Rachel enjoyed being part of the sixth generation of her family to grow up in a small town on the Mendocino Coast, where her family maintained a large vegetable garden, apple orchard, and raised chickens. Influenced strongly by the natural beauty around her, as well as her mother’s amazing gift and love for cooking, Rachel was instilled with a strong commitment to the environment and a passion for real food at an early age. This calling led her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Conservation and Resource Studies, and later, an MS in Global Health and Environment, both from UC Berkeley. Rachel’s educational background led her to work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At the EPA, she worked on hazardous waste issues along the US-Mexico border; pesticide programs; waste reduction plans; environmental grants and programs for Native American tribes; and the development of national presentations and publications focusing on environmental health issues facing underserved populations in the US.
After her stint with the EPA, Rachel’s focus shifted to raising a family and promoting local food production within her community. She led gardening and composting programs in her kids’ schools, teamed up with non-profits to offer gardening and environmental education, and started a local food sharing program in her neighborhood. Further advancing her public health background, Rachel completed coursework in nutrition therapy and certifications through MindBodyFood Institute and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She then underwent the process to become Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (candidate) through the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board.
Rachel currently has a holistic nutrition practice based out of Boonville, California, where she works one-on-one with clients to meet their health and wellness goals. She is also a food and nutrition educator, and a local food advocate, organizer and writer.
