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Valerie B. Duffy PhD RD Professor Valerie is Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources with joint appointment in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College and a visiting appointment in the Department of Neurobiology at the Yale University School of Medicine. With funding from NIH, USDA and the American Diabetes Association Foundation, she leads research in variation in oral sensation, food selection and chronic disease risk as well as improving diets of preschoolers and those of economic disadvantage. Dr. Duffy and her students have numerous publications and presentations at national and international meetings. She has received several awards for excellence in teaching, research and service. Graduate students that Dr. Duffy has mentored have pursued or completed doctoral degrees, hold leadership positions in public health, work in research and dietetics. Post Doctoral Fellowship, Yale University, Taste Psychophysics, 1994 PhD, University of Connecticut, Human Nutrition, 1992 Graduate Certificate, University of Connecticut, Gerontology, 1992 MS, Rush University, Nutrition, 1986 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, #677048, 1984 BS, Cornell University, Nutrition, 1982 Tina F Dugdale MS RN RD Extension Instructor Tina is an Extension Instructor in the Department of Allied Health in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She coordinates two of the community nutrition supervised practice courses in the Coordinated Dietetics Program. This includes the placement of undergraduate dietetics students in a variety of community sites where they will gain knowledge and competence in the nutrition and health care of low-income and culturally diverse individuals and groups. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2006 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2002 BS, St. Joseph College, Nutrition, 2002 RN, Robert Packer Hospital/Guthrie Clinic, Nursing, 1979 Heather Harrington MS, RD Extension Instructor Heather is an assistant extension instructor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut. The primary role of this position is to function as a public health nutritionist, reaching individuals of economic disadvantage with effective nutrition education program to improve dietary quality commensurate with the State Nutrition Education Plan. The secondary and complimentary role is to function as a preceptor for dietetics students in their community nutrition supervised practice working on this nutrition education plan. A Connecticut native, Heather attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with a B.S. degree in Nutritional Science meeting the didactic requirements in May 2005. She completed a 50 week Dietetic Internship at Yale New Haven Hospital in August 2006. She recently graduated from the Masters in Allied Health Sciences program in August 2008. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health Sciences, 2008 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2007 BS, University of Connecticut, Nutritional Science, 2005 Shristi Rawal Masters Student Shristi is a Masters Student in the Department of Allied Health pursuing a degree in Health Promotion. Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, She finished her undergraduate studies from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, GA with a B.A degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is currently researching on how genetic taste variation influences food preference and intake. BS, Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, GA , Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2006 Angie Corcoran Masters Student Angie is a Masters Student in the Department of Allied Health. Originally from Maine, she came to the University of Connecticut as an undergraduate and earned her BS in dietetics in May 2007. Currently she is working to improve dietary intake and physical activity among low-income preschool children in the state of Connecticut. BS, University of Connecticut, , 2007 Kerah Kennedy RD Masters Student Kerah is a Masters Student in the Department of Allied Health. A Massachusetts native, she graduated from UConn’s Coordinated Dietetics Program in May 2007 with honors. She is currently studying how genetic taste variation influences food preference and intake. RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2007 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2007 Katryna Minski Masters Student Katryna is a Masters Student in the Department of Allied Health Sciences seeking a degree in Health Promotion. A Connecticut native, graduated from the University of Connecticut's Coordinated Dietetics Program in May of 2008. She is currently studying how genetic taste variation influences food preference and intake. BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2008 John E. Hayes PhD Former Student John is a postdoctoral fellow in Community Health at Brown University. A former student in the lab, he continues to collaborates with Valerie and the rest of the team looking at relationships between genetics, taste phenotype, food sensation and dietary behaviors. Previously, John was a Sensory Scientist at DigiScents, Inc in Oakland, CA and a research assistant at the JB Pierce Laboratory in New Haven, CT. John was awarded the Rose Marie Pangborn Sensory Science Scholarship for 2005-2006. PhD, University of Connecticut, Nutritional Sciences, 2007 Graduate Certificate, U. of Connecticut, Quantitative Research (Psychology), 2007 MS, Cornell University, Food Science & Technology, 2000 BS, Cornell University, Food Science, 1998 Sarah A. Lanier MS RD Former Student Sarah completed her MS in August of 2005. Today, Sarah lives in outside Washington DC, where she works as the Health and Wellness Specialist for Stop & Shop/Giant Food. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2005 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2003 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2003 Mary E. Dinehart MS RD Former Student Mary completed her MS in August 2005. She currently lives in Boston where she is a research dietitican at Brigham & Womens. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2005 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2003 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2003 Elizabeth C. Kinsley RD Former Student Elizabeth is a Masters Student in the School of Allied Health. A Connecticut native, she graduated from the UConn Dietetics Program in May 2004 with Honors. She is currently working on ways to increase physical activity and vegetable intake in preschool children across the state of Connecticut. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2006 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2004 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2004 Kittie L. Kneeland RD Former Student Kittie is a Masters Student in the School of Allied Health. Originally from upstate New York, she graduated from the UConn Dietetics Program in May 2004. She is currently working on ways to increase physical activity and vegetable intake in preschool children across the state of Connecticut. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2006 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, #933738, 2004 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2004 Sabrina Noel MS RD Former Student Sabrina completed her MS in August 2004. She is current pursuing a doctorate in Nutritional Epidemiology at Tufts with Dr. Katherine Tucker. RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2005 MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2004 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2002 Bridget Sullivan RD Former Student Bridget completed her M.S. in May of 2007. She relocated to Washington, DC to work as a pediatric outpatient dietitian at Children's National Medical Center. She is excited to combine her experiences from the coordinated program (class of 2005) and her master's health promotion work and apply them in the field of diabetes and weight management in an urban pediatric population. MS, University of Connecticut, Allied Health, 2007 RD, Commission on Dietetic Registration, , 2005 BS, University of Connecticut, Dietetics, 2005