Joan Cornier is a Registered & Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN, LDN) and a Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES) with over 28 years of experience in nutrition and dietetics. She has been working with bariatric patients for over eight years and has seen over 3,500 patients. Her approach to educating is very practical and makes ‘healthy eating’ realistic for every patient. She provides detailed guidance on proper nutrition before and after gastric surgery, offering practical do's and don't's advice and helps patients completely understand the behavioral, lifestyle and dietary changes that are necessary for gastric surgery. Her nutritional evaluations and educational sessions are individualized for each patient and their learning needs, offering education in English or Spanish. She is passionate about helping patients reach their long-term goals by making small, realistic goals. She believes SMALL changes can make a BIG difference! Joan grew up in Florida and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She is a graduate of Florida International University, Miami, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Nutrition. She currently is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Orlando Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.