Carla is a Registered Dietitian working at the intersection of nutrition education and public policy. A graduate of Columbia University, she received a Masters of Science in Nutrition and Public Health. As a Public Health Nutritionist, she has focused her efforts on Food Insecurity and Maternal & Child Health through large scale government interventions targeting high-need populations.

Working for organizations such as the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, United Way of New York City, CAI Global Inc., and the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH), Carla has created and led nutrition trainings and workshops, conducted cooking demonstrations, and developed education materials and curricula. Over the course of her tenure, she has provided nutrition education workshops to over 2,000 community members and trained over 400 WIC employees in facilitated group discussion techniques. Clinically, she has provided individual and group counseling for public and private institutions including Columbia University's Celiac Center, Harlem Hospital, and Orange Regional Medical Center. 

In addition to counseling and teaching, Carla has extensive knowledge of program development, implementation, and oversight. She has created and piloted a nutrition incentive program, Bodega Bucks, in Brownsville, Brooklyn which led to an increase in access to a variety of affordable fruit and vegetables. Through her experience with the NYSDOH Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program and the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), she has used these skills to create realistic policies and procedures.  

Carla also served as the Director of the Division of Nutrition ​overseeing the New York State WIC Training Center.  As the content expert, there she developed curricula and delivered trainings to 2,000+ NYS WIC employees.  Over the course of her tenor, Carla developed over 100 nutrition focused trainings across multiple platforms including classroom and online modules.  Simultaneously, she practiced clinical nutrition with a focus on inpatient acute care and outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation at Orange Regional Medical Center. 

 

Currently, Carla works with the NYSDOH's Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program managing contracts for NYS food banks. She also volunteers with the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.