Kara Cucinotta
Program Director and Associate Professor
JWU Faculty Since 2013

A graduate of Boston University, Johnson & Wales University and Maryland University of Integrative Health, Kara Cucinotta, D.C.N., M.S., RDN, LDN, CNSC, has practiced dietetics since 2009, working with adult and pediatric patients and clients in inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and a private practice for nutrition counseling.
Since joining Johnson & Wales as an instructor in 2013, Cucinotta has encouraged an actively engaged classroom, utilizing a variety of teaching methods and real-life examples.
Her continuous goal as an educator has been to inspire her students to incorporate the principles of nutrition into their career aspirations as well as their personal lives.
Education
- D.C.N., Maryland University of Integrative Health
- M.S., Nutrition, Boston University
- B.S., Culinary Nutrition, Johnson & Wales University
- A.S., Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University
Teaching Interests
Pediatric nutrition
Maternal health
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Nutrition assessment techniques
Nutrition support (enteral and parenteral nutrition)
Critical care nutrition
Integrative health
Lifestyle medicine
Courses
- DIET4630: Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy
- DIET3030: Nutrition Assessment
- SCI1050: Nutrition
Extra Curricular Roles
Clinical Dietitian (per diem) at Lifespan Physician Group Lifestyle Medicine Center, Providence, RI
Professional Affiliations
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
American Society of Nutrition
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
Rhode Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (RIAND)
Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP)
Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietetic Practice Group
Dietitians in Medical Nutrition Therapy Dietetic Practice Group
Research Dietetic Practice Group
Publications
- Cucinotta, K. (2021, April). Impact of a Medical Home Dietitian/Nutritionist on Health Outcomes in Adults with Diabetes: Retrospective Cohort Study Design. Poster session presented at the Maryland University of Integrative Health Research Symposium, Laurel, MD.
- Han-Wen, O., Elia, D., Cucinotta, K. (2019, April). A dietary and botanical approach to the treatment of SIBO: A case report. Poster session presented at the Maryland University of Integrative Health Research Symposium, Laurel, MD.
Honors And Awards
- Student Research Poster Award, MUIH Research Symposium, 2019
- Faculty of the Year, College of Health and Wellness, 2017-2018
- National Honor Society