About Kay Schlegel-Pratt, MS, RD, LDN, CNSD

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Kay has studied nutrition since 1975. She received a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and a Master’s from Ohio State University both in the field of Nutrition Science. She became a registered dietitian in 1983 and began her career at UNC hospital as the nutrition support dietitian working with patient’s who were unable to eat by mouth. For the past 30 years Kay has worked in hospitals, home care, and corporate wellness and has taught at both undergraduate and graduate school at UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University.

Kay is the mother of two adult children and has a beloved Australian Shepherd named River. She loves being active and loves to be in or on the water.  Kay regularly swims with a master’s group and  has done plenty of boogie boarding, windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, white water rafting or canoeing and once even lived on a sailboat in the Caribbean. She also walks and bikes and plays volleyball on a neighborhood sand court. Vacations often include hiking or sailing with her husband. They have backpacked in the Grand Canyon, the Utah National Parks, the Appalachians, Rocky Mountains, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and White Mountains as well as many local trails. In 2019, Kay and her husband sailed their boat to the Bahamas.

Staying healthy and active throughout life is important to Kay.  “It’s not that I want to live forever, but as long as I am alive, I want to be able to be mobile, active and independent.” Through teaching people about good nutrition, Kay hopes to help others to achieve some of these same goals. 

Kay wants to help people transform their lives through natural means by eating and exercising in a moderate healthful way.

Susan completed her undergraduate degree with a double major in Family and Consumer Science Journalism and Food and Nutrition from Iowa State University in Ames Iowa. She completed her dietetic internship at St. Mary’s Hospital/Mayo Clinic Medical Complex in Rochester, Minnesota. She received her PhD in Public Health Nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Susan joined Essential Nutrition and Wellness, LLC in 2013. She enjoys counseling individuals of all ages, but specializes in pediatrics, adolescents and eating disorders. Susan has experience working in clinical nutrition, diabetes, maternal and child nutrition as well as teaching university-level nutrition courses.

Susan is married and has four children, one in high school, two  in college and one who has finished college and is working.

Christy is a chef-turned-dietitian with a lifelong passion for food. She loves helping clients discover new foods and develop strategies to address both their nutritional needs and wants. Her goal is to help clients feel well-nourished and not be intimidated by food or cooking. She spent over a decade at some of Durham and Chapel Hill’s best restaurants, curating a personal style that is locally-sourced, plant-forward and oftentimes light. 

Christy has undergraduate degrees from UNC Chapel Hill and NC Central, as well as a Masters in Nutrition from NC Central. She and her spouse have two young children that keep them constantly on their toes. They all share a love for hiking and camping, and for bikes as well. Christy has raced in both road and cyclocross events around North Carolina, and more recently has been pursuing mountain biking. 

Lisa has an undergraduate degree in Food Science from North Carolina State University. She received her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics while also completing a dietetic program to become a Registered Dietitian at East Carolina University. Recently, Lisa has acquired a Health Coaching Certification from UNC-Greensboro. Lisa has worked as a Dietitian at several outpatient locations throughout the Research Triangle Area.

Lisa was a collegiate swimmer and competed in triathlons and half marathons before developing injuries. Lisa still enjoys swimming with master’s swim groups and friends. She also likes to take cycle, boot camp, and yoga classes and you can often find her in her garage on her rowing machine. Lisa loves to go kayaking and take long walks on trails with her Nordic Poles. Additionally, she likes to help her husband with projects around the house and take her 4 dogs on walks daily.

Lisa has a husband and 4 children; a daughter, a son, and twin identical girls. Being a mother has taught Lisa that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and what works for one person may not work for another. Lisa thinks you can apply this to nutrition and health. Healthy eating and good wellness habits make a big difference in how you feel and your overall health. Lisa finds it rewarding to help people find a path that works for them. Join Lisa and discover what works for you.