HOPE Lab

Colleen Spees, PhD, MEd, RDN, LD, FAND

Dr. Spees is an Associate Professor in Medical Dietetics and Health Sciences in the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University and an Associate Member of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is the Director of HOPE Labs. As a Registered Dietitian and translational scientist with advanced degrees in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, she has expertise in the development and delivery of biobehavioral interventions for high-risk, vulnerable populations. Dr. Spees was recruited to OSU with the goal of integrating her unique combination of clinical expertise and behavioral research into novel human intervention studies investigating the role of modifiable lifestyle behaviors in improving adherence to guidelines and associated health outcomes. She has recently served on the scientific review panel for the American Cancer Society was appointed as an American Heart Association Representative.

Jade Smith, MS, RD, LD

Team member and Registered Dietitian Jade has had the privilege of receiving extensive Motivational Interviewing training from MI expert Dr. Ashlea Braun and has undergone multiple recorded calls to confirm fidelity and MI competency. Jade is a returning member to HOPE Lab, who completed her thesis research on e-health coaching under the mentorship of Dr. Colleen Spees.

Kimberli Pike, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD

Kimberli Pike is a Registered Dietitian and Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She is a senior clinical lecturer and past dietetics program director at Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana) where she has enjoyed teaching students in dietetics, nursing, exercise science, and other healthcare professions for 18 years. Kimberli is a doctoral student in the Rutgers University Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN) program. She is completing an advanced practice clinical residency at The Ohio State University Hope Lab, where she works on the NutriCare Study.

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Emily Sullivan, RD, LD

Emily is a Registered Dietitian and professionally trained chef. Emily has had the privilege of receiving extensive Motivational Interviewing training from MI expert Dr. Ashlea Braun and has undergone multiple recorded calls to confirm fidelity and MI competency. Emily is a returning HOPE Lab member. She completed an undergraduate research thesis evaluating the efficacy of cooking videos for improving nutrition recommendation adherence under the supervision of Dr. Colleen Spees.

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Jana Leotta

Jana is currently a graduate student in the MS/DI program in the HOPE lab. Prior to Ohio State, Jana spent 4 years at Virginia Tech where she earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics and a minor in Italian language. Her thesis research involves qualitative analysis of the efficacy of the NutriCare program on coping, resilience, diagnosis adjustment, and posttraumatic growth in lung cancer patients. Upon graduation from the medical dietetics program at Ohio State, Jana plans to pursue nurse practitioner schooling with the ultimate goal of becoming both a registered dietitian and advanced practice nurse.

Lyndsey Eckenrode

Lyndsey is from Bloomsburg, PA, and graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B.S. in Dietetics/Nutrition. She is in her second year of the combined Master of Medical Dietetics and Dietetic Internship, with an emphasis in Performance Nutrition. She manages performance nutrition for the Ohio State Women’s Basketball team and assists with the Men’s Basketball and Ice Hockey teams. Lyndsey has a passion for nutrition and enjoys staying active, whether it’s a hike, a run, a walk through the park, or playing pickleball. Her thesis research is focused on student-athlete perceptions of the Performance Nutrition and Sport Psychology programs at Ohio State University and COVID’s impact on diet and mental health.

Nana Ossei-Wusu

Nana is an undergraduate Biology major at The Ohio State University and is currently in HOPE Lab. Continuing on the Pre-medicine track, she hopes to enter medical school post-graduation, and wishes to emphasize the role nutritional education could play on an individual’s physical health. During the summer, she often volunteers to teach children in the Columbus City Schools district about scientific concepts. Nana hopes to utilize what she learns in this lab to inform the children she interacts with and her future patients about the importance of nutrition.

Chloe Pavuk

Chloe is an MS student currently in HOPE lab. She is very passionate about spending time outdoors and loved volunteering at the Garden of Hope. Her thesis focuses on evaluating how a dual medically tailored meals and weekly MNT program impacts patients with stage 3 and 4 lung cancer in terms of their adjustment to diagnosis, coping, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Chloe hopes to discover important findings through her interviews with patients that emphasizes the importance of nutrition-related intervention in oncology care and to help advocate for more widespread and standardized nutrition intervention in oncology settings.