Read about one of our Program Directors Dr. Jill Snyder and how she continues to Soar Higher!
As we wrap up National Nutrition Month, we highlight a triple alumna who’s dedicated her life & career to helping others through nutrition and fitness. Dr. Jill Snyder DCN, RDN, LDN (’99, ’03, ’23) is an assistant professor with the University of North Florida's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics within the UNF Brooks College of Health having served full time since 2013. She’s also the program director for the master’s in nutrition and dietetics internship and works with Athletics to provide nutrition education & individual counseling to student-athletes. Snyder earned her bachelor’s in health science & her master’s in health science and nutrition, preparing her for a career as a registered dietitian. She’s worked at St.Vincent's Healthcare Group, The HIT Center of Jacksonville, Wekiva Springs Center and PREFERRED NUTRITION SERVICES, LLC. She also led BEADED STAR RECOVERY,LLC in Jax Beach. The most rewarding part of her job? Helping students achieve their goals through hands-on learning in the master’s program. “I really like getting to work with the interns & helping them in that step to become a registered dietitian,” Snyder said. Returning to her alma mater also means working alongside professors she once saw as mentors. One of her biggest mentors was the director of her master’s program — a role she now holds. “I feel like it came full circle a bit,” she said. Fitness and nutrition have always been part of her life. “I grew up on a football field,” she said. Her mother’s cancer diagnosis also led the family to focus on preventative nutrition. Snyder later developed specialties in sports nutrition and eating disorders. After returning to the First Coast from Orlando, she led an eating disorder program and counseled patients with mental health & substance use issues. She learned to merge her nutrition background with psychology to help people in vulnerable moments. She also works with athletes to enhance performance. That means fueling with carbs, eating protein before & after workouts, getting good sleep, staying hydrated and focusing on whole foods.