Joint Symposium Speakers
Aida Miles, EdD, MMsc, RDN, CSP, LD, FAND, is associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, in the Division of Adolescent Medicine. She is also the director of the UAB Leadership Education in Pediatric Nutrition Program; a training grant funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to train professionals and students in pediatric nutrition and maternal and child health.
Dr. Miles has over 30 years of experience in pediatric nutrition and her expertise has focused on child and adolescent obesity, nutrition challenges of children with disabilities, and feeding and eating disorders in children and youth.
Dr. Nancy Emenaker is a Program Director in the Nutritional Science Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, where she oversees a basic and clinical research portfolio in nutrition and cancer prevention. She enjoys assisting investigators understand the how to construct their competitive applications for NIH and other Federal agency research monies. Dr. Emenaker received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University. She completed both her Postdoctoral training and a Fellowship in GI & surgical oncology at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Prior to joining NIH, Dr. Emenaker was an Associate Research Scientist in Physiology & Cellular Biophysics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons. Her research in translocating metastatic colonic and breast cancer cells earned her full memberships in the Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Gastrointestinal Malignancies, Carcinogenesis, and Prevention & Control Programs. She has numerous peer-reviewed papers, and invited national and international presentations.
Dr. Jacinda Roach is a registered dietitian who serves as the Maternal and Child Health Program Director for the Mississippi Public Health Institute. She has also taught in higher education for the past 27 years and has previously worked in a variety of clinical settings. Dr. Roach has a passion for health promotion, particularly when it comes to mothers and their communities. Dr. Roach also loves teaching and sharing her knowledge and experience with students.
Shakeizia “Kezi” Jones, CHES, MPH is the Program Manager for the R.E.A.C.H (Racial and ethnic approaches to community health) project at the Mississippi Public Health Institute in the Maternal and Child Care department. She received her master’s degree from Columbia Southern University in Public Health with an Emphasis in Health Promotion. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Southern Mississippi in Community Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health.
Kezi is certified by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., as a Certified Health Education Specialist. Her passion for community derives from her childhood where she volunteered for numerous non-profit organizations and developed a sense of leadership skills and community organizing.
Katherine Klee, M.S., is an Associate Evaluator for an array of community-centered public health grants with a focus on substance use and overdose prevention. She specializes in studying the social implications of mental health and suicidality with a primary focus on youth and young adults.
Karman Meyer, RDN, LD has 15 years of experience in the nutrition and food industry. She’s the author of ‘Eat To Sleep: What To Eat & When To Eat It for a Good Night’s Sleep‘ (2019) and ‘The Everything DASH Diet Meal Prep Cookbook‘ (2023). Karman is the host of ‘Eat To Sleep’, a PBS special program, and has been featured in publications such as Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, FoodNetwork.com, and WomensHealthMag.com. She is passionate about sharing the facts about food and nutrition, and encouraging others to use food as their all-natural solution to improved health.
Dianne Polly, JD, MS, RD, LDN is both an attorney and dietitian. She has resided in St Pete Beach Florida for the last year. She has served as President of TN, Delegate, and Speaker of the House of Delegates to the national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a frequent national lecturer on Ethics, Nutrition and Legal issues facing allied health professionals. She has taught basic nutrition at three Colleges. She is a foodie and a world championship BBQ Judge.
Courtney Lee MS, RDN, CLT, CFCS is a private practice and consultant RDN residing in Brandon, MS. Courtney has been a RDN for 10 years and has worked in a variety of clinical settings which ultimately led her to start her virtual private practice 6 years ago. Courtney loves to help people change their health and their lives through nutrition by meeting people where they are and finding the solutions that work for them! She is a mom of three young children, perpetual recipe modifier, and a casual runner.
