Employee Spotlight: Stephanie Wiegert, RDN, Director of Food and Nutrition Services

As Director of Food and Nutrition at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Stephanie Wiegert brings both clinical expertise and heartfelt dedication to her role. With a background as a Registered Dietitian and a career that began at Riddle Hospital, Stephanie has grown into a leader who values connection — with her team, with patients, and with the broader goals of healthcare. In this spotlight, she shares how her department goes above and beyond to deliver not just meals, but comfort, safety, and support to every patient they serve.

Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to a career in food and nutrition services?

“I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare since I was a child and eventually chose dietetics. My career started at Riddle Hospital where I completed my dietetic internship and eventually became a Registered Dietitian for both Riddle Hospital and Mirmont Treatment Center. I always joked I would never move into the management side of things, but the opportunity presented itself and I haven’t looked back.”

What does a typical day look like for you as the Director of Food and Nutrition at Bryn Mawr Rehab?

“I like to spend a good amount of my day within the department with the food service staff. This allows me to truly understand what is working well and what improvements can be made to provide a better experience for our patients. The rest of the day is spent reviewing data and ensuring programs are running as they should. As I am settling into my role, I have been able to round and connect with our patients as well, which I really enjoy.”

How does your team collaborate with clinical staff to meet the specific dietary needs of patients undergoing rehabilitation?

“Our department includes a team of 5 Registered Dietitians who work closely with the patient’s care team. They provide medical nutrition therapy to the patients as well as communicate any additional needs to our diet office staff. The diet clerks work closely with the nursing and therapy staff to ensure that the patients have their correct meal selections daily.”

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about the work your team does behind the scenes?

“Just how much work goes into ensuring the accuracy and safety of the meals our patients receive. Most people think it’s just placing food on a tray, but the team does so much more than that. Each patient will receive a menu specifically tailored to their nutritional diet order as well as any allergens they may have. These menu selections are then verified for compliance before the tray ticket is printed. Our diet clerk will also verify each menu item for allergen compliances with the cook to ensure there was no possible cross-contamination, as well as perform a final accuracy check before sending the truck to the floor.”

Outside of your day-to-day responsibilities, what motivates you about your work, and how do you see food as part of the healing process?

“The patients. This is their home for the time they are here, and there is nowhere else to go for meals. Food should bring comfort and joy to their day, which is why I am so passionate in my role. Most employees interact with patients for clinical reasons. When they get a chance to interact with the food service team, it can provide the patient with a positive interaction to distract from anything they may have going on medically.”

Have there been any recent changes or improvements to the food services at Bryn Mawr Rehab that you’re excited about?

“I am really excited to continue to implement system updates and Aramark programs. Being a Registered Dietitian by background provides such an advantage while operating the department, since I know firsthand how important nutrition is to a patient’s care. Recently I have been working on system menu updates focusing on nutritional and allergen compliances. I am also working on developing welcome booklets for patients to better explain what we offer to ensure they are receiving the best level of services we offer.”