Influential Woman · Dietetics

Rachel Saunders

Dietitian and Fitness Program Manager, NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Silver Spring, MD

Her Story

About Rachel

I work in the dietetics field, specifically in the clinical space where I work alongside physicians and other medical professionals. The dietetics world tends to be primarily women, and I've learned the importance of feeling strong in my position and holding my own in professional settings. I strongly believe that the power of networking is so undervalued in many workspaces, and I see it as non-negotiable if you're looking to stand out in your career. Throughout my professional journey, I've learned to be open to opportunities and possibilities rather than rigidly planning out a career path. I think that if we move away from strategic planning and just look at opportunities as they present themselves, our careers can evolve into something very different than what we initially thought, and that's where we might truly excel and blossom.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Rachel

01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

My father once told me, always be needed. But beyond that, I think the best advice is to be open to opportunity and possibility. I think oftentimes we look at our career paths strategically, thinking about what a career should look like, or will look like, or must look like. But I think that if we move away from that and just look at opportunities and how they present themselves, what our career evolves into could look very differently than what we initially thought it would be. So I think being open to an alternative opportunity that might come your way is important, because you never know if that's where you're going to excel and blossom.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

The dietetics world tends to be inherently primarily women, but certainly in the clinical space where women are working alongside physicians and possibly male counterparts, I would say feel strong in the shoes that they are standing in, and be able to hold their own, and not feel intimidated by their gender or how they identify. I think that being a female is not a weakness, but in fact, a strength that we have. And lean into that.

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