​SAMANTHA SCHLEIGER  MS, RDN, CD, CLT, MIEP
integrative registered dietitian nutritionist  |  functional medicine practitioner
​certified LEAP therapist | mindful + intuitive eating practitioner
certified dietitian [wi] | insured

E X P E R I E N C E

Integrative Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Private Practice
simply nourished | www.thesimplerd.com | Elkhorn, WI | 2016-present
  • Provide in-person and telehealth nutritional care to help clients meet their nutrition and physical activity goals.

Chief Executive Officer/Co-Owner
The Wellness Pointe LLC. | www.thewellnesspointechiro.com | Elkhorn, WI | 2016-present
  • Manage internal operations of integrative chiropractic office and procedures regarding practice member care.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder (Clinical Dietitian - Inpatient/Outpatient/Rehab)
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center | Milwaukee, WI | August 7, 2016-present
  • Responsible for planning, developing and directing all nutritional care activities for assigned inpatients.
  • Provide outpatient counseling sessions on an individual basis.
  • Collaboratively work with the interdisciplinary team to ensure patient’s nutrition-related needs are met via whole, nutrient-dense diet or when alternative form of nutrition managed is deemed necessary.
  • Provide medical nutrition therapy and education for Veterans who have sustained a spinal cord injury participating in the SCI Inpatient Rehab Program.
  • Support the facility’s mission and coordinated care with other health care providers and Veterans and their families.
  • Successfully created and implemented an interdisciplinary program (with an OTR/L) hands-on approach to learning the power of nutrition through cooking and gardening in Veterans with SCI (SCI FRESH Cooking Program [bi-monthly] and SCI Gardening Program [bi-monthly]).
  • Created educational lecture for SCI/D Residents and Fellows regarding the unique nutrition needs of Veterans with SCI/D (i.e. wound healing nutrition needs, anemia/iron supplementation, alternative means of nutrition, nutrition-focused physical exam, NDD1/NDD2/NDD3 Dysphagia Diet, etc.). Additionally, presented to SCI/D Fellows on general wellness and self-care during their fellowship.
  • Working to implement the use of Indirect Calorimetry (MedGem) into SCI/D clinical care including writing a SCI/D Division Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and NFS Procedure.
  • Served as the chair/facilitator for the ‘Weight Measurement PDSA’ project workgroup; gathered preliminary data to identify needs, organized task group, and wrote/tracked progress of the PDSA project.
  • Successfully implemented the use of the SCI/D ECU devices for Room Service Menu viewing to increase Veteran independence and ease when placing a food order through Room Service.
  • Applied to the VHA Innovators Network Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment Program; selected to advance to Phase 2 of Program; pitched innovation idea to Milwaukee VAMC top management.
  • Conducted NFS Inpatient oral nutrition supplement (ONS) monitor for FY18 Quarter 1; created documented with data and findings; presented outcomes to Clinical Practice Meeting (NFS Management and RD/DTR staff)
  • Revised the national SCI/D Nutrition Annual Evaluation tool (Annual Exam laboratory values); uploaded to National NFS Sharepoint Patient Education Handouts page.
  • Selected to present on the Clinical Nutrition Subcommittee national call (April 2019) on SCI/D FRESH and Garden Programs.
  • Collaborated with National SCI/D Instructional Systems Specialist (Erik Wallen) and Health System Specialist (Meaghan Park) to upload our SCI FRESH/Garden Program curriculum to the SCI Whole Health SharePoint page (“Resources for Implementing Whole Health in SCI/D”)
  • Participated in a 2017 PDSA project where our team implemented the SCI/D Outpatient Medical Rehab Program
  • Participated in the Clement J. Zablocki VA Mentorship Program (2017)
  • Conducted Nutrition and Food Service Patient Satisfaction surveys on the SCI/D ward
  • Helped to coordinate and implement the 2017 National Nutrition Month in-person cooking demonstration with Chef Justin Carlisle; served as the RD moderator/educator during event
  • Serve as preceptor to Mount Mary Dietetic Internship students
  • Coordinated an outing with the SCI/D Recreation Therapy Department to take Veterans to a local farmers market to learn more about fresh produce, sustainability, resources, etc. (2018)
  • Coordinated an outing with Occupational Therapy to take Veterans on a local grocery store tour to educate them on helpful, nutritious ways to grocery shop, how to read food labels, how to effectively purchase food in bulk, etc.
  • Serve as staff RD during SCI/D Wound Rounds with medical team
  • Served as RD representative during 2018 National Nutrition Month event
  • Committees/Workgroups: Nutrition Subcommittee (2016-2018); SCI/D Healthy Work Environment (2018-present); SCI/D Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018-present); Employee Wellness Committee - SCI/D Department Leader (2018-present); SCI/D National RD Committee (2019-present); VA National Functional Nutrition Workgroup (2019-present)
 
Consultant Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Long Term Care/Rehab
Wisconsin & Illinois Senior Housing-Holton Manor | Elkhorn, WI | February 17, 2017-present
  • Responsible participating in menu planning following guidelines for facility license.
  • Responsible for performing initial and follow-up assessments on appropriate patients/residents and demonstrating working knowledge of illness, injuries, and disease-states when providing medical nutrition therapy.
  • Responsible for documenting results of patient care within established policies, procedures, and scope of practice, while maintaining consistency and accuracy in data collection and documentation.
  • Responsible for developing the plan of care based on patients’/residents’ psychosocial, cultural, ethnic, and religious/spiritual needs.
 
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Clinical Dietitian - Inpatient/Outpatient)
Aurora Medical Center | Kenosha, WI | October 19, 2015-March 30, 2016
  • Developed and implemented a plan of care for patients based on assessment of nutritional needs in correlation with interdisciplinary health care plans. Utilized a nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE), clinical and laboratory data to complete assessment.
  • Reviewed patient’s diet order, determined clinical appropriateness and collaborated with MD concerning patient care.
  • Documented results of nutritional assessment, MNT recommended and initiated, plan of care, results of diet consultation, recommendations for discharge planning, and nutrition orders in medical record (EPIC) in a timely manner.
  • Provided nutrition education through individual and group teaching to patients/families, staff and the community.
  • Maintained accurate record-keeping of daily clinical activities, including information for scheduling and billing.

E D U C A T I O N

Dietetic Internship | Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital | Hines, IL 60141 | August 2014-June 2015
Length: 41 weeks; Focus: Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT); Research: Evaluation of outcomes of the Cooking Healthy Everyday Foods (CHEF) Program; Clinical Practice: Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Spinal Cord Injury, Geriatrics, Surgery, Renal, Parenteral/Enteral Nutrition, Ambulatory Care, Wellness, Food Service Systems Management, Clinical Nutrition Management, Home-based Primary Care, Mental Health, Geriatrics/Hospice
 
Additional Graduate-level Courses | University of Illinois-Chicago | September 2014-June 2015
College of Applied Health Sciences | Chicago, IL 60612
  • Research on Clinical Nutrition Problems
  • Advanced Clinical Nutrition III
 
Masters of Science – Food and Nutritional Science | University of Wisconsin-Stout | GPA: 3.9 | January 2011-May 2014
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences | Menomonie, WI 54751
 
Bachelors of Science – Kinesiology | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Cum Laude | September 2006-December 2010
College of Education and Human Sciences | Eau Claire, WI 54703
  • Human Performance Program

L I C E N S U R E   &   C E R T I F I C A T I O N S

  • In progress: American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) – Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP)
  • ​In progress: Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner (IFNCP)
  • Mindful & Intuitive Eating Practitioner (MIEP) | 5/2019
  • Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) | 3/2019
  • Registered Dietitian | Registration Number: 86026697 | Expires 5/31/2021
  • Certified Dietitian | License Number: 2887-29 | Expires 10/31/2020
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) | American Heart Association | Expires 9/2020
  • ServSafe | National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation | License Number: 9465139 | Expires 1/2021
  • ​TRX Suspension Training | 2011
  • CrossFit Level 1 | 2010

P R O F E S S I O N A L   O R G A N I Z A T I O N S 

R E S E A R C H ,   P U B L I C A T I O N S   &   S P E A K I N G   E N G A G E M E N T S

  • Clinical Nutrition Subcommittee (CNS) National Call | “A Hands-on Approach to Healthy Habits in SCI/D” (FRESH Cooking Class and Gardening Program) | April 2019
  • Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (WAND) Conference | Innovation in Nutrition Presentation | “A Hands-on Approach to Healthy Habits in SCI/D” | March 2019
  • Expert Panel Member: “Engaging Patients and Providers in Identifying and Addressing Modifiable Risk Factors to Prevent Community-Acquired Ulcers in Veterans with SCI” Delphi Study| Edward Hines Jr. VA | 2018-2022
  • Research Study - Vitamin D Status in the SCI/D Population (a retrospective chart review) | Clement J. Zablocki VAMC SCI/D Center | 2018-present
  • 2018 Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (ASCIP) Conference | Speaker | A Hands-on Approach to Healthy Habits in SCI | September 2018
  • Presenter: 2018 VISN 12 Hub & Spoke Conference | Integrative and Functional Approaches to Providing Nutrition Care in SCI
  • Research Study | Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital | An evaluation of self-efficacy and clinical outcomes of the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and Joliet CBOC C.H.E.F. Program | June 2015
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – Student Scoop | Make Yours an Unforgettable Internship Experience (March 2015)
  • Thesis | Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center | Impact of a Healthy Teaching Kitchen course versus standard nutrition education on knowledge, behavior and confidence in people with SCI/D | May 2014
  • Dunn County Newspaper | Menomonie, WI | De-flaming your diet | November 2013
  • Button, N., Dickinson, C., Krueger, S., & Meschke, A. (2010). The effects of Gatorade’s G-Series on 300-meter shuttle run times of collegiate and semi-professional athletes. The Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research, 6(1), 39-45.

H O N O R S   &   A W A R D S

  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Received ‘Exceptional’ rating for 2018 performance evaluation | October 2018
  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Received award for presenting to VISN 12 2018 SCI/D Hub and Spoke Conference | 2018
  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Received ‘Exceptional’ rating for 2017 performance evaluation | October 2017
  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Received award for creating/implementing SCI Annual Exam lunch bag program (partnership with WI-PVA) | 2017 
  • Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics: Certificate of Training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition | September 2018
  • Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics: Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management | September 2016
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation Scholarship | 2014
  • Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietetics Student (DPD) Award | 2014
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietetics Student Award | 2014
  • Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Bernice Mateicka Health Care Food Service Scholarship | 2014
  • Phi Upsilon Omicron-Tau Chapter Professional Project, Region I Winners | 2013
  • University of Wisconsin-Stout University Foundation Scholarship | 2013
  • Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Jo Saunders Scholarship | 2013
  • Aurora Health Care Elizabeth A. Miller Scholarship | 2012
  • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Arlyn W. Gravunder Kinesiology & Athletic Scholarship | 2010
  • ​University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Women’s Soccer Team Captain/Team Award | 2008-2009/2008, 2009
  • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Student Leadership Award Nomination | 2008

O T H E R   E X P E R I E N C E 

Health Coach (Temporary position)
Group Health Cooperative | 2503 N. Hillcrest Altoona, WI 54720 | May 2012-November 2012
  • Planned and implemented health promotion initiatives to members (biometrics, HRAs, health coaching, follow-up, etc.).
 
Personal Trainer
FitELITE LLC. | Eau Claire, WI 54701 | June 2010-October 2012
  • Worked within a team environment to coordinate activities for promotional events and business opportunities.
  • Created and implemented cardiovascular, resistance training and nutrition programs on an individual and group basis.

A D D I T I O N A L   T R A I N I N G   &   P R O F E S S I O N A L   D E V E L O P M E N T

  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Whole Health Training - Eating for Whole Health | 1/2019
  • Department of Veterans Affairs: Eating for Whole Health: Introduction to Functional Nutrition | 2018
  • Institute of Functional Medicine: Integrative and Functional Medicine Online Course | 8/22/18
  • Institute of Functional Medicine: Clinical Solutions for Addressing the Underlying Causes of Disease | 8/26/18
  • Institute of Functional Medicine: Nutrition Oriented Physical Exam – N Sight | 12/2018
  • Book: The Psychobiotic Revolution | 12/2018
  • Regularly read the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and AND Position Papers