Nutritional Sciences Mentors

Ali is a Manager in the Center for Consumerism at AVIA. He leads research on relevant topics and trends in digital strategy, specifically focused on patient communication, consumer strategy, and value based care, while adding value and contributing to strategic growth for health systems through advisory project work.

Prior to joining AVIA, Ali worked in administration in the ambulatory department at Henry Ford Health, where he conducted market assessments on regional competitors, helped shape a contact center strategy, and played an active role in a joint venture agreement with GoHealth. He also led efforts in the Contact Center to reduce turnover, enhance team engagement, and streamline operations.

Ali holds a Bachelor’s in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, and a Master’s of Health Services Administration in Health Management and Policy - both from the University of Michigan.

Hi! I'm Alison, I graduated from UM's MPH program in 2019. I currently work as a research grant editor at the University of Michigan, specifically supporting proposals that are focused on health services research. Some of my previous roles include program manager for a research coordinating center and clinical trial coordinator in the UM School of Nursing (focused on nutrition for chronic conditions). I am grateful to have had a variety of experience in public health communications and academic research. I'm from Grand Rapids, MI and I currently live in Ann Arbor with my dog, cat, and husband. I like reading, baking, running, and being outside, and I am looking forward to meeting you!

 Anna Arthur, Ph.D., MPH, RDN, is an associate professor in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at KU Medical Center. She also serves as director of the doctorate program in medical nutrition science.

   Before joining KU in 2021, Arthur was an assistant professor and Sylvia D. Stroup Scholar of Nutrition and Cancer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences from Michigan State University. Later, she received both her master's degree in public health and doctorate in nutritional sciences from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Arthur also completed a National Cancer Institute postdoctoral fellowship in cancer prevention and control at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

   Arthur directs the Nourish to Flourish Cancer Research Laboratory at KU Medical Center, where her research focuses on the role of diet in cancer outcomes, particularly among low-income and high nutritional risk patients. She applies methodologies from nutritional and behavioral sciences, as well as cancer and molecular epidemiology, to develop evidence-based dietary interventions aimed at improving survival, treatment tolerance and quality of life. She is a principal investigator of the NOURISH trial (R01 NR021468), a multi-site study evaluating a medically tailored groceries intervention to reduce malnutrition among food insecure hematologic patients undergoing transplant and cellular therapies. Her work informs clinical nutrition strategies to optimize oncology patient care and improve long-term health outcomes for adults with a history of cancer.

   In addition to her research, Arthur currently teaches graduate courses including ethics of clinical nutrition research, nutritional aspects of oncology, and health behavior counseling. She has also previously taught courses in nutritional epidemiology and nutrition assessment and therapy. She has mentored more than 55 trainees, ranging from high school students to postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have pursued competitive research, public health and clinical careers. She also serves on the board of editors of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the executive committee of the Oncology Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Arthur’s work is widely published in leading peer-reviewed journals and contributes to advancements in medical nutrition therapy for oncology care.

Haley is a client success executive with 10 years of experience in the health tech space, most recently working at startups. While she studied nutritional sciences when getting her MPH at U of M, she has leveraged the broader MPH education to work in client success across a variety of health tech opportunities, including revenue cycle consulting, patient education, SDOH analytics, and now specialty care referral management.

Hello, my name is Jackie and I graduated in 2023, completing my dietetic internship here at UM shortly after. Following my internship, I worked as an inpatient dietitian for a year in Charleston, WV. Currently, I am a first year medical student at Marshall University in Huntington, WV.

I earned my undergraduate degree in Biology from Emmanuel College in Boston, followed by an MPH in Nutrition at the University of Michigan.

I spent six years as a Public Health Nutritionist - first in Idaho, where I worked on an Indian Reservation, and later in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, where I helped establish the area’s first WIC program.

From there, I transitioned into pharmaceutical sales, beginning with nutritional products and later moving into oncology sales, training, and management. After 38 years in the pharmaceutical industry, I retired in 2021.

Today, my time is happily filled with caring for my granddaughter, volunteering with various organizations, and staying healthy, fit, and connected with family and friends.

Hi, I’m Julie Feldman, MPH, RDN! I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for over 25 years, working in everything from individual counseling to corporate wellness. I founded Thrive Nutrition Counseling, a nutrition private practice 20 years ago, to help people and organizations build healthier, more balanced lives. Along the way, I’ve represented the Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the media, and served on their fundraising committee. I teach and coach other dietitians throught the Commission on Dietetic Registration, and I am an author, speaker, brand ambassador, and guest lecturer at U of M Department of Kinesiology. Looking forward to meeting you!

Originally a practicing clinician, I pursued my MHSA after realizing I was most interested in the operational and strategic sides of healthcare. After working in digital care transformation for Kaiser Permanente for years, I pivoted toward consulting and still support clients like the VA and Military Health Services in technical health care delivery solutions.

   Vani Patterson, MPH, is the Administrative Director for the University of Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education (CIPE). Her early career spanned working in the U.S Senate to community nutrition in Detroit. When she returned to the University of Michigan, she provided consultation to health care teams across the country to improve patient-centered care for adolescents. In witnessing the profound impact of collaborative care, Ms. Patterson was drawn to the work of the CIPE. Her current interests are in leadership and culture change to transform practice and education to enable collaborative care and advance the quintuple aims of health.

Graduated with an MPH in May 2024, obtained my RDN license in June 2025. Currently I am a clinical dietitian in the Detroit metro area. Passionate about clinical nutrition, community health, and nutrition equity, with diverse experience in food service, outpatient, and private practice settings.

Zina Abourjeily currently works at Resolve to Save Lives as a Program Officer, Nutrition Policy. She supports the nutrition team with managing the global nutrition data and collaborate closely with in-country and global implementation partners.

Zina has spent the past 8 years working across the food and nutrition landscape—from researching novel plant proteins for animal-free eggs and supporting local food systems at farmers markets, to studying weight bias in parents and designing interventions to improve the nutrition environment for service members. Most recently, she led a pilot study demonstrating the feasibility and profitability of behavioral design strategies—such as price reductions and point-of-selection labeling of healthy items—at for-profit food venues on military installations. Her work has helped lay the foundation for expanded access to healthier food options across the military food system.

Zina holds a Master’s in Public Health in Nutritional Sciences and a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry and French Literature from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.