Meet Neysi Gonell – Perseverance Personified
Neysi Gonell is a Renal Dietitian of Dominican descent, currently working towards her Board Certification as a Specialist in Renal Nutrition (CSR). Her path to being the passionate and dedicated RDN is inspiring. Neysi’s started as a psychology major. Doing research and writing a paper for her abnormal psychology class on gender differences in eating disorders was a pivotal learning experience. “That experience opened my eyes to how deeply nutrition affects both mental and physical health. It made me realize how powerful nutrition is across the lifespan, which led me to go back to school for a second bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics so I could become a registered dietitian and make a real difference in people’s health.” Witnessing family members struggle with chronic health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes influenced her career path as well.
Motivation and Inspiration
Neysi has a grounded approach to daily life. She is motivated by the possibilities of a new day. “I focus on showing up, staying present, and doing the best I can with whatever the day brings.”
Her favorite quote:
“Trust the timing of your life.” It reminds me to stay patient, grounded, and hopeful, especially during challenging moments. Neysi is inspired by her patients and passion. “I stay inspired by patient progress, continued learning, and reminding myself why I chose this profession in the first place.” “Being a renal dietitian has always been my dream job, and I feel blessed to do what I love every single day. I also love seeing my patients improve over time. Whether it’s a new dialysis patient or someone I’ve worked with long-term, it’s incredibly rewarding to see labs improve and overall health stabilize. I also value being able to support patients beyond nutrition, helping with food insecurity, resources, and access to supplements/medication.
During the week I see patients, review labs, diet, and medications. I also precept interns a few times a year and work part-time in a nursing home.”
Overcoming Challenges
Passing the RD exam was one of the hardest challenges of my career. It took me three attempts, but I stayed persistent. Once I passed, I was able to step into my dream role as a renal dietitian, which made the journey completely worth it.
Lessons Learned and Advice to Future Students
Being a dietitian has shown me just how much diet impacts long-term health. Seeing the effects of uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension firsthand reinforced how important early education is. It also made me aware of how much misinformation exists, which highlights the importance of dietitians providing accurate, evidence-based guidance.
Words of Wisdom for Dietetic Students
Try everything; community, clinical, private practice, sports nutrition. There are so many paths in dietetics, and you won’t know what fits until you experience it.
Activities Outside of Work
Neysi has been a volunteer for NJAND since 2023. She previously served on the executive board as a regional co-chair for two years and is currently an Annual Meeting Committee co-chair. Giving back to the profession is very important to her.
She enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog Lacey, going on long walks, hiking, and meditating. She has lived in NJ since she was 8 years old. She was born in the Bronx, NY and considers New Jersey home.
Education
BA in Psychology from Montclair State University, 2012
BS in Nutrition and Dietetics, 2014
Master’s and Dietetic Internship at Saint Elizabeth University, 2019
