Graduate Research Students
Doctoral Student
Ellisa Nyberg, M.S., RDN, LN, LD
Elli grew up on the family farm northeast of Langford, SD, and received her Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from South Dakota State University in 1998. She completed a combined Dietetics Internship ('99) and Master's Degree program in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 2000. She was a Teaching Assistant at UNL for Introduction to Nutrition. Her Thesis project was entitled, "The Relationship Between Time To Eat School Lunch and Nutrient Consumption," comparing nutrient consumption of elementary school children in a traditional hot lunch meal service to a salad bar service, as well as nutrient intake before and after recess.
She has worked as a clinical dietitian at Bryan LGH Medical Center in Lincoln, NE and at Avera McKennan Hospital, and is currently a Consultant Dietitian in Sioux Falls, SD, working in a variety of nutrition roles, including long-term care, assisted living, food service management, school nutrition, inpatient clinical nutrition and hospice. She has been a preceptor for dietetic interns in South Dakota for many years, is a preceptor for the Certified Dietary Manager Course, and is a proctor for ServSafe. Elli has presented a variety of topics at healthcare conferences, including emergency preparedness, IDDSI diet training, GI wellness, diabetes management in long-term care and food safety. Elli is currently pursuing a PhD in Nutrition and Exercise Science as well as teaching clinical nutrition to the dietetic interns at SDSU. She has been enjoying teaching the next generation of dietitians how to combine their educational knowledge base of nutrition with dietetics practice in the field.
Master's Students
Anna Venjohn
Anna is from Sioux Falls, SD and received her Bachelor's Degree from Iowa State University. Anna is currently pursuing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Science and is enrolled in the Dietetic Internship program. After graduation she plans to become a Registered Dietitian and work in the field. Anna's current research focuses on Rural Family Food Rules and Obesity. Doing a literature review on post-incarceration rehabilitation programs has been the most fun aspect of her research thus far.
Courtney Trapp
Courtney is from Milbank, SD and graduated with her Bachelor's Degree from South Dakota State University in May of 2018. She is currently pursing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Science with a specialization in Exercise Science. After graduation, Courtney hopes to continue school and receive her Ph.D., but is also open to a career at a university fitness center or a community fitness center. Her current research focuses on School Wellness Policies and how principals prioritize nutrition and physical activity in schools. She has most enjoyed learning about School Wellness Policies and how they can impact the school and community while working on her research.
Maty Skinner
Maty is from Hartford, SD and received her Bachelor's from South Dakota State University. She is working on her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Science and hopes to live and work in the Sioux Falls area after graduation. Her current research focuses on Model Wellness Policies. Maty has most enjoyed expanding her knowledge on different areas of wellness.
Lizzy Bye
Lizzy is from Vermillion, SD and received her Bachelor's from South Dakota State University in Exercise Science. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Science. After graduation, Lizzy is looking to pursue a career in exercise research or public health. Her research focuses on assessing the relationship between physical activity environments and perceptions within rural underserved communities. She has most enjoyed conducting VO2 Max testing so far in her research.
Mariah Reil
Mariah is from Canton, SD and received her Bachelor's from South Dakota State University in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is currently in the Master's of Nutrition and Exercise Science program and enrolled in the Nutrition Dietetics Internship. After graduation Mariah plans to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and work somewhere in SD, perhaps in a clinical and community setting. Her research focuses on the nutrition and physical activity environment of elementary schools in SD, particularly school wellness policies and school leaders' roles in the implementation of these policies at the school level. Mariah said, "getting to go into a school and conduct an environment assessment was fun, because it was so encouraging seeing all of the hard work this school had done to improve their nutrition/physical activity environment since the previous assessment. It really made the research feel worthwhile and it was fun to see the direct benefit of such changes being implemented!"
Maggie Kringen
Maggie is from Madison, SD and received her Bachelor's from South Dakota State University in Exercise Science. She is pursuing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. After graduation, Maggie plans to receive a health coaching certification and hopes to find a career in community health, worksite wellness, at a college teaching health/fitness courses, or as a fitness coordinator. Her current research focuses on School Wellness Policies and assessing how to improve within the policy and school environment. She's most enjoyed going to schools and collecting data for the second time to see how the school has improved their environment.
Errin Short
Errin is from Sturgis, SD and received her Bachelor's from South Dakota State University. She is currently pursing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. After graduation, Errin plans to become a Registered Dietitian and work in the community setting. Her research focuses on increasing food security status in food insecure populations. So far in her research, she has most enjoyed learning about the different assessment tools and then using them in data collection. She has helped collect data by conducting a 24-hour recall and also assisted in a school physical activity assessment.
Kayla Wede
Kayla is from Lawton, IA and received her Bachelor's Degree from South Dakota State University in May of 2018. Kayla is currently pursuing her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Science with a TOP (Transdisciplinary Childhood Obesity Prevention) Certificate and is enrolled in the Dietetic Internship Program. After graduation she plans to become a Registered Dietitian and hopes to work in the community setting and with children. Her current research focuses on the gut microbiome and how it is influenced by the diet. She has most enjoyed learning about all of the different ways that the gut microbiome can be influenced. Kayla said, "I am excited to see where this area of research goes over the next few years. It is a new area that researchers are looking into and it holds a lot of potential for helping so many people!"