More than 680 Registered Dietitians work together to promote and support Albertans’ healthy living, every day.
Take a peek into working as a dietitian at Alberta Health Services (AHS) and learn more about our team.
The first time Chisom Chiwetelu stepped onto a pediatric unit, she knew that she wanted to work with children. “What drives me to be a dietitian is to help people discover a relationship with food that is peaceful, nourishing, and supports their overall well-being,” says Chiwetelu.
In her daily work she loves how the seemingly mundane question of ’what do you eat in a day’ unlocks so many aspects of a person including culture, traditions, values, and life experiences. “As a Nigerian-Canadian and one of the few Black dietitians in Alberta, I love being a representative for people of similar identities.”
Dietitians know that openly talking about what you eat and drink can be a vulnerable experience. Chiwetelu wants Albertans to feel that her office is a judgment-free zone. “Our goal is to listen and understand your challenges and work with you to find realistic and sustainable strategies to help you along your health and wellness journey.”
“Through counselling, initiatives, and group education, I work with Indigenous organizations and individuals to reduce the risk and improve the management of chronic diseases. I help build long-term partnerships that reach more people together.
I love what I do, because I have the opportunity to see our clients’ lives through nutrition! I love seeing what our communities achieve over time together.”
“Before coming to Canada, I was a Syrian refugee living in Jordan,” says Ahmad Al Hariri, a Registered dietitian in Lac La Biche. “My family and I experienced trauma in our war-torn country. With limited options, a chance to start over in Canada was the realization of an impossible dream.”
At 18-years-old, Ahmad arrived in Canada through World University Service of Canada (WUSC) as a recipient of the University of Alberta President Award for Refugees and Displaced Persons. In 2022, he graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Sciences, specializing in Dietetics.
Working in rural healthcare, Ahmad covers many settings, in hospital, nursing homes, public health agencies and providing counselling to individuals and families. Ahmad wants people to know that working with a dietitian can help change people’s relationship with food from a negative one to a positive one.
“When you work with a dietitian you can expect a personalized nutrition plan, along with education and counselling based on a comprehensive assessment,” says Ahmad. “My ultimate joy is when I help my clients manage their health condition.”
“In high school my good friend was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Seeing someone I cared about struggle so much with their relationship with food was impactful…”
Caitlin Wallis completed her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (Dietetics) and completed a dietetic internship in St. John’s, NL. As she looked for job opportunities, she began a Master’s program in Public Health and moved to Calgary where she worked in acute care, moved into renal care, and then landed in Cancer Care as a clinical dietitian where she stayed for 10 years before becoming a manager in Nutrition Services. “There is so much passion for food and so much care for patients and for coworkers. I can’t imagine working with a better group of people.”
One project Caitlin is excited about these days is a collaborative project between Foothills Medical Centre and Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network (PCN) so discharged patients receive tailored, follow-up nutrition care from Dietitians in their PCN. “It can be an overwhelming experience for patients. Providing support and follow-up care once people are back in their home allows them to better receive information and implement positive changes.”
When Jerry Lung was younger, he wanted to be a chef or doctor. Now as a dietitian, he gets to combine the medical aspect of nutrition with the culinary facet of food. “I’ve always been interested in food so it’s a profession that I am passionate about.”
Jerry explains his role as a dietitian at Rockyview General Hospital as being an essential partner in health and not as “the food police”. “I help improve someone’s nutrition by adjusting food options, providing nutrition support through tube feeding, IV nutrition, or even providing nutrition education on conditions.
Being dynamic is an important quality as a dietitian, as there is no cookie cutter approach; everyone’s lives are so different, and foods may have separate meanings to different cultures/traditions. We must adapt to every single person to allow for a meaningful interaction. Although our practice is focused on nutrition, we consider the bigger picture. We consider the rest of their medical care and what the patient may feel is the most valuable for them.”
“I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare because the most meaningful work to me is helping others,” says Alyssa Flatt, a public dietitian based in Fort McMurray.
“Being a public health dietitian is such a fun job because of the variety. I’m so happy to be working in northern Alberta doing what I love, helping to improve the health of Albertans . Some days I am traveling up to Fort McKay to help teach cooking skills, or help new parents by teaching classes about starting solid foods for infants, some days I am developing nutrition presentations for teachers to teach the nuances of developing a healthy relationship with food. In public health, partnerships are paramount so I work closely with childcares, schools, and community groups to provide nutrition expertise.
“Food is important in all aspects of health. My goal is to create nutrition messaging that resonates with people wherever they are on their health or learning journey.”
