Seasons Care is very proud to share that two of our Corporate Dietitians, Katrina Anciado and Twinkle Patel are candidates for Dietitians of Canada’s 2021 Board of Directors. We are honoured to share Katrina and Twinkle’s stories as well as their passion and motivation for running. The deadline is fast approaching, the last day to vote for the DC Board of Directors candidates is this Friday, January 29th.
Katrina’s Story:
Nominee for Director, Northwest and Central Ontario
“My name is Katrina Anciado, and I am one of the Seasons Care Corporate Dietitians! I am also one of the candidates for Dietitians of Canada’s 2021 Board of Directors for Northwest and Central Ontario.
Some of you may know me in the capacity of a Corporate RD or RD colleague, but I figured it would be good to share a bit more about me.
I am happily married to Kostas, my husband of 7 years! We are blessed with our daughter, Emma who is 4 years old. We currently live in Mississauga, Ontario.
Prior to the pandemic, we enjoyed going out for afternoon tea, we loved dining and experiencing new things. We like to travel and I love anywhere where there is sand and sea! Prior to being a mom, my husband and I were adventurous – we would pack our vacation schedules with museums, tours and lots of walking. We visited small towns and stayed in Bed and Breakfasts. Since having a child, we honed in a bit to smaller scale, local adventures.
I started off my career in the food industry working in a food lab. I am continually thankful for this fun opportunity as I learned what happens behind the scenes of product development of food items you would typically see in grocery stores!
During my internship, I did a placement in Long-Term Care Homes. I knew that I would be best utilized as a Registered Dietitian working alongside the older adult population. And so I shifted my career path and I’m so glad I did.
It’s been such a blessing working with the wonderful Seasons Care team. I am forever honoured to be part of Carol Donovan’s legacy. In my Corporate RD role with Seasons Care, what I enjoy most is meeting and getting to know others. I enjoy developing relationships with RDs and the interdisciplinary teams and providing support wherever I can. I always highlight the importance of a liberalized and food-first approach to nutrition and hydration for our Residents.
With the start of the pandemic, like many, we had to pivot in the way we do life!
In addition to my role, I have also become a non-certified, figuratively-speaking pre-school “teacher” since having to do online school for our daughter. I know that many of you are in the same boat. I think that is what’s great about being a Registered Dietitian – we are trained to critically think, to analyze and prioritize and wear many hats. We are always on our toes, we are used to a fast-paced environment and we know that change is the only constant thing.
Since we are leaving our home only if really needed, we are taking the opportunity to do things at home – organizing and trying to Marie Kondo all the things! We’ve been going for drives and getting take out from local bakeries – trying out cupcakes, pastries and coffee. We are taking more time with cooking at home and trying new recipes. I’ve also been dabbling more with baking.
I do not know if our Long-Term Care homes will ever be the same. But I think that you can agree with me that the pandemic has shined a light on the unique nutrition and hydration needs of older adults and how us RDs can play a significant role in their health and recovery.
I have decided to run for the Dietitians of Canada Board of Directors for Northwest-Central (NWC) Ontario because I am immersed in the field, seeing first-hand the commitment and efforts of our RDs. Additionally, I see the challenges that we face in a constantly evolving, fast- paced environment. I would like to represent YOU, my peers in the province and contribute to solutions to modern challenges of our profession.
If I was chosen, my vision as a DC Board member is to embrace new perspectives, to listen and to learn from others. Ontario is Canada’s largest province and one of the most diverse. I have the understanding that solutions do not come from single-faceted opinions, but rather, from varying viewpoints. It will be my priority to understand various perspectives.
Just a reminder that this week is the last week to vote! So please go ahead and check out the Election Page if you have not casted your vote yet.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!
My email is Katrina@seasonscare.com
Thanks for reading and stay well! -Katrina”
Twinkle’s Story:
Nominee for Chair-Elect
“I have been involved with Dietitians of Canada in various capacities over the last few years as a member. Dietitians of Canada is evolving, and I am looking forward to the changes planned for us DC members and have a vision for where we can lead to as a profession.
We as Dietitians have so much to offer beyond food, and this has become known more than ever through the last challenging year.
I have applied to run for this position, with a lot of reflection back on my years of practice from first moving to Canada, enrolling into the nutrition program, then graduating, the joy and challenges of getting an internship, proudly owning the title of a REGISTERED DIETITIAN (with a “T”), landing that first job and making a career out of this profession.
For me it is time to come full circle, give back to my profession and support the growth of the dietetics field in bigger ways than we have imagined. As a profession we have come a long way, but we continue to need strong voices and have a lot to do, many stories to tell.
My interest to run for the DC board has developed in the last couple of years, particularly since there have been many transparent discussions led by the board. The changing face of Dietitians of Canada has truly stirred me to want to contribute further to this organization.
I am passionate about all things dietetics and have a vision of expansion of this profession. The area that I see myself contributing to the most is this progressive thought process of being a socially responsible change agent. The board continues to actively learn and increase their knowledge on the values of their members and has exhibited the readiness in creating policies to meet those values. This urges me to increase my participation with this organization and as a board member be your voice, be contributing to these initiatives.
My top 5 values that I hold close and hope to carry on to DC as a potential Board Member are:
- Transparency – To ensure of your trust and confidence.
- Accommodating full participation –providing a respectable platform and time to enable full engagement in discussions.
- Respecting opinions – Respecting and appreciating various outlook enables us to think out of the box.
- Empowering with feedback – Providing honest feedback can confirm the results of an action and ensure there is full understanding of why there were gaps in desired outcomes.
- Trust – Is very important to me, be it personal or professional. It is important to trust and be trusted. Building a mutually trusting relationship will allow for open communication.
Please do visit my Bio and full profile on the nominee page, and don’t forget to vote. The voting ends this Friday!”
We would like to congratulate all of the nominees for the Dietitians of Canada 2021 Board of Directors and wish everyone the best of luck! Visit the Elections Voting Page on the DC website to cast your vote today!