Dietitian Advisory Group
The Dietitian Advisory Group reviews the content and materials on Kidney Kitchen to ensure:
- All content is clinically accurate
- Recommendations align with the most up-to-date, evidence-based dietetics practice and nutrition guidelines
The Dietitian Advisory Group will continue supporting future development of both patient-centered and provider-facing renal nutrition content and initiatives. We are grateful to the members of our Dietitian Advisory Group and to Amgen® for its support of this valuable digital resource.
Dietitian Advisory Group Members
Vanessa Connolly, RDN, LDN, CSR
is the founder of Vanessa Connolly Nutrition, LLC (Grain and Green Kidneys)—a virtual private practice based just outside Charleston, South Carolina, serving clients nationwide living with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
A Board-Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition with two decades of clinical experience, Vanessa has helped hundreds of individuals improve their GFR and kidney function without cutting out the foods they love. Her approach blends evidence-based medical nutrition therapy with a compassionate, real-world lens—making kidney health feel doable, sustainable, and far less stressful.
Vanessa’s expertise spans beyond CKD. She works holistically to support clients managing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, and plant-based lifestyles. Her whole-body approach focuses on optimizing health through not just nutrition, but also sleep, movement, and stress reduction.
Originally from Maryland and now raising her family in the Lowcountry, Vanessa is most at home outdoors with her husband and two high-energy kids—often listening to true crime podcasts or finding new trails to explore.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Maryland at College Park and completed her Dietetic Internship at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Anastasia (Stasia) Elsinger, MS, RD, LN
is a Registered Dietitian in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she specializes in Home Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition from South Dakota State University, where she coordinated a weekly food distribution program and assisted in the local backpack program to address community food insecurity. Stasia brings forth a unique expertise in the areas of food insecurity and working closely with indigenous populations.
Stasia is actively engaged in advancing the dietetics profession through service on the South Dakota Board of Nutrition and Dietetics and the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative. Passionate about helping others through nutrition she enjoys creating low-cost and allergy-friendly recipes. Outside of work and nutrition, she enjoys gardening with her husband and spending time with their cats.
Carolyn Feibig, MS, RD, LD, CCTD
is originally from Saint Louis, MO and moved to Washington, D.C. for her dietetic internship. Prior to becoming a dietitian, she was a 5th grade teacher. Carolyn became interested in kidney nutrition when her nephew was born with one working kidney. She has been volunteering for the American Kidney Fund (AKF) since 2015. Carolyn works with AKF on many projects including presenting multiple nutrition education webinars, reviewing the Kidney Health Coach program, and as a content developer for the Kidney Kitchen®. She also volunteers with the AAKP and the NKF. In 2018 she was awarded the NKF’s Regional Recognized Renal Dietitian for Region 2 (Southeast United States).
Carolyn has also presented at the Alport Syndrome’s Annual Family Conference in 2020 and other renal nonprofit group events. Carolyn tries to live her life by some universal truths: the more you know the more interesting your dinner parties, the prequels to Star Wars should never have been made, art is all around you not just hanging in a museum, people who are ‘cool’ are boring, the best way to show love is in the kitchen, people who are outdoors seem happier, traveling is a good way to get over yourself, spontaneous dance parties keep you sane, eat food not supplements, don’t buy organic buy local and being a good person is important.
Jing Feng, MSPH, RDN, LDN
is a registered dietitian who earned her B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She currently works as a renal dietitian, providing comprehensive nutrition care to in-center dialysis patients.
In addition to her clinical work, Jing is deeply committed to evidence-based nutrition practice and research. She presented an abstract at the American Society for Nutrition’s 2023 conference during her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins. Most recently, she published Plant-Based Calcium-Rich Food Ideas for Dialysis Patients in the Journal of Renal Nutrition, drawing from her clinical experience to help address hypocalcemia among patients on dialysis. She is also collaborating with researchers in nutrition and kidney disease on two additional publications.
Jing is bilingual in Chinese and English and currently works primarily with low-income African American and Hispanic communities in the Baltimore area. She believes strongly in equitable nutrition care and is dedicated to providing individualized guidance that respects both socioeconomic realities and cultural food traditions.
She is an active member of the National Kidney Foundation and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is honored to serve on the American Kidney Fund (AKF) Dietitian Advisory Group.
Amanda Lane, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES
is a renal dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Founder of Healthful Lane Nutrition LLC. While working with dialysis patients, Amanda became passionate about patients with CKD when she learned most of her dialysis patients had not met with a dietitian prior to dialysis. Amanda enjoys helping patients understand the complexities of diabetes and CKD by working to remove the fearand stigma of both diseases. She values the links between food, culture and health and enjoys seeing patients thrive while enjoying their preferred foods and living a healthful lifestyle.
Adriana Maza, RDN, CNSC, CSR
is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over a decade of experience, licensed both in the United States and Mexico. She is Board Certified as a Specialist in Renal Nutrition and has been dedicated to the care of people living on dialysis and with kidney disease since 2020. Currently, Adriana practices at UCSF’s Adult Dialysis Unit and Outpatient Nephrology Clinic. Adriana is passionate about helping patients break away from outdated nutrition advice. She focuses on empowering individuals to enjoy the foods they love while supporting kidney health and slowing disease progression.
Nicole Sebold, MS, RD, LDN
is a registered dietitian residing in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is passionate about promoting community awareness concerning kidney health. She currently works as a renal dietitian, providing comprehensive nutrition care to both in-center and home dialysis patients. Prior to this role, she spent four years providing detailed education to patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease aiming to delay their disease progression; she also presented to nephrology practice groups, nephrology fellows, kidney transplant team, surgical groups and support groups.
She earned a B.S. in Nutrition-Dietetics from The University of Nevada, Reno while also competing as a Division I student-athlete. After graduation she went on to earn a Master of Science from Boston University, and completed her Dietetic Internship at The University of Michigan – School of Public Health.
Beyond work, she and her spouse are kept busy with their two children and slobbery dog. She enjoys traveling, the great outdoors, reading and spending time with her family
Jaidyn Thomson, RD
is a Registered Dietitian specializing in renal nutrition, with experience spanning pediatric transplant care, dialysis nutrition therapy, and community-based health initiatives. She began her career supporting pediatric patients before and after kidney transplant and now provides comprehensive nutrition counseling to individuals with chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis. Jaidyn brings expertise in recipe development, community outreach, and patient education creation, and is driven by a passion for helping individuals achieve their healthiest lives.
Kathy Wong, RDN, FAND
has been a registered dietitian since 2014. For the past 8 years, she has been a renal dietitian with DaVita Kidney Care providing nutrition support to incenter dialysis patients. She currently serves as a member for the American Kidney Fund (AKF) Dietitian Advisory Group.
She is also an actively participating member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Renal Practice Group. Outside of work, she is a mom of 2 boys, and enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her family.