Sharon Gallagher

Sharon Gallagher is Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of the Dietetic Internship Program in the Department of Nutrition at Simmons University, where she blends more than 35 years of clinical and community dietetics practice with over three decades of college-level teaching. In parallel to her academic role she maintains a private nutrition practice and consults for a visiting nurse agency, continually translating field insights into classroom learning and vice-versa.

Education

• MEd, Nutrition Education – Framingham State College
• BS, Clinical Nutrition – Cornell University
• Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN)
• Certificate of Training in Obesity Interventions for Adults (2019)

Research & Professional Focus

Gallagher’s scholarship centers on community-oriented nutrition interventions that address food insecurity, childhood obesity, and diabetes management. Her work emphasizes practical, scalable solutions—such as promoting generic healthy foods, developing interactive children’s recipes, and fostering inter-professional education—designed to make the healthy choice the easy choice for diverse populations.

Recent Scholarly Output

Since 2020 she has co-authored six peer-reviewed posters and presentations, collectively spanning community nutrition, pediatric health behavior, and collaborative graduate training. These outputs underscore a consistent theme: translating evidence-based nutrition guidelines into real-world settings through education, policy tweaks, and inter-disciplinary teamwork.

Awards & Recognition

• 2023 Simmons University Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Service & Outreach

Gallagher serves as a program reviewer for ACEND (Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics), is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors practice group, and contributes to faith-based mission outreach and personnel boards.