Chelsei James was born and raised in West Columbia, South Carolina. With a mother from Trinidad and a father from Dominica, she was taught from an early age to appreciate her cultural foods and cuisine from other cultures. Her love of food and interest in health sciences led her to study Human Nutrition at Winthrop University, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Outside of school, Chelsei saw first-hand the importance of nutritious food access through volunteering at a local food bank and working as a SNAP-Ed nutritionist. These experiences solidified her desire to become a registered dietitian and improve food systems and nutrition care access. In her free time, Chelsei enjoys workshopping a new recipe, hanging out at the library, taking a Pilates class, or listening to live music.
