Julie Alliger, RD, LDN, CDCES

Julie AlligerSpecialties include: Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention, Insulin Pump Management, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Management, Weight Management, Nutrition for Chronic Pain, Heart Health, Vegetarian/Plant-based Nutrition 

Julie Alliger is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.  As member of the Nutrition and Diabetes Services team she provides both individual and group diabetes education, she trains caregivers of diabetes patients and she works to provide comprehensive pump training and continuous glucose monitoring to patients who use these devices. Julie educates clients in healthy eating which includes weight management, heart health, vegetarian and plant based nutrition as well as nutrition for chronic pain. 

After graduating with a B.A. from University of Maryland, College Park, Julie went on to a Didactic Program in Dietetics at Iowa State, and then a Dietetic Internship at Rutgers University. The connection between leading a healthy lifestyle and disease prevention is one that Julie has experienced up close and personally. "My dad had a heart attack when he was 58 years old, and my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 65 years old. I have always been interested in healthy lifestyles that would help avoid those and other chronic diseases." 

Facilitating that simple connection can be challenging in the face of such things as a particular patient's complicated medical history, or mental health or financial issues. "Sometimes it's obesity or heart disease that makes it difficult for them to exercise and making healthy food choices doesn’t get the weight off as fast as they would like or improve their disease process as quickly as they would like." Julie steps in to help connect the dots. 

Julie and her husband are empty nesters, their three children grown. She enjoys running, golf, yoga, and cooking. Her version of junk food is "anything that's not whole foods plant based." If she wasn’t working as a Certified Diabetes Educator, you might find Julie working or volunteering at an animal shelter. 

The best thing about her career is when everything clicks with a patient, whether it's counseling sessions for wellness, weight loss, diabetes, cardiology, or GI disorders. "The most gratifying part is when the light bulb goes off—helping someone realize the connection between good food and good health."  

Kimberly Beazley, RD, CDCES, LDN

Kimberly BeazleySpecialties include: Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention, Weight Management, Heart Health, Lifestyle Coaching

If you go back to her start as a clinical dietitian, Kim has spent her career of 30 years of experience with Chester County Hospital mainly in the Outpatient setting. For Kim, now a certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered dietitian, having a "little piece" in helping patients change their lives is what keeps her coming back. "Patients' faces come to mind as I picture them in their 'new' bodies -- lighter, more active, confident and excited; knowing they have control over their choices, rather than feeling out of control or destined for poor health."

Kim graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Nutrition and then completed an ADA Approved Pre-Professional Practice Program at Long Island University. Her career path seemed set early on. "My brother was a kidney dialysis patient. He worked with the renal dietitian and learned what he could and couldn't eat. My little brain was fascinated by the idea that what someone did or didn't eat could impact their health and life."

That connection drew her in, and today, her years of experience inform her work as a Master Trainer and Lifestyle Coach for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, her community talks on a myriad of nutrition-related topics, and in providing one-on-one medical nutrition therapy for clients of all ages. This entails keeping up with the very latest in new diabetes medicines and technologies, and Kim has often considered going back to school for counseling. "My present job offers the privilege of meeting so many people. I love hearing their stories, and treasure that they trust me with their struggles and joys. Sometimes I wish I were better equipped to go a step deeper, dig down to the roots, and help with healing of the whole person."

Kim has a son and daughter with her husband of 30 years and enjoys reading, sewing, and walking with friends in her downtime. And she indulges in her weakness for chocolate "in moderation, of course."

And if she were to ever change careers? Kim would still be learning. "I wouldn't mind working in a place like a library or bookstore, surrounded by books."

Maureen Boccella, MS, RD, CDCES, LDN

Maureen BoccellaSpecialties include: Cancer/Oncology Nutrition, Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention, Digestive Disorders, Heart Health, Weight Management 

Maureen's 30 years of experience in nutrition and diabetes education has led her to her present position as Manager of Nutrition and Diabetes Services with Penn Medicine at Chester County Hospital. Her background as a Registered Dietitian, serving both inpatient and outpatient populations, as well as her experience as a Diabetes Educator, makes her uniquely qualified to lead the team at Chester County Hospital. 

"Our goal is to educate people so they can live their lives and still manage their diabetes, not the other way around." A self-professed people person, Maureen enjoys the opportunity to meet and interact with new people. “Our biggest challenge as educators is helping people change their habits. It is not easy, but we focus on small, sustainable changes." 

Maureen’s interest in nutrition is hardwired. "My grandmother was an RN, loved Prevention Magazine and was into holistic measures before they were popular. That sparked my interest in nutrition." Her educational background includes a B.S. in Dietetics and a minor in Biology from University of Delaware, followed by a dietetic internship at Rutgers University, and an M.S. in Health Education and Nutrition Marking from Saint Joseph's University, as well as a Certification for Diabetes Education. 

During her downtime, Maureen enjoys reading and keeps fit with running and barre class. She likes to cook and collects cookbooks. Even Friday pizza night is healthy at her house. “My husband makes it. We use part skim mozzarella cheese and love topping with onions, mushrooms and eggplant."

Maureen's job is challenging, but she wouldn’t trade it. "My biggest challenge as a manager is navigating the constant change and keeping our program at the highest level. I am blessed to have such an awesome team."

Kolleen Cassidy, RN

Kolleen CassidySpecialties include: Diabetes Nurse Educator, Diabetes and Nutrition Services, General and Cardiac PACU Nursing 

Kolleen contributes to the team not just as a diabetes and nutrition services educator, she brings her background and experience as a registered nurse, licensed in both Pennsylvania and Delaware, with her. The oldest of four, she naturally assumed the role of caretaker from the start. "My mom went back to school for nursing when I was in high school, so seeing her do that definitely sparked my interest in a career as a nurse."

Earning her B.S. in Nursing from Villanova and graduating cum laude, Kolleen's professional experience includes working in the Cardiac Care units of both Nemours Alfred I. Dupont Hospital for Children and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her interdisciplinary approach, critical thinking and problem-solving skills help her to connect with patients, and she leads the basic diabetes classes here at Chester County Hospital for newly diagnosed and uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes. 

Kolleen's own wellness sets an example, and her enthusiasm for keeping fit extends into the community. She is a coach for Girls on the Run, teaching life skills to elementary school-aged girls via running and interactive lessons. She leads by example here as well. 

"My favorite thing to do is work out. I love it all: running, lifting, spinning, and Pilates. I bought a Peloton bike during the pandemic, and I'm obsessed." As for breaking the rules: "My version of junk food is...actual junk food. If I could eat candy all day, I would!"

In her down time, travel is a priority for Kolleen. "I was lucky enough to grow up all over the United States. Frequent moves probably sparked my interest in traveling, and pre-COVID I made it a priority to plan at least three trips a year with friends and family."

For now, Kolleen is making a difference right here. "The most gratifying part of my job is the fact that I get to contribute to other people's overall wellness."

 

Carla Graves, MS, RD, CDCES

Carla Graves, MS, RD, CDCESSpecialties include: All services in English and Spanish including Nutrition Services, Diabetes Education and Diabetes Prevention, Insulin Management, Weight Management 

Carla's work with the team as a diabetes educator is not just what she does for a job; it's an extension of what she does in the community, where she's a diabetes care coordinator with Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester, PA.

She earned her B.S. in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University before pursuing an M.S. in Human Nutrition from Drexel University. Carla is also fluent in Spanish and is able to reach patients and clients in two languages. "Teaching people new skills to help them change their lifestyle and achieving greater health" is what drives her. Here at CCH, she offers bilingual instructional programs -- both virtual and one-on-one -- for patients with diabetes, prediabetes or gestational diabetes. 

Carla knew at an early age she wanted to be in the healthcare field. "I've always had a passion for nutrition. I was an athlete, so I took a nutrition class in high school because I was interested in how fueling your body could optimize your performance. Later in life, when I was in the Army, I realized I wanted to be on the side of preventing health problems."

When she's not working, Carla spends time with her son and their dog. "We love to hike and explore the outdoors and we've been trying to take at least one vacation a year to visit a National park. I also like to run and do yoga to remain active." In the rare bits of free time she has, Carla also enjoys cooking, reading books, playing board games and traveling. Her junk food indulgence is ice cream, "in moderation, of course!"

When you love what you do, you're clearly in the right line of work.  She feels lucky to be able to combine her passion for nutrition with her language skills to instruct others how they can improve their own health. "I honestly wouldn't be doing  anything else—I love my job."

Alexandria (Lexie) Hoffman, MSN, RN

Alexandria (Lexie) Hoffman MSN, RNSpecialties include: Diabetes Nurse Educator, Diabetes and Nutrition Services, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Adult-Gerontology Specialty

Lexie is a current Diabetes Educator along with holding an active certification in Medical-Surgical Nursing. She started her nursing career in outpatient dialysis and transitioned to inpatient bedside nursing for seven years. Lexie helped care for and manage an array of medical diagnosis during her experience as a bedside nurse.

Her passion for diabetes, education, and management of care grew after her husband was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes five years ago. She became involved in educating patients at bedside, working one on one with patients and families to help foster understanding of the new diagnosis after discharge. She decided that she wanted to help the adult population and completed her Masters of Science in Nursing in Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist in December 2022. She currently is working on completing this certification.

Lexie finds true joy in educating patients and families related to diabetes management. As a support person of someone with diabetes, she knows that having that team mindset and understanding is important for patient success.

When Lexie is not working, she enjoys being at home with her husband and dog enjoying the outside and mowing many acres of grass. She frequently makes trips to the Jersey Shore where her family enjoys the beach and boating. Lexie loves her friends and family and cherishes her time with them. Lexie’s family enjoys classic cars and going to car shows on the weekends. She has a classic car and her husband has an antique car.

Learning how to help patients and seeing the appreciation that comes from their words or when the education makes sense is the reason that she truly loves calling herself a nurse educator. 

Jennifer McCormick, RN, BSN, CDCES, CPT

Jennifer McCormick, RN, BSN, CDCES, CPTSpecialties include: Diabetes Nurse Educator, Certified Pump Trainer, Clinical Nursing (Intensive Care, Women's Health, Occupational Health)

Jenny received her nursing degree from Drexel University in 2017.  As a nurse, she has many specialties and  has an extensive background in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Her desire to help care for and educate those in need has always driven her career choices, and it was a personal diagnosis that led her to pursue a career in Diabetes Education. As an adult with diabetes, she recognizes and appreciates the need to bridge gaps in support, resources and information. Her professional and personal experiences within the diabetes population motivate her to provide compassionate and comprehensive care.

She enjoys spending her free time doing yoga, traveling with friends and family, and snuggling with her cat. When she is not working, she also volunteers her time helping those with diabetes. Diabetes summer camps and family conferences are just a few of the ways she likes to further support the community!

Colette Pester-Phillips, RDN, CDCES, MPH, LDN

Colette Pester PhillipsSpecialties include: Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention, Weight Management, Heart Health

Colette has over 15 years of experience as a dietitian, with beginnings at West Chester University, graduating magna cum laude with a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics and a minor in psychology, followed by a Dietetic Internship with an emphasis on Information Technology at University of Maryland. A psychology major in college with a desire to counsel people with their emotional health, Colette was inspired to shift her focus after taking nutrition courses.

"The concepts that I personally learned made an impact for me to choose counseling in both emotional AND nutritional health, for an overall greater quality of life."

Working as a new dietitian teaching diverse groups, she continued studies in a Master of Public Health Program, Community Health Emphasis, at West Chester University. While employed as an adjunct nutrition instructor at West Chester University and Delaware County Community College, her skill for teaching expanded into both the classroom and virtual learning worlds. 

Colette's certifications include Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES), Adult Weight Management, and Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Lifestyle Coach.  Colette incorporates these specialty concepts, with focus on "how to make time for one's health, working with the time constraints that we all put upon ourselves with busy schedules". Her most specific passion in health improvement revolves around the daily impact of blood sugar management for diabetes care and prevention. Personal and professional compassion is her top priority in creating individualized, realistic diabetes care routines.

Part of teaching is also learning, and Colette and her husband are learning to live a balanced life with their elementary school-aged children. She enjoys weight training at home, and vegetable gardening in the summer. When she does indulge in junk food, it is "anything with over-salted crunch."

As spare time allows, Colette enjoys architectural drawing and design. "It’s exciting to see the big picture while hashing out the fine details." Fittingly, she applies those big picture/fine details concepts to the patients she educates. 

Katie Russel, MS, RD, CDCES, LDN

Katie Russel, Diabetes Educator at Chester County HospitalSpecialties: Diabetes Education

Katie completed all her education at the University of Delaware; this includes a bachelor's degree in dietetics, master's degree in human nutrition, and dietetic internship -- making her a full-fledged Blue Hen! Since becoming a dietitian, she has worked in both community and clinical roles. She enjoys blending these areas together to care for people holistically, recognizing all the considerations that go into our food choices: access to food, time to prepare it, family influences and traditions around food, and of course enjoyment!

Her passion for helping and supporting others with diabetes stems from growing up with a grandmother diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes later in adulthood. "I watched everything she had to do to care for herself, and now think how she would be so happy to see how far technology has come just in the past few years. It gives me hope that we can continue to reduce the amount of time and effort needed to manage diabetes. Her experience helps me better understand the stress and overwhelming feelings of individuals and families I work with, helping to simplify management as much as possible."

When not at work you can usually find Katie outside hiking. A native of Chester County, PA, she knows a lot of great local trails! She also loves music and frequents concerts of her favorite artists. When at home, she enjoys playing board/video games, reading fantasy novels, watching Pixar movies, or learning something new.

Alyssa Thomas, MS, RD, CDCES, LDN

Alyssa Thomas, MS, RD, CDCES, LDNSpecialties include: Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention, Insulin Pump Management, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Management, Weight Management, Heart Health.

Alyssa has been a Registered Dietitian since 2019. She has focused on diabetes education in the acute care setting since 2022, and she successfully became a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) in 2023. She is excited to have recently joined the Chester County Hospital Diabetes Team to continue her passion for counseling and educating patients both in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Alyssa graduated from West Chester University in 2018 with a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics. Following graduation, she completed a dietetic internship through Geisinger Medical Center in northeastern Pennsylvania and was then hired by Geisinger as a registered dietitian. She went on to complete her MS degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Alabama in May 2023.

"I have always had a passion for helping others. When I took my first nutrition class in college, it made me realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition, and I wanted to share my knowledge to improve the health of my community." Alyssa is grateful for any opportunity to help people on their health journey.

In her free time, Alyssa, who has a passion for theatre and dance, loves taking local dance classes, and attending shows. You can often find her at the gym taking group fitness classes such as dance fitness, barre, or Body pump. As a certified Zumba fitness instructor, you may even catch Alyssa teaching a class herself!

Jessica Wilson, MA, RD, CDE, LDN

Jessica WilsonSpecialties include: Diabetes and Diabetes Prevention (Insulin Pump Management, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Management), Weight Management, Chronic Kidney Disease, Exercise and Physical Activity

Jessica has been with the team at Chester County Hospital for over 10 years as both an inpatient and outpatient Diabetes, Nutrition, and Community Wellness Educator. In addition to an educational background that includes a B.S. in Kinesiology from West Chester University, an MA in Nutrition Education with ADA Dietetic Internship at Immaculata University, she also brings a particular and specific familiarity with the subject of her work to the table. 

"I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes towards the end of the journey for my Master’s degree in Nutrition Education. Ironically at that time I was in a place where I was trying to decide what I was going to do with my life and this new degree." A diabetes educator with whom she worked closely at the time suggested that Jessica become a diabetes educator as well. 

As a person with diabetes and an educator, Jessica is able to bring firsthand knowledge to the specialties of Insulin Pump Management and Continuous Glucose Monitoring Management to her work. But she also enjoys helping people find ways to eat a healthier diet, lose weight and feel better overall. Her professional memberships include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.  

Jessica enjoys being involved her community, especially through the works of the social ministry committee at her church, volunteering for community clean ups, Christmas gift drives and meal packing events. She stays fit with working out at home, hiking and has taken up golf in the last 5 years and is already obsessed with it! She stays on track with her ability to educate from a personal place and is grateful for the suggestion from that colleague years ago. "I envisioned I would become a diabetes educator and be able to help understand, first hand, what those living with it go through—it seemed like a no brainer! I’m very glad I took her advice."

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