“Let your smile change the world, but don’t let the world change your smile.” – Connor Franta

About Amy Plano,
Registered Dietitian

Note: So just a heads up, I, Amy Plano, RD, am no longer actively working with clients. Instead I oversee the day-day operations of my practice. I literally have THE best team of dietitians on staff.  Therefore, there is no shortage of awesomeness at The Plano Program. So please know you are always in good hands.

Growing up as a three-sport athlete, I always had a general interest in nutrition. If I wasn’t chasing a soccer ball, I was defending the net as an ice hockey goalie or taking shots on goal as a college lacrosse player. After college, I took up triathlons. And now in my 40’s I am rocking (and loving!) pilates. Being active has always been a top priority! Therefore, not surprisingly, my love for all-things-food was a natural progression from my passion for fitness.

Prior to becoming a Private Practice Dietitian, I worked for 10 years at Yale New Haven Hospital as an outpatient nutrition specialist. It was during this time that I became Board Certified in Diabetes Education. Based on my strong clinical experience (AND that of my rock-star team!), there is really no type of nutrition need The Plano Program cannot service!While a large area of our practice focuses on adult and pediatric weight loss, body composition, Sports Nutrition, PCOS, and diabetes – we have RDs who are trained in the dietary management of just about every avenue of nutrition including food allergies and intolerances, renal disease, GI disorders such as Crohn’s, colitis and IBS and vegan and vegetarian diets.

  • Amy Plano and husband on beach
  • Amy Plano and smokin' hot husband
  • don't let anyone dull your sparkle

As a woman who is known to get up at the crack of dawn to get in a workout, I know how difficult it can be to strike a balance between health, work, family, and your social life. Our goal at The Plano Program is to educate and help you develop kick-ass strategies for getting your diet in tune with your lifestyle. My practice is built on over 2 decades of clinical experience, a passion for what’s possible and a commitment to helping you be the healthiest version of your own unique self.

My (smokin’ hot!) husband is an exercise physiologist and personal trainer to boot. He and I run and operate a wellness center called The Plano Program in Orange, CT. My practice is located inside of our training studio.

I cannot tell you how stoked I am you have stumbled upon my website! I look forward to seeing your smiling face at The Plano Program in the near future.
XOXO,
Amy

Introducing our ROCK-star team members!

Audrey Castell-Watts

Audrey Castell-Watts,
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Audrey Castell-Watts is a dedicated Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a strong passion for working with individuals and families to help them achieve their nutrition and wellness goals.

Audrey’s mission is to work with her clients to build sustainable lifestyle changes that empower them to live their best life.  She has experience providing nutrition therapy to clients with a wide variety of conditions and is especially skilled in weight management and family nutrition. Audrey understands the many challenges related to lifestyle changes and believes with hard work, creativity, and persistence, all obstacles can be overcome.

Audrey enjoys cooking, spending time outside, and staying active.  When she’s not swinging kettlebells and sweating, you can find her at the farmer’s market picking up all sorts of amazing local foods to get busy within the kitchen!

Audrey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of New Haven and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention.  She holds a certificate in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Audrey offer both in person visits and telehealth visits.

 

Audrey is an awesome for patients looking for dietary support with PCOS, sports performance, weight management for adults,  overall healthy eating,Type 2 Diabetes, family nutrition, plant-based nutrition, vegetarian and vegan diets

 

Stephanie Labrusciano Registered Dietitian

Stephanie Labrusciano,
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Stephanie Labrusciano is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with 15+ years experience of helping her clients create healthy habits that last and meet their nutrition goals.

Coming from a large Italian and Colombian family, a love for food is in Stephanie’s roots. She has a passion for cooking and loves helping her clients choose whole foods that fit their preferences, creating a personalized approach. She believes food is our best form of preventative medicine and should always be enjoyed! With Stephanie, you will focus not only on what to eat, but how to implement these changes. Her goal is to give people the tools they need in order to build healthy habits and ultimately live a balanced lifestyle.

Stephanie earned her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and completed her internship through the University of Connecticut. Throughout her years as a Registered Dietitian she has worked in medical centers in New York City and Chicago, has started a private practice, became a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and also holds a certificate in Adult Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Stephanie enjoys spending time outside with friends and family, eating at local restaurants and gardening. She currently lives in Fairfield County with her husband, two young boys and their four-legged friend Bailey!

At this time Steph only provides telehealth visits.

Steph is a super well rounded RD. While she is pretty freaking awesome at GI stuff, she is also incredible working with kids and their respective families. Weight management & PCOS are also her jam.

 

Deirdre Pizzoferrato

Deirdre Pizzoferrato,
CT-based Registered Dietitian

Deirdre Pizzoferrato is a CT-based Registered Dietitian specializing in customized nutrition & behavioral interventions for her adult and pediatric patients/clients.

Deirdre has dedicated much of her 25-year career to obesity research and development of commercial products and weight management programs. As the Director of Protocol Innovation for Ideal Protein, an international weight management company, Deirdre led the R&D of Ideal Protein’s 3-phase weight loss program.

In 2021, Deirdre made the decision to return to private practice and individualized nutritional therapy and joined Amy and her team. 

In her down time, Deirdre enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending quality time with her three “young adult” children and her amazing fiancé.

Deirdre is a jack-of-all trades dietitian in THE best sense of the term. She is wicked awesome at working with women with hormone imbalances, weight management, menopause, and PCOS. But in all due respect, there is not much she doesn’t have experience with. She is also one of our family nutrition experts, too!

At this time Dierdre only provides telehealth visits.

 

Kate Samela, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Kate Samela,
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Kate Samela is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with 23 years of clinical and counseling experience ranging from complex GI disorders to picky eating behaviors in children (especially toddlers!); Kate is passionate about pediatrics & has been a Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition for over 15 years. In addition, Kate is a member of the Council on Pediatric Nutrition Professionals through the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (NASPGHN); Kate also has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults with GI disorders such as Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, GERD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Celiac, Eosinophilic Esophagitis, food allergies, nutrition support, pre and post transplant nutrition, and weight management. Kate has a passion for simplifying nutrition and providing realistic goals backed by evidenced based research and common sense.

Kate has spoken nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics to various professional organizations and has published manuscripts in peer reviewed journals. Kate published her first book entitled Give Peas a Chance; The Fool Proof Guide to Picky Eating in 2013.

As a former college athlete, Kate loves her Peleton, playing golf with her husband, and taking her mutt Violet for long walks. On the weekends you will find her driving to a rink or a baseball field somewhere in New England. Kate comes from two generations of amazing cooks; She loves teaching others how to make simple meals (or “throw food together” – from first- hand experience raising two teenage athletes who are on the go). Kate has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Maine, and completed her dietetic internship and Master’s of Science in Clinical Nutrition at New York University.

Kate offers telehealth visits.

Kate is ideal for all things pediatrics, GI, and weight management/healthy eating.

Lola Ahsan, Registered Dietitian

Lola Ahsan,
Registered Dietitian

Passionate about culture and nutrition, Lola is a registered dietitian who helps clients find balance. Growing up in an Egyptian household, she developed a deep appreciation for the role of food in health and community.

Lola double majored in nutritional sciences and microcell biology, combining her love of food with scientific expertise from the University of Connecticut. She continues her training in functional nutrition to provide a more in-depth approach in her sessions.

Today, Lola leverages her diverse background to empower clients struggling with eating disorders and athletic performance. With sensitivity and care, she guides people towards more joyful, meaningful relationships with food. Together, she will help you choose whole foods that fit your preferences and create a personalized approach to nutrition. Food is our best form of preventative medicine and should always be enjoyed.

Lola offers both in-person visits and telehealth visits. 

 

P.S. Did I tell you I am also a social media fanatic?! The best places to connect with me are in the comments of my blog or video posts or on Facebook.
P.P.S. Confession: I heart Pinterest. It’s my secret love affair. I post, I stalk, I post again. This girl can never get enough of plain yummy food!

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