I am a graduate of Bastyr University and hold a M.S.N. (Masters of Science in Nutrition). My Master’s degree was a Didactic Program in Dietetics which prepared me to apply for a Dietetic Internship. This two year Master’s program was preceded by three years of college level Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology classes. My Bachelor of Science degrees are in Psychology and Sociology and were earned in three years at the University of Oregon.

Additionally, I am a C.N. (Certified Nutritionist) by the Washington State Department of Health.

I got into the field of Nutrition because I am endlessly fascinated by all aspects of food and nutrition. I am constantly intrigued by how many elements of life are affected by our individual food choices. I think many people forget (or don’t consider) the extensive effect their food choices have.

The foods we choose to buy and eat obviously impact our own individual health and happiness. But, these choices also have a deep and lasting impact on our greater surroundings (local environments), societies around the world (farmers and economies) and the planet itself (biodiversity). It is this far reaching impact that I am fascinated with and that has attracted me to the field of nutrition, health and food.

In addition to the above mentioned attraction to nutrition, it has always been my goal to use my degrees to give back and contribute to the health of my community and its members. I believe a strong and healthy community is vital to a strong and healthy society and planet.

Besides helping people navigate the complexities of their diets, one of my other passions in the field of nutrition lies in the “farm to table movement.” For me this means bringing locally grown food to peoples’ tables/plates and in turn their bodies. Having done a lot of reading and studying on the subject of our industrial food system, I see the vast complexities we face trying to provide food for an entire country/world. In the reading I’ve done and the places I’ve been, there is a clear advantage to (whenever possible) procuring the food we eat from local farmers or from our own backyards. The advantages to this are numerous and I am happy to share more about that with you if you are interested to learn more.

Additionally, an aspect of food production and consumption that I believe is all too easily overlooked is the livelihood of the people who are in the fields growing and harvesting the foods that feed us. In small and large ways I aim to raise awareness about why it is important to value not only the food we consume but the people involved in the process of growing and processing that food.

Bike Touring in France

Outside of food I love riding my bicycle. I have traveled with my bicycle to Ireland, Canada and France for various lengths of time. I also greatly enjoy cooking, sharing meals with friends, visiting farmers markets, hiking, and making art. You can see my on-line Art Portfolio here.

For those of you curious about my seemingly repetitive name, I have used my last name (Sherman) as my first name since 2004. My first name is incredibly common in Oregon and when my friends started calling me Sherman to distinguish me from another friend who shared my first name, it felt so good I never looked back. I’ve been introducing myself and using Sherman as my first name for so long it is a deep part of my identity.

Unfortunately, our society is so attached to the “first and last name” construct that people don’t understand when I just use Sherman as my name. In grad school I had to use a first and last name for the school’s email account so I chose Sherman Sherman. Oddly, it stuck in a way that became endearing and definitely unique. My parents would like the world to know that they did not name me Sherman Sherman 😉