Danielle Townsend, RDN, LD
President
Outpatient Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with Primary Healthcare Centers
Danielle received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and completed the Dietetic Internship at Nicholls State University in her home state of Louisiana. She has over a decade of experience in clinical dietetics, clinical management, food service management, and outpatient counseling. She is employed by Primary Healthcare Centers [of Northwest Georgia] to help people meet their nutrition and health goals. She has been featured in Chattanooga’s HealthScope and Chatter magazines and contributes to articles for the Chattanooga Times Free Press online newspaper. She is a local go-to RD for public speaking and has appeared on Rossville, Georgia’s UCTV The Morning Show and Night Talk, UCTV’s “Live with Danielle the Dietitian” cooking show, and has also appeared on Chattanooga’s This ‘N That several times. In her free time, Danielle enjoys cooking, reading, binging on Netflix, red wine and chocolate, and has three cats.
mikayla king, MPH, RDN, LDN
Past President
Clinical Dietitian at CHI Memorial and Adjunct Professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Mikayla is currently in her third year on the board of the Chattanooga Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is serving her inaugural year as President. Her leadership journey began as the Student Representative while she was pursuing her MPH at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, followed by a term as Secretary. As President, Mikayla is dedicated to strengthening the chapter by enhancing student and early-career involvement, with a focus on mentorship and creating an environment where the next generation of dietitians can flourish.
A proud graduate of the University of Georgia, she takes every opportunity to highlight her Alma mater. It was at UGA that her fascination with nutrition first developed. What began as simple curiosity transformed into a profound appreciation for nutrition’s impact on individual health and broader public well-being. This passion grew during her MPH program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she served as a graduate assistant on a Tennessee Department of Health grant. In this role, she contributed to the design of continuing education modules and training materials aimed at integrating nutrition into public health practice—an experience that reinforced her commitment to community-focused work and collaborative learning. Following her graduation, she launched her career as a dietitian in the clinical setting, specializing in acute care. Mikayla currently works as a clinical dietitian at CHI Memorial and holds a position as an adjunct professor at UTC.
With a robust background in clinical nutrition and public health, Mikayla aims to cultivate CAND into a vibrant and inclusive chapter that fosters innovation, connection, and leadership at all levels of the profession. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys gardening, cheering on the Bulldogs, and engaging in creative, hands-on projects.
OPEN POSITION
President-Elect
Char Schmidt
Secretary
maria england, RDN, LDN
Treasurer
Clinical Nutrition Services Market Director TN/GA – CommonSpirit Health Memorial Chattanooga
Maria received her first degree in Associates of Science in Baking and Pastry, during her time as a trained Pastry Chef, she learned the importance of nutrition for health and pursued a bachelors degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Alabama and completed a Dietetic Internship from the University of Houston. Her experience as a dietitian since 2017 has been in food service management, school nutrition, recipe development, counseling, patient education, long-term care and acute-care clinical, with a heavy focus in management for clinical nutrition and food nutrition services. Her passion is educating patients on the importance of nutrition and promoting the importance of dietitians in the health industry. In Maria’s current role as Clinical Nutrition Services Market Director TN/GA for CommonSpirit Health Memorial, she has a focus on growing the dietitians’ role in the hospital system and improving patient outcomes through nutrition services.
Maria’s main focus when she isn’t a dietitian is raising her four young children, spending time with her husband, gardening, reading, knitting, making bread, and being an active member of her church.
Hemangi Mavadiya
Award and Scholarship Coordinator
Dr. Hemangi Mavadiya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She teaches and advises students in the Master’s in Public Health, Nutrition and Dietetics track. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). Dr. Mavadiya brings diverse clinical and public health experience to her role, having previously worked as a clinical dietitian in Southern California. She holds an MPH in Nutrition from Loma Linda University and earned her PhD in Public Health from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Mavadiya’s research interests center on diet-related small habits, cancer survivorship, and cancer epidemiology. She is particularly passionate about understanding how modifiable dietary behaviors influence long-term health outcomes among diverse populations. In the classroom, she is committed to creating engaging, student-centered learning environments and supporting students in their academic and professional development.
Karey Daniels
Public Policy Coordinator
julia Kaset, MPH, RDN, LDN, CPt
Marketing & Recruiting Coordinator
Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer at Fitness Central Chattanooga
Julia Kaset earned her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Cumberland University and her Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she also completed her dietetic internship. She became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in 2025 and is currently a Personal Trainer and Registered Dietitian at Fitness Central in Chattanooga.
Julia’s professional interests include sports nutrition, eating disorder awareness, and community-based wellness. As a former collegiate soccer player and current HYROX athlete, she is passionate about helping others fuel for performance and build healthier relationships with food. She is an active member of the Chattanooga Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (CAND), where she serves on the board as Marketing and Recruiting Coordinator, as well as the Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (TAND), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the National Eating Disorders Association, and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
Outside of her professional work, Julia enjoys competing in HYROX races, supporting local wellness initiatives, and spending time with her golden retriever.
Katie O’ToOle
Student Representative
Katie O’Toole is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics and completing her dietetic internship at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga after earning her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a minor in Nutrition from UTC in 2025. She also serves as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Karissa Rein, where she works as a teaching assistant and supports research and Institutional Review Board (IRB) activities.
Katie’s professional interests include sports and performance nutrition, eating disorder treatment, clinical nutrition, and helping individuals use evidence-based nutrition strategies to support both health and performance goals. Throughout her graduate studies and involvement in the nutrition field, she hopes to continue expanding her knowledge while empowering others to build sustainable habits that enhance long-term well-being.
Outside of academics, Katie enjoys strength training, endurance sports and competing in HYROX events. She is passionate about mentorship and community involvement, having served as a Young Life leader and been actively involved in Chi Omega during her undergraduate years. She also enjoys spending time with the two boys she nannies, her friends and family.
Chattanooga Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 