FLOURISH Ambassadors Program

Yvonne DeCorse
ydecorse@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hi! I'm an Arizona native, born and raised all around the central valley. I'm a military wife and a mother to one 10-year-old boy and two fur babies. I've been a full-time pharmacy technician since 2006 and have always wanted to get back to school once I figured out what I wanted to be "when I grew up." Since I've known one side of the pharmaceutical world, I've realized how badly I've wanted to help people steer clear of needing to rely on medications for the rest of their lives. My long-term goal is to become a registered dietitian in my community so I can be a reliable resource for preventative care.

I decided to become a FLOURISH Ambassador so I could not only find all the necessary resources for myself, but also so I could help anyone else in the program who might feel like they are lost, confused, or alone in their educational journey.​​​​​​ I started my first semester telling my friends and family that I was "just taking courses online with U of A." As an online student, I initially thought I was just here to take my courses, get my degree, and be ready for the real world. Becoming an ambassador has greatly changed my outlook on my initial vision of this journey. My connection to this school, my peers, and my advisors has grown stronger with each new course I've taken. I hope to help others attain the same types of connections I've made, because getting involved and connected helps make the time between exams and quizzes more exciting and worthwhile. My favorite thing in life is helping others by sharing my knowledge, resources, and experiences with them. As an ambassador, I'm happy I'll get the opportunity to help the online community succeed with any and all goals they've set for this program.

Corinne Frazer
corinnefrazer@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hi! My name is Corinne. I grew up in southern California, where I started my undergraduate degree in nutrition with an emphasis in dietetics. I am a first-generation college student with a Hispanic heritage, and I love to cook Mexican food. Three years ago I moved to Bullhead City, Tri State / rural area of Arizona, and I transferred to the University of Arizona to continue my degree. I have worked in the medical field for over 20 years. While working with patients, I have realized nutrition is my passion. My long-term goal is to become a registered dietitian and continue working at the Veteran's Hospital to help serve our veterans.

As a FLOURISH Ambassador, I hope to help my fellow online students navigate through issues that may come up through their academic paths. I'm a positive, achievement-oriented person; I love to help people accomplish their goals and be able to give encouragement to people I interact with. I hope to provide support and resources that will give the best experience for online students.

Alli Green
allisongreen@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

I grew up in Las Vegas, NV, and completed a Psychology degree from Seattle University. From there, I moved down to San Diego, CA, so I have been all around the west coast! I worked in clinical pediatric research for awhile, but kept coming back to the field of nutrition as my true passion. Finally, I decided to change paths and pursue a second degree in dietetics. My long-term goal is to work in the field of eating disorders as a registered dietitian nutritionist. I am currently working full time, and I serve as a peer mentor for a national eating disorder organization.

As a FLOURISH Ambassador, I look forward to connecting with our online student community and fostering relationships within our program. The online learning space can be hard for others to understand, and oftentimes we can feel alone navigating this process. Having lost my mother at a young age and been raised by my father as a first-generation college student, these experiences contributed to the development of my strengths in empathy and relating to others. I love building relationships with people and being a source of advice and a listening ear. I am hoping to provide nutrition students with more resources to get involved and overall have the best experience as an online nutrition student.

Tiare Gomes
tiaregomes@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hello! My name is Tiare Gomes. I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but I currently reside in Chandler, Arizona, completing my undergraduate degree in Nutritional Sciences with a Dietetics Emphasis. I love to cook, garden, hike, and spend time with my family. My professional goal is to work in the medical field and serve others. In my spare time, I volunteer weekly at my local food bank and feel passionate about serving my community and helping in the areas that I can.

As a FLOURISH Ambassador, I'm excited to get involved and interact with the online community. I believe this role will help me grow as an individual and strengthen my communication and professional skills. As an online student, I understand the struggles that come along with distance learning. I hope to provide support and resources, and to build personal connections that may help other students in their academic journeys.

Kellie Kirsch
kelliekirsch@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hello! My name is Kellie. I currently live in southern California with my husband and our two children. We are a military family and have lived all over California for the last twelve years. After working for almost ten years as a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, I decided to go back to school to pursue my degree in nutrition with an emphasis in dietetics. My long-term goal is to become a registered dietitian and work in private practice.

As a FLOURISH Ambassador, I'm very excited to connect with the online community and help with different issues that come along with being an online student. Some of my strengths include: individualization and being strategic. I believe each person is different and unique, and I like to focus on what makes someone an individual in order to help them find solutions that work for them. As a strategic thinker, I like to view an issue from all sides before making a plan of action. I hope to help foster a sense of community within our program and help provide support for all students.

Adrienne Lui
adriennelui@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hi there! My name is Adrienne. I grew up in Hong Kong and moved to Vancouver, Canada, where I did my BSc in Food Nutrition Health. Aside from being an online international student, I am a Nutrition Education Assistant at a pediatric health- and nutrition-focused private practice, and I am also working at the dietetic department at a cardiac prevention clinic. My goal is to become a registered dietitian specializing in pediatrics, because I am passionate about helping children and adolescents live a better quality of life.

Oftentimes, students in the virtual space feel disconnected and are unaware of the abundance of resources available to them. I decided to become a FLOURISH Ambassador because, as an online student myself, I understand the struggles, and would love to help students navigate their academic lives and create a safe space to seek support.

As a futuristic thinker, I find joy in identifying opportunities and future possibilities through conversation and interaction. I like to create mental images of what I plan to accomplish in the coming weeks, months, or years. I also love curating forward-looking plans, inspiring others with visions of the future and helping them accomplish it!

Brynna Poston
brynnaraeposton@arizona.edu
(she/her/they/them)

I am a military spouse who currently lives in Colorado. I'm originally from the Virginia/Tennessee border city of Bristol. My partner and I have a seven-year-old and two dogs. Thanks to the United States Space Force, we have been lucky to bounce back and forth between California and Colorado. I have been in the fitness and nutrition field for over a decade. So I decided to pivot from exercise science into nutrition and pursue my degree in dietetics to become a registered dietitian. I want to work within the military population or with athletes as a sports dietitian.

I decided to become a FLOURISH Ambassador because I am passionate about this career path and the values the University of Arizona holds. I've been a traditional student in a classroom and a non-traditional student. My goal is to help others in various seasons of their lives and ignite the passion I have as well. I also find it paramount to being an online student to have a community with a space for everyone. As a military spouse, parent, online student, and so much more, I know I can offer unique assistance and support to my peers.

Thailia (Tie-LEE-ya) Velasquez
tmvelasquez@arizona.edu
(she/her/hers)

Hello, my name is Thailia! I am from D.C., but I currently reside in Maryland. I am African American and Latina. I am a first-generation college student. I love exploring different cultures and would love to bring a focus on nutrition in food-insecure communities to help limit food deserts. Some of my strengths include maximizer and harmony. I like to create a plan and map out goals, and I also love helping others with any problems they may face. I am pursuing my undergrad at the University of Arizona as a nutritional science major focusing on dietetics. My goal is to become a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition. I would like to help my community and athletes learn that the food we eat impacts our strength, training, performance, and recovery. I would like to work with patients who are struggling to lose weight or need to improve their diet or other health-related illnesses.

Becoming a FLOURISH Ambassador meant that I was going to be part of a community that wants to help other students learn how to navigate and connect through our online community and gain access to as many resources as possible for our peers. As a FLOURISH Ambassador, I am thrilled to meet everyone with similar interests and career goals. I look forward to connecting with others within the online community and growing our skills together. As online students, it can feel difficult to find the right resources on our own for our academic journey. I hope to learn how to support other nutritional science students through their journey.