Byrd Schas, RD

As your dedicated nutritionist, I’m committed to providing a customized, evidence-based approach to help you achieve your health goals. Whether you're aiming to lose weight, manage a medical condition, or lead a healthier lifestyle, our sessions will focus on building a plan tailored to your unique needs. This may include self-monitoring, lab testing, or strategies rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) practices. My goal is to help you better understand your relationship with food, as well as other factors—such as sleep, exercise, stress, or cultural influences—that may impact your progress. It is my hope that you will come to trust yourself and feel confident that you have the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed, sustainable changes to your diet and overall health, so your choices become second nature rather than requiring constant, focused attention.

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As a dietitian, I focus mainly on weight loss, chronic disease management—such as diabetes and hypertension—and support for individuals on GLP-1 and other anti-obesity medications. With a passion for women’s health, I am currently obtaining further training to better serve women experiencing age-related changes at every stage of life. However, I enjoy working with all populations. I’m a mom of two teenagers—a boy and a girl—and the daughter of two octogenarians; I communicate well with patients of any age or gender.

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When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and our large, furry poodle, Fred. He is my main companion while I'm in the garden—something my daughter might say I spend too much time doing. I also love music, dancing, reading, and being physically active; it's hard for me to stay indoors on a beautiful day. I'm also an avid photographer who delights in spending time with friends, especially when we’re able to share the joy of a wholesome and delicious meal together.

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My journey into nutrition started from a place of personal connection and concern. I have been interested in food and nutrition since I was a child, but it was seeing the children in my West Harlem neighborhood develop health issues due to poor dietary habits that sparked a passion within me to leave my career as an editor in order to learn more about how food and nutrition impact our well-being, and how best to help those who face food-related challenges. This drive led me to pursue a career in which I could make a genuine difference in people's lives. Witnessing my clients transform their health and achieve their goals keeps me motivated every day.

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As far as my credentials are concerned, I received a Master of Science degree in nutrition from Hunter College in New York City and completed my dietetic internship at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, New York, after which I earned my credential as a Registered Dietitian (RD). I am licensed in multiple states and have worked in clinical and public-health settings with myriad patient populations. I also have a Master of Arts in journalism from New York University, and covered nutrition, weight loss, and general health for various consumer media publications for 10 years prior to deciding to return to school to pursue a degree in dietetics. I’m the proud recipient of Stony Brook’s inaugural Professional Writing Award for “outstanding writing skills and ability to create patient education material as well as technical reports,” and a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society for Nutrition, and the School Nutrition Association.