Megan Whelan

Dr. Megan Whelan serves as Dean of the School of Health Professions at D'Youville University, where she has held faculty positions since 2005 including Associate Professor, Chairperson, and Program Director for the ACEND-accredited Nutrition and Dietetics program. Her career centers on advancing equity through culturally responsive teaching practices and reforming institutional policies in higher education.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from State University of New York at Buffalo
• MS in Nutrition from State University of New York at Buffalo
• Graduate Certificate in Dietetics from University of Rhode Island
• BS in Human Nutrition from University of Massachusetts

As a qualitative researcher, Dr. Whelan investigates critical intersections of nutrition education, professional practice, and equity. Her work examines dietary acculturation among refugee populations, barriers to diversity in dietetics careers, and systemic reforms for inclusive pedagogy. Current grant-funded research assesses nutrition services' impact on food security and health outcomes in Buffalo's underserved communities.

Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on interprofessional education, telenutrition implementation, and culturally responsive frameworks across clinical, academic, and community settings. Recent work emphasizes qualitative methodologies to drive policy changes in dietetics credentialing and educational practices.

Notable recognitions include:

• CFSational Award from Western New York Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (2018)
• School of Health Professions Research Day Best Poster Award (2018)
• Commission on Dietetic Registration Doctoral Scholarship (2016)
• Multiple Dietetics Faculty of the Year awards (2009-2015)
• Outstanding Cystic Fibrosis Advocate designation (2015)

Dr. Whelan leads multiple grant initiatives focused on community health equity, particularly her current role as lead nutrition researcher evaluating Registered Dietitians' impact in underserved Buffalo populations. Her administrative leadership in the Coordinated Program involved direct mentorship of dietetics students through clinical rotations and academic training, though specific advisee names aren't documented in available materials.

She actively collaborates with interdisciplinary health profession teams through grant projects and interprofessional education initiatives, driving community-engaged research to address systemic health disparities.