Julie Guenette, PhD, MScN is an instructor in the Functional Nutrition Program at PCC. She teaches Nutrition in Lifecycles.
Julie Guenette is the Director of Outreach and Development with the Age Wise Institute at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon. In this role, Julie manages the development of community and university education projects related to aging and nutrition.
Committed to optimal aging through the healing power of functional nutrition; Julie supports the movement toward an integrated model of healthcare. Julie is a research specialist and a nutritionist. She holds a PhD in Urban Studies/Gerontology from Portland State University (2005), and a Master’s Degree from the National University of Natural Medicine (formerly NCNM) (2016).
Julie is no stranger to community health, having spent 20 years in the field of gerontology as a research associate, instructor, healthcare quality improvement policy specialist, and nutrition counselor. In addition to her role at the Age Wise Institute, Julie maintains a medical nutrition therapy practice in Portland, Oregon.
Before joining the Age Wise Institute in 2016, Julie worked for the Oregon Geriatric Education Center (OGEC), The Institute on Aging (NIH), and Health Insights(CMS).
On Teaching
We asked Julie about her teaching experience and what it means to her.
Why do you teach?
One word that means a lot, “generativity.” It’s about creativity between the generations, and a sense of optimism about humanity. I teach out of a concern for establishing and guiding the next generation, or in some cases, the generation that came before me. I teach because the material is so incredibly important; quality nutrition improves the life quality.
What kind of transformation do you see in your students during a course?
I love to see student’s perceptions about older adulthood change. I love it when they see how so much of the negative messaging around older adulthood is socially constructed. The reality of the experience is often quite positive; particularly when people learn how to feel their best with through functional nutrition and movement.
Tell us about a time that you were most proud in your role as an instructor.
In my policy work I taught basic research statistics to healthcare professionals because federal Medicare protocols required it for some projects. A lot of these professionals came from a background that didn’t require that training, and some people were really anxious about learning statistics. I completely empathized, I felt the same way at one time. I developed a course to help them see statistics as language, as a tool to help communicate how their programs were working. It was so gratifying to see them overcome their fear and feel empowered.
You can find Julie online at:
- Website: healthyhealingfoods.com
