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.
Spring 2023 UCAN Health Coaches
Adrienne Alonso
Adrienne is a graduate student in the MPH Nutrition program. She grew up in Southern California and enjoys hiking, social dancing, and baking. Her goal is to become a dietitian and create community programs to address disordered eating among communities of color. She embraces a non-diet and weight inclusive approach and understands that people’s health priorities will differ depending on what season of life they’re in. She hopes to help clients begin implementing whatever health habits are important to them while promoting positive body image and self-compassion.
Rachel Chazan
Rachel is a junior here at NAU studying Nutrition and Foods and hopes to become a Registered Dietitian in her future. She is from Anthem, Arizona and in her free time, she loves to cook, snowboard, 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 Geiser is a Senior here at NAU and is studying Nutrition and Foods. She is from Phoenix, Arizona and loves cooking in the kitchen and enjoys any excuse to move her body. She wants to help clients to learn to love the food they put in their body, while also seeing the other benefits that come along, and to help others find enjoyable ways of movement that suits their needs.
Jaycie Grover
Jaycie is a senior nutrition student from Gilbert, Arizona. She is passionate about her bunny (Neptune), exploring the outdoors, and trying new recipes. Helping people feel like the best version of themselves is her primary goal as a health coach. She’s a great listener and offers compassion, a positive attitude, and support.
Aria Harness
Aria is a Nutrition and Foods major with a minor in Health and Wellness Coaching at NAU. She spends her free time writing, spending time in nature, and making delicious foods. Her focus as a health coach is to help others find ways to incorporate healthy habits from a place of love and respect for themselves. Aria is passionate about reducing stigma and making sure everybody and every body feels accepted and loved.
Breanna Hisquierdo
Breanna is in her fourth year as an undergraduate student in nutrition. She is from San Diego, California and enjoys spending her time outdoors, watching movies, and playing with her dog, Everest. Her goal as a health coach is to help clients with their relationship with food and body image while maintaining a non-diet approach. She hopes to continue using these practices when she reaches her goal of becoming a registered dietician.
McKenna King
McKenna is a graduate student in the Public Health Nutrition program. Her goal is to become a dietitian and support her clients’ physical and mental health. McKenna is a yoga teacher and has a background in herbalism and organic farming. She is fascinated by the mind-body connection and hopes to help others find foods and activities that feel nourishing to them. In her free time you can find her in the forest hiking with her dog or in the kitchen trying a new recipe.
Samantha Soulsby
Samantha is a senior nutrition student at NAU. She is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She grew up dancing competitively and still enjoys it along with reading, going on outdoor walks, and cooking in her free time. Her goal is to become a dietitian. She is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a stress-free eating environment.
Nikole Squires
Nikole Squires is a Graduate Research Assistant 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 (NB-HWC). In her free time, Nikole enjoys listening to podcasts, spending time with friends and family, and going for walks, hikes, and bike rides.
UCAN Leadership
Dawn Clifford, PhD, RD
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, MA
UCAN Co-Assistant Director
Natalie Papini is an instructor in the Health Sciences Department and doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Health PhD program at NAU. She teaches courses on health coaching, worksite wellness, and stress management in the Fitness and Wellness program. She conducts research in the areas of weight stigma, body image, and self-compassion and previously worked in the worksite wellness health coaching industry.
Megan Meyer, MPH, RD
UCAN Co-Assistant Director
Natalie Papini is an instructor in the Health Sciences Department and doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Health PhD program at NAU. She teaches courses on health coaching, worksite wellness, and stress management in the Fitness and Wellness program. She conducts research in the areas of weight stigma, body image, and self-compassion and previously worked in the worksite wellness health coaching industry.
Samantha Soulsby
UCAN Co-Manager
Samantha is a senior nutrition student at NAU. She is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She grew up dancing competitively and still enjoys it along with reading, going on outdoor walks, and cooking in her free time. Her goal is to become a dietitian. She is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a stress-free eating environment.
Ramsi Geiser
UCAN Co-Manager
Ramsi Geiser is a Senior here at NAU and is studying Nutrition and Foods. She is from Phoenix, Arizona and loves cooking in the kitchen and enjoys any excuse to move her body. She wants to help clients to learn to love the food they put in their body, while also seeing the other benefits that come along, and to help others find enjoyable ways of movement that suits their needs.
Nikole Squires
UCAN Lead Health Coach Supervisor
Nikole Squires is a Graduate Research Assistant 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 (NB-HWC). In her free time, Nikole enjoys listening to podcasts, spending time with friends and family, and going for walks, hikes, and bike rides.