Background
Dr. Gutschall is a Professor in Nutrition and Foods and Director of Graduate Programs in Nutrition at Appalachian State University. She has taught nutrition for 20 years at the undergraduate and graduate levels, served as the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics for 5 years, and Graduate Program Director for 8 years. Dr. Gutschall received the 2012 Inaugural College of Health Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2016 Beaver College of Health Sciences Research Award, the 2020 Cratis D. Williams Graduate School 100 Scholars Award and a College of Health Sciences Outstanding Faculty Member Award in 2025. She was selected as the Outstanding Dietetics Educator for 2014 by the North Carolina Dietetics Association, for the Chancellor’s Inaugural Class of the Academic Leadership Development Program in 2015, and for the UNC-BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program for Women in 2021. Dr. Gutschall has been a registered dietitian for 25 years, and she continues to practice on an interdisciplinary team providing care for children with special needs in the Appalachian Region. She has served with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library and Simulation Task Force. She currently serves on the NCAND board and as the NC Delegate to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics House of Delegates; she has earned the status of Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her current research agenda is aimed at using her experiences to develop nutrition education initiatives for those with food insecurity and intellectual disabilities while simultaneously mentoring students for rural nutrition care in these learning environments.
Education
- PhD, Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 2006
- MS, Nutrition, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2002
- Registered Dietitian (RD), 2001, Commission on Dietetic Registration
- BS, Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University, 1999
Current Courses Being Taught
- NUT 3300 Nutrition Education
- NUT 4552/5552 Medical Terminology
- NUT 4553 Medical Language for Health Professionals
- NUT 5205 Maternal and Child Nutrition
- NUT 5120 Professional Development
- NUT 5150 Public Health Nutrition Education
- NUT 5475 Public Health Nutrition Capstone
- NUT 5901 Research Project
- NUT 5999 Thesis Research
Professional Affiliations / Organizations
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- North Carolina Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- North Carolina Public Health Association
Research Interests
Theory-based nutrition education programs for behavior change and maintenance among rural dwelling patients.
Selected Publications
Gutschall MD, Lockard A. Growing Well: Improving Access to Nutrition Care. AppWell Journal, Growing Well Theme Issue, Fall 2026, In press.
Gutschall MD, McKean MD, Farris AR, Isaacs SE. Impacts of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Nutrition Mentors: A Focus Group Study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2026. In press.
Gutschall MD, Hopper RA, Hege A, McClain MI. Resilience within Food is Medicine Programs in Response to Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2026. In press.
S. Isaacs, G. Charbonnet, M. Gutschall, P. Rothpletz-Puglia, B. Miller, M. Sigman-Grant, J. Zeldman, K. Jethmalani, M. Ferrante. Development of the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior Research Resource Repository. J. Nutr. Educ Behav. 2026; 58(8): S269-S270.
Gutschall MD, Putnam A, Hedges S, Isaacs SE. Dietary Patterns of Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Analyzed by Photo-assisted Recall: Tailoring Nutrition Education Interventions. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2025 (10): A16.
Lunan R, Gutschall MD, Farris AR, Fasczewski KS, Holbert D, McArthur LH. Social Support for Food Access and Budget Construction Predict Food Insecurity among University Sophomores. Nutr Health. 2024 Sep 23:2601060241283629. doi: 10.1177/02601060241283629.
Gutschall MD, Snader M, Hedges S, Isaacs SE. Development of a Nutrition Intervention Program for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Pilot Evaluation. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2024;124 (10): A43.
Gutschall MD, Sedotto J, Nunnery DL, Isaacs SE. Development and Evaluation of a Medically-Tailored Food Box System in a Rural Food Pantry in Northwestern North Carolina. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2024; 124 (10): A74.
M. Gutschall, A. Cantrell, A. Farris, K. Cole, D. Nunnery. Promoting Food Acceptability Among Elementary Students Participating in a Summer Literacy Program: An Interprofessional Collaboration in Western North Carolina. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2023. 123 (9): A36.
Adkisson SM, Dean D, Gutschall MD, Farris AR, Root M, McArthur, LH. Food Security and Related Correlates of Married Student Households in the Southeast United States during and before the COVID-19 Pandemic. Nutrire. 2023. 48 (54).
Mohn B, Gutschall MD, Nunnery DL, Isaacs SE. Virtual Nutrition Education Services During Covid-19 for Food Bank Clients in Rural Western NC. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2022; 122(9): A66.
Lockard A, Gutschall MD, Belcher B, Griffin J. Assessing Body Measurements, Nutritional Behaviors, and Sleep Behaviors following Implementation of MHeath in Appalachian State University College Students. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2022; 122(9): A121.
Estridge C, Nunnery D, Wentz L, Gutschall MD. The Effect of Experiential Learning on Undergraduate Nutrition and Dietetics Students’ Self-Efficacy. In Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2022, 122 (9): A109.
Boone HE, Gutschall MD, Farris AR, Fasczewski KS, Holbert D, McArthur LH. Comparisons of Cooking, Dietary and Food Safety Characteristics of Food Secure and Food Insecure Sophomores at a University in Appalachia. Journal of Appalachian Health, 2021;3(4):89-108.
Gutschall MD, Thompson KL, Visocky SH, Johnson KE, McRee CS. Historical Examination of Dietary Patterns in Rural Central/Southern Appalachia. In Press, Journal of Appalachian Studies, April, 2021.
Gutschall MD, Hege A, Farris AR, Young E, Furman M, Fox R. Creating and Sustaining a Community-Academic Partnership for Improving Nutrition Status, Food Security, and Chronic Disease Outcomes in Rural Appalachia. Journal of the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services. 2021; 1 (Sustainable Health): 40-46.
