Meet the Faculty
Dr. Lesli Biediger-Friedman
"Teaching is one of the most exciting things I get to do. My approach is to bring the current best-practices of dietetics, community and public health nutrition to the students and empower the student to be a leader in navigating through a journey of critical thinking and experiential learning. Through application we build professional skills and make plans of intervention to address the greatest issues in our field."
Ms. Karen Clauss
"I love the diversity of students in our classrooms since it allows for many different perspectives for all of us to learn from. I enjoy that I've been able to utilize many different modalities to my teaching, but my favorite is the direct application techniques of taking textbook and demonstrating how it is applicable to students future working careers."
Dr. Cassandra Johnson
"I enjoy working with my students to develop their interests in nutrition research, practice, or policy and connect them to the work that they want to do, even if they’re not exactly sure what that looks like. I want to help my students learn how to think about complex problems in nutrition and create positive solutions that will make a difference."
Dr. Gar Yee Koh
“I want to create a collaborative learning environment that allow students and I to learn together, to think critically, and most important to just have fun about the learning process! It’s my honor to provide you the resources and tools for you to succeed in your chosen field, and I am excited to support your journey here at Texas State University.”
Ms. Leia Downs
Leia Downs, MS, RD, LD is a Lecturer and Graduate Program Co-Coordinator in the Nutrition and Foods Program of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. She is also a registered and licensed dietitian and serves the community of San Marcos as a Clinical Dietitian at Christus Santa Rosa hospital. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts, her Master of Science in Human Nutrition, and her Dietetic Internship at Texas State University. During her graduate program, she worked as a Graduate Instructional Assistant as well as assisting Dr. Sylvia Crixell in her research. Ms. Downs currently teaches Food Science, Nutrition Science, and Nutrition and Genetics, in addition to her work as the Graduate Program Co-Coordinator.
Dr. Michelle Lane
"The greatest joy of my career has been watching students grow into scientists. The application of knowledge learned in the classroom to work in the laboratory is a special aspect of both our undergraduate and graduate programs. I love nothing more than an afternoon spent in the lab or analyzing data with my students."
Ms. Lindsey Menge
"I believe every classroom should be inclusive, where all student ideas are acknowledged, valued, and respected. It is my joy to provide evidence-based instruction that encourages students to reach their highest potential. Working with students is a tremendous privilege, and I look forward to supporting you on your academic journey."
Ms. Sandra Roberts
"I consider it a privilege to share my many years of clinical experience with the nutrition professionals of tomorrow. I appreciate the history that each student brings to the classroom and the experiences they can share with others. This allows each of us to broaden our perspective with the potential to become a more compassionate provider of nutrition care in whatever arena we may find ourselves in the future."
Dr. Ramona Salcedo
“I have the privilege to educate, inspire, and mentor nutrition students to reach their full potential in our Nutrition and Foods program. My goal is to nurture each student’s learning experience, engage students in nutrition research, and provide guidance throughout your academic journey.”
Ms. Christina Youens
"Nutrition is a fantastic career path, and I am excited for your personal journey. I strive for authenticity in the evidence-based information I teach as well as in my interaction with students. My goal is to challenge every student while making the experience fun. I genuinely care about each of my students and look forward to helping you reach your goals."
Dr. Jie "Jacky" Zhu
"I believe that the most significant learning occurs in situations where the knowledge and skills that the students learn will eventually be used. It is teaching that gives me the great opportunity to get to know students with diverse backgrounds, provide them with the approaches to continue learning on their own, and gain insight into how they can conduct evidence-based practice effectively. Teaching is not only a high priority for me, but also a source of great job satisfaction. I am committed to mentoring multi-cultural students, and promoting students' growth, development and success enthusiastically."