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Alumni Feature: Erica Ingraham ’06

Featured in Becoming Magazine, Spring 2020 When Erica Ingraham ’06 was growing up, she wondered if she might have an intolerance to lactose, which spurred her curiosity about how food affects the body. Now a registered dietitian, Erica combines her passions for nutrition science and mindfulness to help others adopt healthy behavior changes. By day, Erica works in Northern Virginia for a government-run community program that serves older adults and promotes independent living for seniors.

Technology Changes Client Interactions

Erica also owns a private practice, Listen Nutrition (listennutrition.com), where she sees clients (virtually) from around the country. Using an approach rooted in the evidence-based practices of mindful and intuitive eating she helps clients achieve the health goals that are important to them.

Erica is thankful for the strong foundation that The Harley School gave her, and appreciated the discussion-based settings in class with Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Kane, Mr. DeSantis, and Mr. Foster.

Erica said, “As I was setting up my practice I talked with other dietitians who were using a virtual model. I use a HIPAA compliant software to communicate with clients that has everything I need built in. It allows me to schedule clients, receive payment, video chat, instant message, and share and send documents. Clients can keep food records and complete journaling exercises in the software platform as well. “I meet with them biweekly on video chat, but I also communicate with them between sessions. I can comment on their food journals and message through the portal.” Erica also uses her blog and Instagram to answer questions (Instagram: @listennutrition).

Harley’s Impact

Erica believes Harley had a positive, direct impact on her career. When she arrived in Grade 8, she was shy, but Harley faculty gave her the confidence to come out of her shell and not be afraid to speak her mind and share her opinions. She credits her education for helping her foster an open mind, and an understanding of where her clients are coming from, recognizing that food is deeply personal and there is no one right way to eat.

Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. They are empowered to create their own curriculum, set goals, and work on time management skills in order to accomplish their objectives.

Independent Studies run the gamut from The Psychology of Sports to Furniture Design to The Neuroimaging of Alzheimer’s Disease. Capstones, meanwhile, are as diverse as the students who pursue them: Fictional Rochester, Autobiographical Art, Biomimicry Education, Organic Fuel, and Rochester Refugees. 

Indicative of Upper School curiosity and creativity, pursuits such as these distinguish our graduates in college. Through deep dives of this sort, Harley students master more than speaking, writing, and computing: they learn to communicate, advocate, collaborate, organize, listen, and empathize. 

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Climate Crisis Curriculum

Citizen Scientists

Joy Moss: Storytelling Roots

In Every Issue

Class Notes

Diane Donniger Award

By the Numbers

From the Archives

What’s (Who’s) New at Harley

Divisional Highlights

Alumni Profile: Vandebroek

Alumni Profiles: Keller

HAC Athletics

2021 Lives of Great Purpose Awards

1000 Words

Commencement 2022

Reunion 2022

In Memoriam

Retirements and Fond Farewells