Our Team
Miriam Kalamian, EdM, MS, CNS
Keto for Cancer Team Leader
Miriam is a nutrition consultant, educator, speaker and author specializing in the implementation of ketogenic therapies. She earned her Master’s in Education from Smith College and her Master’s in Human Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. She is board certified in nutrition (CNS®) by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists. Miriam is a leading voice in the keto movement and a frequent presenter at scientific conferences and events.
Miriam’s passion for helping others evolved naturally from her personal experience. In December of 2004, her young son Raffi was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After two years of treatment, it was painfully clear that even the best of conventional care couldn’t stop the relentless progression of his disease. At this critical juncture, she discovered Dr. Thomas Seyfried’s groundbreaking research supporting the use of the ketogenic diet in cancer. This key unlocked a door to a new understanding of cancer’s origin and a new paradigm for treatment that elevates the role of nutrition in treatment and healing.
Unfortunately, these new understandings around the role of nutrition came with a heaping helping of misinformation, some of it well-meaning but all of it adding layers of fear and confusion in Miriam’s mind. The big question: Would this diet help her son? And if so, could she implement it long term without harming him? Backed into this corner, she made the fateful decision to move forward with the minimal amount of information and support she could cobble together. That decision was life-altering, for Miriam as well as for Raffi.
In 2012, Miriam founded Dietary Therapies LLC. Her passion, then and now, is to offer evidence-based nutrition guidance and loving support to others who are experiencing the same agonizing doubts and fears that she had to work through on her own.
Chiara Visconti di Modrone, MS, CNS, CKNS
Keto and Low Carb for Metabolic Health
Chiara Visconti di Modrone came to the nutrition space after reevaluating her original career path. After earning her BA in Art History from Brown University, she had committed to managing a small biodynamic family winery and agricultural business in Italy. It was during this time that Chiara lost her brother to cancer, and soon after, both of her parents succumbed to cardiovascular disease. These tragic losses spurred her to take on a new path of self-study that led her towards nutrition and metabolic health.
That step led to the next and soon Chiara was pursuing a Master of Nutrition degree at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Here, Chiara saw opportunities to reduce the burden of disease that degrades both healthspan and lifespan. Further study led to credentials as a Certified Nutrition Specialist® and Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist®. Eager to share her knowledge, she founded Intuitas Integrative Wellness, a private practice focused on improving women’s metabolic health.
As is often the case, learning begets more learning. It was the desire to acquire even more tools that inspired Chiara to complete several courses of study on the role that genetics and epigenetics contributes to overall health and wellness, even in the face of cancer. As a member of the Dietary Therapies team, Chiara brings her ever-expanding foundation of support, including a “peek behind the curtain” on genetics, to clients or their family members whose eyes are opened (as hers have been) to the pressing need for prevention. Click here to learn more about her Metabolic Health services.
Martha Tettenborn, RD, PCH
Keto for Cancer
Martha Tettenborn is a Registered Dietitian (RD: licensed in Ontario, Canada) with nearly 40 years of experience in clinical nutrition. Her conventional career path has centered on providing nutritional support for residents in long-term care; however, over the past 15 years, Martha’s personal approach to nutrition was more in line with low-carb and ancestral patterns, leading to her certification as a Primal Health Coach. She has also completed the training in the Nutrition Network’s Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) for Dietitians program.
When Martha was 18 years old, she lost her mother following a 10-year struggle with metastatic breast cancer. This experience played a huge role in Martha’s decision to enter the field of health care. Then in 2018, Martha was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She knew that if she wanted a better-than-standard outcome, she had to go beyond what was offered in standard-of-care treatment: that sparked her exploration of the intersection of nutrition and cancer cell metabolism. Soon, she had pulled together a personal protocol that combined ketogenic nutrition with targeted therapeutic fasting that protected normal cells from the expected side effects of toxic chemotherapy. Impassioned by her own journey, Martha brings kickass strength, wisdom, and self-love as a cancer doula to those on a similar path. As she writes in her book, Hacking Chemo, her goal for you (as it was for her) is to live your best life from this moment on.
A cancer thriver since 2018, Martha comes to the Dietary Therapies team ready to help you with your many questions as you step into your own journey with keto and therapeutic fasting.
Bridget Surtees, RD
Keto for Cancer; Keto for Type 2 Diabetes
Bridget Surtees holds a Bachelor of Science degree with medical honors in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and is registered with the Health Professions Council in South Africa. With over 25 years of experience across South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia, Bridget combines her extensive knowledge with a hands-on approach to empower and educate her clients on their cancer journey.
Bridget’s passion for the ketogenic diet began a decade ago as a Registered Dietitian at Sydney Children's Hospital, where she witnessed the remarkable effectiveness of this dietary approach in managing medication-resistant epilepsy in children. This transformative experience inspired her to explore the ketogenic diet further, leading to its application in managing various metabolic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and weight management. Bridget is dedicated to sharing her expertise in ketogenic nutrition. She is co-author of a book with Prof. Tim Noakes, advocating for healthier dietary choices,
Her personal journey with the ketogenic diet for cancer began while supporting her father through both his prostate and colon cancer treatments. This profound experience deepened her commitment to the diet and propelled her into rigorous research, allowing her to integrate the latest evidence into her work with our cancer clients.
As a valued member of our team, she is committed to providing personalized, compassionate guidance for each client navigating their cancer journey, ensuring they feel informed, supported, and empowered every step of the way.
Nalan Lawson, MS, RDN, LDN, CNS, NBC-HWC
Dietary Therapies Clinician Support
As a teenager, Nalan lost her mother to breast cancer. That experience drove her deep desire to learn more about the nutrition and lifestyle factors that contributed to her mother’s early death. It would be several more years before she began a formal study leading to a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health from the Maryland Institute of Integrative Health. Nalan developed a growing toolbox of skills as she went on to earn credentials as a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, and Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Despite an already full plate, she also earned certification as a Registered Dietitian (RDN) in the Fall of 2024.
Nalan brings her extensive education, experience and genuine caring to our clients here at Dietary Therapies. Learn more about how she can support you in your journey here.
Beth McNally, MS, CNS, CKNS, LDN
Beth has launched T1DNUTRITION, providing education on best evidence-based practices supporting normalization of blood glucose for people with Type 1 diabetes.
Beth’s journey with nutrition began in 2015 when her 9-year-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She quickly learned that the standard of care was deeply flawed and essentially blind to the role that carbohydrate reduction could play in building a better future for her son. Stepping outside that box and into the low-carb community ignited her passion for driving meaningful change, empowering others with T1D to live a quality life fueled by optimal nutrition.
Beth earned her Certified Nutrition Specialist® credential after completing her Master of Science in Nutrition & Integrative Health. She then went on to earn the American Nutrition Association's Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist certification.
Meg Hughey, MS, CNS, LDN, RN
Meg is currently on maternity leave. We hope to welcome her back in the Fall of 2024!
Meg is a Certified Nutrition Specialist® and Oncology Registered Nurse focusing on the intersection of cancer and nutrition. Meg holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nutrition,
While practicing as an oncology nurse, Meg soon realized that there was an urgent need for high-level personalized nutrition therapy for those with cancer. Motivated to help bridge the gap between conventional therapies and integrative practices — while also navigating the challenges of her husband’s cancer diagnosis — Meg began her clinical nutrition studies. To further her practical experience in functional medicine, Meg joined the Capital Integrative Health team, where she helped pioneer IV Nutrition Therapy protocols for those experiencing cancer, including the use of high dose intravenous vitamin C.
Disclaimer: We are a strong team of dedicated professionals with a wide range of experience and credentials in health-related fields. At Dietary Therapies LLC, we practice as nutrition educators and coaches. We do not diagnose or treat disease and our services are not a substitute for medical consultation. There is no guarantee, express or implied, that the information we provide is safe, effective or appropriate for your needs now or in the future. Talk to your medical team before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.