After getting her start at the U of A as a teaching assistant, Keli Shields has returned to the human nutrition and dietetics program as a member of the faculty.

The HND program is part of the School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Shields is a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian in Arkansas and Texas. She returns to campus after serving as a preceptor for dietetic interns with Mercy Health System in Rogers and Springdale since 2022. In this role, she provided supervised practice experiences for dietetic interns in clinical, surgical and outpatient nutrition settings; mentored interns in nutritional assessment, patient education, treatment planning and evidence-based practice; and supported the development of professional competence in dietetics.

She has also worked as a clinical dietitian with Mercy Weight & Wellness Clinic in Springdale, developing individualized treatment and wellness plans, and providing both in-person and virtual counseling to patients. In addition, she gained experience with Mercy Gastroenterology Clinic in Rogers, helping patients improve gastrointestinal health through nutrition, and with Mercy General Surgery & Bariatric Clinic, providing research-based nutrition guidance to support bariatric patients before and after surgery.

Since October 2024, Shields has worked as a registered dietitian with Nourish Inc., providing outpatient telehealth medical nutrition therapy for patients with diverse health goals and conditions. She also tutors dietetic students remotely through MyRDguide, offering one-on-one and group tutoring sessions for students preparing for the RD exam; developing customized study plans; reviewing educational materials and mock exams; and supporting students in clinical nutrition, food service management and public health nutrition.

"I am truly honored to return to the University of Arkansas and the human nutrition and dietetics program where I earned my master's degree," Shields said. "This program played such a formative role in shaping me into the dietitian and educator I am today, and it's incredibly meaningful to now be part of the faculty inspiring the next generation.

"Teaching the food service-focused dietetics courses allows me to bring together both of my professional passions—nutrition and food service management—while helping students connect classroom learning to real-world practice," she said. "I have always believed that food is medicine, and through my teaching, I hope to instill in students not only the scientific foundation of nutrition but also an appreciation for the powerful role food plays in health, healing and well-being."

In her new role, Shields will begin teaching NUTR 4403 - Recipe Modification, NUTR 4401L - Recipe Modification Lab and NUTR 3603 - Quantity Foods beginning in the spring semester. She will also continue teaching NUTR 12103 - Fundamentals of Nutrition, which she first taught in the fall of 2025.

"Being back on campus feels like coming full circle, and I'm excited to contribute to a program that continues to uphold excellence and innovation in preparing future registered dietitians," she said.

Shields' previous campus experience includes serving as a teaching assistant for the Quantity Foods course (NUTR 3603) in 2021, where she helped design and deliver lectures, develop assignments and lead instruction for undergraduate coursework in large-scale food production and procurement. She adapted instructional methods for hybrid delivery via Blackboard and in-person formats during the COVID-19 pandemic; provided individualized student support through classroom instruction, live demonstrations and procurement-based exercises; assessed student performance through assignments, evaluations and feedback; and contributed to course enhancements, including virtual tours of food production operations.

She also served as an instructor for cooking classes for Razorback student-athletes through Chartwells from 2018-22, supervising the Sports Nutrition Center on campus. In this role, she designed and led cooking classes focused on performance nutrition and practical culinary skills; taught knife skills, meal preparation techniques and sports nutrition strategies; and collaborated with athletics staff and dietitians to align curriculum with sport-specific nutritional needs.

Before returning to academia, Shields also worked as a food service director at Morningside of Springdale, overseeing dietary operations for residents and managing food service staff, budget and menu planning. With more than a decade of experience in food service management, Shields brings extensive knowledge of both kitchen operations and restaurant management.

Shields earned her Master of Science in human environmental sciences with a concentration in human nutrition from the U of A in 2021. She completed her Didactic Program in Dietetics Verification Statement the same year and her dietetic internship with Morrison Healthcare/Northwest Health System in Springdale in 2022. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in food service management (2010) and an Associate in Science in baking and pastry arts (2008) from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.

She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group.

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About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.