Registered Dietitian, Karen Ensle, was born and raised in New Jersey; throughout her career as a dietitian and an educator she has made substantial contributions to the field of dietetics. She received her bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Montclair State College, now Montclair State University, her master’s in Nutrition and Nutrition Education from Hunter College, and her Doctorate in Allied Health Education from Rutgers University.
Dr. Ensle’s interest in nutrition came from home. Growing up, her mom had a big garden in their yard. As a result, from a young age, she learned the process of canning foods and cooking. These experiences fueled her strong interest in food, nutrition, and culinary arts. Her father had credits toward a degree in Forestry from Syracuse University and this further sparked her interest in nature, gardens, and the outdoors.
Currently, Dr. Ensle is the County Extension Department Head for Cooperative Extension of Union County, as well as, a Family & Community Health Sciences Educator through Rutgers University. She has worked for Union County’s Cooperative Extension office for 34 years. As the director each day is different and responsibilities include attending meetings for both the county and Rutgers University, planning nutrition education programs for the community, grant writing, and post-award management as well as planning an annual conference for the Chronic Disease Committee of the North Jersey Health Collaborative for other health professionals and the community at large. Dr. Ensle also precepts dietetic interns and is involved in dissertation committees for graduate students at Rutgers. One of Dr. Ensle’s biggest accomplishments was helping to establish a functional Senior Meal Program with 25 congregate meal sites throughout Union County managed by a dietitian. She also developed and teaches an undergraduate online course at Rutgers called “Wellness Behavior.” This course is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Family & Community Health Sciences Department’s Community Health Outreach Certificate, a certificate for undergraduate students interested in a career in Cooperative Extension and community nutrition.
Prior to her career in Cooperative Extension, Dr. Ensle worked for 9 years as a Home Economics teacher where she expanded the program at West Milford High School. She then went on to work for a medical doctor whose private practice specialized in weight loss. Dr. Ensle helped clients achieve their weight loss goals through nutrition and exercise, and through this experience was able to complete her supervised practice hours required to become a registered dietitian. From there she and a fitness specialist started their own consulting business, whose clients included IBM, and various nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. She also assisted in a grant funded project that examined the efficacy of a weight loss program for smokers vs non-smokers, while teaching nutrition for four years in the Health Science Department at William Paterson University.
Dr. Ensle has always been involved with her professional organizations. She has held leadership positions with the New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NJAND) and the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. She is an active member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, the National Extension Association of Family Consumer Sciences and the American Public Health Association. In addition to her active engagement and leadership in professional communities, Dr. Ensle serves on two boards in Union County, the Gateway Family YMCA Board and the Community Access Unlimited Board.
When asked what the biggest challenge she faced throughout her career was, Dr. Ensle reflects and offers keen advice,
“There are always going to be challenges in whatever job you’re in. Look at the positives and negatives and come up with a plan. Good management requires a plan of action and is always important.”
Dr. Ensle’s other advice for success in the field, is to stay current on the latest nutrition research as the field is always changing, remain flexible, and keep up to date on the latest technologies. She also has several pieces of advice to offer students interested in entering the field of dietetics, stating “dietetics gives you a lot of latitude on all kinds of jobs, once the internship experience is completed. See as much as you can see …find out what you like the most and apply for jobs in that area. You do not need to stay in the same area for your career – there is flexibility.” Dr. Ensle also notes the value of knowing other languages to excel in the field as well as being open minded to look for jobs and opportunities in other parts of the United States where there is a large demand for dietitians.
