Bethany Thayer, MS, RDN, FAND

Bethany Thayer MS, RDN, FAND is director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Detroit, MI. She oversees a team of health professionals who provide wellness services to the 33,000 plus employees of HFHS, patients, work sites and community groups that include services such as nutrition services, tobacco treatment, health coaching, sleep management, exercise, wellness screenings and flu vaccinations.

She is a frequent contributor to the Henry Ford LiveWell blog and on the HAP magazine editorial board. She is a past writer of the weekly “Heart Smart” column in the Detroit Free Press, developing hundreds of recipes that were compiled into the Heart Smart II Cookbook (Detroit Free Press 1996) the Heart Smart Kids Cookbook (Detroit Free Press 2000) and the Heart Smart III Cookbook (Detroit Free Press 2011).

Thayer was a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for nine years and has been quoted in many national publications including Ladies Home Journal, Shape, Self, Redbook, Family Circle, USA Today and Cooking Light and is a frequent guest on local Detroit television and radio stations. She also served 3 years as a national leader for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

She is a past-president of the Michigan Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (Mi Academy). She was named the Mi Academy 1993 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year, Received the Mi Academy Media Award in 2004 and 2006 and was recognized in 2012 as the Michigan Outstanding Dietitian of the Year.

Thayer graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors of Science in Dietetics, completed her dietetic internship at Henry Ford Hospital and earned a master’s degree in Exercise Science from Oakland University. She enjoys swimming and biking and completed a 5K open water swim last August.