Dhruti Patel

Dhruti Patel has been a Family and Consumer Sciences Educator with the University of Maryland Extension since 2012 and has served Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties since 2022. Her expertise encompasses nutrition, health, mental health, food preservation, and education technologies. She uses research-based methodologies to identify community needs, develop targeted educational programs, and evaluate their impact. Her successful program portfolio includes initiatives addressing the Habit Shift Mindset, Alzheimer's Caregiver program, senior nutrition, and chronic disease management. Her current research efforts focus on developing multidisciplinary health programs that integrate nutrition, physical health, and mental well-being through an intersectional lens, as well as the use of technology, including AI, to improve program expansion and accessibility. 

Patel is a current Doctoral Candidate of Education with Frostburg University, Maryland. Her area of doctoral research focuses on exploring the AI landscape to assess current AI policy, AI preparedness, and AI literacy within higher education. 

She also holds two master's degrees in Nutritional Sciences (Texas, US) and a master's degree in Clinical Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management (India), as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition (India). She brings 18 years of experience from working in various fields of nutrition and health, including clinical, research, and community education.