Food City has added two licensed registered dietitians to our health and wellness team –
Nicole Pazdziorko of Clinton will work in the Knoxville and Chattanooga operating divisions, and Kirby Moir of Richlands, Virginia, in the Tri-City division.
A dietitian is a health professional who is a food and nutrition expert. They have extended education and specialized training to promote health and prevent or treat disease through food.
“Many of the issues that adversely affect our health and wellness are a direct result of our eating habits – good or bad,” said Food City CEO Steven C. Smith.
The addition of two new registered dietitians will help Food City “better educate our consumers and associates as to the nutritional value of their purchases and assist them in making more informed choices for their families.”
Nicole Pazdziorko, RDN, LDN, earned her bachelor’s degrees in kinesiology and food science & human nutrition from the University of Maine in Orono. She then completed her dietetic internship and graduate coursework through Iowa State University – an accelerated distance program, which allowed her to complete her rotations in Maine.
Pazdziorko has experience working in the retail environment, beginning in a part-time capacity for a regional supermarket chain in college and eventually moving into a full-time role as assistant department manager while continuing her coursework. Upon completion of her dietetic internship, she worked as a retail dietitian for the chain, where she served as the in-store nutrition resource for customers and associates and promoted supporting programs.
She worked as clinical inpatient dietitian at Southern Maine Healthcare, where she provided medical nutrition therapy for patients with a variety of disease states. She served for two years as a clinical outpatient dietitian for the Elliot Center for Diabetes Management and Advanced Nutrition Therapy in New Hampshire, where she counseled and educated patients in the bariatric surgery program, in affiliation with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
Pazdziorko currently resides in Clinton, Tennessee, with her husband, Matt, and their two Labrador Retrievers. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and running, having completed four half marathons.
“Good nutrition is our first line of defense against the development and progression of many chronic diseases which is why having a reliable resource available for customers and associates is so crucial,” says Pazdziorko. “I am passionate about health promotion and disease prevention and excited to be joining Food City’s team and serving in this role. There is no better place to promote health and wellness than in the grocery store, where the majority of our food choices are made.”
Kirby Moir, RDN, LDN, was born and raised in Richlands, Virginia. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Radford University, studying nutrition and dietetics. She then completed her dietetic internship at Virginia Tech, with an emphasis on leadership and professional development.
Moir was a member of the Radford University Women’s Club lacrosse team, as well as the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, and also served on the school’s dietetic committee. She dedicated the first five years of her career serving the Tidewater region of Virginia as a private dietitian, working one-on-one with clients and providing medical nutrition therapy.
She then transitioned to a more clinical role with a mix of inpatient and outpatient experience, including extensive work counseling patients undergoing surgical and non-surgical weight loss. She received her certification in adult weight management training. Moir later relocated to Bristol, Tennessee, serving Johnson City Medical Center as an inpatient clinical dietitian. She currently resides in Bristol, with her fiancé, Rob.
New job for New Year: Food City continues to hire for full- or part-time jobs, entry-level or skilled positions. Interested candidates can apply online at FoodCity.com or visit any Food City store to complete an application.
Betsi James is special events manager for Food City’s Knoxville and Chattanooga divisions.