Who: Claudia Carberry, MS, RD, CSG, LD

What: Outpatient Dietitian serving at UAMS as a kidney transplant dietitian (M-Th) and counseling patients for weight loss (Fridays)

Where: Little Rock, AR

When: Graduated with BS in 2007 from Southeast Missouri State University; spent a gap year in Honduras and then graduated with MS and completed the DI in 2010 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Why did you become a Dietitian and/or special interests or passion in the field of dietetics? Like many, I became a dietitian with the hopes of impacting the health and wellness of others.  My career path has led me to some interesting places, starting in Pine Bluff where I got a taste for long-term care, acute care, and management.  After several years I decided to make a change and began working at the Longevity Clinic at UAMS and doing inpatient education.  I became a Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition during that time.  Currently, I'm learning- and loving- transplant nutrition.  It's so inspiring to be a part of this life changing team!  (If you haven't already, please register to be a donor.  Donate life!)  Additionally, I still get to help patients lose weight and control blood sugars.  I enjoy seeing objective measures improve.  

Anything else:  Last year, my husband and I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail.  We walked for 6 months through 14 states- a total of 2,189.1 miles.  Since then, I have launched a small business called Charge the Trail: Nutrition for Long-Distance Hikers.  (www.chargethetrail.com)  It's been fun for me to help other hikers prepare nutritionally for their hikes.

Fun Fact: My favorite job of all time was selling fresh fruit at a roadside stand in New Zealand.