FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DIETITIAN, LACTATION CONSULTANT, AND SOS FEEDING THERAPIST

Alicia has an unparalleled passion for nutrition that led her to found Pea Pod Nutrition and Lactation Support, Inc. in 2012. This passion started early in life as a child growing up in the agricultural town of Fresno, California. There she grew up on fresh, local produce grown in her family’s fruit and vegetable garden and the many gardens and farms nearby. Her parents raised her with an appreciation for health, nutrition, and the importance of fueling your body with wholesome foods. Alicia moved from California to Virginia to her “home by the sea” Hampton University to pursue a degree in Marketing. After graduating from Hampton University Alicia entered corporate America as a saleswoman. Although she excelled in her career she felt something was missing. An avid reader since her childhood, Alicia dove headfirst into any book, article, blog, or scientific journal she could get her hands on that dealt with public health and nutrition. Finally, Alicia decided to make the shift from a corporate sales career to that of public health and nutrition earning her Master’s degree in Nutrition from Georgia State University as well as her second bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Georgia State University. Alicia has a burning need to answer the “why’s” in life and her question of “why do African American mothers have the lowest rate of breastfeeding in the United States?” fueled the research behind her master’s thesis titled Sociocultural Barriers To Breast Feeding In African American Women With Focused Intervention To Increase Prevalence and spurred her involvement in the field of lactation. Her original thesis research was also the catalyst behind the creation of Pea Pod Nutrition and Lactation Support.

Alicia is active in her community as a volunteer with La Leche League International (Georgia Chapter),  on the Advisory Counsel for Postpartum Support International (PSI) Georgia, and Chair of the Membership Committee for the United States Lactation Consultants Association (USCLA) as well as the national liaison between the USLCA and National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC). She is also the author of 3 bestselling cookbooks and her new bestselling book Boost Your Breastmilk: An All In One Guide for Nursing Mothers to Build a Healthy Milk Supply. Alicia is currently working on her Ph.D. in Public Policy focusing her research and neonatal and maternal mortality. Her most important role is that of mother to her vibrant and energetic daughter.

DIETITIAN

Brooke is a passionate registered dietitian dedicated to helping women improve their overall health and well-being through nutrition. Throughout her career she has worked in various areas of nutrition and dietetics, from hospitals and long term care to outpatient medically supervised weight loss and even postsecondary education as an adjunct professor before diving into the world of private practice.

It is through her own lived experiences that she found her passion in women's health. Diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis in 2020 after over a decade of looking for answers, food truly became medicine as she navigated her diagnosis and recovery, successfully managing her chronic inflammatory condition to this day with diet and lifestyle. She is well-versed in nutrition for women from preconception to postpartum, PCOS, endometriosis, and more.

Her diet philosophy is simple. Food is essential to life and life is meant to be enjoyed. She views food as both fuel and fun, working with clients to optimize their diets in a nonrestrictive way that promotes balance, diversity, and sustainability. When you work with Brooke, you can put your fears of judgment, restriction, and guilt to rest. Instead, you can expect to be educated and empowered about your health.

Originally from Illinois, Brooke graduated from Saint Louis University in 2017 with a Master of Science in Medical Nutrition Therapy. Outside of work, Brooke is a busy mother to a 2-year old daughter and a loving wife to her husband. They reside in Orlando, FL with their Disney dog. In her free time she enjoys gardening, baking, traveling, spending time at the beach or boating, unwinding with yoga/pilates, and exploring various cuisines.

DIETITIAN AND DIABETES EDUCATOR

Caitlin has a passion for empowering people with nutrition knowledge, which she believes has the potential to lead to changes that enhance overall quality of life. She aims to educate in a way that meets clients where they are and helps them choose incremental, sustainable changes that will add up to make the difference they are hoping for.

Caitlin graduated from Southern Adventist University with an A.S. in Accounting and B.S. in Health Science. She always knew she wanted to work in healthcare, but just wasn’t sure where. After college, she found herself working in finance at a hospital research institute. While she loved working with numbers, she began to realize that something was missing. She wanted to work with people and have an impact on their daily lives. This led her to reconsider and pursue nutrition as a career. She completed a

M.S. in Nutrition Science at Georgia State University in 2016. From 2016-2021, Caitlin worked as a Clinical Dietitian in the hospital setting where she was known as the dietitian who actually liked getting an extra diabetes education consult, even on a busy day! She pursued this passion further by obtaining the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist credential in December of 2022.

Throughout her career, Caitlin has provided Medical Nutrition Therapy for prediabetes, diabetes, gestational diabetes, weight management, tube feeding, bariatric surgery, malnutrition, cardiovascular disease, and more. Since becoming a mother in 2023, she has discovered a special place in her heart for mothers and parents-to-be. Despite having an extensive nutrition background, she still found it challenging to navigate the deluge of opinions parents face when learning to raise and nourish children well. Navigating this journey herself lit a new passion in Caitlin for coming alongside parents, helping them make decision that are best for them and their individual children before pregnancy and beyond.

Whether a parent has diabetes in pregnancy or is just trying to decide how to start solids, Caitlin enjoys providing empathy and evidence-based support along the journey.

In her free time, Caitlin loves living life with her husband, 1 year-old daughter, and 2 dogs. She enjoys walking outdoors, managing home finances, traveling, baking, board games, and spending time with friends, relatives and church family.d parents-to-be.

NURTITION INTERN

Dr. Brandi Jones is a passionate advocate for public health nutrition, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities through evidence-based nutrition interventions. With a strong background in both research and practice,

Dr. Jones brings a unique blend of academic expertise and real-world experience to herwork. As a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Dr. Jones holds a Doctorate inPublic Health and a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree from prestigious institutions, including Indiana University - Bloomington. Her doctoral research focused on the association of diet and exercise with type 2 diabetes, providing valuable insights into addressing health disparities through nutrition interventions.

Dr. Jones has extensive experience working in diverse settings, including community health centers, public health departments, and academic institutions. She has developed and implemented nutrition education programs targeting various populations, ranging from children and adolescents to older adults and underserved communities.

In addition to her practical work, Dr. Jones is actively involved in research and scholarship in the field of public health nutrition. Her publications in peer-reviewed journals contribute to advancing the understanding of nutrition-related issues and informing evidence-based strategies for promoting healthy eating habits and preventing chronic diseases.

Driven by her commitment to health promotion and disease prevention, Dr. Jones is deeply engaged in advocacy efforts aimed at addressing systemic barriers to healthy eating and promoting policies that support access to nutritious foods for all. She serves on several advisory boards and committees, working collaboratively with stakeholders to develop and implement policies that promote nutrition education and improve population health.

As a dynamic speaker and educator, Dr. Jones frequently presents at conferences, workshops, and community events, sharing her expertise and inspiring others to take action towards healthier lifestyles and environments. Whether in the classroom, clinic, or community, Dr. Jones is dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to make informed choices that optimize their health and well-being.

Connect with Dr. Jones on LinkedIn to stay updated on her latest projects and initiatives in public health nutrition.

OUTPATIENT DIETITIAN

Esther is passionate about helping people to improve their lifestyle and overall health through nutrition. Esther strongly believes in a comprehensive and patient-centered approach to helping individuals to achieve their health goals in a gradual, sustainable, and realistic way. Esther loves to work with diverse and vulnerable populations by providing tools or helping them find available resources within their community.

Esther graduated with a B.S. in Dietetics, Food, and Nutrition from H. Lehman College, NY in 2017. She completed her M.S. in Clinical Nutrition from H. Lehman College in 2019. Esther has been working in the field for years now, specializing in the management of chronic health conditions and weight management. In her practice as RD, Esther has worked in several branches of the nutrition field, such as Prenatal/Infant nutrition at the WIC program, Geriatrics, HIV, Food Service, Bariatric Surgery, Diabetes, and Heart Disease management and prevention, and weight management as well. Esther also has worked as a Renal Dietitian for a couple of years, helping vulnerable dialysis patients in the Bronx, NY.

Esther has worked within different sections of the population in NYC, acquiring a broader perspective of nutrition patterns and cultural preferences. She loves providing nutritional advice in a way that resonates with people of different backgrounds and who speak different languages. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and also speaks moderate Portuguese. Becoming an RD has increased her commitment to helping people to improve their eating habits and overall health status through a healthy and balanced diet along with motivating and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

In her free time, Esther loves to spend time renewing her spirit with God, reading, singing at church, spending time with the family, listening to Spanish and Brazilian music, and dancing.