59. Community Programming: A Core Practice Strategy

What happens when two dietitians, brought together by chance meetings and a shared passion for community impact, decide to stop going it alone? You get Nourish and Thrive Nutrition Center, and a community programming model that is changing how dietitians think about their practice.

In this episode, Elisa England and Ellen Petrosino, co-founders of Nourish and Thrive Nutrition Center in New Jersey, share an honest, inspiring, and deeply practical approach to building community nutrition programming into a sustainable, revenue-generating part of your practice.

A Story of Unlikely Connections

Neither Elisa nor Ellen took a straight path to where they are today. Ellen’s journey began with a second bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics, a moment of uncertainty about what came next, and a pivotal conversation with Jeanne Petrucci herself over coffee at a small-group workshop that set her on the path to becoming a registered dietitian. Elisa’s story started in clinical nutrition as an inpatient oncology and cardiovascular ICU dietitian at Morristown Medical Center, eventually branching into corporate wellness, a brief stint in medical sales, and ultimately, a full-time private practice.

The two met when Elisa served as Ellen’s clinical preceptor during her dietetic internship, a professional relationship that quickly evolved into a lifelong friendship, mentorship, and eventually, a business partnership.

From Solopreneurs to Collaborators

For years, both Elisa and Ellen ran their own independent practices, seeing clients one-on-one, accepting most major health insurance plans, and doing community programming on the side. But like many dietitians working solo, they missed the energy of collaboration. When COVID pushed everyone into isolation, they found themselves working together virtually with a local health department and a cancer support community, and the pull toward something more intentional became impossible to ignore.

In 2022, they opened Nourish and Thrive Nutrition Center, a shared space where each maintains her own private practice while collaborating on the community programming they both love. There was no detailed business plan, just trust in each other, a shared vision, and a genuine passion for getting out into their community and making an impact.

Community Programming Is Not Pro Bono Work

One of the most important myths this episode tackles head-on: the idea that community programming is simply volunteer work with no strategic value. Elisa and Ellen are living proof that the opposite is true. Community programming, done with intention and a clear framework, is a powerful practice-building tool, one that grows your referral network, increases your visibility, and creates meaningful relationships with community partners who can sustain and fund your programs over time.

The 5-Step Community Dietitian Framework

Elisa and Ellen have leveraged their experience to create the 5-step Community Dietitian Framework that takes you from identifying the right community partners to delivering programs that keep partners coming back:

• Step 1: Build Your Foundation — Define who you are, what you do, and who you serve
• Step 2: Collect and Cultivate — Build relationships with prospective community partners through discovery conversations and needs assessments
• Step 3: Work Out the Details — Put together your proposal, scope of work, and menu of services
• Step 4: Preparation Essentials — Navigate food safety regulations, set your pricing, and pack your equipment
• Step 5: Deliver with Impact — Follow up promptly, send an executive summary, and secure your next event

No teaching kitchen, large social media following, or brick-and-mortar office required. Just expertise, a willingness to show up, and a strategy.

One Piece of Advice

When asked for their single biggest piece of advice for dietitians considering community programming, both Elisa and Ellen came back to the same theme: you don’t have to do this alone. Surround yourself with people who inspire you, lean into collaboration, and trust that your expertise has value. Dream big, say yes before no, and remember that no matter where you are in your career, talking to people and building real relationships never goes out of style.

Content Cure

As part of the Content Cure for this episode, Elisa and Ellen have created the 30-Day Program Runway, a streamlined guide to help dietitians plan, build, and deliver successful community nutrition education programs in just 30 days.

You can also join their free Facebook community, the Community Dietitian Framework Collective, for bonus resources, an equipment list, and live coaching office hours. 

Elisa England, MS, RDN

Elisa became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in 2013. Her background includes clinical work in inpatient oncology and the cardiovascular ICU (where she first connected with Ellen Petrosino!). In 2014, she launched her private practice as a side hustle, which later grew alongside her roles in corporate wellness at Johnson & Johnson and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. She also spent several years at Living Plate, collaborating with a team of inspiring dietitians, where she discovered her true passion: blending individualized counseling with impactful community programming.  

Ellen Petrosino, MS, RDN, IFNCP

Ellen is a second-career dietitian. After raising a family, she returned to school to obtain her certification as a Registered Dietitian. It was during her dietetic internship that she met Elisa England, her then clinical preceptor, and now lifelong friend and colleague. In 2017, Ellen launched her private practice within the collective of dietitians at Living Plate, where she learned firsthand the impact of a dietitian’s role in facilitating behavior change. Today, she helps clients turn evidence-based nutrition into simple, delicious meals and works closely with them to overcome barriers to healthy eating. Ellen’s passion is guiding women through the menopause transition, empowering them to understand their changing physiology and learning to thrive in this next stage of life.