Melissa Teel, MS, RDN, LDN

Hello, I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who became interested in functional medicine during my undergraduate years at UNC Pembroke as a Biology major. I was amazed at how important of a role nutrition plays alongside lifestyle factors to prevent or manage chronic diseases and conditions. Feeling compelled to study medicine in my parent’s footsteps, I was not satisfied with how little nutrition education I would receive in a conventional medical school. This led me to my journey to become a dietitian.

I received my Master’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s coordinated dietetic program with a concentration in Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention. Fun fact: I completed the majority of my dietetic internships at Empowered Nutrition with my amazing preceptor, Erin!

My strengths as a dietitian include an enthusiasm and passion for nutrition, empathy, humor, and cultural competence.

Personal Life

I’m a military spouse and mama of three boys. We love traveling as a family to the beach, going to museums in DC, and unplugging for the summer in Alaska. In my free time, I love expressing my creativity through art, photography, dancing, and cooking – especially the traditional Mexican recipes passed from my grandfather.