Meet Mirella Lopez

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mirella Lopez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mirella , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I got my work ething from my parents. They immigrated from Guanajuato, Mexico more than 45 years ago. Both of my parents came to this country knowing that they would have to work hard to overcome the language barrier as they only spoke spanish, their education level as they did not get a higher education as well as not being born in the United States. Working hard was the only way they would advance and the only way they would stand out and be acknowledged. They instilled that work ethic in me and my siblings. Starting at the age of 13 years old I was taken to work in agriculture jobs during my summer breaks. I picked tomatoes , garlic and squash. I remember getting up before the sun came up at 5:00 am and worked long hours until the sun set about 6:00 pm. My mom would emphasize through out my life that having good work ethics would make my life easier. There is no job I could not do because I started doing the hardest ones from a young age. Fast forward to now that I am a professional Registered Dietitian I remember those long days in the hot sun and now working in a beautiful office is the ultimate reward. I love what I do and there is not a day that I feel my job is hard.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a registered dietitian and diabetes educator. I work for Dignity Health in the outpatient setting. I work one on one with patients helping them improve their chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity to name a few. My interest in specializing in diabetes care came from having a strong family history of diabetes. My dad and both grandmothers struggled with diabetes and at the time of their diagnosis there were not many Hispanic dietitians/diabetes educators. Understanding the culture the food and what is important to the individual goes a long way. It is also important to be able to communicate in their language and meet them where they are. Prior to becoming a registered dietitian I went to culinary school and this has helped me give my patient recipes that are not only good for them but also taste good. Giving my patients the education and tools to manage their health is the most rewarding thing about my job.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back one of the most important quality for me was believing in myself when others did not think I had it in me to become a registered dietitian. I still remember being in a core class medical nutrition therapy and the teacher saying that if I did not get an A in the class I would never make it to becoming a dietitian. She said the this career was so competitive that only the top would make it. Needless to say my grades were not at the top but I did not let that affect me as I knew that with God’s help and staying the course I would get there.

Second I had a lot of tenacity! I had no quit in me!! I had to commute two hours each way to school and work This made it harder for me to be in school but I did not let anything discourage me.

Third I was very resourceful. I looked for ways to do better in school like getting tutoring talking to my teachers, studying with students I knew had better grades than me. I ask a lot of questions and never took no for an answer.

The best advice I would give other is not to stress about the things you have no control. Everything always works out!!

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was teaching me about Gods’ love and guiding me in my faith All the blessings come from him. My faith provided me with strength, hope and purpose during difficult times. It gave me peace and reassurance that everything was going to be okay. I was able to face the challenges head on because God was with me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Strawmerdita
• Linkedin: Mirella Lopez Bilingual Registered Dietitian
• Other: NONE

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