At Peak Performance we are committed to the development of nutrition professionals in the science and application of clinical sports nutrition and dietetics. We offer exceptional Dietetics students a 10 week University Dietetic internship in clinical and practical sport nutrition in partnership with sport organizations, including National teams, as well as College and University Athletics teams. These team based internships offer unique opportunities to get hands on work with different types of athletes.

2024 Masters in Nutrition – Cassidy Ross and Erik Voss

Erik’s passion for sports started the first time he picked up a hockey stick. Growing up Erik also participated in baseball, swimming, cross country running, and flag football. He loves the competitive spirit brought about by sports and is fascinated by the advantages proper nutrition can provide to athletes. Erik obtained a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Food and Nutrition at Toronto Metropolitan University (2022) and is now completing his dietetic practical training with Western University.

Cassidy started her athletic journey as a child, with a 13-year figure skating career and participation in many other sports throughout her life including swimming, skiing, synchronized skating, weight lifting, and even skating coaching. She has always been an avid food lover, and this developed into a passion for nutrition as she got older. She graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph in the spring of 2024, and she is now completing her dietetic practical training with Western University.

In the summer of 2024, Erik and Cassidy completed an internship together at Peak Performance and had the opportunity to work with Ringette Canada for 8 weeks. They worked alongside athletes from across Canada competing with the U17 La Relève program, the U18 program, and the junior national team, as well as the officials associated with Ringette Canada. Together, Erik and Cassidy created virtual educational workshops to teach the athletes strategies for improving their sport performance with nutrition. They also attended Ringette Canada’s summer training camp in Gatineau, Quebec, and worked with the athletes and staff throughout the week. At training camp, Cassidy and Erik helped develop and facilitate sport nutrition interactive in person workshops with small group activities. They also implemented sweat testing with the athletes, and were present to answer any questions the athletes had for them. Cassidy and Erik will continue to share their passions for sports and living active lifestyles as they continue their journeys to becoming registered dietitians, and advocate for the importance of nutrition in the athletic world.

2020 Masters in Nutrition – Emilie Comtois-Ruisseau

Formerly an economist, Emilie redirected her career in her late twenties to become a specialized Sports Nutritionist-Dietitian. She completed her Master’s degree in Nutrition Sciences at McGill University (Quebec, Canada), co-supervised by Dr. Mansfield of Peak Performance. Her research thesis focused on RED-S (Relative Energy Deficit in Sport) and the dietary habits of a group of teenage swimmers, combining her passions for nutrition and swimming. her project included exciting sub-themes such as periodization of nutritional strategies across a training macrocycle and specific nutritional needs of young athletes. Currently, she is the Lead Performance Dietitian for the University of Ottawa Gee Gees sports teams. She remains also deeply involved in the sport of swimming. For more information about Emilie go to her website: https://ecrnutrition.com/en/about-me/

2019 Masters Dietetic Intern – Aja Gyimah, MHSc, RD

For the 2019 University Fall season an Academic All Canadian volleyball player from Ryerson did her Peak Performance Dietetic internship working with Carleton University’s women’s hockey team to get them power fueled for health and performance!  Aja joined us from Ryerson University, but her varsity athlete status belongs to Western University where she played on the varsity women’s volleyball team for four years while receiving an undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics. As a volleyball player she helped lead her team to four consecutive medals at the Ontario University Athletics’ provincial championships and was also named OUA All-Star in 2016 and 2017. Aja also led off the court by being named an Academic All-Canadian 2 years in a row, and was vice-president of Western’s athlete student council. Aja has represented Western University, Ontario, and Canada on the national and international stage and is committed to giving back to the volleyball community by coaching elite high school athletes.

Since finishing her internship, Aja has helped people transform the way they think about food. From elite athletes to corporate executives, Aja believes that everybody can benefit from the “Eat to Compete” mentality, which encourages people to use food to live a healthier life. Aside from one-on-one nutrition counselling, Aja is also a nutrition writer, influencer and consultant for trusted brands, publications and organizations. Her work has been featured in Clean Eating Magazine, the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ Women’s Health Report, and she was also the latest nutrition expert on CBC’s Marketplace. She is also a founding member of the Canadian Black RD Association and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion within the dietetic profession. For more about Aja go to her website: https://www.compete-nutrition.ca/

2017 Masters Dietetic Intern – Stephanie MacNeill, MHSc, RD

Stephanie started her competitive running in high school, qualifying for 3 OFSAA cross-country championships and 2 OFSAA track and field championships. She ran varsity cross-country and track (1500m/3000m) at McMaster (first undergraduate degree), and was named captain of the women’s cross-country and track teams in her final year. In cross-country, her team won 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals at the CIS (now USports) championships. She qualified for and competed in the Canadian half marathon championships and the Canadian 5km championships. For the 2017 University Fall season Stephanie completed her Peak Performance Dietetic internship establishing a sport nutrition program for the Carleton University’s women’s hockey, basketball and soccer teams. Since completing her internship she has worked as a sport dietitian in the Greater Toronto area and in 2021 she began a fellowship in performance nutrition with the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. She currently works as the Nutrition Coordinator for the team.

2016 – Dietetic Intern – Victoria Beggs, MS, RD

Victoria obtained a Bachelor of Science Honors Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics (2013), Bachelor of Arts Degree in Kinesiology (2014), and a Masters of Arts Degree in Kinesiology Management and Leadership Coaching (2016) from the University of Western Ontario. Growing up Victoria was involved in soccer, competitive dance, and most recently lightweight varsity rowing. During her graduate studies at Western, Victoria worked as the strength and conditioning coach with the varsity rowing team as well as coaching the junior varsity women’s team. Victoria is committed and dedicated to living a healthy balanced lifestyle herself as well as motivating and supporting the goals of others in attaining optimal performance, health and well-being.

 

2016 – Dietetic Intern – Marcela Simoes, MA, RD

Marcela Simoes is a Dietetics graduate with a Minor Degree in Kinesiology from McGill University. Her main passion is, and has always been, Sports Nutrition. Marcela completed sport nutrition internships with Peak Performance, the Brazilian Olympic women’s Basketball team, the Brazilian Paralympic Goalball team, the Brazilian Arm Wrestling association and a first division Brazilian Soccer team (Associação Atlética Ponte Preta). During her whole life Marcela has always been involved in many sports. She competed in Equestrian Jumping events for 8 years and now participates in many Golf tournaments.