Board of Directors

President*
Abbie Hebron has been working in Charleston, SC as a pediatric dietitian for the past four years, currently as a member of the pediatric oncology team at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital (MUSC). She moved to South Carolina from St. Louis, MO after graduating with her BS from Missouri State University. Since, she has also earned her MS in Dietetics from the University of Rhode Island and now practices as a CSP and CNSC. Most recently, she has become a therapy dog handler at SJCH, where she is able to spread joy and provide support during nutrition assessments and educations with the help of Cher, a sweet and sassy Golden Retriever. Abbie has been serving on the local CTDA board for four years, and is looking forward to her year as president this upcoming year. In her free time, Abbie enjoys baking, traveling, hiking, and playing tennis (or Pickleball as of recent) with family and friends.

Olivia sits on local and state-level committees to promote the expansion of “food is medicine” strategies across the state and to move the dial on medical reimbursement for these programs. She has led on the board of the Charleston Trident Dietetic Association for 5 years, serving as Secretary, President and IDEA Liaison. 

Jessie Hoffman, PhD, RD is a new Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition at Winthrop University.  She holds a Masters in Nutrition from UNC-Greensboro and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Kentucky.  After completing her PhD she completed her dietetic internship through Iowa State University. Her dietetic and research expertise are in gastrointestinal conditions and the gut microbiome.   

Currently, her research focuses on the impact of psychological stress and dietary factors (i.e. dietary fiber) on gastrointestinal health and the gut microbiome.  Additionally, Jessie is passionate about scientific and nutritional science communication, and does so regularly through social media.  From breaking down nutrition science to busting myths that are so prevalent in today's society, she strives to empower individuals to become responsible consumers of social media content and experts on their own bodies.

Catawba Pee Dee District President*

Charleston Trident District President*
Danielle Lee, RD

Anna Vitale

Piedmont District President*
Jeanne Smith

Membership Chair / New Member Liaison
Angela Fish

Public Policy Coordinator / Licensure Task Force Lead
Olivia Trapp, MS, RDN, LD is serving her second year as the Newsletter Editor for SCAND. She completed her undergraduate degree at Furman University and went on to complete her M.S. in Food, Nutrition and Culinary Sciences at Clemson University. She spent 3 years as a clinical inpatient dietitian before moving to primary care where she now serves pediatric and adult populations. Currently, Olivia is working with the SCAND Licensure Task Force on changes to our SC Dietetics law.

Melinda Boyd, DCN, MPH, MHR, RD, FAND, completed two undergraduate degrees: Muhlenberg College (BS in Biology) and Cedar Crest College (BS in Nutrition) before completing her dietetic internship with Sodexho (Mid-Atlantic). She is a registered dietitian in both the US and UK. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MPH) and the University of Oklahoma (MHR). She has also completed a doctorate of clinical nutrition (DCN) from Rutgers University. She completed her advanced level training for the program in the areas of gastrointestinal disorders and women’s health, with an emphasis in PCOS. 

Melinda is part time faculty at Cedar Crest College, teaching MNT in the dietetic internship and other courses in the MHS degree program. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct professor at a variety of online schools, with courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has recently started back teaching in person at Greenville Technical College. She is a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of culturally appropriate patient care. In addition to servings as the State Policy Representative for SCAND, she is also the Chair of the Cultures of Gender and Age Member Interest Group (COGA MIG). 

Annual Meeting Chair

Susanna Slukhinsky, RD, CSR, LD, CDN, is a Licensed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Professional Chef with over two decades of experience in clinical nutrition and culinary arts. She is the owner of Susanna Slukhinsky Nutrition, a private practice specializing in renal-focused care, where she creates personalized long-term nutrition plans for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Her expertise also spans diabetes, cardiac, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, transplant and maternity nutrition care. As a Board Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition, Susanna combines her clinical expertise with her culinary background to help clients achieve realistic, sustainable dietary changes that fit their lifestyle, health goals, and budget. She has served as a renal dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and New York Artificial Kidney Center, and has extensive experience providing medical nutrition therapy in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to her clinical work, Susanna was an instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College, where she taught the Culinary Medicine elective program. In this role, she provided didactic lectures to medical students on cardiac and renal nutrition and led cooking seminars to translate therapeutic diets into practical meals. Susanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Nutrition Sciences from Brooklyn College (Cum Laude), a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from Cornell University, and multiple culinary certifications from the French Culinary Institute in New York. She is actively involved in professional organizations, contributing to publications and national conferences, and continues to be a leader in the field of renal nutrition and culinary medicine.

Annual Meeting Chair Elect

Continuing Education Chair 
Leah Price, RD

Courtney Fuller is an accomplished clinical dietitian and clinical nutrition manager at Conway Medical Center, located in Conway, SC. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, where she also successfully completed the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. Courtney has a passion for diabetes management, she currently co-directs the Conway Medical Center Diabetes Support Group and is working towards obtaining her Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) certification. Outside of her hospital responsibilities, Courtney's impact extends to the local community by conducting nutrition workshops at Sea Haven for Youth, a local non-profit organization providing a safe space for youths in crisis. Courtney considers herself as a life-long learner and is currently in the Conway Medical Center & Costal Carolina University Healthcare Leadership Academy where she will obtain a professional certificate in healthcare leadership upon course completion. This is Courtney’s first year serving on SCAND and she is looking forward to her role as Sponsorship Chair.