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Ann-Maria Baas, BA, BS

Ann-Maria is from a small, rural town in Central Kentucky and graduated from The College of Wooster in 1999 with a BA in Anthropology and from Eastern Kentucky University in 2022 with a BS in General Dietetics. After dedicating more than 20 years to improving animal welfare, Ann-Maria made the decision to return to academia in hopes of obtaining a degree that would allow her to pursue a career in nutrition. She expects to graduate in May 2024 with a Masters in Dietetics Systems Leadership and the successful completion of the Montana Dietetics Internship. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a career in Community Nutrition, spending time with family and friends and experiencing all the natural beauty that this world has to offer.

Sophia Love, BA 

Sophia acquired her undergraduate degree from Concordia College of Moorhead in Nutrition. Growing up on a farm with a mother as a dietitian and being very involved in sports nutrition has been an important part of her life. She has gained a passion for education and raising awareness to improve lives through nutrition. She has focused her presentation today on raising awareness of the benefits of personalized medical nutrition in treatment of autoimmune diseases. 

Kaitlyn Harris, BS

Kaitlyn Harris earned her Bachelor of Science from University of Nebraska Lincoln in May of 2022. She is currently finishing up her last year of graduate school at Montana State University as well as her dietetic internship. She is looking forward to becoming a registered dietitian and hopes to begin working within the clinical field with an emphasis in intuitive eating and health at every size approach.

Millie Richard, BS

In May of 2022, Millie graduated from Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a focus in Nutrition. As a future Registered Dietitian, she is passionate about the microbiome and how it plays a role in specific diseases and overall human health.  

Julie Cloutier, BS 

Julie Cloutier, BS graduated from Michigan State University with her B.S in Dietetics in 2022. She is currently pursuing her Master’s at Montana State University. Julie’s passion for dietetics lies in making good food accessible for more people and sustainable for the planet

Eliza Zoeller, BS

Eliza completed her undergraduate degree at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN and earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics. She is presenting as a current graduate student at Montana State University and will soon graduate with a Master of Science in Dietetic Systems Leadership. She has an interest in clinical dietetics and a curiosity about the connection between nutritional health and circadian rhythms.

Emma Smith, BS

Emma Smith holds two B.S. degrees in Nutritional Sciences and Environment and Sustainability from Cornell University. Emma will earn her Master’s in Dietetic Systems Leadership from Montana State University and be eligible for the Registered Dietitian exam in May of 2024 after completing her dietetic internship. Emma’s experience also includes serving as the Communications Specialist at the John Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research’s Community and Collaboration Core, which focuses on community engaged research and health inequities.

Gina Kucmanic, BS  

Gina Kucmanic comes from Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Kent State University in 2021 with a BS in nutrition. She is currently attending Montana State University and will be graduating from the MS/DI program this spring. Her presentation was inspired by her strong cultural roots and interest in nutrition from a social science perspective. She hopes to pursue a career in community or clinical pediatric nutrition.

Katie Petit, BS

Katie Petit received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from Kent State University. She is driven to connect people with where their food comes from and feels strongly about educating children and families about the powerful connections between nutrition, lifestyle, and long-term health. Additionally, she is interested in preventative care and functional medicine.

Lindsey Anders, BS 

Lindsey Anders, BS grew up in Helena, MT and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition at Montana State University. She is a Dietetic Intern and graduate student earning a Masters in Dietetic Systems Leadership at Montana State University. She hopes to work in the clinical field of dietetics after graduation. She enjoyed receiving a weight-inclusive education and plans to apply those principles throughout her career as a dietitian. 

Ellie Brennan, BS  

Ellie Brennan, B.S. is from Great Falls, MT. She received her bachelor’s degree from Montana State University in Nutrition Science and is currently completing her dietetic internship and master’s degree in Dietetic Systems Leadership from Montana State. After receiving her RD, Ellie will continue to practice weight neutral care in all aspects of nutrition care, wherever that may take her. 

Sydney Dickinson, BS 

Sydney Dickinson, B.S., is a graduate from Montana State University holding a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition- Dietetic option. Sydney is completing her Montana Dietetic Internship rotations in her hometown of Great Falls, Montana. With a passion for weight-inclusive nutrition care, Sydney is hopeful to land a career as a clinical dietitian in Montana. In her free time, you can find her diving into a new book, indulging in a new crochet project, or enjoying the beauty of Montana outdoors with her dog, Bovi. 

Kathleen Rolin, BS

Kathleen earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Food and Nutrition Dietetics on a Friday from Montana State University and on that following Monday started her master’s program. She has passions in sustainability and business development. These two passions merged as a business she co-founded in 2017, called Cowboy Cricket Farms – an innovative way to get people to try insects, a sustainable protein, in the form of a chocolate chirp cookie. With that venture, Kathleen was able to gain experience in grant writing, consumer product goods development, and even a dabble in regulations. She continues to pursue her interest in the unusual, exceptional, and the abnormal.  

Natalie Kea, BS

Natalie Kea obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Central Michigan University in 2022. Having an interest in integrating sustainable food systems into the field of dietetics, she enrolled in the Dietetics Systems Leadership Master of Science/Dietetic Internship program at Montana State University. The internship has provided a multitude of wonderful learning opportunities. One of the most memorable experiences being a regenerative ranch tour sponsored by the Montana Beef Council during foundation weeks.

Maritza Arellano, BS 

Maritza Arellano, is a second-year graduate student at Montana State University, Bozeman. She received a Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences from California State University, Fresno. She is passionate about working with underserved communities to improve access to fresh and seasonal produce, improve nutrition, and encourage individuals to engage and create relationships among members of their own community

Martin Aldrich, BS, BA

Martin Aldrich, BA, BS is a graduate student in the Dietetic Systems Leadership Master’s program at Montana State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Montana and a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition at Montana State University. Martin has 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry as a cook and chef. He worked in restaurants in Montana, Colorado, California, Korea, and Slovenia. Martin was raised in Montana and currently resides in Helena, MT. He hopes to combine his culinary knowledge and RDN credential to care for people and connect them with great food.

Malia Appling, BS 

Malia Appling, BS is originally from San Diego, California where she obtained her BS in Foods and Nutrition from San Diego State University. Since moving to Montana, she has come to appreciate local food systems. She believes that food is medicine, and it is important to pass this knowledge on to future generations.  

Abigail Vanorny, BS, NDTR

Abigail Vanorny is an NDTR with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition and is earning her Master of Science in dietetic systems leadership from Montana State University. Her interests are in agriculture, specifically in urban regions, and education in culinary medicine.

Lauren Haynes BS, cPT 

Lauren Haynes has a bachelors of science in exercise science from Jacksonville University. For the last 13 years she has been a successful personal trainer the YMCA in Florida. Intending for a career expansion she has returned to school to pursue a master’s degree in human nutrition from The University of Alabama and is completing her dietetic internship with Montana State University.

Anna McDougal, BS 

Anna McDougal, BS, is a graduate student and dietetic intern studying at Montana State University. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2022 with an undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition and Foods with an area of emphasis in dietetics. During her time at WVU, she worked as a sports nutrition intern for WVU football and baseball and as an undergraduate research assistant. Anna hopes to pursue a career focused in community nutrition with areas of interest in Farm to School programs and community health promotion and disease prevention

Samantha Sinclair Leftwich, BS 

Samantha Leftwich is a first-generation student who is completing her dietetic internship and masters in Dietetic Systems Leadership program at Montana State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Dietetics and Environmental Science with emphasis on pollutants and contaminates from University of Nevada Reno. Her interests include applying a sustainable One Health approach to public health that is affective for both dietetics and environmental science.  

Emily Herring, BS 

Emily Herring graduated from Montana State University in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition. Emily grew up participating in various sports. Through this, she developed a passion for nutrition and its role in sports performance. Fortunately, she was afforded the opportunity to be a graduate assistant for MSU Bobcat Athletics. During her time, she gained a lot of understanding of the role a sports dietitian plays in an athlete's life. 

Kali Schierl, BS

Kali Schierl, BS graduated from THE Ohio State University for her undergrad with a BS in Human Nutrition where she competed as a Division I gymnast who experienced amenorrhea. She is currently a Montana State University graduate student obtaining her Masters of Dietetic Systems Leadership. She is passionate about helping female athletes optimize their health to maximize performance. She wants to bring awareness to amenorrhea in gymnastics and make a positive impact for female athletes. 

Charley Hutchison, BS 

Charley Hutchison, BS grew up in Wisconsin, completed her undergraduate in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and always cared about the food system. As a Montana Dietetic Intern, she learned that there are multiple ways to advocate for sustainability in our food system and the health of our communities. A research project on student perceptions of plant sources of B12 availability provided great insight into the challenges and barriers that vegan/vegetarian college students face. As professional she hopes to advocate for the future generation of students.  

Conner McMillan, BS

Conner graduated from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Family Consumer Sciences with a concentration in dietetics. Currently, he is enrolled in the Montana State University’s Master of Science program in Dietetic Systems leadership that is combined with the Montana Dietetic Internship. Since his undergraduate graduation and the start of his Master's, he has had the opportunity to work with different athletic institutions to improve both the nutritional knowledge and performance outcomes of their student-athletes. 

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