Field to Plate^® Creative Advisors

Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutritionist Mary Beth Augustine is a natural, holistic and integrative nutrition expert with over a decade of experience as faculty at two metropolitan teaching hospital based integrative medicine centers (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Beth Israel Medical Center for Health & Healing). While seeing 1200 people per year in individualized consultation Mary Beth marries the knowledge of science with the wisdom of nature to make personalized recommendations for the prevention and management of both acute and chronic conditions. Mary Beth's key insights into the natural, holistic and integrative nutrition field have made her a speaker of choice at leading integrative health forums and dietetic association conferences and events in America. A twenty plus year survivor of cancer who is living well with autoimmune disease, Mary Beth is dedicated to sharing her personal and professional passion to educate people about the interconnected health of people, food and land.

Rocky Durham is a graduate of the Western Culinary Institute where he trained in Classical French Technique (Le Grande Cuisine). Since culinary school Rocky has worked professionally in 21 countries on 5 continents, hosting television and radio shows, writing an internationally syndicated newspaper column and ultimately finding his true calling in the world of education. Returning to his beloved New Mexico where he created and assumed the role of Culinary Director at the internationally acclaimed Santa Fe School of Cooking. Rocky teaches culinary arts at the Santa Fe Community College, Monte Del Sol Charter School and throughout Santa Fe with the amazing program, Cooking with Kids.As well as teaching, Rocky writes for New Mexico Magazine, lectures around the world and works closely with the farms and ranches of Northern New Mexico. Rocky has worked side by side with Field to Plate to develop inspirational food education teaching techniques and mediums. He serves as one of Amanda Archibald’s principal advisors on culinary creativity and educational concept development.

Karen Ehrens is a health and nutrition consultant, registered dietitian, and policy advocate. She works to connect people to health & wellness through communication, coordination, advocacy, and food & nutrition. Karen holds a Certificate in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, and obtained undergraduate degrees from North Dakota State and Minot State University. Karen completed internships in both dietetics and the U.S. Congress. Karen is involved in her community as a volunteer with the Prairie Public Broadcasting board, the North Dakota Dietetic Association, the school Health Council, and in the garden at her daughter’s elementary school in Bismarck. She and her husband, a chef, together teach community members how to eat like Mediterraneans on the prairie.

Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian, investigative nutritionist and award-winning journalist. Her  "Food  Sleuth" radio interviews, columns and conference keynotes help consumers "think beyond their plates."

Melinda formerly developed and directed the Nutrition Communications Center at the University of Missouri, where she blazed the trail blending media literacy with nutrition education.  Her W.K. Kellogg Food and Society Policy Fellowship allowed her to connect the dots between food, health and agriculture. Today her work focuses on promoting critical thinking and "food system literacy."

Because of her dedication to organic and sustainable agriculture, Melinda serves as consumer advocate advisor on both MOSES and OFRF Boards.

Melinda received a B.S. in Dietetics from Florida State University, completed her dietetic internship through Cornell University, and received a Masters in Human Nutrition from the University of MO – Columbia.

Christine McCullum-Gomez is a food and nutrition consultant and writer whose areas of expertise include: environmental health, community food security/systems, organic agriculture, sustainability, and school and worksite wellness. Dr. McCullum-Gomez serves on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the Organic Center – www.organic-center.org. She also serves as a column editor for the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition and is Co-Chair of the Connecting Sustainability to Food Security Task Force for the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association – www.hendpg.org.

Dr. McCullum-Gomez received a PhD in Nutritional Sciences form Cornell University with minors in Program Evaluation and Public Affairs. She received her BS and MS degrees in Nutrition from The Pennsylvania State University, and is also a registered dietitian (RD).

Julie Negrin, M.S., is a certified nutritionist and cooking instructor. Julie has been teaching adults and children how to cook for over 12 years and spent 5 years as the Director of Culinary Arts at the JCC in Manhattan. She has been a guest chef on Sesame Street and the Today Show with Al Roker. She currently teaches and conducts trainings for various schools, organizations and companies in Seattle and New York City. She has a blog, My Kitchen Nutrition which you can find at her website, www.julienegrin.com. Her first cookbook, for parents and kids, is due out in summer, 2010.

Since her ice cream dipping days at Frosty's in Peoria, Illinois, Robin Plotkin, R.D. has maintained her passion for food, the culinary arts and nutrition through her career in the food industry. Robin launched her culinary and nutrition communications consulting business in 2000. Her unique niche of combining food and nutrition expertise with her background in speaking, writing, media work and public relations experiences have created a diverse client base including: Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, Taco Bueno Restaurants, Sara Lee, Bausch and Lomb, Unilever, Avocados from Mexico, popchips!, Sysco Foods, Fisher Pay Kel Appliances, the American Institute of Wine and Food and DMA & Associates, a produce industry boutique marketing group.

A nationally recognized speaker and educator, Robin is a pro at translating the often times confusing nutrition messages into realistic, fun and understandable terms for her audiences. Her high energy and enthusiasm is contagious and as a result, she is routinely asked back for additional speaking engagements and cooking demonstrations! Audiences of 5-5000 will relate to her humorous, hands on approach to every day living, eating well and staying healthy. Robin shares her knowledge and experiences with people of all ages across the US via traditional and technology based venues.

Robin is a sought after culinary and nutrition expert and appears regularly on TV, radio, in print and in social media. She was most recently quoted in USA Today, Prevention Magazine, Today's Dietitian and Woman's Day. She tweets, teaches, talks and tastes food for a living and blogs weekly about her experiences for the Dallas Morning News Moms Blog.

Robin lives in Dallas with her husband, son and 2 rescue dogs. She is a member of Les Dames D'Escoffier, the American Dietetic Association and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Art Institute of Dallas' Culinary Arts program.

Mark Rifkin, MS, RD, LDN holds a Master's Degree in health education and is Baltimore's "Green Dietitian". Through presentations in many different settings, he's helping to green the nation's eating style. He also presents workshops on preventing and treating chronic health problems, such as heart disease, breast cancer, bone/joint problems and diabetes, as well as other topics, such as reducing food costs. He has been presenting on nutrition and food-related topics since 1997.

For over 25 years, Anne-Marie Scott, PhD, RD has enjoyed a career in nutrition that has been fueled by her passion for great food. Studying and working in a variety of fields, from clinical dietetics to food service management and education, Dr. Scott is able to bring her knowledge of food to a wide audience. She is currently educating students at the University of NC Greensboro and families at the nation's first children's museum Edible Schoolyard Project.  Dr. Scott is a natural edu-tainer and enjoys speaking to audiences, both large and small, about nourishing lives through whole foods. As a community organizer and the Director of the Locavore Continuum, her work continues to bring together business and science professionals, students, consumers, farmers and artisanal food producers to create a loci of learning and delicious living.