Christine M. Palumbo, MBA, RDN, FAND
Christine M. Palumbo, MBA, RDN, FAND
Mikaela Manzano, an intern at California State University at Long Beach was fortunate to be able to interview the one and only Christine M. Palumbo, MBA, RDN, FAND! Learn about Christine’s professional experiences as an award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist in this fascinating Q & A.
Mikaela Manzano: Over the course of your career, you've held a variety of elected and appointed positions with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. What were 3 major career opportunities that came up for you as a result of holding positions with the Academy?
Christine M. Palumbo: Nearly my entire nutrition communications practice was built upon relationships I built while serving in leadership roles within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And there were many: I served in an appointed or election position every year except for three between the years 1976 and 2022. As of this year, my priorities changed, and I decided to spend my time and energy on my family, church, friends and home.
The three biggest career experiences:
Allure Magazine columnist
Going back over twenty years, when I was applying for the Fellow of the American Dietetic Association credential (FADA, no longer issued), I needed to call Allure magazine for the contact info of the author of an article in which I was quoted. After I left a message for someone to call me, the editor of the new Food News column called me back with not only the name of the writer, but an offer to apply to write this column! Sadie had me submit some writing samples but later shared that my involvement with the American Dietetic Association at the national level was the deciding factor in her selection. I went on to pen that well paid bi-monthly column for nearly ten years. Note: Allure magazine is owned by Conde Nast.
California Walnut Commission Scientific Advisory Committee
While I was a member of the ADA Board of Directors, I was invited to sit in on a meeting of the California Walnut Commission Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). As a result, I was invited to join the SAC. This provided me with the chance to work with some of the top food and nutrition researchers in the world and took me to some gorgeous locales for meetings. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.
Oprah Show interview
On March 20, 1997, I was a solo guest on the Oprah Show. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Chicago Dietetic Association, I participated in a group interview about dietetic careers for the Chicago public radio station. One RDN on the panel was a member of ADA Headquarters staff. A few years later, when the PR representative of a local bottled water company called the ADA asking for a dietitian in DuPage County, she remembered me. I served on the bottled water company’s Scientific Advisory Board for many years and was given many speaking, writing and media opportunities. One day their PR guy pitched me to the producers of the Oprah show and I received a call from them less than 48 hours prior to the show taping. Being a guest on Oprah changed my life. Having “Oprah” on my resume has led to numerous consulting gigs as well as several awards. (I have been given eleven awards, including six from the Academy).
These examples point to the need to show up, be kind to everyone, and realize that you never know when a little something could lead to a big something!
MM: You're an active volunteer mentor for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Mentor Match program. Can you give a couple reasons why mentorship is so important in the field of nutrition?
CP: Mentoring is often a two-way street. The mentor provides advice, answers question and serves as a role model. The mentee provides a younger generation’s perspective, personal satisfaction for the mentor, and keeps them on their toes.
There is formal mentoring such as through the Academy’s Mentor Match program. And there’s informal mentoring that often takes place without either the mentor or mentee realizing it. Or maybe it should be called serving as “role model?” Regardless, when seasoned RDNs and RDTRs work or volunteer alongside those with less experience, there is opportunity for career development.
One of my own motivators to serve as a mentor (as of two years ago, I was the top Mentor with the Academy) has been to make things easier for the next generation. Oh, how much I wished there had been a formal mentoring program when I was a student, intern and young dietitian! Yet I did have a team of informal mentors in my first job. And by becoming active in my DPGs, district dietetic associations and at the national level, I learned by keenly observing more seasoned RDNs.
MM: You have quite a diverse background from media outreach to creating nutrition education resources for target audiences. What three tips do you have for early career dietitians who are still trying to figure out their specialty?
CP:
1. Learn as much as you can about as many different career opportunities that are out there for dietitians. One of the beauties of our profession is that there is so much we can do in a variety of settings. And realize that if you start out in one aspect of our field, you can always make a change. Consider reaching out to several dietitians working in areas you are intrigued by and ask if you could talk with them over the phone or video call for 15-20 minutes. Over time, you will get a feeling for what areas of practice might be a good fit for you.
Hint: Do not ask if you could “pick their brain.” When people say that to me, I cringe while visualizing someone picking at my head.
2. Join a variety of dietetic practice groups (DPGs), read their newsletters and their online community discussions. Of course, you need to be a member of the Academy in order to do so. Some of the DPGs even have a student rate.
3. Stay open-minded. This is related to what's above, of course. If you think you'd like to specialize in, say, eating disorders, start out in it, but become burned out after some years, realize you can pivot into another aspect of our profession. Also, if you need to stay within a certain geographical area, you may need to take a job that isn’t necessarily your first choice. Yet you may grow to love it and may stay with it.
MM: What are three science/evidence-based resources that you would suggest for the best nutrition coverage?
CP: I recommend these:
The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
And I know this organization/publication is polarizing – and it’s not a research journal – but I love Nutrition Action (published by CSPI or Center for Science in the Public Interest).
MM: If I was to look in your kitchen cupboards/freezer or fridge, what five items do you always have on-hand?
CP: Ha, I can think of at least 15. But if I had to choose the top five, they would be coffee, extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, romaine lettuce and a variety of cheeses.