About the Diabetes Education Center 

The Diabetes Education Center offers classes, individual appointments, support groups and other tools to help you throughout your diabetes management.  A physician's referral is required for outpatient diabetes education and meal-planning instruction.  Each client is assessed, and goals and objectives are established to meet individual needs.  Family members and/or significant others are invited to attend.

The center was founded in 1992 is proud to be recognized by the American Diabetes Association for our quality education.  

What is a Diabetes Educator?
A Diabetes educator is a licensed health professional such as a registered nurse or a registered dietician who specializes in diabetes education.  The education, training and support that the educator's provide are known as diabetes-self management training (DSMT).

Meet the RHC Diabetes Educators
Holly Anderson, RN, BC
Diabetes Education Center Coordinator
Holly has worked at RHC since 1995.  During her tenure, she has spent time as a nurse on the hospital's surgical unit, and most recently as the hospital's pain resource nurse.  She has served as program coordinator since July 2008.  She earned her Bachelor's of Science at Radford University and her RN at Marymount.  In her spare time, Holly likes to travel with her family, photography, and jewelry-making.

Karen Gardiner, RN, CDE 
Karen has been in nursing for the past 30 years, and has spent the past 11 years in diabetes education.  She is a certified diabetes educator and in recent years has served as the program coordinator.  She is currently going back to school for her degree in psychology, and in her free time she enjoys traveling, physical activity, and spending time with her family.

Allison Sherry, RN, BSN
Allison graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing.  Upon graduation she worked in the pharmaceutical industry and in corporate development for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).  It was during her time at ADA that Allison realized diabetes was her true passion within the healthcare field.  Allison has worked as a nurse on an Endocrine and Diabetes Floor in California and is now a diabetes educator for Reston Hospital Center.  She continues to volunteer for the American Diabetes Association.  When she is not at work she enjoys running, reading and spending time with her family.

What is a Registered Dietician?
A registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential "RD." Registered Dieticians are trained in subjects including food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, culinary arts, sociology, communications, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy and chemistry.

Meet the Diabetes Education Center's Registered Dieticians
Swati Saxena, RD
Swati is a Registered Dietitian with 12 years of experience in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics.  She graduated with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Northern Illinois University and went on to complete her Dietetic Internship at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  Swati specializes in outpatient nutritional counseling with emphasis on diabetes and nutritional management.  She is married with two children and enjoys traveling, reading and scrapbooking.

Linda Wieland, RN, BSN, RD
Linda wears many hats at RHC.  In addition to being the Registered Dietitian for the Diabetes Education Center, she is also the hospital's CPR coordinator.  Linda earned her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from Eastern Illinois University and completed her dietetic internship at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati.  Linda also has a health teaching certificate from George Mason University.  She enjoys travel and sports with her husband and sons.