Pediatric Dietitian & Family Nutrition Counseling

Children have unique nutritional needs, and navigating those needs within the context of a busy family, a picky eater, a medical diagnosis, or the noise of conflicting parenting advice is genuinely difficult and stressful. The pediatric dietitians at Lutz & Alexander Nutrition Therapy have deep, specialized experience in both pediatric nutrition and family feeding, and we are here to help. If you are searching for a pediatric dietitian near you, we offer in-person appointments throughout the Triangle and in Charlotte, NC, as well as telehealth across NC, OR, and many other states depending on each state’s dietetic licensing laws. Pediatric Nutrition Is Its Own Specialty

Children are not small adults. Their nutritional requirements, their relationship with food, and their feeding and eating development are entirely distinct. How a child relates to food in their early years has lasting implications for their physical and mental health, and for their ability to eat intuitively as they grow. Our pediatric dietitians understand this deeply. They bring specialized training in child development, pediatric medical nutrition therapy, and family systems to every session.

Anna M. Lutz

MPH, RD, LDN, CEDS-C
Owner

Anna (she/her) specializes in eating disorders and pediatric/family nutrition. Anna received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Duke University and Master of Public Health in Nutrition from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) and an Approved Supervisor, both through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp).

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Shauna M. Alexander

RD, LDN, CEDS
Owner

Shauna (she/her) specializes in the treatment of eating disorders for adults and adolescents, along with providing support to parents with feeding their young children. Shauna is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) with the International Associates of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) and a clinical supervisor and mentor to Registered Dietitians.

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Ellen Gander

RD, LDN, CEDS-C
Leadership Team

Ellen (she/her) specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating and provides nutrition therapy for children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of nutrition concerns. She values individualized nutrition counseling and collaborates with clients to identify nutrition goals and forms of joyful movement.

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Sara Gonet

MS, RD, LDN, CEDS-C
Leadership Team

Sara (she/her) specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and provides nutrition therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. She has a special interest in helping parents and caregivers navigate caring for their loved ones in the eating disorder treatment process. In addition to clinical work, Sara offers clinical supervision and case consultations to other Registered Dietitians.

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Laura Henson

RD, LDN
Leadership Team

Laura (she/her) specializes in medical nutrition therapy for adults, adolescents and children with disordered eating patterns. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and enjoys teaming up with clients to break free of the diet cycle. Laura also assists and collaborates with families to navigate childhood feeding issues.

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Billie L. Karel

MPH, RD, LDN, CDCES
Leadership Team

Billie (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She provides weight inclusive medical nutrition therapy, specializing in diabetes and related health conditions, disordered eating, and family feeding. Billie’s approach to nutrition therapy draws on extensive training and experience in diabetes care, eating disorders, intuitive eating, Health at Every Size®, and anti-racist practice.

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Annie Penrose

M.Ed, RD, LDN
Leadership Team

Annie (she/her) specializes in nutrition therapy for adults, adolescents, and children with eating disorders and disordered eating. She practices using a non-diet, weight neutral approach, and strives to help her clients live their happiest lives diet culture free. She is passionate about partnering with clients to form peaceful and positive relationships with food, body, and exercise.

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Hannah Waspi

MS, RD, LDN
Leadership Team

Hannah specializes in nutrition therapy for individuals with eating disorders and disordered eating. She works with adults, adolescents and families of young children. Her individualized approach with clients is HAES® aligned, with an emphasis of intuitive eating. She is passionate about partnering with clients to rediscover joy and peace in eating.

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Caitlin Ashley an eating disorders registered dietitian in Raleigh stands infront of a green hedge.
Caitlin Ashley

MPH, RD, LDN
Associate

Caitlin (she/her) provides dedicated and compassionate nutrition counseling for children, adolescents, and adults with eating disorders. She earned her Bachelors in Science in Biology from Roanoke College and later received her Masters in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill where she focused on all aspects of eating disorders, from advocacy and policy work to clinical care.

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Jessica Long

MS, RD, LDN
Associate

Jessica provides nutrition therapy to individuals with eating disorders and disordered eating. Her therapeutic approach is rooted in compassionate curiosity, and she enjoys partnering with her clients on their journey towards food freedom. Additionally, she has a passion for supporting moms through all stages of motherhood (from preconception to postpartum).

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Family Nutrition Counseling That Fits Your Life

Effective family nutrition counseling starts with listening. We do not walk into your family’s situation with a prescriptive plan and a list of rules. We begin by understanding your child’s eating history, growth trajectory, and current challenges, as well as your family’s culture, values, schedule, and stress points. From there, we collaboratively develop realistic, sustainable approaches for your household. We also work closely with pediatricians, therapists, occupational therapists, and other members of your child’s care team to ensure a cohesive, holistic approach.

Conditions & Concerns We Support

Our pediatric dietitians have extensive experience supporting children, adolescents, and families with:

  • ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
  • Extreme picky eating and food selectivity
  • Eating disorders in children and adolescents
  • Growth and weight concerns
  • Food allergies and intolerances
  • Gastrointestinal issues (constipation, reflux, IBS, celiac disease, EOE)
  • Nutrition and neurodivergence (ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences)
  • Sports nutrition for young athletes
  • Emotional eating that interferes with a child’s well being  and food preoccupation
  • Establishing calm, positive family mealtime routines

A Non-Diet, Weight-Inclusive Approach to Pediatric Nutrition

We practice from a non-diet, weight-neutral framework rooted in Responsive Feeding and the Division of Responsibility in Feeding, Ellyn Satter’s evidence-based model that defines the parent’s role (what, when, and where food is served) and the child’s role (whether and how much to eat). Responsive feeding centers the child and caregiver’s relationship and the unique needs of each person involved. These approaches reduce mealtime conflict, build trust around food, and allow children to develop healthy internal hunger and fullness cues without pressure or coercion.

Pediatric Dietitian Near Me, Serving Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte & Portland

We know how important it is to find quality pediatric nutrition care close to home. Our offices in Raleigh, North Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, and RTP/Brier Creek serve the Triangle region, and our Charlotte, NC and Portland, OR, locations extend our reach further. Telehealth appointments are available for families in North Carolina and Oregon who prefer to meet virtually or cannot easily travel to one of our offices. Our dietitians can also work with individuals in several other states, depending on dietetic licensure laws.  Contact us today to inquire!