Registered Dietitian providing Behavioral Nutrition Therapy for almost 3 decades.
My journey with food and healing began in rural Georgia, where I was raised in a family deeply connected to nourishment—from my parent’s restaurants to my grandparent’s four-acre garden. Food was never just fuel—it was culture, connection, and care.
I earned my degree in Nutrition from the University of Georgia and completed a comprehensive internship working within the mental health prison system. That early experience sparked a fascination with the intersection of mental health, motivation, and behavior change. I went on to pursue a Master's degree in Exercise Science and Sport Psychology at Sonoma State University.
Early on , as a competitive cyclist and triathlete, I witnessed firsthand the complex relationship between food, performance, and mindset. Working with athletes and individuals in private practice, I recognized a critical need for compassionate support around eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors.
In 2004, I joined Kaiser Permanente, where I spent 19 deeply rewarding years in Nutrition and Health Education helping patients explore the fears that hold them back and the courage it takes to change. Most recently, I served as Nutrition Director at an Eating Disorder Treatment Center, where I had the honor of supporting clients through recovery in a more focused and intentional way.
Now, I return to my heart’s work: my own practice.
I’ve always known this day would come—and the timing feels exactly right. I feel a calling to help women and mothers who are navigating their own personal journey as well as their family’s needs. I wish I had the opportunity for professional support as I was navigating my own journey. It is a priceless investment for your body and spirit.
I'm a proud mother of three—Cadence (21), Sam (19), and Clay (14)—and have lived a beautifully full and chaotic life through single motherhood, raising neurodivergent children, and my own journey through the menopause transition. I’m deeply rooted in the Petaluma community, where I find joy in cooking healthy meals, hiking, paddle boarding, nostalgic music, teaching Nutrition at SRJC, and attending Calvary Chapel, Petaluma.
With decades of clinical experience, personal insight, and a compassionate, client-centered approach, I now help individuals and families navigate nutritional challenges, behavior change, and healing from the inside out - with emphasis on Eating Disorders, ADHD, and Menopause. Please note, I am also willing to support anyone with a nutrition and behavior change related need, and also love supporting athletes with nutrition and performance goals.
I bring not only knowledge, but lived experience and wisdom…not just strategies, but soul. I’m here to walk beside you on your path to reaching your potential and feeling good! We all deserve that!!
