Meet our Dairy Advocates
Our dairy advocates work to help us spread the word about dairy’s nutrition, the science that supports dairy’s role in a healthy lifestyle and the best ways to enjoy it!
Abigail Copenhaver
Abbey Copenhaver is a mom, registered dietitian, dairy farmer and runner/triathlete from the Finger Lakes region of NY. She is the owner of Farmstead Nutrition & Consulting, focusing on agricultural production, food technology, nutrition and fitness related services. In addition, she teaches at Finger Lakes Community College’s as a part of their 2-year Nutritional Science program. Abbey and her husband farm with 4other couples on 2 dairy farms; Ivy Lakes Dairy & Gorham Dairy.
Abbey practices with a farming, food and fitness approach. As a Registered Dietitian and foodie she believes food should fuel your body and taste buds! This approach encompasses the connection between agricultural food production, nutrition and physical activity to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
You can follow Abigail on Instagram, and LinkedIn, or E-mail her.
Beth Stark, RDN, LDN
Beth Stark, RDN, LDN is a seasoned nutrition expert with extensive experience in nutrition communications, program development, brand ambassadorship, traditional and social media, and consumer health and wellness marketing.
After more than a decade as a retail dietitian, Beth transformed her “side hustle” into the dietitian career of her dreams—partnering with like-minded brands, people, and organizations as Beth Stark Nutrition to create nourishing recipes for everyday life and engaging content that inspires healthy and happy living. Her recipes, articles, blog, and video content contribute style, value, and flair to client websites, social media platforms, broadcast media segments, and e-newsletters.
As a media-trained dietitian, Beth regularly appears in on-set and virtual broadcast news segments and contributes expert quotes for nationally-recognized print and digital publications. She also serves as a brand spokesperson, delivers presentations and webinars, and hosts interactive cooking demonstrations.
Beth received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State University (go Nittany Lions!) and completed the Aramark Metro New York dietetic internship program.
You can follow Beth on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or E-mail her.
Clancy Cash Harrison, MS, RDN, FAND
As a hunger fighter, registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, and international thought leader, Clancy Harrison challenges the way food insecurity is approached and discussed. Her mission to demolish the stigma around food access places her on the cutting edge of advocacy.
Clancy is the founder of the Food Dignity® Project, a strategic program for leaders who want to shift how they approach nutrition outreach by making healthy food access a priority. She transforms the lives of thousands of people through her work with corporations, non-profit organizations, and universities.
Currently, Clancy is an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Food Insecurity EPIC program, Ambassador of the National Dairy Council, and the President of the Al Beech West Side Food Pantry.
You can tune in weekly with Clancy at The Food Dignity® Podcast.
You can follow Clancy on Facebook , X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RDN, CDCES, CDN
Constance Brown-Riggs—an award-winning registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is the author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World; The African American Guide to Living Well With Diabetes, which received the Favorably Reviewed designation from the American Association of Diabetes Educators; and Eating Soulfully and Healthfully with Diabetes.
Over the course of her career, Constance has established herself as an expert in nutrition, diabetes, and the cultural issues that impact the health and health care of people of color. Her work has appeared in books for health professionals and health care consumers, and she has been a featured expert in national magazines such as Essence, Real Health, Diabetic Living, and Diabetes Forecast. She also is a regular contributor to Today’s Dietitian, also serving on the magazine’s advisory board, and to BlackDoctor.org.
You can follow Constance on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Deanna Segrave-Daly, RDN
Based outside of Philadelphia, Deanna Segrave-Daly, RDN, is a food-loving dietitian who co-owns Teaspoon Communications, a food–focused nutrition communications group that has consulted with a variety of national and regional health and food organizations for over 15 years.
Deanna writes, develops recipes, and dabbles in food iPhoneography and videography for her popular blog, Teaspoon of Spice. She also regularly live streams on Teaspoon of Spice’s Facebook page along with her business partner, Serena Ball, where they are known as “two dietitians who love food as much as you do.”
Spanning two decades of recipe development, traditional and social media communications experience, Deanna has honed her culinary nutrition skills in the Mediterranean lifestyle and has co-authored three books, the best-selling the 30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, Easy Everyday Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, and The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook. Her fourth cookbook focusing on brain health and mental wellness, The Smart Mediterranean Diet Cookbook will launch May 2024. Deanna has a B.S. in Nutrition and a B.S. in Marketing both from Penn State. Her teen daughter and tricky eater husband keep her inspired to create appealing, good-for-you family cuisine at home in Havertown, PA where they live with their two rescue cats.
Diana Rodriguez
Diana is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who earned her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Herbert H. Lehman College in New York City. She completed her Dietetic Internship with Wellness Workdays and discovered her passion for private counseling throughout her graduate studies and internship. As a New Yorker with Dominican roots, Diana understands the importance of food in our culture and how nutrition plays a role in a person’s health goals, whether it be weight loss, weight gain, weight maintenance, or general nutrition. She is the owner of Diana Rodriguez Nutrition PLLC, where she empowers her clients to make permanent behavioral changes with a focus on building a better relationship with their cultural foods. She focuses on nutrition recommendations that are digestible, effective, and realistic. Diana does this by helping her clients develop long-lasting habits that last a lifetime.
During her spare time, she enjoys going for long strolls exploring NYC, watching movies, hiking during the warm months, and enjoying a glass of wine in a cozy, intimate restaurant.
You can follow Diana on Instagram.
Ellen Karlin, MMSc, RDN, LDN, FADA
Ellen Karlin currently runs a successful virtual nutrition consulting service. She was a nutrition consultant to dental healthcare professionals in Owings Mills, Maryland and a nutrition consultant at the Comprehensive Asthma and Allergy Center for over 3 decades. Ellen holds a Master of Medical Science degree in nutrition education from Emory University and she became a fellow of the American Dietetic Association in 1999. Ellen is a spokesperson for the American Dairy Association North East. She has delivered numerous webinars and is a nationally invited keynote speaker at healthcare conferences. She was the co-author of “Dental and Oral Considerations in Pediatric Celiac Disease” and has contributed to a variety of other resources. Ellen is co-author for a variety of 2022, 2023 and 2024 online continuing education courses for oral healthcare providers.
Heather Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN
Heather is an internationally recognized registered dietitian-nutritionist, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and author with a passion for helping athletes fuel and hydrate to maximize their health, development and athletic performance. Her expertise is in fueling young athletes, disordered eating in sports, and nutrition communications. In 2008, she founded Heather Mangieri Nutrition where she provides counseling, consulting and communication services for organizations and companies focused on evidence-based health and wellness.
As a sports dietitian and nutrition counselor, Heather helps young athletes properly fuel to perform their best through their adolescent years. She specializes in providing nutrition therapy for male, female and nonbinary athletes struggling with low energy availability, disordered eating patterns and eating disorders. She’s also a strong advocate for promoting evidence-based nutrition and works with schools, organizations and companies to develop and delivery appropriate and science-based sports nutrition content, policies and screening tools to meet the needs of student athletes.
Heather served as a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics for 8 years and currently sits on the board of editors for the Academy’s online Sports Nutrition Care Manual®. Her solid reputation as a trusted source of evidence-based food, fitness and nutrition information has resulted in hundreds of national and local publications, including TV, radio, print and digital. She uses her expertise to create and deliver science-based messages for consumers through traditional and social media, corporate wellness programs, and by working with companies, organizations and brands that align with her likes and values.
She studied human nutrition with an emphasis on research at the Pennsylvania State University, receiving her BS degree in 1996. She earned her MS in wellness and human performance from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007.
She resides in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA.
You can follow Heather on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Jessica Garay, PhD, RDN, FAND, CSCS
Jessica L. Garay, PhD, RDN, CSSD, FAND, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at Syracuse University. Her focus areas include women’s health and sports nutrition, particularly prenatal/postpartum and female athlete populations. Dr. Garay also serves as the consulting sports dietitian for LeMoyne College Athletics. She earned a PhD in Science Education from Syracuse University, a MS degree in Exercise Science from George Washington University, and BS degrees in Nutritional Sciences and Human Development from Cornell University. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has worked at the Food Bank of Central New York, Washington (DC) Cancer Institute, and in her private practice, Major League Wellness. In addition, Dr. Garay is a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher.
Jessica lives in upstate NY with her husband, children, and a handful of backyard chickens!
You can follow Jessica on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Julie Lopez, RD
Julie Lopez, RD strikes a balance between her work as an expert dietitian and chef. What started out as just cooking for family members has grown into something much more meaningful to Julie – education about nutrition through the lens of food. She’s passionate about helping others get in touch with their inner chefs by teaching them how to appreciate all different ways foods can be prepared and giving them the confidence, they need when it comes time to cook themselves some delicious meals from!
As a culinary nutrition consultant, author, spokesperson, and cooking instructor, Julie has worked with numerous companies to create new recipes and culinary nutrition communications to educate on making healthy taste delicious. Julie published her first cookbook “The Healing Soup Cookbook” and she continues to teach cooking classes both in person and virtually.
Julie is also the co-founder of Culinary Nutrition Studio, which provides culinary nutrition education to healthcare professionals, through webinars, cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and self-paced courses.
Recently, Julie has launched the Virtual Teaching Kitchen offering free virtual nutrition-focused cooking classes.
She currently resides in New Jersey with her official recipe taste tester (her husband), daughter Emma, and their corgi, Wally.
Learn more about Julie at ChefJulieRD.com and follow her on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Kathy Border, Med, EdD, RD
Kathy Border has over 30 years of experience designing and implementing nutrition education programs for diverse audiences and is an advocate for bringing nutrition education programs to underserved communities. She currently serves as Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY. She earned her doctoral degree at D’Youville in Health Education, completed her undergraduate degree in Food and Nutrition from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, interned at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston and received her MS in Nutrition Education from Framingham State University. Her dietetics career includes positions in acute care, industry, public health nutrition and higher education and is proud of her past position as Nutrition Educator with New England Dairy and Foods Council! She has held numerous leadership positions within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as Delegate, New York State President and dietetic educator representative. Kathy lives in South Wales with her husband Charlie. In their spare time, they keep busy enjoying the outdoors, entertaining friends, and planning European travel adventures!
Keith-Thomas Ayoob, EdD, RD, FAND
Keith Thomas Ayoob is Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City where he directed a nutrition clinic for 32 years for persons with special needs, specializing in obesity and family dynamics and utilizing motivational counseling.
In the private sector, Dr. Ayoob has actively advocated for positive strategic change. He co-authored a highly regarded global nutrition policy for the Walt Disney Corporation in 2006 and updated those landmark guidelines in 2012. These guidelines received wide acclaim, including endorsement by the White House and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Dr. Ayoob sits on several advisory boards, including the editorial board of the journal Childhood Obesity, and recently joined the Board of Directors of the Urban School Food Alliance. As an Academy media spokesperson, he participated in 1000+ interviews in television, print, and digital media. His website is: www.cuttothechasenutrition.com where he posts his EdibleRx column.
Dr. Ayoob was the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics media spokesperson for 9 years, during which he participated in over 1,000 media interviews on TV, radio, and in print and digital media.
Dr. Ayoob received his doctorate from Columbia University’s Teachers College, his Master’s from the Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Laura Ligos, MBA, RD, CSSD
Laura Ligos is a registered dietitian & 2x cookbook author who resides in Albany, NY. She believes in a food first approach and focuses on optimizing the health and wellness of active women. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Sciences from Cornell University and went on to complete her Dietetic Internship and MBA at Dominican University. She started her own private practice & brand “The Sassy Dietitian” to help be a credible resource for those looking to improve their relationship with food and optimize overall health without restrictive diets.
Website: thesassydietitian.com
Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN
Leslie J. Bonci , MPH,RD,CSSD, LDN, FAND is a registered dietitian, board certified specialist in sports dietetics and is the owner of Active Eating Advice- be fit, fed, fearless- a nutrition consulting company and co-founder of Performance365- a sports nutrition consulting company. She just ended a 31 year tenure in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Her company, Performance 365 provides sports nutrition services for high school, professional and masters athletes.
She is the author of Sport Nutrition for Coaches and the American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion and co-author of Run Your Butt Off, Walk Your Butt Off, the Active Calorie Diet and Bike Your Butt Off.
She has authored numerous chapters for sports medicine and sports nutrition manuals. Leslie is also a blogger for US News and World Report and participates in many podcasts as well as providing nutrition expertise for television, radio and print interviews.
Leslie is an adjunct instructor in the school of dental medicine at the University of Pittsburgh , also teaches in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Pitt and the Athletic training program at Duquesne University. Leslie received her undergraduate degree in Biopsychology from Vassar College, her Masters’ in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh and completed her dietetic internship at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Leslie was the director of sports nutrition at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine for 16 years.
Leslie is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker presenting on topics such as nutrition misinformation, the Combatting Misinformation, the Winning Plate and the Fuels of Engagement. She focuses on client centered care with an emphasis on listening, meeting clients where they are and realistic recommendations over idealistic expectations. She is a 2021 recipient of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Medallion Award.
You can follow Leslie on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Molly Morgan, RD, CDN, CSSD
Molly is a Registered Dietitian, author, and owner of Creative Nutrition Solutions. She has extensive experience in the area of sports nutrition and corporate wellness. Including working with Fortune 500 companies, national brands, and professional sports teams. Molly has authored three books including: Drink Your Way to Gut Health (2015), Skinny Size-It (2014), and The Skinny Rules (2011). Molly worked with the Ottawa and Belleville Senators (NHL/AHL hockey) as their nutrition consultant for 14 seasons, where she created and developed custom nutrition plans for players along with interactive workshops. Additionally, she works with Binghamton University Division 1 Men’s Basketball team on nutrition plans and delivers custom workshops. Molly has been a blogger for MensFitness.com and routinely works with the media. Molly completed her degree in clinical dietetics at the State University at Buffalo and is a Board-Certified Sports Specialist Dietitian.
You can follow Molly on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT
Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT, is a registered dietitian, yoga, and fitness instructor based at the Jersey Shore and is the author of 30-Minute Weight Loss Cookbook: 100+ Quick and Easy Recipes for Sustainable Weight Loss. She specializes in corporate wellness, nutrition communications, and helping provide simple, actionable mealtime solutions from planning to preparation. A prior career as an advertising executive fuels her mission for promoting self-care to busy professionals. Mandy is known as the FOOD + MOVEMENT® Dietitian for her fun and flexible approach to maximize body and mind performance through lifestyle and mindset changes that integrate rather than deviate into our busy daily lives.
Learn more about Mandy at www.mandyenright.com.
You can follow Mandy on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Stevie Lyn Smith, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDN
Stevie Lyn is a Registered Dietitian and avid endurance athlete. Her mission is to help educate and coach athletes on how to fuel their goals while not sacrificing their health. As a board-certified specialist in sports nutrition, Stevie Lyn has helped hundreds of athletes and active individuals fuel to improve their performance, energy levels, and recovery without feelings of guilt or restriction. Drawing from her experiences growing up as a team-sport athlete to completing ten full ironman distance triathlons and countless other endurance and ultra-distance races, she knows firsthand how important nutrition is to be a healthy athlete. She has also recently began teaching at one of her alma maters, Buffalo State University, in the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics program. She has contributed to Runner’s World Magazine, Outside Magazine, Bicycling Magazine, Triathlete Magazine and the InsideTracker blog. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering to help empower others through organizations such as Girls on The Run, We Finish Together, and Back on My Feet as well as with our furry friends for Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter. When she is not swimming, biking, or running you can find her outside exploring new trails or on snowshoes with her dog.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN
With 20+ years of experience in the food and nutrition industry, Toby Amidor is an award-winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author who believes that healthy and wholesome food can also be appetizing and delicious. Toby is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC where she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services for individuals, restaurants and food brands. Toby is the author of ten cookbooks. For over 16 years she has been the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com, writing for their Healthy Eats Blog, and is a regular contributor to U.S. News and World Report, EatThis.com, Eatingwell.com, Shape.com, and more. For the past 11 years, she writes the “Ask the Expert” column in Today’s Dietitian Magazine and is the official closing session speaker annually at the Today’s Dietitian Symposium. In 2021, Toby was appointed to the Forbes Health Advisory Board, EatThis.com Medical Advisory Board for EatThis.com, and Today’s Dietitian Editorial Advisory Board.
Toby has been quoted in thousands of publications like FoxNews.com, Forbes.com, Self.com, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Reader’s Digest, Shape.com, and many more. Toby also appears on national and local television including shows like The Dr. Oz Show, CT Style and appears regularly on Fox61 Morning News (Hartford, CT). For 11 years she served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, Teachers College and also was an adjunct professor at Hunter College and Lehman College in New York City. Toby trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University. Through ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media communications. In 2018, Toby was awarded by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics the coveted Media Excellence Award.
You can follow Toby on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.