YPWA Member Spotlight July 2024

The YPWA Season officially starts in September, but the Board has been meeting to start planning events for the season ahead. We have several opportunities to connect with board and our members and we are SO excited to see you!!

We are excited to introduce to you one of our YPWA members, Kristen Fitzsimmons. Kristen is a registered dietician who enjoys running for fun in her spare time!

Member Details

Name: Kristen Fitzsimmons

Pronouns (or preferred name): She/Her/Hers

Hometown: Niskayuna, NY

When did you move to the Worcester area: 2018

A fun fact about yourself: I am running my first marathon, the Chicago Marathon, this fall! 

Number of seasons with YPWA:  3

Favorite YPWA event you’ve attended: The salsa dancing event at Raices was a lot of fun!

Local Recommendations/ Favorite Hot Spots

Favorite place to treat yo self: Palma’s Bakery

Favorite post-work meeting place: Redemption Rock

Tell us about your work in the world. What do you do?

Occupation: Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

What do you enjoy most about your current role? I enjoy helping people with diabetes learn about available technologies like continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps that can improve their quality of life. 

What are some of the most challenging parts of the work you do? Working with people who are looking for a quick fix or are not yet ready to make changes is most challenging. It can be difficult for people to understand that change takes time and that focusing on building habits and shifting mindset is typically most helpful in working to achieve a goal. 

What’s your favorite tip that makes work life easier for you? I love to go for a walk during my lunch break. It helps to break up the day (especially because my job is more sedentary) and helps me to focus in the afternoon. 

Finding your path, personally and professionally

What inspired you to the career path that you took? I was a runner in high school and remember reading Runner’s World Magazine and seeing articles written by Registered Dietitians; that’s when I first realized that profession existed. My high school track coach also always emphasized to us the importance of nutrition for running performance and recovery. I’ve also always enjoyed food and cooking, and eventually realized becoming an RD was a great way to combine a lot of my interests.

Thank you so much, Kristen! We've got several spots to feature our members for the 24-25 season. If you'd like to nominate yourself or a friend for the member spotlight, you can do so here. We thank all our outstanding members that have shared their experiences, tips, and love of the Worcester area with us this season!