Meet Our Coaches
All of our health coaches complete a minimum of 45 hours of training in health coaching techniques. The UCAN health coaches are upper division undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing careers in health fields.
Just like you, they often struggle to manage their studies, work obligations, extra curricular activities and health-supporting self-care patterns. Our health coaches don’t have perfect diets or exercise habits. They can empathize with the stressors of college life and will work with you to help you achieve your health goals.
Health coaches are experts at supporting clients through the behavior change process. Health coaches are not personal trainers and they aren’t dietitians. They provide counseling services to support you in whatever changes you’re interested in making.
Fall 2025 UCAN Health Coaches
Abi Lee (she/her)
Abi is a senior in the Fitness-wellness program at NAU and a passionate per-occupational therapy student. She enjoys reading, watching Disney movies, hiking, and taking cycling classes for fun. Through her pre-OT studies and health coaching, she has developed a strong belief that everyone has unique needs that should be taken into consideration when working on improving healthy living. As a health coach, she is passionate about helping others discover personalized ways to embrace a healthy lifestyle.
Torrie Barreras
Torrie is a senior at NAU studying nutrition. She’s originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She enjoys being a dog mom – taking her dogs to the dog park and out on the trails. She loves meeting new people and connecting with others who have unique stories and experiences. Torrie plans to become a registered dietitian working with people who struggle with gut health or live with chronic illnesses. She’s passionate about helping others manage their health so they can live fuller, happier lives.
Riley Blahnik-Elliott
Riley is a senior at NAU, where she is pursuing a double major in Biomedical Science and Nutrition with a minor in Studio Arts. Originally from Montana, Riley values reading, cooking, and movement through dance, hiking, yoga and weightlifting. Riley plans to pursue a career in endocrinology, with a focus on the connection between hormones, nutrition and overall health. She is passionate about supporting clients in creating manageable and sustainable approaches to wellness that individually align to each person’s lifestyle. Her goal is to empower her clients to build confidence in their bodies while making lasting changes that support overall health.
Tish Blankenship
Tish is a junior undergraduate student studying nutrition and dietetics with a minor in health and wellness coaching. She enjoys hiking, watching movies, working out, and cooking. She is from Avondale, Arizona and is very passionate about health, wellness, and helping others achieve their goals. She hopes to become a Physicians Assistant in the future. She is determined to help empower others and spread positivity to all.
Kai Martin
Kai is a senior studying nutrition and dietetics. He wants to be a pediatric dietitian and enjoys running, drawing, hiking, and watching TV. He has a 4 year old pet lizard and is passionate about helping others undo the damage of diet culture.
Brynn Meinhardt
Brynn is a senior at Northern Arizona University, majoring in psychology with a minor in nutrition. In her free time, she enjoys thrifting and snowboarding. She is deeply passionate about the connection between mental health and food and how they influence identity and behavior. Her goal is to help others build healthier, more balanced lives by exploring these powerful connections.
Niko O’Neill
Niko is a senior majoring in Fitness Wellness. He wants to attend graduate school in the hopes of becoming a certified athletic trainer one day. Some of his hobbies include reading, hiking, scuba diving, playing sports, and spending time with friends and family. Through his pre-AT education and health coaching, he has developed a true passion for helping others. As a UCAN health coach, Niko aims to have a positive impact on his clients.
Aliza Nunez
Aliza is a junior at NAU, where she is pursuing her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in Nutrition. She’s from Yuma, Arizona. In her free time, she enjoys reading while listening to music. Her hobbies include scrapbooking and capturing memories through her camera. In the future, she plans on becoming a child psychologist, but mainly focusing on family therapy. Her main goal as a UCAN health coach is to help her clients build their confidence and feel strong in their own skin.
Ellena Slater
Ellena is a senior pursuing an undergraduate degree in nutrition with a French minor. She aspires to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in the future. In her free time, Ellena loves going to the gym, enjoying nature walks, listening to music, cooking, and reading both fiction and non-fiction. As an international student from England, she is passionate about helping people navigate the challenges of moving to a different area and helping them incorporate positive habits to support their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
UCAN Health Coach Student Managers
Marco Cazzato (he/him)
UCAN Client Manager
Marco is a senior at NAU pursuing bachelor degrees in Fitness & Wellness as well as Nutrition and Foods. He is from Tucson, Arizona and was drawn to Flagstaff for the diverse seasons, incredible outdoors, and strong community. In his free time Marco enjoys weight lifting, snowboarding, camping, cooking, video games, anime, and movies. Marco plans on pursuing a career as a registered dietitian and personal trainer helping others learn more about wellness and reach their health goals.
Rachel Chazan (she/her)
Rachel is a student in the MPH Nutrition program at NAU and hopes to become a Registered Dietitian in her future. She is from Anthem, Arizona and in her free time, she loves to cook, go outdoors, and take her dog Noodle on walks. She is very passionate about helping people learn how to listen to their bodies to create an amazing relationship with food and exercise.
Ramsi Geiser
Ramsi is a student in the MPH Nutrition program at NAU and hopes to become a Registered Dietitian in her future. She is from Anthem, Arizona and in her free time, she loves to find new places to visit and eat in Flagstaff, go mountain biking and hiking outdoors, will never say no to a movie, and has recently enjoyed pickleball. She hopes to create a space where everyone can learn to enjoy food and movement and create long lasting habits that make your life better and more intentional.
UCAN Health Coach Faculty Supervisors
Dawn Clifford, PhD, RD (she/her)
UCAN Director
Dr. Clifford is a Professor in the Health Sciences Department. She’s a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and author of the book 5-Minute MI: Motivational Interviewing in Nutrition and Health When Time is Short and co-author of the book, Motivational Interviewing in Nutrition and Fitness. Dr. Clifford teaches courses in Nutrition Education and Counseling and Lifecycle Nutrition. She conducts research in non-diet, weight inclusive approaches to health and well-being and behavior change counseling.
Natalie Papini, PhD, MA (she/her)
UCAN Assistant Director
Natalie Papini is an Assistant Professor in the Health Sciences Department. She teaches courses for undergraduates in fitness wellness and graduate students in the interdisciplinary health PhD program. She conducts research in the areas of weight stigma, body image, and self-compassion and previously worked in the health coaching industry.
Nikole Squires (she/her)
UCAN Assistant Director
Nikole Squires is a lecturer in the department of Health Sciences and doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Health PhD program at NAU. She conducts research in the areas of intuitive eating, body image, eating disorder recovery, and non-diet, weight-inclusive healthcare and fitness. Nikole is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor (CIEC), Licensed and Certified Athletic Trainer (LAT, ATC), and National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). In her free time, Nikole enjoys listening to podcasts, reading, spending time with friends and family, and going for walks, runs, hikes, and bike rides.
Megan Meyer, MPH, RD (she/her)
UCAN Assistant Director
Megan Meyer is Lecturer in the Health Sciences Department. She teaches courses on lifecycle nutrition, foodservice management, and culinary courses. Megan holds a culinary degree from Johnson & Whales. Megan’s expertise includes culinary nutrition, pediatric nutrition, eating disorders, and public health and prevention. She worked for 7 years as the campus dietitian for NAU, which included work with projects that focus on addressing food insecurity, the implementation of the Healthier Campus Initiative, and the development of Live Well NAU.