Annie Hilchen, MS, CNS, LDN

Class of 2022

Annie Hilchen, MS, CNS, LDN, graduated with honors as a member of the inaugural class of Sonoran University‘s Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition program, where she served as class president. At the graduation ceremony, she was both delighted and surprised to be recognized by her peers, faculty, and Deans with the Excellence, Impact, and Dean’s Leadership awards.

After completing her clinical hours through the post-graduate Supervised Practice Experience (SPE) program at Sonoran University in June 2022, she received her Certified Nutrition Specialist designation in July 2022. Annie continues to serve the Sonoran University students and faculty as the SPE Program Coordinator for Sonoran University’s Virtual Clinic and as a Teaching Assistant in the College of Nutrition.

Through her private practice, Well Being Nutrition LLC, Annie provides telehealth focusing on digestive function and microbiome health, chronic GI conditions, and dietary patterns education. She serves as the Food Navigator at the Saugatuck Farmer’s Market at the SCA during the summer, helping vulnerable populations redeem their SNAP and EBT funds on the rainbow of colors available from the produce growers who sell at the market weekly. She also uses her Safe SERV certification from the MSCN program to foster relationships between farmers and guests of the market through the “Ask the Expert” series and distribution of food safety tools and education through the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MiFMA) Food Safety grant.

Prior to her work in the fields of nutrition and education, Annie received her Bachelor of Arts in Business/Psychology from Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, in 1988 and has held various positions in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, and non-profit industries. Annie lives in Michigan with her husband of 30 years, Terry Lacher, and enjoys creative and social time in the kitchen with friends, international travel, and scuba diving.

Her passion is to be a guide to those who have a health challenge and choose to use functional foods and herbal therapies to improve their health outcomes through a practice that honors diversity, equity, and inclusion.