Nutrition and Foods Program

Dr. Makafui Borbi is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management at Appalachian State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Food Science and completed the Didactic Program in Dietetics at Michigan State University.

Dr. Kate Hoy is an assistant professor in Nutrition and Foods at Appalachian State University and a Registered Dietitian (RD). In addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate classes, she maintains a private practice emphasizing performance nutrition. 

Dr. Schier (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Appalachian State University. She holds a PhD from the Ohio State Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Nutrition Program. Dr. Schier's academic journey has been marked by excellence and a commitment to advancing the field of nutrition. Having spent two years abroad, Dr. Schier contributed her nutrition and wellness expertise to the NHS England National Diabetes Prevention Program.

Dr. Ayron Walker is an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Health Care Management at Appalachian State University. She obtained her PhD in Animal and Food Science, completed an accredited dietetic internship and a Certificate in University Teaching from West Virginia University;

Dr. Isaacs is an Assistant Professor in nutrition and a registered dietitian. She is a native and lifelong resident of Watauga County and two-time alumna of Appalachian State University. Dr. Isaacs started teaching in the Nutrition Department as an adjunct faculty member in 2014 and fulltime in 2021. Before earning her doctorate, she worked as the lead clinical dietitian and patient services manager at a small, rural, critical access designated hospital in Western North Carolina. In this role, she provided nutrition care for acute care patients, facilitated nutrition education courses for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation patients, and provided outpatient nutrition services for three surrounding rural counties. She also designed and implemented multiple clinical and foodservice quality assessment performance improvement projects, implemented and managed a department wide patient meal-delivery service program, initiated multiple departmental policy changes to enhance and streamline clinical nutrition services, and served as a dietetic internship preceptor for 3 years. Dr. Isaacs’ research has focused on understanding and reducing barriers to access and utilization of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in rural Appalachian North Carolina. She has presented her work as several local, state, and national conferences, including the 2019 and 2020 National WIC Association Annual Conferences, the 2019 North Carolina WIC Conference, and the 2019 North Carolina Public Health Association Conference.

Amanda is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and serves as the Director of the MS Dietetic Internship and a Lecturer in Nutrition and Foods at Appalachian State University. She has a genuine passion for inspiring the next generation of practitioners to advance progress in addressing the multifaceted public health and nutrition challenges.
Prior to joining the faculty at App. State, Amanda developed online food systems curricula for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation and established a new Certificate in Food Systems and Hunger Studies at the University of Kentucky. She worked with Feeding America’s policy team in Washington, D.C. and with the SNAP-Ed program at Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC.
Known for her innovative approaches to promoting community food and nutrition security, Amanda serves on the Zero Hunger Pathways Project for the United Nations, as an executive leader for the NC Local Food Council, and was the 2016-2019 President of the national Hunger and Environmental Nutrition dietetics organization. She has contributed numerous presentations and publications focused on her research in sustainable food systems, student basic needs, dietetics education, rural health, and addressing food insecurity as a public health issue.

Dr. Harmon is an Associate Professor in Nutrition and Foods at Appalachian State University. She served as a dietetic preceptor for 8 years and has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels for 10 years. Before earning her doctorate, she served as the Director of Dietary Interventions at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Harmon uses the application of community-based participatory research practices to examine the role of the faith-based community in the development and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Much of her work includes partnering with churches to promote health through culinary and physical activity skills training as well as research on leadership and environmental factors that influence healthy behaviors.

Dr. Nunnery is an Assistant Professor and Registered Dietitian in the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management at Appalachian State University. Dr. Nunnery received her Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her early research focused on food insecurity, diet quality and maternal/neonatal outcomes among refugees and underserved communities. Her current research focuses on evaluating nutrition behaviors, beliefs, and educational needs of pregnant women residing in rural communities.

Dr. Wentz is an Assistant Professor in Nutrition at Appalachian State University, a Registered Dietitian, and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Her research focus is sports nutrition, following practical experience as the Sports Dietitian for Florida State University Athletics and then for the US Army Special Forces.

Dr. Farris is an Associate Professor in Nutrition at Appalachian State University, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). She has a background in both community and clinical nutrition. Prior to receiving a PhD, Dr. Farris worked as a clinical dietitian for 8 years predominantly in pediatric populations.