Ana Altares

Ana is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Systems Thinking for Obesity Prevention (STOP) lab in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. She received her MS in Nutrition at CSU in 2018 and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Her master’s thesis investigated the use of community-based participatory research among youth to promote food access in a low-income neighborhood. Ana’s current research focuses on food insecurity in high cost-of-living regions, particularly among households living above poverty and therefore, ineligible for federal food assistance like SNAP. Ana is enthusiastic about empowering communities and reimagining how food environments can make nutritious and relevant foods accessible for all. As a dietitian, Ana works with clients to promote a positive relationship with food and use it as fuel for daily activities and chronic disease prevention. She enjoys spending time outside for all 300 days of Colorado sunshine, cooking, backyard farming, and hanging out with her dogs.