Meet Sam, a registered dietitian nutritionist providing services in both English & Spanish.
Samantha was born and raised in the Chicagoland area where she found her passion for health and wellness through sports (softball and golf). She moved to Arizona in the summer of 2017. Early in her career Samantha specialized in women’s health (specifically pregnancy and breastfeeding). She has continued to grow her expertise to include a wide range of specialties, including diabetes, disordered eating and eating disorders.
She also loves helping her Spanish-speaking patients get the help they need to attain their health goals. Samantha is also a Certified Personal Trainer, which allows her to help her patients achieve a wider range of health goals.
Sam’s ideal client:
My ideal client is someone who is willing to take a step forward with their health, no matter how small the step may be and be proud of that progress. Sam believes that it is those small steps that add up to your long term goals! I also love working with clients who can take a step back and see the broader picture for that health, which includes nourishing their mental health in addition to just nourishing their physical body’s health. Sam also understands that most of those coming to a dietitian are in search of just a simple meal plan but she realizes that sometimes food isn’t all that is needed. She believes that one’s lived experiences and perception of nutrition can make or break even the best of meal plans. Sam is also adamant that everything happens for a reason and if you are a client of her’s then you were each meant to be there and have an impact on each other’s lives for the better!
Focus areas include:
Children + Infant + Teen
- Infant nutrition, transition feeding, picky eating
- Failure to thrive
- Healthy eating
- Sports nutrition
Diabetes
- Diabetes Management
- Prediabetes
- Prevention
- Gestational Diabetes
Eating Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Disordered Eating
- Breaking the diet cycle
General
- Healthy eating
- Plant-based
- Food allergies
- Sports
- Weight gain
- Inflammation
- Men’s Health
GI
- IBS
- Acid Reflux
- IBD
- Celiac Disease
- Low FODMAP Diet
Heart Health
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Elevated Triglycerides
- Prevention
Weight Management
- Diet cycling
- “Macro” breakdown
- Weight loss
Women’s Health
- Pregnancy/breastfeeding nutrition
- Perimenopause
- Postmenopausal
- PCOS
Why is Sam a dietitian?
I truthfully fell into the profession, which goes to show everything happens for a reason! As I was going through school I wanted to help people but didn’t have a precise plan for how to do this. So when life handed me a golf scholarship I went with it and fell into the field of sports and exercise science at my first university. After realizing that this school wasn’t the best fit for my future I transferred and was left with a choice of having credits transfer or starting all over. Being a broke college student I was led to make the smarter decision of finding a field that took my credits and that was nutrition. Once I stepped into my first nutrition course I knew it was what was meant to be and just rode with it to get where I am today!
How does Sam stay healthy?
Sam and her husband value an active lifestyle! LIterally she is out on traveling, going hiking, golfing, playing pickleball or doing large home improvement projects. Therefore she knows thatto keep up with a fast paced lifestyle she has to fuel herself often! “I never skip a meal- food is life to me! ” Therefore Sam focuses on having a good relationship with foods meaning nothing is off limits, but she does focus on fueling herself for her situation, which at times may call for her favorite meal: pizza and wings and other times stir fry veggies with orange chicken.
What else should you know about Sam?
Outside of work Samantha loves to stay active and enjoys hiking, camping, biking, and golfing. You can also find her enjoying a slice of Chicago-style pizza after any one of these activities.
Sam provides services in both English & Spanish.