Diabetes Counseling Across Cultural Differences

Lorena specializes in the multicultural aspects of diabetes self-management education and is an expert in developing culturally and ethnically oriented nutrition and diabetes education materials. She founded Hispanic Foodways which received the New York City Small Business Award in 2006. She developed the Nutriportion™ Measuring Cups which have the calorie and carbohydrate amounts of common foods embossed on each cup and the Nutriportion™ Hispanic Food Cards which have pictures and nutrition composition of common Hispanic foods.

Lorena served on the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists’ board of directors from 2006-2010, Chair for Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition. She was the Past President of the Metropolitan New York Association of Diabetes Educators in 2004. Lorena won the Diabetic Living People’s Choice Award in 2012, the Latinos & Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition Trinko Award in 2016, and Diabetes Dietetics Practice Group Diabetes Educator of the Year Award in 2022.

She is the author of the book Beyond Rice and Beans: The Caribbean Guide to Eating Well with Diabetes published by the American Diabetes Association. She is a contributing author and co-editor of the book Cultural Food Practices published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and was print communications chair for the Diabetes Care and Education Specialty Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics from 2012-2015. Lorena’s new publication, 15-Minute Consultation: Tips, Tools, and Activities to Make Your Nutrition Counseling More Effective was published in 2016 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She serves on the editorial board of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in Practice and Diabetes Self-Management magazine. Lorena has appeared on several national TV shows speaking about diabetes management.

Lorena graduated cum laude from Hunter College of the City University of New York with a Master of Science degree in Food and Nutrition and received her bachelor’s degree from Queens College.