People helping people
For over 30 years, Dietary Solutions has been providing people-first solutions to meet a range of nutrition and dietary consulting and staffing needs. Our experts share a genuine passion for nutrition and food service and do whatever it takes to meet your unique needs. We are a team of registered dietitians, food service directors, culinary experts, nursing home administrators, nutrition associates, and dietetic technicians, all dedicated to doing the heavy lifting of making your organizations run efficiently, cost-effectively, and within compliance.
As a minority-owned, woman-led business with a founder and CEO who is a registered and licensed dietitian and former nursing home administrator, we understand firsthand the challenges you face every day. At Dietary Solutions, we tailor and personalize the right solution for you, regardless of your needs.
Our mission is your solution. We are always there, even when your consultant is not in your facility. We are your 24/7 support, with someone available to assist you at all times. We are committed to delivering personalized nutrition consulting and staffing services tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.
Dietary Solutions’ approach to nutrition and staffing services, combined with our unparalleled expertise, has a profound impact on the lives of the residents and patients in our care. We continually evaluate our products and services by utilizing data-driven feedback to ensure we are always doing what is right for our residents, patients, and clients. We consistently provide our clients with all the necessary nutrition and food service resources and services to achieve optimal nutrition and food service outcomes.
Always here for you
Our Values
Empathy
We wholeheartedly have a genuine interest, care, and concern for the work we do. At the cornerstone of our relationships is the ability to understand and anticipate the needs of our clients, employees, residents, and patients. Empathy allows us to understand another person’s experience, perspective, and feelings. We are committed to being a partner that provides cutting-edge and cost-effective strategies, making the world a better place.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of collaboration to exceed expectations. Whether you are a client, employee, resident, or patient, we are committed to collaboration. We respectfully support one another, the people we serve, and those who make our work possible, thereby furthering our collective mission. We know that deep trust fosters deep relationships, and in our daily interactions, we continually strive to incorporate collaboration and teamwork.
Authenticity
Simply put, being authentic means staying true to who we are, what we do, and who we serve. Being responsive, operating from a place of honesty, and relentlessly choosing that integrity is possible, all while we skillfully strive for perfection. We believe that at the heart of every action, decision, and conversation, there must be genuine enthusiasm and authenticity. It is at the core of who we are, what we believe, and what guides our actions.
Leadership
Kay Lakhi
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Her passion for the past 25 years has been to provide health and wellness services related to the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases. As a community leader and wellness advocate, she provides Dietary Solutions with a solid foundation in our well-being journey.
Ashwin Lakhi
Vice President of Security & Infrastructure
Ashwin is a passionate self-starter who oversees key projects to support the growth of the organization. Ashwin’s innovative project management and cross-collaboration strategies allow all areas of the business to run efficiently.
Melissa Baumbach
Vice President of Operations
Melissa strengthens every relationship and ensures exemplary customer service while promoting industry-leading, personalized nutrition services. Melissa is driven to provide strategic solutions in areas that impact healthcare facilities, including regulatory compliance, nutritional excellence, dining programs, food cost management, QAPI, and PDPM.
Denise Fedorek
Regional Director of Operations
Denise has more than twenty-five years of experience in Nutrition and Dietetics. Her background includes Clinical Nutrition management and Food Service management roles. She also has experience in cost control, training, education, and menu development. Denise has a strong passion for gerontological nutrition and the care of the elderly population. In her free time, Denise enjoys traveling to the beach, attending softball games, concerts, and spending time with her family.
Chauntel Horaney
Director of Human Resources
Chauntel is a certified Human Resources professional skilled in aligning HR processes with business objectives. Her areas of expertise include talent acquisition and onboarding, training and professional development, creating organizational processes, and enhancing the overall employee experience. In her free time, Chauntel enjoys participating in community activities and spending time with her family.
Marcy Cook
Regional Director of Operations
Marcy’s passion for food and nutrition has been evident throughout her career in dietetics. Focusing on the health and well-being of others, much of this experience has been in post-acute care. Marcy supports clients with regulatory compliance and is a proven leader among peers in her ongoing quest to learn and educate others. In her free time, Marcy enjoys traveling, cooking, running, and yoga.
Dawn Howard
Regional Director of Operations
Dawn has more than twenty-five years of experience in Nutrition and Dietetics. Her background includes Clinical Nutrition management and Food Service management roles. Dawn has experience in various settings, but her true passion lies in gerontological nutrition and the care she provides to the residents she serves. In her free time, Dawn enjoys the company of her fur babies, hiking, going to concerts, and spending time with her family.
“I started working with Dietary Solutions in late 2020 and I have consistently had a positive experience with the services and support to our facilities and to the organization. The Registered Dieticians and Dietary Technicians are well trained, knowledgeable on the skilled nursing facility industry, and customer service focused. They are truly part of the team in how they coordinate regulatory compliance, interdisciplinary approaches, and survey management. The featured services of nutrition management, survey compliance, kitchen sanitation compliance, menu planning, and meal service stand out to the professional looking for a quality nutritional consultant service that blends like an internal part of the team.
The attributes of the Dietary Solutions team members are a direct reflection of the leadership’s vision and mission. Working with Kay Lakhi, CEO and Melissa Baumback, Vice President of Operations is seamless and effortless as they are flexible and in tune with the needs of our individual organization and assure quality nutritional care for our patients and customer services for our company as a whole. During the covid crisis, the leadership worked with their team members and with our facilities to rebound systems that were impacted by the effects of the pandemic and staffing challenges, allowing our facilities to see positive nutritional outcomes for our residents and successes for our facilities.”
