Dietetic Internship
Ottawa Regional Dietetic Internship Program
Sept. 1978 - June 1982
Honors BASc (Applied Human Nutrition Major)
University of Guelph
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
American Dietetic Association
Dietitians of Canada
College of Dietitians of British Columbia
EXPERIENCE:
January 2006 to present
Lead Nutritionist, Diabetes Wellness Research Project, Canvasback Missions, Majuro, Marshall Islands.
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Assist in planning and development of research project.
Develop nutrition and health education programs, including lectures and handouts.
Provide one to one consultation to all research intervention participants and follow up when needed.
Develop recipes and menus for research project.
Train and supervise kitchen staff – Marshallese and non-Marshallese.
Oversee all aspects of the research kitchen.
Provide guidance, orientation and counsel to other staff dietitians.
Oversee cooking classes.
Work with MOH staff, providing education and training as needed.
Assist investigators with research, as needed.
Sept. 2003 – April 2004
Nutrition and Health Director – 40-State CARE Tour – Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Provide presentations on vegetarian nutrition, disease risk reduction and optimal nutrition for physicians, dietitians and other health professionals in hospital and university settings, and to the general public.
Provide cooking demonstrations and practical diet and nutrition seminars.
Respond to media inquiries, providing interviews and appearing on television and radio shows when requested.
Assist in planning and preparation of conference and lecture events.
May 1999 to present
Author, Speaker and Private Practice Nutrition Consultant (Kelowna, B.C.)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Manage private practice business.
Provide nutrition consultations to individuals and businesses as time allows.
Write books with US publisher, The Book Publishing Co. and Wiley Canada.
Lecture to health professionals and general public.
Answer media inquiries as needed.
Dec. 1995 to May 1999
Academic Instructor (West Coast College, Vancouver B.C.)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Academic Nutrition Instructor.
Preparation of a course outline, learning objectives, Classroom teaching materials, projects and exams.
Oct. 1990 to May 1999
Private Practice Nutrition Consultant and Co-owner of 21st Century Nutrition (Delta, B.C.)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Co-manage private practice.
Market services to physicians, health professionals, businesses and the general public.
Offer individual and group counseling (specializing in diets for coronary artery disease, obesity, vegetarianism, cancer and diabetes).
Provide lectures and workshops for health professionals (physicians, dietitians and nurses) and the general public.
Provide continuing nutrition education classes for health professionals and the general public.
Offer regular nutrition/cooking classes emphasizing plant-based diets and practical management of hyperlipidemias.
Develop educational materials for all projects and programs.
Sept. 1993- June 1997
Nutrition Specialist for Fraser Cardiology
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Provide nutrition consultation for cardiology patients.
Develop nutrition education materials for cardiology patients.
Provide group nutrition education classes for cardiology patients.
Provide lectures on cardiac nutrition for medical doctors and nurses at annual cardiology conferences in the Vancouver area.
July 1996 to 1998
(casual basis)
Preventive Medicine Research Institute (PMRI) Nutrition Specialist (San Fransisco, California)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Dean Ornish retreat nutritionist and consultant to PMRI.
Serve as a nutrition specialist for retreat participants.
April 1985 - July 1990
Nutrition Consultant and Director of Nutrition Services (Algoma Health Unit, Elliot Lake, Ontario)
Position Projects and
Responsibilities
Direct, plan and evaluate nutrition programs.
Provide nutrition education and consultation to agency staff, community professionals, media, schools, recreation and social service agencies, community groups and local consumers.
Develop nutrition education materials, techniques, guidelines and policies.
Assess the overall nutrition needs of the community and establish priorities and policies to meet those needs.
Design, implement, evaluate and modify nutrition programs.
Coordinate and conduct diabetes education meetings and workshops.
Teach the breastfeeding and nutrition components of the prenatal program.
Write a bi-weekly nutrition column for the local newspaper and a nutrition newsletter for district schools.
Respond to media inquiries, providing radio and television interviews as needed.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICES/
RELATED VOLUNTEER WORK:
Co-Director of the Okanagan Health Forum (2004-present).
Food and Nutrition Director – TRACS – Kelowna (2004-present).
Organic Athlete Nutrition and Advisory Board – (2004 to present).
Vegan Advocacy Director, CARE (Compassion for Animals Road Expedition and Lecture Tour), (2003-2004).
Past-chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association (2001-2002).
Chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association (2000-2001).
Chair-elect of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association (1999-2001).
Board of Advisors, Institute of Nutrition Education and Research, Hawaii (2000-present).
Board of Advisors, Earthsave International (2001-present).
Scientific Advisory Board of VegNews (2000-present).
Eat This Speaking Tour, Board of Advisors (2000-2002).
Scientific Advisory Council of the American Humane Society (1999-2000).
Executive Member of B.C. Vegetarian Dietitian’s Group (1993-1996).
Consulting Nutritionist to CBC Radio (1984 to present).
Coordinator of a Local Health Unit-Based Eating Disorders Program (1987-1990).
Volunteer Nutritionist -- Canadian Cancer Society (1987-1994) and Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation (1987 to 1998).
Leader of Elliot Lake Nursing Mothers Group (1987-1990).
Leader of Nursing Mothers Group (1987-1990).
PUBLISHED BOOKS/
RECENT PROFESSIONAL
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
Optimizning Essential Fatty Acids in Vegetarian Diets. Today's Dietitian lead article. March 2010.
Becoming Raw (Davis, Melina and Berry, Book Publishing Company, 2010).
Defeating Diabetes: Lessons from the Marshall Islands. Today's Dietitian lead article. August 2008.
The Complete Vegetarian (edited by Peggy Carlson - fats chapter by Brenda Davis, University of Illinois Press, 2008).
Raw-Food Revolution Diet (Soria, Davis and Melina, Book Publishing Company, 2008).
Defeating Diabetes (Davis and Barnard, Book Publishing Company, 2003).
The New Becoming Vegetarian (Melina and Davis, The Book Publishing Company, 2003).
Becoming Vegetarian (revised and updated)(Melina and Davis, Wiley, 2003).
Achieving Optimal Essential Fatty Acid Status in Vegetarians: Current Knowledge and Practical Implications (Davis and Kris Etherton, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003).
Dairy-free and Delicious (Davis, Clark-Grogan and Stepaniak, Book Publishing Company, 2001).
Becoming Vegan (Davis and Melina, Book Publishing Company, 2003).
Becoming Vegetarian (Melina, Davis and Harrison, Macmillan Canada, 1994; Book Publishing Company, 1995).
SELECTED LECTURES/
WORKSHOPS FOR
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS:
Tzu Chi International Medical Association Conference. Defeating Diabetes (keynote address); Big Blunders. Hualein Taiwan, (Oct. 2009).
Dietitians of Canaada Annual Conference. Fine Tuning Vegetarian Diets. Charlottetown PEI. (June 2009).
World Vegetarian Congress. Big Blunders, Simple Solutions (plenary); Defeating Diabetes. Dresden Germany. (July 2008).
Dietitians of Canada Annual Conference. Defeating Diabetes: Lessons from the Marshall Islands. Winnipeg Canada. (June 2008).
Marshall Islands Ministry of Health. Cardiac Counterattack. Marshall Islands (March 2008). The Health Professionals Forum – Penticton Health Center and Kelowna General Hospital. Defeating Diabetes: Lessons from the Marshall Islands. Kelowna and Penticton BC (Feb. 2007).
Ministry of Health Physicians and Health Professionals Conference. Defeating Diabetes. Majuro Marshall Islands (Oct. 2006).
Physicians Grand Rounds. The Optimal Diet. Majuro Hospital, Marshall Islands (Oct. 2006).
3rd Annual Nutrition and Health Conference – University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine. Plenary Session - Vegetarian Nutrition in Practice: Big Blunders, Simple Solutions; Breakout Session - Ask the Expert. Tucson Arizona (May 2006).
BC Interior Cardiology Update. Cardiac Counterattack. Kelowna BC (Feb. 2005).
National Nutrition Conference of Belgium. Defeating Diabetes and Practical Issues in Vegetarian Nutrition. Brussels Belgium (Dec. 2005).
2nd Annual Nutrition and Health Conference. University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine. Plenary - Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition. Tucson Arizona (2005).
Interior of BC Cardiology Update for Physicians. Cardiac Counterattack. Kelowna BC Canada (2005).
North Dakota Dietitian’s Association Annual Meeting. Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition. Grand Forks, North Dakota (2005).
Coronary Health Improvement Project – Scientific Presenter. The Optimal Diet; Defeating Diabetes; Exploding Nutrition Myths; Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition and Fine Tuning Fats. Vancouver, BC Canada (Nov. 2004).
Diabetes Educators Update. Defeating Diabetes. Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas (Feb 2004).
National Institutes of Health. The Optimal Diet. Washington D.C. (Dec. 2003).
State College Faculty and Staff In-Service. Defeating Diabetes. State College PA (Dec. 2003).
4th Annual National Nutrition Conference. Maximizing Essential Fatty Acid Status in Vegetarians. London England (Nov. 2003).
National Institutes of Health. Defeating Diabetes. Washington D.C. (Oct. 2003).
Dept. of Family Medicine Grand Rounds. Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition – SUNY Stony Brook Hospital, Long Island New York (Oct. 2003).
Mather Hospital Staff Nutrition Update. Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition; The Optimal Diet and Exploding Nutrition Myths. Long Island NY (2003).
Brookhaven National Labs Occupational Medicine Clinic. The Optimal Diet. Long Island NY (Oct. 2003).
Occupational and Environmental Physicians of Michigan Annual Conference. Defeating Diabetes. Kalamazoo MI (Sept. 2003).
Binghamton Hospital Physician’s Grand Rounds. Defeating Diabetes., Binghamton New York (April 2003).
Diabetes Education Center Long Island Update for Physicians, Dietitians and Diabetes Educators. Defeating Diabetes. Long Island NY (April 2003).
Center for Health. Defeating Diabetes. New Jersey (March 2003).
Chestnut Hill Hospital. Defeating Diabetes. Philadelphia Pennsylvania (March 2003).
Cutting Edge Vegetarian Nutrition. Medical Update Conference . Brussels Belgium (March 2003).
The Fourth International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition. Essential Fatty Acids in Vegetarian Diets. Loma Linda University, Loma Linda California (April 2002).
The American Dietetic Association Annual Conference and Exhibition. Becoming Vegetarian: what dietitians need to know. St. Louis Missouri (Oct. 2001).
Convocation. Changing the World One Bite at a Time; Nutritional Assessment Workshops. Colorado Springs Colorado (March 2001).
National Nutrition Conference of Belgium - Fine Tuning the Fat for Infants and Children (December 2000)
The American Dietetic Association Annual Conference and Exhibition. Omega 3, 6, and 9 Fatty Acids: What is the Optimal Balance? Atlanta Georgia (October 1999).
Beyond Borders: Joint Meeting of The Canadian Dietetic Association and The American Dietetic Association. The Ornish Program: 5 Years Later. Vancouver B.C. (June 1999).
Integrative Medicine: The Role of Diet. (Pittsburgh PA, April 1999)
B.C. Cancer Agency Health Professionals. Vegetarian Nutrition in Cancer Prevention. Surrey BC – Video linked to other health sites (June 1998).
Congres de Nutrition de l’union des Antilles et Guyane Francaises. Vegetarian Nutrition During Pregnancy, Lactation, Infancy And Childhood. Martinique (April 1998).
The Third International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition. Nutritional Assessment of the Vegetarian Diet. Loma Linda University, Loma Linda California (March 1997).
Cardiology Updates for Physicians. The Role of Diet in Heart Disease Treatment and Prevention. Several conferences in the Vancouver area from 1995-1999.
