Professional Biography of Susan Kitchen

Susan Kitchen Iron Man Susan Kitchen is a graduate of Meredith College, where she earned a BS in Foods and Nutrition. She continued her studies at the UNC-Chapel Hill, earning a Masters of Public Health (MPH) in Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LD/N) in the state of North Carolina.

Susan is one of only 850 Board Certified Specialists in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) worldwide, and one of only 43 certified to practice in North Carolina. CSSDs are registered dietitians who provide safe, effective, evidence-based nutrition services for health, fitness, and athletic performance. CSSD is the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the United States.

From 1991-2000, Susan served as program director and dietitian of Orange Cardiovascular Foundation, an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program associated with UNC Hospitals. In this position, she evaluated and counseled patients in individualized nutrition and exercise care plans with a multidisciplinary approach to the rehabilitation process.

Susan’s passion for an active lifestyle, along with her education as a dietitian and experience as an athlete, makes her uniquely suited to help athletes find the same joy, confidence, and strength that sports bring her. Helping others find wellness through balanced nutrition, physical fitness, and a healthy lifestyle is central to Susan’s work.

Today, Susan is a seven-time full Ironman finisher, two time Kona qualifier, and expert on sports nutrition and endurance training, whose writing has appeared in Ironman.com, Triathlete Magazine, the USA Triathlon Magazine and online Fuel Zone, and in the book she co-authored, The Power of Transformation: Reinventing Your Life. As an author, speaker, sports dietitian, and coach, she inspires athletes worldwide.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, Minor in Biology, Meredith College
Master of Public Health in Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Credentials

Registered Dietitian, Commission on Dietetic Registration
Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, State of North Carolina Department of Health.
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
CSSD Board Review Member, Subject Matter Expert
USA Triathlon Certified Level II Endurance Coach
IRONMAN Certified Coach
Training Peaks Certified Coach

Professional Affiliations

United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitian Registry, 2012-present

Sports Dietetics Speciality (CSSD) Board Member, Subject Matter Expert
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, member
North Carolina Dietetic Association, member
Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN), Dietetic Practice Group, member
Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group, member
Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group, member
USA Triathlon, member and nationally ranked age-group triathlete

Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA), Veteran Member

Girls on the Run, board member (2008-2013)
Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools’ Advisory Board – Foods Program Curriculum
North Carolina Children’s Hospital Board of Visitors, member (2009–2013)