Meet Our Team
Staff
Katharine Ray – Executive Director
Katharine has 20 years’ experience as a strategic leader in the nonprofit cancer field. She has served in Brand, Communications, and Marketing leadership roles for several healthcare support organizations and has been integral to their program ideation, relationship development, and oncology outreach. In her patient advocacy work and as a long-term cancer survivor herself, her passion for supporting those with cancer has also included interpreting healthcare, patient support, the patient experience, and the latest in oncology care. Having led award-winning teams, Katharine has been named as a Chief Marketing Officer finalist in the Nashville nonprofit sector. She has long been active serving in the community and beyond as a volunteer and contributor to numerous cancer nonprofit organizations and cancer publications. Katharine has a M.A. in English and has also worked in the professional writing field for 32 years.
Katharine Ray
Executive Director
Chef Sydney Desind
Sydney Desind is a Nashville native who grew up cooking and learning Southern recipes in her grandmothers' kitchens. After initially pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and working in restaurants for years, she transferred to The Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts at Nashville State Community College. Her education at Nashville State led to great connections at local restaurants and she began her fine dining career at The Tin Angel, a long beloved institution in Nashville.
Sydney also has extensive experience in catering, food manufacturing, private cheffing, and teaching cooking classes to both children and adults. Her passion is getting people excited about exploring new flavors and being open to foods from other cultures. Her belief is that food can be a bridge to bring us together when we remain open and curious. Sydney also believes in the power of pouring love and care into the meals that we make for one another and how healing that work can be.
When she retires, she plans to travel the world with her husband and try all the wonderful foods from all over the globe that she has yet to experience.
Sydney Desind
Executive Chef
Bijal Mehta – Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
Bijal holds a BS in psychology and began serving the Nashville community as a mental health specialist at the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. She has 20 years of experience working in the mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence fields.
She began her role as Volunteer and Situations Manager in the Jean Crowe Advocacy Center (JCAC), which seeks to provide safety and support for victims of domestic violence who are engaging in the criminal or civil court process. In a position of leadership within the agency, she trained and mentored the volunteers and interns, partnered with universities in the area to create internship opportunities that are specific to the needs of each student, and collaborated with individuals and other organizations in the Nashville community for donations.
Bijal Mehta
Program & Education Manager
Tonya Whitaker – Client Manager
Tonya has been a resident of the Nashville area for more than 30 years. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in biology and has spent most of her career working in the food service industry, including co-owning a catering company and working with clients to create healthy, beautiful meals. She has volunteered with many organizations teaching cooking classes and fostering an interest in eating a life-giving diet. Her passion for a healthy diet and serving others led her to volunteer as a delivery angel with The Heimerdinger Foundation in 2020 where she developed an even deeper appreciation for the benefits of wholesome food. She is eager to help each and every client benefit from Meals 4 Health and Healing. When not working with The Heimerdinger Foundation, she enjoys cooking (still!) for her family and friends, gardening, and hiking with her dogs.
Tonya Whitaker
Client Care Manager
Susan Poteet – Kitchen Manager & Delivery Coordinator
Susan holds a BS in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics. She also holds a 2nd degree in food service management graduating from Tennessee Tech University. She has worked for over 20 years in all aspects of the food business including broker, dealer, sales, manufacturing representation, school nutrition and clinical dietary technician. She serves as a nutritional counselor to various cancer support groups in Middle Tennessee.
Susan Poteet
Kitchen Operations Manager
Katie Levitre
Nutrition Educator
Board of Directors
Independent Consultant
Co-Founder at Savage Snacks, Inc.
President and Owner at Savlen Global
Kathie Heimerdinger
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Kathie holds a degree in Home Economics in Business. She worked in the retail and insurance industries after graduation until she chose to forgo her career in order to raise a family.
While Kathie’s husband, Mike, was battling cancer she became aware of the importance of nutritious meals and a healthy lifestyle. She realized the impact they can have on improving the health of all people, but most importantly the difference that eating right can have on the bodies of those battling disease. By founding the Heimerdinger Foundation, she is hoping to allow caregivers the opportunity to focus on their loved ones while providing nutritious meals to those fighting for their lives.
Kathie has dedicated herself to the community by serving on committees and volunteering her time to several educational and non-profit organizations including The Patricia Heart Foundation, the Williamson County United Way, the Department of Children’s Services, and the Salvation Army angel tree program.
Founder of The Heimerdinger Foundation
HCA Healthcare, Vice President, Strategy & Innovation, Growth Practice Leader
Isabelle Biondi
Partner at GreatDane Investment
Sales Executive at Private Health Management
VP, Product, Field Support & Investment Marketing Strategy, Jackson National Life Insurance
Senior Associate at Husch Blackwell
Advisory Board
AnneLaura Riviere
Anne Laura is an Integrative Functional Medicine Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), who is certified in functional medicine through The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and certified in Advanced Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (ABHRT). The focus of her practice is to help patients live their healthiest, most vibrant, whole, and fulfilling lives.
She was born and raised in Tennessee and attended college at The University of Tennessee to study nutrition. Her advanced education includes a Masters in Nursing Adult/Geriatric Health from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s in Nutrition from Middle Tennessee State University, a Dietetic internship from Penn State University, Duke’s Leadership Program in Integrative Medicine, and The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Fellowship (AWCIM). She is also a Certified Yoga teacher RYT-200 and a Master level Reiki Practitioner. She practices as a Somatic EMDR Practitioner and continues training in Homeopathy, HeartMath, and Culinary medicine.
Anne Laura enjoys working out at Barre3, horseback riding, and nature retreats with friends. During sessions, Anne Laura creates a personalized health plan based on an integrative total wellness model. She imparts love and a sense of gratitude to all in support of their healing path.