Donna Burnett, RD

My focus area is helping clients achieve long-term behavior change in areas of nutrition and health that are needed or desired. While basic nutrition education is necessary in many cases, some clients have a good bit of information but still find themselves seemingly unable to make the changes they need in their health. As a client-centered practitioner, I strive to provide the level of care each client needs to reach their goals. I put my heart into every patient encounter to listen and understand where the roadblocks to change exist, and what we can do to get around them. Through helping clients resolve the ambivalence they often face when behavior change is needed or desired, clients can expect to gain clarity and improved motivation to make those necessary changes.

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In addition to credentials as a registered dietitian nutritionist, I am credentialed as a certified health education specialist. I have several decades of experience, both as a hospital dietitian and as a nutrition counselor in individual and group settings. My academic qualifications include master’s degrees in nutrition, counseling, and education, as well as a PhD in health education and promotion. I received an award from my doctoral program as an outstanding alumna and have been received as a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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I am a proud mom to three adult children and a precious daughter-in-law, and a proud nana to two beautiful and smart granddaughters. A fun fact about me is that when my children were very young, I started and ran a licensed day-care home and preschool so I could be at home with them until they went to school.

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I have had a long career in nutrition and dietetics. I remember the first time, at the young age of 10 years old, that I heard someone say, “you are what you eat.” That set off a strong interest in learning just exactly how that happened! Many years later, I would begin to understand…in Nutrition 101. By the time I graduated, I already had a job lined up as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist! As time went by, I wanted to know more about how to translate what I learned in school to my work with patients and clients. I returned to school and earned master’s degrees in nutrition, education, and counseling, as well as a doctorate degree in health education and health promotion. All of my education, training, and experience converged to better understand people and how to work alongside clients to promote behavior change leading to improved health.