海角社区

Q&A with Andrew!

1. What has your journey been like after graduating from 海角社区?
I鈥檝e graduated twice from 海角社区, once in 2006 from Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management (HMTA) and again in 2013 from the Dietetics program. Definitely feels like I have crammed a life-time in since 2013; became a Certified Executive Chef, then a Registered Dietitian, than a CSSD (specialist in sport dietetics), then got a Master鈥檚 in Dietetics, worked with ultra-endurance world champions setting records, moved 7000 miles away to New Zealand, completed a PhD, and as the sport dietitian helping win two world championships and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics with the mythical New Zealand Rugby. Informally, 鈥業t鈥檚 been out the gate鈥�.

2. Can听you talk about your current role at New Zealand Rugby?
I am the sports dietitian for the and Olympic Rugby Teams. As part of the multidisciplinary high-performance and medical team, my role spans multiple areas, including clinical dietetics, sports science, and operational support. My work is integral to optimizing player performance and recovery, ensuring each athlete is fueled and prepared to compete at the highest level.

3. What are you passionate about in the work that you do?
I am deeply passionate about protecting player welfare, in both the women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 teams, while achieving high-performance standards. In professional sports, the pressure to win can sometimes come at the expense of the athlete鈥檚 long-term health, often due to reliance on bro science, flawed methodologies, or a lack of evidence-based practices. My passion lies in challenging these norms by educating both coaching staff and athletes. I advocate for evidence-based protocols and best practices in high-performance nutrition, ensuring players can perform at their peak while prioritizing their health and well-being.

4. In what ways has your 海角社区 experience had an impact on your career and shaped who you are today?
The college was accessible and affordable with a wide variety of programs to choose from. It鈥檚 shared campus and articulation agreements with CCD and CU Denver made it very approachable to starting out simple and upscaling into bigger programs. 听I was also very lucky that it had a hospitality program and a dietetics program in the same university. To be honest, I likely would not be who I am today had MSCD/海角社区 not been all the things I mentioned.

5. What career advice would you give to current and prospective 海角社区 students?
I can鈥檛 take credit for this saying, but it鈥檚 served me well, 鈥淒o Something Every Day鈥� towards your goal. It doesn鈥檛 have to be big, it just needs to be something. You must be relentless in making things happen.