Meet Our Team
Our Nutrition Philosophy
At East Coast Performance Nutrition we take an individualized, non-judgemental approach to creating a collaborative sustainable nutrition plan that aligns with your goals. As a team of Registered Dietitians with over a decade of combined experience, we are well equipped with many clinical tools to help you reach your health and performance potential. We pride ourselves on staying up-to-date with the latest nutrition research and trends and provide practical nutrition recommendations unique to you and your specific needs!​
Melissa Hardy
Owner, Sports Dietitian, Mom
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Practicing in Antigonish NS & Virtual across NS & NL
Melissa Hardy is a proud Newfoundlander with mixed Mi’kmaw and European ancestry and a highly credentialed registered dietitian with over a decade of experience. She founded East Coast Performance Nutrition after returning to Nova Scotia, following years of providing diverse nutrition education to rural communities in Northern and Southern Ontario.
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An athlete at heart, Melissa has been involved in both recreational and competitive sports from a young age. While studying Human Nutrition at St. Francis Xavier University (StFX), she competed with the Women’s Cross Country Team and was named Female Athlete of the Year in 2013. In 2019, she qualified for age group Team Canada at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final. These days, much of her time is spent keeping up with her toddler, but she still enjoys recreational racing and outdoor adventures with her family. It’s not uncommon to spot Melissa with a stroller or pregnancy bump, chasing the StFX cross-country team on a fun run!
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Melissa brings the same energy and passion to nutrition as she does to athletics. She believes that optimal long-term performance begins with prioritizing health, as true success in performance is only possible when your well-being is at the forefront. Melissa will help you reduce the stress around food and eating decisions, by providing clear, practical nutrition education that fits into a busy lifestyle. Melissa believes in a team approach to health and collaborates closely with primary care, sports med, allied health professionals and coaches to help you achieve your health and performance goals.
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Credentials:
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Registered Dietitian - Nutritionist
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Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
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Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
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Graduate of the International Olympic Committee Sport Nutrition Diploma
Kelsey Gill
Registered Dietitian, Endurance Athlete
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Practicing in Miramichi NB & Virtual across NS & NB
Kelsey is from Miramichi New Brunswick and completed her undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition at StFX. Since becoming a dietitian Kelsey has worked in a number of settings, including both acute and long-term care.
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Kelsey brings a fresh perspective to the table when it comes to properly fueling your body. She has a deep understanding of what it takes to fuel active bodies for sport, life and long-term health. As an endurance athlete herself, she brings real-life experience to her work with both recreational and competitive athletes.
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She is committed to learning and adapting her practice based on the latest research and evidence. She also knows that when it comes to nutrition, the information can be complex and conflicting. She’s here to help you make sense of it by offering practical guidance grounded in sport-specific fueling science and tailored to your goals.
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Whether you're navigating training demands, working to prevent injury, or simply trying to fuel consistently without overthinking it, Kelsey will help you take small, sustainable steps to perform and feel at your best and appreciate the body you are in!​​
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Credentials:
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Registered Dietitian (RD)
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Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, St. Francis Xavier University
Samantha Blizzard
Registered Dietitian,
Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor,
ICF-Certified Coach
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Practicing in Antigonish NS & Virtual across NS & PEI
Sam is a Registered Dietitian with seven years of experience providing one-on-one nutrition counselling, group workshops, and community education. She holds a degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Prince Edward Island and is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor and ICF-Certified Coach. She specializes in body image and helping others heal their relationship with food through intuitive eating and creating meaningful change that lasts.
Sam’s passion lies in helping people cut through the noise of diet culture and reconnect with food in a way that actually works for the reality of being human, with busy, complex lives. Her approach to nutrition is rooted in compassion, flexibility, and practicality. She’s not about quick fixes, her goal is always to help clients build trust in themselves and feel confident in their eating, long after their work together ends.
Sam specializes in supporting clients who feel stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle with food, have a long history of dieting, struggle with body image, or experience binge or emotional eating. She meets clients exactly where they’re at and is skilled at weaving food and body image work into a wide range of goals, whether that’s meal planning for a busy schedule, managing stress eating, or fueling fitness in a way that supports both performance and well-being.
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Credentials:
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Registered Dietitian (RD)
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Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor
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ICF-Certified Coach (specializing in body image & intuitive eating)
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Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, University of Prince Edward Island
Elizabeth Talbot
Registered Dietitian, Master of Public Health
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Practicing Virtually across ON & NS
Elizabeth is from Toronto, Ontario and completed her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Integrated Dietetic Internship at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Inspired by food security and food access work she completed during her undergraduate degree, she went on to complete a Master of Public Health at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Elizabeth understands that nutrition is deeply personal and is passionate about working with clients to create individualized nutrition plans. She believes the most effective way to work is by building strong partnerships with her clients, ensuring that they play a key role in creating nutrition strategies. She is excited to work with clients to help empower them to foster healthy and sustainable relationships with food, believing in an all foods fit approach.
Elizabeth is passionate about the role food can play in preventing and managing disease, the power it has to bring people together, and its importance in fuelling our bodies. A former competitive figure skater and current recreational runner, she understands how important it is to fuel your body to optimize performance.
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Credentials:
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Registered Dietitian (RD)
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Master of Public Health (MPH), Tufts University
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Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, St. Francis Xavier University
Liz MacDonald
Registered Dietitian
Ultra-Endurance Athlete
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Practicing in Halifax NS & Virtual across NS
Liz is a Registered Dietitian who completed her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition at St Francis Xavier University and went on to complete her Dietetic Internship through the St Francis Xavier IDI Program.
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With seven years as a Registered Dietitian, Liz’s background spans varying clinical settings including Intensive Care, Cardiology, Surgical and General Medicine. This foundation has given Liz a deep understanding of the role nutrition plays in recovery, disease prevention and management, but also for everyday performance in life and athletic pursuits.
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Liz is an endurance and ultra-endurance athlete herself, and as a former competitive swimmer and soccer player, she brings firsthand experience to her approach having navigated the unique challenges of fueling for peak performance, balancing conflicting training demands while sustaining a busy life and other physically demanding endeavours.
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Liz’s approach combines evidence-based nutrition with personalized strategies. Liz turns complex nutritional science into easy-to-follow recommendations and works with individuals to create practical, sustainable fueling plans that support their goals while empowering them to take control of their nutrition, fuel their bodies with purpose, and perform at their best—without sacrificing long-term health or well-being.