Areas of Expertise
Federal nutrition assistance programs and food security
Maternal and child health
Nutrition policy and advocacy
Food Story
Growing, cooking and sharing food has led Dimond to a deeper understanding of herself and others. She grew up in Davis and San Luis Obispo, California, both of which are largely agricultural university communities. Dimond’s family raised her to protect her health through good nutrition and connecting with the natural world. She became a foodie from a young age who loved visiting local farmers markets and U-pick farms, and cooking with her favorite fruits and veggies. After completing an undergraduate dietetics program, Dimond felt that she needed to better understand the social determinants of health that impact the nutrition of our population, both domestically and internationally. In 2015, she joined the Peace Corps and moved to Aguapety Portón, a rural community in Paraguay. Naturally, the food and culture of the people of Aguapety were very different from her own. Arriving with only basic Spanish and Guaraní language skills, Dimond knew she had to find another way to increase her acceptance in the community. She became an expert at cooking two of the vegetables typically available at the town store: tomatoes and onions. She visited with families where, in exchange for learning their traditional Paraguayan recipes, Dimond shared her lentil, tomato, onion and oregano soup recipe. Through these visits, she learned to give her utmost attention to one-on-one interactions with community members. The informal conversations they shared as they prepared and tasted their creations were often more impactful for everyone than the tangible, long-term projects she was there to complete. These conversations taught Dimond to reframe the bigger picture of common behaviors in the context of their food system when approaching community health topics and humbled her to understand the privilege of her upbringing and access to good nutrition. Dimond continues to apply what the people of Paraguay taught her in her work as a public health nutrition researcher and advocate for policies that advance health equity for all through improving food security and shaping healthier food environments.
Academic History
R.D.N., Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 2023
M.P.H., Nutrition, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 2023
Practicum: 2023 Competitive Foods in Schools Report with The Center for Science in the Public Interest
B.S., with Honors, Nutrition: Applied Nutrition (Dietetics), Minor: Studio Art, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2014