Melissa Cline, DrPH(c), RDN, CSSD, NBH-WC
Assistant Professor
Program Director, Nutrition
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Melissa Cline is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with more than 20 years of clinical, academic, and community health experience. She is committed to preparing future nutrition professionals through compassionate, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive education that integrates whole-person health, prevention, and lifestyle medicine.
Dr. Cline’s clinical background includes work in trauma centers, Veterans Affairs healthcare, outpatient diabetes and gastrointestinal care, skilled nursing, and telehealth nutrition counseling. She has extensive experience supporting individuals with eating disorders, RED-S, cardiometabolic disease, and complex chronic conditions across the lifespan. In addition to clinical practice, she has taught nutrition, public health, and health promotion in higher education and has guest lectured nationally on motivational interviewing, behavior change, and inclusive teaching practices.
Her scholarly work focuses on body composition, cardiometabolic risk, and the normal-weight obesity phenotype among college students, with an emphasis on translating research into meaningful prevention and student success initiatives. She is actively engaged in professional service, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance equity, belonging, and whole-person wellness in nutrition education.
Academic Degrees
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), Preventive Care (canditate) — Loma Linda University
- Master of Public Health & Nutrition (MPH RDN) — Loma Linda University
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) — University of California at Riverside
- Associate of Arts (AA) — Chaffey College
Licenses and Certifications
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
- Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
- National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)
- CPR Instructor Certification
Service to the Profession
- American Dietetic Association
- American Public Health Association
- American Diabetes Association
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine,
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine
- HEAL MIG Health Equity
- Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness
- National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education
Teaching and Professional Experience
- Program Director, Master of Science in Nutrition, School of Nursing and Health Professions, Chaminade University of Honolulu
- Vice President and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist — LifeQuality Nutrition
- Full Time Lecturer, Public Health & Kinesiology — California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
- Adjunct Faculty, Kinesiology, Health, and Athletics — Crafton Hills College
- Regional Dietitian Manager, Southern California — Optimal RDN Solutions
- Adjunct Faculty, Nutrition & Dietetics —California State University San Bernardino
- Adjunct Faculty, Nutrition & Dietetic — Chaffey College
- Health Education & Program Design —CareMore Medical Group
- Program Internship Coordinator, MPH Nutrition — Loma Linda University
- Healthy Cities Coordinator — City of Loma Linda
Professional Honors and Leadership Activities
- Hulda Crooks Award, Loma Linda University
- Top 10% of Public Health Graduates in the Nation. American Public Health Association
- Loma Linda University Dean’s List Scholarship
- Loma Linda University Dean’s List Scholarship
- Drs. William G. and Margaret S. Hafner Endowment
Wiesseman Doctoral Award - Hardinge Scholarship
Current Research
- Normal-Weight Obesity Phenotype and Cardiometabolic Risk in College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study (2026)
- Teaching Obesity Prevention in Higher Education: Building Belonging While Addressing Sensitive Health Realities (2025-2026)
- Tracking Body Composition Changes in Cal Poly Students Pre- and Post-COVID: A DXA Comparison with National NHANES Data (2025)
Teaching Philosophy
Dr. Cline believes student success begins with belonging. Her teaching integrates scientific rigor, reflective practice, and compassionate care to prepare graduates who can lead, communicate, and serve diverse communities with integrity and cultural humility.