Infuse 5.5 FNCE Special Edition | Page 9
Image of Maye
with her family,
courtesy of
@mayemusk
She is passionate about the benefits of travel and living a global
life. “Living in different cities and countries is an education,” Maye
says. “You learn the way people think, their many different cultures
(especially in large urban cities) and their local foods. When I
arrived in Toronto, I didn’t know what an Oreo cookie was. I had to
go to the supermarket to look at all the labels to understand what
my clients were talking about.”
She’s well-positioned to advise a young dietitian/RD just
starting out.
“Be enthusiastic, and share your ideas with your colleagues,”
Maye suggests. “Trust me, word gets around, and you will soon be
invited to sit on local boards, then national boards.”
You have to market yourself a lot, she urges young dietitians.
“Use social media! Share your skills and successes on the Internet.
I don’t see enough of that, although ‘nutritionists’ without a sound
education are doing extremely well on the Internet and
in business.”
Maye also encourages those just starting out to remember that
“when your children are very young, they take up a lot of your
time, and it is hard to be at the top of your profession. Take each
stage of your life and do your best.”
She’s also passionate about advancing the profession of
dietetics.
Maye was the first dietitian to appear on a cereal box – a unique
accolade, and a fresh way to reach the public with nutrition
messages. She offers this advice to those who seek to similarly
stand out in the cluttered media space today.
“I didn’t aim to be on a cereal box, although that was a huge
surprise and I loved it. A cereal company had a campaign coming
out to make women feel good about themselves. I’d spoken about
nutrition and fitness, appearance and self-esteem all over Canada.
It made sense to have my book cover, with my photo on it, on the
cereal box,” Maye explains.
interview continues overleaf...
© Dietitian Connection
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Infuse | October 2018 - Special FNCE issue