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Panel Biographies

Below are biographies of the nutritionists who developed Healthy Ideas and the advisory panel of physicians and nutrition experts who reviewed our criteria utilizing USDA and FDA guidelines.

  • George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D.

    Dr. Blackburn is among the most distinguished experts in his field, holding the S. Daniel Abraham Chair in Nutrition Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is also Chief of the Nutritional/Metabolism Laboratory and Director of the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, which are affiliated with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Blackburn's laboratory investigates the most complex issues dealing with nutrition and health, including relationships between things like weight loss and health outcomes, low-fat diets and breast cancer. He has published over 400 journal articles on the subjects of nutrition, medicine, and metabolism, and is on the editorial board of many publications including, the Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Blackburn is the author of "Break Through Your Set Point - How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep it Off."

  • Paulette J. Thompson, MS, RD, LN

    Ms. Thompson has been the Health and Wellness Manager for Stop & Shop for over 4 years. As Health and Wellness Manager, she is responsible for the development of consumer programs and communications on health and wellness. She writes consumer communications, manages the recipe program and answers customer questions on food storage, diet, food safety and labeling.

    Prior to joining Giant Food, Ms. Thompson worked for the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center, the Prince George's County Department of Aging in Maryland, and the District of Columbia WIC program. She also has taught nutrition at community colleges in the area.

    Ms. Thompson has a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a master's degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Maryland-College Park. Ms. Thompson is a Registered Dietitian, a member of the American Dietetic Association and a Past President of the Washington DC Metro Area Affiliate of the Society for Nutrition Education.

  • Kristina Spellman, RD, LD

    Kristina Spellman is the research dietitian at the Center for the Study of Nutrition and Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She is responsible for the development and execution of the lifestyle management program based on the book, "Break Through Your Set Point" by Dr. George L. Blackburn. At the CSNM, Kristina takes a lead role in responding to nutrition related media queries and assists with study design development and implementation. Kristina also serves as a nutrition advisor in a variety of capacities, most recently focusing on nutrient symbols and their functionality within grocery stores aisles.

    Kristina has been a contributor as both author and co-author in various journals and textbooks including Obesity Management; Bariatric Times; Journal of the American Dietetic Association; Obesity Surgery-Patient Safety and Best Practices; and Kristina served as the nutrition expert on a multidisciplinary panel for the Medscape video CME entitled, "Small steps and practical approaches to the Treatment of Obesity". Kristina has been a guest speaker throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

    After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a BS in Nutritional Sciences, Kristina returned to UNH to complete her Dietetic Internship. Throughout her career, she has gained experience and insight into various aspects of nutrition by working in a number of diverse settings within the field including clinical, outpatient medical nutrition therapy, bariatrics, oncology, cardiac wellness, WIC and most recently research.

    Kristina is a proud member of the American Dietetic Association, Massachusetts Dietetic Association and both The Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition and Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Groups. Kristina serves as a mentor in the Pathway's Program at her alma mater, guiding undergraduate nutritional science majors as they begin their pursuit into the field of dietetics.

  • Victor L. Fulgoni, III, Ph.D.

    Dr. Fulgoni's background is the science of diet and nutrition. For nearly 15 years, Dr. Fulgoni was employed by the Kellogg Company. In his last position there, as Vice-President for Food and Nutrition Research, Dr. Fulgoni led the development of Kellogg's long-term nutrition research program. He is considered an expert in the physiological effects of dietary fiber. In 1998, this research culminated with FDA agreeing that psyllium, a unique soluble fiber, lowered cholesterol and thus the risk of heart disease.

    Since early 2000 Dr. Fulgoni has had a pivotal role in the development and implementation of Food Intelligence Technology™, and its integration into the Easy DietFit System™ website design. Dr. Fulgoni has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, predominantly on the effects of diet, in particular dietary fiber, on chronic disease prevention. He is a member of numerous organizations and associations including the prestigious American Society of Nutritional Sciences.

  • Kendrick Repko, MS, RD

    Ms. Repko is Regulatory Label Specialist for Daymon Worldwide the world's leading private label broker. Working at the Ahold USA account, Ms. Repko reviews all Stop & Shop and Giant corporate brand labels ensuring they are in compliance with government regulations. She also works closely with the design team to determine appropriate health claims for products.

    Prior to Daymon, Ms. Repko worked at a public relations firm that specialized in medical technology. She also worked as a nutrition consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and began her dietetics career at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA.

    Ms. Repko received her Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from University of Delaware and her Master's degree in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

  • Caroline M. Apovian, M.D., FACP, FACN

    Dr. Apovian is Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine. She also directs the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center, and Clinical Research at the Obesity Research Center there. Among other things, her group investigates dietary and physical activity interventions for obese people and the health improvement that come with changes to eating habits and lifestyles. Her particular areas of professional interest are novel medical treatments for obesity, and monitoring America's type 2 diabetes epidemic, particularly among the young. Dr. Apovian was recently awarded the Physician Nutrition Specialist Award given by the American Society of Clinical Nutrition to advance nutrition education throughout the medical profession. She is the Associate Editor of the Obesity Journal and co-editor of the Obesity and Nutrition Section of Current Opinion in Endocrinology and Diabetes and has also been the Secretary Treasurer of the The Obesity Society since 2005.

  • Thomas J. Moore, M.D.

    Dr. Moore is the Associate Provost at Boston University Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. He has a distinguished record of research in hypertension and nutrition. He was also chairman of the Steering Committee for the DASH Trial, a National Institutes of Healthsponsored study showing that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods (now called the DASH Diet) could substantially lower blood pressure. The findings of the study have become central to guidelines recommended by nutritionists. His current research focuses on using the internet, with its ability to reach millions of people, to improve eating and exercise habits. Dr. Moore has received awards from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.

  • Meghan Ostrander, RD

    Ms. Ostrander is a Regulatory Label Specialist for Stop & Shop and Giant Foods. She joined the Corporate Brands Quality Assurance team in July of 2008. Her responsibilities include ensuring that all corporate brand products are labeled in accordance with FDA regulation, and are accurate and informative to the consumer. She also participates in sensory evaluation of corporate brand products, working to maintain their integrity and high quality.

    Prior to joining Stop & Shop and Giant Foods, she worked in the Nutrition Department of the Greater Boston Food Bank. She maintained nutrient databases of the warehouse, developed healthy recipes based on pantry staples, and taught nutrition classes to Boys and Girls Clubs in Boston.

    She completed the Framingham State College Coordinated Program in Dietetics and became a Registered Dietitian in 2008 and is currently earning her masters degree in food and nutrition. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association.

  • Ms. Nancy B. Katz, MS, RD, LD

    Nancy Brenowitz Katz, MS, RD, LD, is a Lecturer and Dietetics Program Director at the University of Maryland. She is a Registered Dietitian with licensure in the District of Columbia, and in addition to her work in academia, she has experience in clinical and community nutrition and outpatient counseling. Mrs. Katz teaches numerous courses within the Department of Nutrition and Food Science and serves as Faculty Advisor to students in the Dietetics program. She currently holds the position of Education and Research Chair for the District of Columbia Metro Area Dietetic Association and serves on the Advisory Boards for three Dietetic Internship programs. She is also the Area Coordinator for her region for the Dietetic Educator of Practitioners Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association. Mrs. Katz has been the recipient of several awards including the Outstanding Dietetics Educator award from the American Dietetic Association and the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year award from the DC Metro Area Dietetic Association. Mrs. Katz has also received the Provost's Academic Advisor of the Year award and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association's Excellence in Instruction Award.