Meet Laura Martorano ⭐️ In honor of RDN Day, we are spotlighting some of our amazing RDNs 🍌🍎🍓

Laura is synonymous with eating healthfully and living well at Stony Brook University, a large public university on Long Island. She leads the dozens of Teaching Kitchens held on campus throughout the year, both encouraging and teaching students how to create great-tasting meals that are also good for them. She created Wellness Snack Boxes themed for heart and brain support, packed with superfood snacks rich in nutrients to boost students’ physical and mental power during final exam periods.

Laura continues to focus on personalizing students who are navigating allergen concerns with their dining experience through digital cookbooks, shopping lists, and nutrition education. She also hosts allergy-awareness training sessions with dining services staff members as the need for allergen safety continues to grow in the education realm.

Laura was the driving force behind initiatives that led to SBU Eats, the campus dining organization, winning national recognition for the Most Innovative Wellness and Nutrition Program from the National Association of College and University Food Service (NACUFS). ...

Meet Janelle Lacey ⭐️ In honor of RDN Day, we are spotlighting some of our amazing RDNs! 🍌🍎🍓

Janelle is a trusted and uplifting presence in the school community, known for her kindness and ability to make parents, students, faculty, and staff feel comfortable seeking guidance on nutrition and food allergies. She consistently supports CulinArt team members and partners seamlessly with her colleagues.

Her creative wellness visits and engaging activities help spark students’ interest in wellbeing, and her dedication to making nutrition accessible and enjoyable has had a meaningful, lasting impact on the community she serves.

Janelle’s excellence shines through in the summer when she created an entire week long CulinArt camp program centered around culinary skills, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. She designed the curriculum from the ground up—blending hands on cooking lessons with engaging nutrition education and wellness activities that kept students excited and involved. Her thoughtful planning, creativity, and ability to make learning both fun and meaningful transformed the program into a standout experience that left a lasting impact on every participant. ...

For Armando, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the culture and how it has taken shape over the years. His favorite thing to do throughout the month is to enjoy all the festivities.

When asked about who has inspired him the most in his life, he says his dad has always been his biggest role model.

When he thinks of family dishes he enjoyed growing up, he thinks of the dishes his mom always made - Jerk Chicken (his favorite), Curry Chicken, Ackee, Rice and Peas, and their national dish, Salted Cod. He says that food and gathering with family were a vital part of the fabric of their family while he was growing up, and also today. ...