Clarissa Hernandez-Jeppesen was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, before moving to Fort Collins, Colorado to attend Colorado State University. She is a senior in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and is graduating in Spring 2024. After graduation, she plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree in nutrition and a dietetic internship to meet the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  

Hernandez-Jeppesen has been involved in multiple extracurricular activities at CSU. She is currently working as an undergraduate research assistant at the Adolescent Wellness Lab in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. She has been involved in research that investigates mindfulness, exercise, health education, and cognitive behavioral therapy practices as preventative measures for type two diabetes in teens who are at risk.

Additionally, Hernandez-Jeppesen’s interest falls in childhood disease prevention by promoting intuitive eating to build strong relationships with food from a young age. She also serves as the financial officer for the Food and Nutrition Club while being an active member in other campus activities.  

“My favorite parts about working at the KRNC have been being able to connect with and shadow RDNs with different approaches to counseling techniques, follow client progress throughout sessions, and participating in cooking workshops from the moment I test my recipe and practice food photography to when I am going over a recipe with workshop participants,” Hernandez-Jeppesen says. “Working at the KRNC has taught me about the importance of authenticity in the nutrition field by giving me the opportunity to learn from outstanding women before I go out into the world looking for opportunities as one.”  

The Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center is a part of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.