About Nicole
I design curricula and Food as Medicine programs for medical schools, health systems, and community organizations — and I stay through implementation.
I serve as Health and Wellness Thread Leader at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, designing how nutrition, prevention, and lifestyle medicine are taught and assessed across all four years of the medical curriculum.
My work sits at the intersection of systems and everyday practice — turning nutrition evidence into something a clinician, a team, or an organization can run, sustain, and return to.
Why This Approach
Nutrition initiatives often stop at strategy decks and recommendations. My work focuses on what happens after — inside the workflows, training environments, and care teams that have to carry them.
I’m less interested in perfect plans than in curricula, systems, and team structures that hold up beyond the pilot — and that can be measured.
My Work in Practice
I’ve built and led graduate-level training programs, designed experiential learning models, and integrated culinary medicine and Food as Medicine approaches across clinical and community settings.
Current work spans longitudinal curriculum design, RDN referral and activation workflow, teaching kitchen models, interprofessional training, and program evaluation.
Outside of Work
Outside of consulting, I spend a lot of time walking, taking photos, and planning our next trip — while keeping meals simple and realistic for our family.
I'm most interested in the in-between moments — how people live and work day to day — and that perspective shapes how I approach every project.
Credentials & Background
Nicole Becklem, MS, RDN, CDN, CCMS
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist · Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (New York State)
Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist (CCMS), American College of Culinary Medicine
Academic Appointment
Health and Wellness Thread Leader, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
Education
DHSc, Old Dominion University (in progress)
MS, Nutrition and Dietetics — D'Youville University
BA, Sociology and Women's Studies — Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Professional Memberships
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors
Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group
New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NYSAND)
Great Lakes Region of Dietitians (GLRAND)
Slow Food USA
Scholarly Interest
My scholarly interests center on the implementation of Food as Medicine in academic medical settings, RDN activation in clinical workflow, and interprofessional team-based care.