Influential Woman · Dietitian-Nutritionist
Anne Harrington
Manager of Ambulatory Diabetes Program at HealthPartners, HealthPartners
Minnapolis, MN 55110
Her Story
About Anne
Today marks my 30th anniversary of getting my RD certification and license as a registered dietitian. I currently work for Health Partners as an ambulatory manager of a diabetes education program, where I oversee 55 diabetes educators. I also have my own private practice, Apples and Oranges Health Coaching, where I focus on working with patients that struggle with disordered eating. Before taking my position at Health Partners, I worked at Mayo Clinic, where there really were not a lot of dietitians that focused on working with patients in regards to body image and how that affects the way we eat and how we feel in our body. I was able to work with that healthcare system to develop an outpatient eating disorder clinic, which is probably one of the things that I feel the most proud of in my career. I look at myself not just as a dietitian, but as a nutrition therapist, because eating is so emotional-based. It's really understanding and coming from a place of compassion that emotions we have, or were triggered as maybe even a young person, do affect the way that we eat. I have the ability to be an influencer with the people I work with and promote a positive work culture and manage people up. I'm presenting at the ADCES this coming August, focusing on work culture, and I presented last year on mentorship.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Anne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I contribute my success to really wanting to help people, and having that be at the first and foremost of what makes me strive to meet my goals and my expectations. I'm driven by having to meet the needs of another person. It's kind of like you give, but you get. When you give to somebody, you always get something back. It makes you feel good to know that you're doing something for others. That's just intuitively who I am, I'm there for people.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to understand their importance in the healthcare system, but also in the community, and that they don't necessarily need to limit themselves to traditional roles as a dietitian. A dietitian can work in many capacities. They can work in the community, they can work in public health, they can work in a clinic setting, or they can have their own private practice. Really, the sky is the limit in providing and meeting people where they're at with their nutritional needs.
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