Dianne Esplin, former clinic manager of the CNMI Women, Infants and Children’s Clinic took over the post as PSS nutritionist that has been vacated by Hee Jae Lee who left for the mainland last July.
Esplin has lived in the CNMI for several years and, most recently, worked as a renal dietitian for people with end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, who are on dialysis at a private dialysis clinic on Saipan.
Esplin said that along with the food services manager and the entire food and nutrition services team, one of her duties is to insure that the food served in the PSS schools is healthy and safe, according to the regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Another big challenge is making sure our school foods are appealing. If we are serving a healthy food but it isn’t being eaten, we’ve missed the point.
“Also, a very large part of my job is to promote healthy eating and active living to our students, faculty, staff and their families through various school and community efforts,” Esplin said.
Although Esplin has worked for USDA funded nutrition programs in the past, this is her first time to work in school nutrition and the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
“I have been a registered dietitian since 1991 and worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient health care and public health programs throughout my career.
At this point, Esplin said she is doing a lot of “information gathering” and hasn’t put together a solid plan of action yet.
“We do anticipate another student food competition for National Nutrition Month in March,” she said.
Esplin said that she is excited to be working with such a great team at PSS and PSS-FNS.
“Together, I hope we can make lasting changes in the future health of the students of the CNMI,” she said.
About Dianne Esplin
Esplin finished her bachelor of science degree in food science and nutrition, medical dietetics emphasis, (registered dietitian-coordinated program) at Brigham Young University.
Esplin has been a registered dietitian since October 1991, and a certified lactation counselor since August 2009.
She has held the position of clinical dietitian, South Dakota Human Services Center, Yankton, South Dakota (a government-run inpatient mental health facility), clinical dietitian at the Siouxland Community Health Center, Sioux City, Iowa (a grant-funded health clinic primarily serving low income families.) as instructor, Morningside College, Sioux City Iowa (taught nutrition class to college nursing students), as public health nutritionist, Shasta County Public Health/Shasta County Health and Human Services, Women, Infants, and Children program, as clinic manager, CNMI WIC program, Saipan, from November 2008 to September 30, 2010, and as renal dietitian at the St. Jude Renal Care Facility, Saipan, Sept 1, 2010-current (now part-time-weekends).
