Meet registered dietitian, Chesney Blue. Chesney was born and raised in New Jersey. She completed her undergraduate studies in Nutritional Sciences at Howard University in Washington DC, obtained her DPD certificate at Saint Elizabeth’s University in New Jersey and completed her dietetic internship through The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, now Rutgers University. Chesney earned her Masters of Public Health from Rutgers University with an emphasis on Urban Health Administration.
Chesney became interested in nutrition as a child while accompanying her grandfather to doctor’s appointments to help manage his diabetes. One day she asked the doctor what could be done so he could spend less time at doctor’s appointments. The doctor explained that if her grandfather saw a dietitian to learn how to eat to control his blood sugars, he would need less doctor’s visits.
Chesney went on to explore the field of nutrition and saw the lack of dietitians serving black communities. As a result, she decided to pursue this career.
Currently, Chesney serves as the Director of the East Orange WIC Program where she has worked for the past six years. As the director she oversees all program regulations, manages and supervises staff and programs, and ensures policies and procedures are being followed. She also creates outreach plans and manages the USDA WIC grant.
In 2016, Chesney and her sister, Chanta, opened “Blue Counseling and Wellness Center,” a private practice offering nutrition and mental health services based in Montclair, NJ. Chesney helps clients with nutrition for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight management, digestive health issues, and disordered eating. In addition to nutrition counseling, Chesney gives nutrition education presentations within the community and at professional meetings.
An active member of NJAND since 2007, Chesney has held multiple leadership roles on the executive board, including President, President Elect, Public Policy Chair and Delegate. She currently serves as the Political Action Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Chairs.
Chesney volunteers her time outside of The NJAND as well. She is a board member of MEND, Inc, a network of food pantries within Essex County that serves over 300,000 people. She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she is involved in providing services to help improve the community throughout Union County. Most recently Chesney helped organize a homeless backpack distribution program and a feminine hygiene drive.
The biggest career challenge Chesney has faced was navigating the pandemic. She and her staff had to jump into action and provide services for their 5,000 WIC recipients. With this she created a system, trained employees to work remotely, and ensured clients received their benefits. Chesney notes being organized, regularly checking in with clients and staff, and staying up-to-date on COVID guidelines helped her succeed during these unprecedented times.
Chesney advises aspiring dietitians to be persistent and consistent with the area of nutrition they most enjoy; this will not only help them to learn about the field but also build a reputation. She encourages students and young professionals to get involved with their professional organizations to help network and build knowledge.
For Chesney, the program coordinator of her dietetic internship, Denise Langevin, was a mentor to her. Denise got her involved in NJAND and public policy efforts early in her professional career.
In her free time, Chesney enjoys spending time with family and traveling. Most recently she went on a trip to Southern Italy, which was her ideal vacation.
Instagram: @bluechip_nutrition
Facebook: Blue Counseling and Wellness Center
Article Written by Dara L. LoBuono, PhD, RD
