Olivia is 24 years old and grew up in Staten Island. Before studying nutrition, her career plan was to be a professional clarinetist. She grew up playing music and will always love it. For fun, she loves gardening, roller skating, listening to music, and playing with my pets. In the future, she would love to have her own private practice as a dietitian.
Olivia is a contributor to The Sylvia Center TikTok.
Q & A with Olivia
How did you become interested in the field of dietetics? Why do you want to be a dietician?
I became interested in dietetics after becoming vegetarian. I began researching different foods to add to my diet to make sure I had all of the nutrients I needed. I want to become a dietitian because I feel that eating a healthy diet can truly transform someone’s health and make them feel amazing. Nutrition can be confusing to a lot of people and I want to be the person that they can come to when they need guidance for their health.
What does food mean to you?
Food is SO important to me. I grew up in an Italian- American family and we always use food to celebrate and show love. It is so important to keep your culture alive through food.
What message do you want to tell young people about healthy eating?
I want to tell young people that while eating fruits and veggies is SO important for health, eating healthy should focus on balance, not perfection.
What is your favorite recipe to make?
My favorite recipe to make is stuffed artichokes! It is a family favorite recipe that was passed down to me from my Aunt Kathy. It is so delicious and brings back memories of cooking with her when I was a kid.
