DDA Board of Directors

Governance Committee

President

Katie Painter, MS, RDN

Katie was born and raised in Colorado. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nutrition and Health Sciences. During this time, Katie also achieved a minor in Business Administration and a certificate in Transdisciplinary Childhood Obesity Prevention. Katie completed her Dietetic Internship at Tri-County Health Department and now works as the Clinical Nutrition Instructor for Metropolitan State University of Denver. She also works PRN for The Medical Center of Aurora and Rocky Mountain Pediatric Gastroenterology. Prior to becoming President of the Denver Dietetic Association, she served on the board of directors as a member of the PR/Social Media Committee and President-Elect. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, gardening, and traveling.

President Elect

Leisa Norman, RD, LD, UZIT

Leisa Norman is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian currently working as Senior Manager of Client Success at NextGen Healthcare. Leisa has a strong healthcare and healthcare technology background. Her extensive knowledge in patient experience and Telehealth, make her a subject matter expert in the future of patient engagement and healthcare technology.  Leisa holds a BS in Integrative Sciences with a Minor in Nutrition and Health from Oakland University and a second BS in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She completed Aramark’s Distance Dietetic Internship at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction in 2014 with an emphasis on leadership and emerging trends in nutrition. Leisa moved back to the North Denver area where she became the Clinical Nutrition Manager at a local community-based hospital in Boulder.  Leisa is also a Certified Urban Zen Integrative Therapist and Certified Yoga Nidra Teacher providing classes and education on self-care to healthcare workers, former patients, family  and friends in the community. Besides food and nutrition, you can find Leisa hiking with her husband and German Shepherd Dog Nella. With a hippie heart and medical mind, she continues to explore science and spirit through movement and meditation. Leisa is an avid yogi, Reiki healer and lifelong student. She loves to garden, cook, and get her hands dirty in every way food.

Past President

Jessica Roberts, MS, RDN

Jessica is a clinical Dietitian at Saint Anthony North. This is her fifth year on the board of directors. This year she is taking on the role of Past President. She completed her undergraduate degree at BYU, completed a distance internship in Colorado, and completed her Master's degree through Sage Colleges. She is very musical and plays the piano, organ and harp. Jessica has a golden retriever named Cosmo and loves the color pink.

Nominating Committee Chair

Lizzie Hellmann, RDN, CNSC

Lizzie Hellmann is a clinical Dietitian at The Medical Center of Aurora. This is her second year on the board of directors under the role of Nominating Committee Chair. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky, and completed her Internship in Winston-Salem, NC through Morrison Healthcare. Lizzie is originally from Tennessee. She is a runner and ran her first marathon in April 2019. She loves backpacking/trail running/anything outdoors.

Nominating Committee

Emily Hunt

Delaney McCutcheon

Delaney McCutcheon is a student at MSU Denver who is in her final year of earning her bachelors in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. She works for the food and nutrition services at North Suburban Medical Center while she finishes school. This is her second year on the board of directors under the role of MSU Student representative. Delaney was born in California but has lived in Colorado since she was three. She loves to paddle board, and tries to travel every year.

Regulatory Chair

Meeting Planning Committee

Meeting Planning Committee

Mary Kuester, RDN

Mary Kuester is an outpatient Dietitian at Children's Hospital, Colorado. This is her second year on the board of directors under the role of meeting planning committee. She completed a Coordinated program at St Joseph College in West Hartford, CT. Mary loves watching English Premier League Soccer (Go Liverpool!) . Her favorite hobbies include hiking, backpacking, and reading historical fiction.

Membership Committee

Secretary

Stephanie Neu, RDN

Stephanie Neu is a clinical Dietitian at The Medical Center of Aurora and is currently attending Colorado State University pursuing a Master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition. This is her second year on the board of directors under the role of secretary. She completed her undergraduate degree and her Dietetic internship at MSU Denver. Stephanie enjoys traveling, especially internationally; is a Colorado native; and she’s a firm believer in “a cookie a day keeps the doctor away.” 

Membership Chair

Brianna Landis

Brianna Landis is currently pursing a graduate degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from MSU Denver and works for Sticky Fingers Cooking. This is her second year or the board of directors as the role of membership chair. Brianna grew up in Alaska mushing dogs. She also loves to scuba dive (not in Alaska), and her household is absolutely run by a 13-year-old toy australian shepherd.

Membership Committee

Megan Pfeiffer

Megan graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU) in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. At MSU Denver, she served as a board member of the Auraria Campus Student Dietetic Association. Megan plans to become a registered dietitian in the near future. Her previous experience working with eating disorders ignited her passion for helping patients with nutrition. Recently, she volunteered with the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) for its Denver walk. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading for her monthly book club, hiking, camping, and snowboarding. This is her second year on the DDA board and she is excited to connect with others in the Denver dietetic community.

Diet Tech Representative

Julie Morse, DTR

Julie Morse is a Dietetic Technician Registered at Rose Medical Center. This is her fifth year on the board of directors under the role of DTR representative. She completed her undergraduate degree at Johnson & Wales University. She volunteers at Brent’s Place cooking nutritious meals for the families of children with cancer.  She enjoys the process of preparing the menus meeting the nutritional guidelines, such as gluten free and food allergies, provided to her by the staff at Brent’s Place. Julie recently got a new car, drove down pikes peak, and spent labor day in Angel Fire, NM.

Johnson and Wales Student Representative

Race Shepherd

Race Shepherd is a Culinary Nutrition major at Johnson & Wales University - Denver.  This is his third year on the board of directors as Johnson & Wales University Student Rep. He is the President of the JWU Mixed Martial Arts Club. Race is from Kansas City, Missouri, and hopes to be accepted to Kansas University's Dietetic Internship next fall.

Metropolitan State University of Denver Student Representative

Maria Kasatkina

Metropolitan State University of Denver Student Representative 

Robyn Malila

Public Relations

PR/Social Media Chair

Tessa Cushman, RDN

Tessa Cushman is serving her second year on the board of directors under the role of PR/Social Media Committee. She is now working as a full-time Diabetes Educator at Tri-County Health Department after completing her internship there in the 2019-2020 term. She is from Wisconsin and completed her DPD program at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. In her free time she enjoys playing and coaching volleyball, hiking, snowboarding, and socially-distancing with friends.

PR/Social Media Committee

Grace Perez, RDN, CLC 

Grace is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Lactation Counselor with a passion for clinical work and community education. She currently works as a Lead dietitian for Citrus Pear, teaches breastfeeding classes at Littleton Hospital, and works in the NICU milk lab at Saint Joseph Hospital. Grace is a Colorado native and completed her DPD program and internship at Metropolitan State University.  Grace loves spending time with her family, cooking, volunteering at her church, eating donuts, and spending time outside in beautiful Colorado. 

Speaker's Bureau Chair 

Taylor Schueth, RDN

Taylor Schueth is a Registered Dietitian at Vibra Rehabilitation Hospital of Denver & Vibra Hospital of Denver. She completed her undergraduate degree in dietetics at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and completed her clinical-focused dietetic internship at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. In her free time, Taylor enjoys teaching cycle classes at High Ride Cycle and loves being in the Colorado outdoors with her fiancé and goldendoodle. This is her first year on the board of directors.

Website Chair

Karina Montero

Karina is a current student at Metropolitan State University of Denver, pursuing her bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Her passions lie in public health, as she advocates for more equitable food systems through volunteering and working at the Denver Detention Center. She loves hiking in the summers, and snuggling her cat Millie in the winters. 

Historian

Melissa Lanes, RDN

Melissa Lanes is a registered dietitian and research assistant at the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Florida, and completed her dietetic internship at Meredith College in Raleigh. Melissa's hobbies include skiing, cooking, traveling, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and practicing yoga.

Volunteer Coordinator

Martha Prisby

Volunteer Committee

Chelsea Wisch

Chelsea Wisch is a senior nutrition major at MSU Denver. This is her second year to the board of directors under the role of MSU Student representative. She works over night at King Soopers, stocking shelves and listing to her school lectures while she works. Chelsea is an undergraduate nutrition intern at the Health Center on MSU camps and in the spring, she will be a TA for Medical Nutrition Therapy. She is also working on a grant project with a professor at MSU, to create a rooftop garden on top of the newly remolded Health center. Chelsea is a long distance runner and races in 2-3 half marathons a year. She would love to do a full marathon at least once in her life. She is obsessed with her dogs. She has a corgi named, Pancake, who is pictured in her head shot. He is her heart. Chelsea loves the outdoors. You can usually find her trail running, hiking, or camping in the mountains. 

Financial Committee

Treasurer 

Stephanie Weise, RDN

Fundraising Committee Chair

Brenda Reddy

Brenda Reddy is attending Metropolitan State University of Denver (class of 2021); dually enrolled in Nutrition Science and Human Nutrition-Dietetics. Brenda is a transplant from Philadelphia. This is her first year on the board of directors under the role of Fundraising Committee Chair. She is working as a CNA and a yoga teacher while in school. In her precious little spare time, she loves CrossFit, cycling, and hiking the beautiful mountains in Colorado!

Fundraising Committee

Braelen Hunt, RDN

Fundraising Committee

Detrick Snyder, MPH, RDN

Diversity Committee

Diversity Committee Chair

Stephanie Weise, RDN

Diversity Committee

Alyssa Thomas, MPH, RDN

Alyssa is a registered dietitian. This is her first year on the board of director’s Diversity Committee. She plans to apply for jobs in public health nutrition. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University as well as a master’s degree from the Colorado School of Public Health. This summer, she completed her dietetic internship at Tri-County Health Department. Alyssa is passionate about breastfeeding and working to mitigate and eliminate nutritional health disparities. In her free time, you’ll find her baking, enjoying friends and family, and taking advantage of the Colorado outdoors year-round (of course!).

Diversity Committee

Braelen Hunt, RDN

Braelen Hunt is a PRN Clinical Dietitian at the Medical Center of Aurora. This is her first year on the board of directors under the role of Fundraising Committee. Braelen completed a coordinated program in dietetics at Arkansas State University and is the 2018 Truman Scholar for Arkansas. She loves plants, biographies of strong women, and all lemon-flavored baked goods.