Maria Castro Email & Phone Number

-Executed high-touch coverage and support to coaches with full caseloads (250-400 clients) on the Business-to-Business and Life Sciences team, significantly lightening their workload.-Championed innovative coaching techniques, pushing the boundaries of traditional methods, to test the efficacy of Noom’s protocols and drive program adherence and goal success rates.-Coached clients in delving into the profound 'why' behind their desire for change, fostering personal growth and transformation through deep reflection.-Supported clients in their journey by providing positive feedback and motivation and encouraging accountability

-Assisted with grant and manuscript preparation and renewals, including data collection, writing, and coordinating meetings between co-investigators.

-Served as a key member and leader in the Migration and Nutrition Epidemiology (MaNE) Group, a bilingual research team in the Epidemiology Department of the Mailman School of Public Health.-Conducted study interviews in Spanish for three studies: CAMINANDO, COMIDITA, Comprando Rico y Sano.As the lead Facilitator of the CAMINANDO study, which examined diet and other characteristics relevant to resilience and adaptation in recently immigrated youth from Latin America, I successfully managed a team, including recruiting, interviewing, following up, data collection, grant preparation, training, and delegating tasks to student research assistants.

-Conducted study interviews in Spanish and collected 24-hour recalls and food diaries for three community-based studies-Actively participated in regular multi-disciplinary team meetings, fostering a collaborative environment with students, faculty, guest scholars, and community health workers-Meticulously assisted in data entry into NDSR (Nutrition Data System for Research) Software and Access database, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data-Completed Master's Thesis with Dr. Manuela Orjuela

-Coordinated training, meetings, and events for a diverse range of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, licensed therapists, and social workers, for multiple contracts, such as the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health- Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, and Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Center (PSATTC).-Successfully organized the Integrating Substance Use, Mental Health, and Primary Care Services nationwide conference for healthcare professionals with over 1000 attendees. Meticulously coordinated speakers and their travel and spearheaded the process of obtaining CEUs for doctors, nurses, licensed therapists, and social workers.

-Provided administrative support to trainers by preparing materials for in-person training and coordinating logistics.-Efficiently entered data necessary for summary reports for grants and funders.

Foods, Nutrition, And Related Services

Food Service Rotation- Shoreline Public Schools Clinical Rotation- Kindred Hosptial

Master’S Degree, Human Nutrition

Master's Thesis: Dietary Patterns Of Central American Unaccompanied Youth

Distance Didactic Program In Dietetics, 4.0 Gpa

Activities and Societies: Distance Dietetics Student Association, Member

Bachelor'S Degree, Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Minor in Latin American Studies