Get to Know Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
At Senior Living Communities, we provide our Members with quality services, amenities, and resources that they deserve in their retirement. One integral component of our lifestyle is dining services, where we have Registered Dietitians on staff to support the community. They work directly with the Director of Dining Services and Executive Chef to ensure that all meals are both nutritious and delicious. There are many benefits of working with registered dietitians, including personally tailored nutritional advice, managing chronic disease, guidance for allergies, sensitivities, weight gain and overall nutritional understanding. As we age, it becomes more important to keep these food principles at the front of our mind, which is why our team has Registered Dietitians on staff.
Meet Our Team:
Mary Kate Schaible, RD initially joined the team in 2017 at Senior Living Communities property, Summit Hills, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. In 2018, she stepped into her current role as a Regional Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Megan Hicks, RD initially joined the team in 2018, at our community Wellmore of Daniel Island, located in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2018, she stepped into her current role as Regional Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Mary Kate Answers Your Burning Questions:
Where are you from?
Tinton Falls, New Jersey
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi, I’m Mary Kate! I am a graduate of Virginia Tech with a major in human nutrition, foods, and exercise and a minor in psychology. In my free time I love watching The Housewives and shows like that on Bravo. I’m obsessed with my dog Charlie, he’s a little ball of fur that goes everywhere with me. I also like hiking, being outside, doing yoga, and am on the hunt for the perfect glass of wine.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in Dietetics?
I always wanted to be a teacher when I was younger but then I got interested in nutrition when I was playing sports in high school. I became interested in how my performance in sports was impacted by the way I was eating. It occurred to me that I could tie the teaching and nutrition together by pursuing a career as a Registered Dietitian. My position gives me the opportunity to teach Members and Team Members about their nutritional needs.
What do you love about working in the senior living industry?
I love the Members! I love the relationships you can build with them and their loved ones. Their stories are wonderful, and they are so appreciative of little changes or advice you give them.
What is your favorite meal to cook or enjoy out with loved ones?
I’m not much of a cook, but I do know how to create a delicious crockpot meal! I think my favorite meal is my Nana’s Lasagna or my Dad’s Bolognese sauce.
How has being a Registered Dietitian impacted your life professionally and personally?
It has really helped me appreciate my education. There are a million people out there that call themselves nutritionists, certification which is obtained online. I didn’t realize there was a difference between a Nutritionist and a Dietitian when I was applying to programs, and thankfully I went to a school that had Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) program. This type of program requires dedicated time and internship requirements, which is something I didn’t realize nutritionists didn’t have to complete. Personally, it has helped me to keep a healthy lifestyle and help give nutrition advice to family members, including my parents and grandparents.
What is your favorite part about being in a community on a day-to-day basis?
I really love learning from our Members and listening to the different stories that they tell me. It is so cool to hear about their lives and backgrounds. I actually just spoke to a gentleman recently who was a part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – how cool is that?! I also love when our dining teams show off their skills for Members and we get to see them in action for special events.
Megan Answers Your Burning Questions:
Where are you from?
Lancaster, SC
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi, I’m Megan! I’m a graduate of Clemson University (Go Tigers!) with a marketing degree as well as a Food & Nutrition Degree in Dietetics from Youngstown State University. In my free time, I love everything DIY and you can find me getting lost in home improvement stores or JoAnn Fabrics while planning my next project! I especially love hand-painting wooden signs and using my embroidery machine. I also love food crafts…baking is fun too! I have a 2 year old daughter named Adeline that fills my heart with so much joy. Life is so much sweeter with her in it.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in Dietetics?
I graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. I initially pursued a career within an insurance firm, where I soon realized that it was not my passion. I did not have the feeling of excitement for my career that I was longing for. I always knew that I loved to cook and was actively running full marathons, which led me to consider a degree in dietetics. The company I was working for at the time had a full-time Registered Dietitian who walked into the office every day with the passion I was craving. This company was going through a transition and that is when I knew it was time to take the jump to head back to school. The rest is history!
What do you love about working in the senior living industry?
I love working with the older population. My paternal grandparents died when I was young and I was really close to my maternal grandparents. We only got to see them about twice a year because I grew up in South Carolina and they lived in Pennsylvania. I was drawn to working with the older population because it introduced me to new “grandparents” since I lived far away from my own. You can learn so much from this generation and investing time in it is important!
What is your favorite meal to cook or enjoy out with loved ones?
I have a passion for cooking healthy meals! My husband is the total opposite, I love to create health alternatives to meals to see if he can tell the difference. He usually can but loves it all anyway.
How has being a Registered Dietitian impacted your life professionally and personally?
This career has given me a better understanding of what the saying “you are what you eat” means. I can remember during my time in school, we went to an anatomy lab where we worked to dissect three different bodies. One who was obese, one was relatively healthy, and one had undergone a triple bypass surgery. That experience really showed me the impact that our diet has on internal organs and changed the way I viewed food. Food choices can heal our bodies, ensuring that we are at our most optimal state.
Professionally, it led me to Maxwell Group! I love my job – getting to work with the imaginative chefs and Directors of Dining we have within each of our communities. The Home Office team has been such a delight to know over the last year! I strongly believe to better yourself you have to surround yourself with people smarter than you. I’m like a sponge always trying to learn something from every person I meet. One community even lets me in their kitchen to cook a couple of items or we make new recipes together!
What is your favorite part about being in a community on a day-to-day basis?
I love working with our dining teams and seeing how they solve similar problems in different ways. Of course, I adore when they treat me to a tasty dish for lunch while I’m visiting. Our dining staff puts on some incredible Signature Experiences, dining demonstrations, food shows, and more for our Members and it’s a great experience if I happen to be there when those happen. Seeing how our Members react when they see a final plated dish and their eyes light up is truly special.
