Dr.Hafsa Maliha

Dr. Hafsa Maliha is a public health nutrition specialist and Director of Nutrition Programs at Almadina Academy in Columbus, Ohio. In her role, she leads school nutrition programming, overseeing meal services while ensuring compliance with USDA Child Nutrition Program requirements, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Her responsibilities encompass menu planning, nutrient analysis, food quality, vendor coordination, documentation, reporting, food safety, and program evaluation. She also develops culturally responsive and halal meal programs designed to meet the nutritional and cultural needs of diverse student populations. Hafsa brings more than a decade of experience across clinical, community, academic, and public health nutrition. Earlier in her career, she worked as a nutritionist and counselor, providing individualized nutrition counseling, health assessments, weight-management support, and personalized dietary guidance. Her clinical training included medical nutrition therapy and patient education in hospital settings, while her academic experience involved supporting undergraduate nutrition courses at Texas State University. She also gained community nutrition experience in India, providing nutrition education to children, pregnant women, and low-income families and contributing to research on bone mineral density among women. Hafsa holds a Doctor of Science in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Western States, completed in 2025, as well as a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Texas State University. She is certified in Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice and holds a ServSafe Manager certification. Her professional interests span pediatric and adolescent nutrition, public health nutrition, nutrition education, health promotion, evidence-based practice, and health equity. She is particularly passionate about using nutrition education and school-based programs to improve the health and well-being of children and families, while expanding access to culturally appropriate nutrition resources within diverse and immigrant communities.