Nicole Pazdziorko of Clinton joins Food City’s health and wellness team
A dietitian is a health professional who is a food and nutrition expert. They have extended education and specialized training to promote health and prevent or treat disease through food.
“Many of the issues that adversely affect our health and wellness are a direct result of our eating habits, good or bad,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer.
“We’re happy to welcome two new licensed, registered dietitians to our wellness team. This enables us to continue to offer programs and services to better educate our consumers and associates as to the nutritional value of their purchases and assist them in making more-informed choices for their families.”
Pazdziorko, RDN, LDN, earned her bachelor of science degrees in Kinesiology and Food Science & Human Nutrition from the University of Maine in Orono. She then completed her dietetic internship and graduate coursework through Iowa State University – an accelerated distance program, which allowed her to complete her rotations in Maine. Pazdziorko has experience working in the retail environment, beginning in a part-time capacity for a regional supermarket chain in college and eventually moving into a full-time role as assistant department manager while continuing her coursework. Upon completion of her dietetic internship she worked as a retail dietitian for the chain, where she served as the in-store nutrition resource for customers and associates and promoted supporting programs. During this time, she also worked as clinical inpatient dietitian at Southern Maine Healthcare, where she provided medical nutrition therapy for patients with a variety of diseases. Subsequently, Pazdziorko served for two years as a clinical outpatient dietitian for the Elliot Center for Diabetes Management and Advanced Nutrition Therapy in New Hampshire, where she counseled and educated patients in the bariatric surgery program, in affiliation with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
Pazdziorko currently lives in Clinton with her husband, Matt, and their two Labrador Retrievers. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, cooking, and running, having completed four half-marathons.
“Good nutrition is our first line of defense against the development and progression of many chronic diseases, which is why having a reliable resource available for customers and associates is so crucial,” Pazdziorko said. “I am passionate about health promotion and disease prevention, and excited to be joining Food City’s team and serving in this role. There is no better place to promote health and wellness than in the grocery store, where the majority of our food choices are made.”
Moir, RDN, LDN, was born and raised in Richlands, Virginia. She completed her bachelor of science degree at Radford University, studying Nutrition and Dietetics. She then completed her dietetic internship at Virginia Tech, with an emphasis on leadership and professional development.
“My interest in the career of dietetics was sparked by the career’s unique ability to spread awareness and promote improvement of health status through nutrition education and intervention,” Moir said.
“My passion for health and wellness is reflected in my day-to-day life. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with patients, colleagues, and the community to help achieve their best selves.”
