Rebekah M. Laurance, RD

Biography:

Rebekah has always loved food. Originally pursuing a career in cooking, she started out her education career by attending culinary school. One of her required classes focused on nutrition. After Rebekah graduated and started working as a chef, she thought back to what she learned in that class time and time again. While she loved cooking for others, she didn’t like the fact that, sometimes, what she created wasn’t healthy. With a strong desire to help other people, Rebekah put down the spatula and headed back to school.

In May 2019, Rebekah graduated from the University of Montevallo with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science. Once she graduated, Rebekah had several positions that solidified her talents as a nutritionist. Two examples include being a Patient Services Manager at the Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, AL and a Dietary Aide for the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL.

“One of the biggest reasons I got into this field is because there is so much conflicting research out there that often makes my clients feel overwhelmed,” Rebekah explained. “My favorite part of the job is when I can help a client make a behavioral change and grow a great relationship with their food. That’s what it’s all about.”

Rebekah is known to go above and beyond for all of her clients. A great example of this is when one of her clients was forced to stay at the hospital for an extended period that lasted many weeks. The patient struggled with the hospital’s dietary meal selections and grew so tired of the food that his wife started sneaking in fast food for him, which was not helpful for his health issues. What did Rebekah do? She picked up her spatula again and cooked delicious, healthy meals for him to enjoy.

Outside of the office, Rebekah loves to spend time reading, painting, and making sea glass jewelry.