“I felt like I was part of a family with the nutrition faculty at Texas State and that was further reaffirmed by the continuous support and guidance I received during the internship.”
– Crystal Alvarez, TXST MS/DI Class of 2021
Dietetic Internship Director
Leia Downs, MS, RD, LD is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Nutrition and Foods Program of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. She is also a registered and licensed dietitian who has practiced clinically at Christus Santa Rosa San Marcos. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts, her Master of Science in Human Nutrition, and her Dietetic Internship at Texas State University. During her graduate program, she worked as a Graduate Instructional Assistant as well as assisting Dr. Sylvia Crixell in her research. Ms. Downs previously served as the MS in Human Nutrition Program Co-Coordinator. Ms. Downs currently teaches Food Science, Nutrition Practicum, and Nutrition and Genetics, in addition to her work as the Dietetic Internship Director.
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Graduate Program Coordinator for Future Students
Lana McCarthy, MS, RD, LD is a Lecturer and Graduate Coordinator in the Nutrition and Foods Program within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. She is a registered and licensed dietitian with experience in academic instruction and nutrition communication.
Ms. McCarthy earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science, Master of Science in Human Nutrition, and completed her Dietetic Internship at Texas State University. Prior to her career in nutrition, she worked in the game and technology industries, which informs her interest in digital media literacy and public-facing health education.
Her professional focus centers on nutrition misinformation and translating evidence-based science into accessible, engaging formats. She has experience running a virtual private practice and developing free, mobile-based nutrition education applications. Ms. McCarthy teaches Nutrition Science (NUTR 2360), Food Systems (NUTR 1362), and Nutrition Myths and Misconceptions (NUTR 4364).
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Graduate Program Coordinator for Current Students
Cassandra M. Johnson, PhD, MSPH, serves as an Associate Professor in the Nutrition and Foods Program at Texas State University. She earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health in 2017 and M.S.P.H. in social and behavioral health from the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health in 2010. Dr. Johnson’s research interests center around policies, systems, and environmental changes for nutrition and health, with a focus on food (in)security intervention and measurement. Dr. Johnson has been recognized with awards or honors including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Texas State University (2024) and being named to Delta Omega, the honorary society in public health (2010). To date, Dr. Johnson has published more than 45 peer-reviewed articles in journals and presented her research at many national and international conferences. She also contributes to The Conversation – U.S.
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Graduate Faculty in Human Nutrition
Students in the MS/DI at Texas State learn from recognized experts in the field of human nutrition. Click below to learn more about our faculty.