The Institution for Food, Nutrition, and Health Student Ambassadors are an integral component of our mission of collective success, interdisciplinarity and community responsibility. Student Ambassadors will be called upon to represent the IFNH at various meetings and events, as well as communicate and market the IFNH to students, stakeholders at Rutgers University, and to the New Jersey community at large. Student Ambassadors will also play a role in assisting with business models of the Institute, such as Harvest. Those selected for the position of Student Ambassador are students at Rutgers University who have demonstrated professionalism and dedication to the interdisciplinary fields of food, nutrition, and health. Each ambassador brings their unique Rutgers student experience to the IFNH as it continues to expand and serve as a state, national and global model for change and success.
Current Ambassadors
Hannah Briggs is a student at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences majoring in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics Option. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, trying new foods, and working out. Her interest in nutrition was sparked by ballet, which introduced her to a passion for health and wellness. She is also a member of the Healthy Dining Team, along with other student nutritionists, allowing her to spread her love for nutrition and conduct research under the guidance of Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN. Hannah is also a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, an honor society for the Nutritional Sciences. Nutrition has always been an essential part of Hannah’s life, and she is excited for the opportunity to be an IFNH Student Ambassador to promote nutrition education throughout the Rutgers community.
Jenny Campbell is a nutrition student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick New Jersey. She has always had a passion for cooking, the life sciences, and helping others. After a lifetime of personal attempts to deal with obesity and witnessing family members struggle with weight management, she decided to go back to school to find ways to help address the obesity epidemic. Jenny is a member of the IFNH Student Ambassadors and the Healthy Dining Team at Rutgers, and a fellow of the Menus of Change University Research Coalition. She works with these groups on community outreach projects, nutrition-based research, and educating students about nutrition. She co-authored a research project for the Healthy Dining Team that taught students about the greenhouse gas emissions associated with several animal and plant-based protein sources. Her project has been accepted for presentation at the Food ∓ Nutrition Conference & Expo. In her free time, Jenny likes to invent new recipes, play the piano, paint, listen to comedy podcasts, and take walks in the woods. She is usually in the middle of at least five books and hopes to one day finish all the books that she keeps adding to her library.
Jenna DeSimone is a senior at Rutgers University and is enrolled in the Accelerated BS/MPH program. She is majoring in public health, minoring in psychology, and working towards a concentration in epidemiology at the School of Public Health. Since she was young, Jenna has always sought to ensure the health of those around her. As she has entered the field of academia, the concern of health disparities has become far more apparent, and especially more important when the pandemic exacerbated many pre-existing disparities. She has specific interests in chronic illnesses and the impact of early intervention to minimize one’s risk of becoming ill. Jenna has a specific interest in detecting the relation between early intervention and disease through statistics and data analysis. After becoming an aunt, Jenna is more motivated to make an early impact on children's lives to ensure their health in the future. In addition to working in the community as an IFNH Ambassador, Jenna is also working with the New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative (NJHKI).
Holly Dorsett is a third-year student majoring in Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics option. From an early age, Holly experienced the power of healthy eating first-hand and its ability to make such a positive change in one’s life, leading her to want to pursue further education on nutrition. In addition to being an IFNH Ambassador, Holly is also a member of the Healthy Dining Team led by Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN. Through the team, she can educate Rutgers students about healthy eating in the dining halls. She is also a member of the Rutgers Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu (KON), the leading honor society for the Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers and Human Sciences nationwide. Holly’s desire for nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, and exercise are key factors in her plans to work towards a master’s degree and acquire her Registered Dietitian credentials. Holly is excited to work with The NJ Healthy Kids Initiative (NJHKI) to provide all kids, no matter their circumstances, with the tools to live healthy and sustainable lifestyles.
Alyssa Guidetti is a senior studying Nutritional Sciences within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University. She grew up enjoying fitness, which enhanced her interest in nutrition and sparked her motivation to obtain her Registered Dietitian credential. Along with being an IFNH Ambassador, Alyssa is also a member of the Healthy Dining Team, which allows her to spread her acquired nutrition knowledge throughout the college population with fellow Nutritional Sciences students and conduct research under Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN. She also works alongside Rutgers Sports Dietitians and is a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, an honor society for Nutritional Sciences students. These positions allow Alyssa to learn more about nutrition each day and grow her passion for the field of nutrition and dietetics. She is also involved in many research projects through her position as a Menus of Change University Research Collaborative fellow. Alyssa is grateful for her opportunity to be an IFNH student ambassador, as it provides her with a unique experience of working towards solutions for nutritional challenges within her community.
Lindsey Hardmeyer is a third-year student majoring in Nutritional Sciences- Dietetics option. Her love for nutrition and health began early in her life, due to her own family’s health concerns including challenges relating to IBD, UC, and diabetes. Lindsey was intrigued by how food can be medicinal and used as a preventative measure. Overtime, this interest developed into a passion that led her to Rutgers University to pursue a master’s degree and acquire her Registered Dietitian credentials. Lindsey is also a member of The Healthy Dining Team, which, under the guidance of Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN, offers her the education, hands-on experience, and opportunities to accentuate what healthy eating is and provide guidance for her fellow peers. Lindsey is most recently a member of the Rutgers Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu (KON), an honor society for Human Sciences. In her spare time, Lindsey volunteers at The Child Institute of Health, under the supervision of Melanie Lee M.S/RDN, focused on Pediatric GI and Nutrition for the New Brunswick community. Lindsey wishes to work in pediatrics in the future because she believes it is an especially important developmental stage in people’s lives and lays down the framework for a healthy lifestyle. She also loves animals, the beach, and cooking.
Rachel Ho is a fourth-year student majoring in Nutritional Sciences, Food Service Administration option, and the ESL 5-year program in the Graduate School Education. Upon graduating, Rachel wishes to become a Home Economics teacher to teach nutrition education and culinary literacy to students in public schools in a classroom setting. From an early age, Rachel has enjoyed foods from many different cultures. That appreciation grew into an interest in how food brings people together and contributes to healthy lifestyles, especially for students at an especially important developmental stage in their lives. She is also a member of the Healthy Dining Team, and alongside other Student Nutritionists they provide evidence-based nutrition education for the college population and conduct research under Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN. Rachel is also the Treasurer of Kappa Omicron Nu, an honor society for Human Sciences. She is honored to be a part of the IFNH Student Ambassadors and to continue providing nutrition education to the community.
Sheryn Jacinto is a junior student majoring in Nutritional Sciences with a focus on Dietetics. For the past three years, she has embraced a vegan lifestyle and developed a keen interest in culinary exploration. Sheryn's love for experimenting with diverse flavors and cuisines has ignited her passion for cooking. Beyond the kitchen, she also has a deep enthusiasm for sustainability and fashion, with a love for thrift shopping. Sheryn's journey towards her current academic path is rooted in firsthand experiences. Having battled disordered eating and body image issues, she is driven by a desire to cultivate a healthy relationship with food. This drive motivated her to pursue a degree in Dietetics, where she can immerse herself in a comprehensive study of the nutritional benefits that food offers. As an IFNH Student Ambassador, she is eager to team up with others who share her passion and work on addressing health challenges, as well as equipping children from diverse backgrounds with the resources for healthy, sustainable living. Sheryn is grateful for this opportunity and is excited to make a positive difference.
Zolani Kizito is a junior at Rutgers University majoring in public health on a premedical track. From an early age, food has always been an important aspect of Zolani’s life. Spending her childhood in America, Brasil, and Uganda, she has come to know the significance of cultural foods and how ethnic dishes can be part of a healthy diet while keeping the integrity of the culture. When she was a little older, Zolani became fascinated with how food can be medicine. After her father was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus syndrome, a condition where acid can flow out of the stomach thus damaging the lining of the esophagus, Zolani wondered how diet can be used to tackle and prevent medical conditions. Zolani’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, reading, learning languages, and making jewelry. As an IFNH Student Ambassador, Zolani is looking forward to getting involved in community outreach, research, and food education. Most of all, she is excited to learn about how nutrition can be more widely accessible and sustainable for generations to come!
Dristi Patel is a sophomore majoring in Nutritional Sciences - Dietetics Option. Growing up in a South Asian household, where the use of herbs and spices are heavily emphasized in diet and traditional health practices, she has witnessed firsthand how a "food as medicine" approach to nutrition can positively impact one's health. Dristi's cultural background, combined with her personal health experiences surrounding disordered eating, have inspired her to pursue Dietetics and obtain her RDN credentials. She hopes to use her passion for nutrition to educate others on the importance of diet in maintaining one's health as well as helping individuals maintain a healthy relationship with food without sacrificing the foods that they love. In addition to her academic interests, Dristi loves making art and dancing in her free time and is a member of the Rutgers Raas and Garba Association (RAGA), a competitive Indian dance team. She is both grateful and excited for the opportunity to work with the IFNH student ambassadors to provide nutrition education to her community.
Helen Yanes is a third-year student at Rutgers University majoring in Nutritional Sciences- dietetics option. By being a part of different teaching opportunities through the IFNH Student Ambassadors, she is dedicated to the importance of nutrition intervention in a community aspect for young children. In addition to educating the younger generation about nutrition, Helen also participates in the Healthy Dining team, collaborating with fellow Student Nutritionists to provide nutritional education to the college community. She believes imparting knowledge is a critical aspect to helping people change and is why she aspires to become a Pediatric registered dietician; to instill early nutritional education and lay the framework for healthy lifestyles. Helen, a first-generation Hispanic American aims to use her own experience with dietary disconnection due to cultural differences to assist others dealing with similar circumstances. She is very eager to be part of the IFNH Student Ambassador team and work alongside others to make a difference in the community.