How LSU’s Erin McKinley Blends Business, Nutrition, and Education to Build Strong Alumni
March 25, 2025
LSU College of Agriculture associate professor Erin McKinley, a passionate advocate for nutrition and food sciences, has built an impressive career shaped by her journey from high-level corporate roles to becoming a respected professor at LSU.
McKinley was born and raised in Rhode Island. She originally received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing, which took her to Las Vegas, where she worked as a high-level corporate casino executive while in her 20s. But a cancer diagnosis in 2007 changed her path.
“I was getting a lot of nutrition advice from people who were not ‘legit,’ and knew I had taken enough law classes in business school to know something wasn’t right,” McKinley said.
College of Agriculture associate professor Erin McKinley, PhD, RD, LDN, CLC, MCHES, FAND
She decided to change paths and become a registered dietitian, attending graduate school at the University of Alabama, where she worked with the football team and the hospitality group at Bryant Denny Stadium from 2011 to 2015
“Working in Tuscaloosa helped to merge my past life of hospitality with my shift into nutrition and food,” McKinley said.
After earning her Master’s degree, McKinley received three job offers, including one from LSU.
“I was asked to be in Baton Rouge about a week after I signed my contract,” McKinley said. “There is never a dull moment at LSU and I learned that from day one.”
This month, she celebrates seven years at LSU, where she brings her experiences into the classroom.
“I have the unique background of my degree and experience in business and marketing, which are both a big part of nutrition and food science, more than people expect,” McKinley said. “I also have the expertise of my research in behavior theory and survey design combined with more than 20 years of knowledge of consumer behavior and market observation.”
For her work, McKinley received the 2019 Alumni of the Year award from her undergraduate institution, Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., and the 2020 Emerging Dietetic Leader and the 2021 Outstanding Dietitian of the Year from the Louisiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“For only being in Louisiana for a few years at the time, it was a big deal to be recognized by my peers in such a big way that quickly,” McKinley said.
McKinley attributes her success in her field to her parents, who raised her to be strong-willed and not afraid to work for what she wanted. McKinley also credits LSU political science professor Stacia Haynie as a mentor who shaped her approach to academia and leadership.
“Dr. Haynie has always been a big supporter of mine since coming to LSU,” McKinley said. “She has always encouraged my big ideas to make changes on campus. She was the one who really made me want to ascend the ranks and become a dean or higher one day.”
McKinley encourages women to not shy away from an industry and profession like nutrition that is 98% female.
“There is room for all of us and we have a big support system as we want to see our profession grow and be taken more seriously as a health profession,” McKinley said.
Looking ahead, McKinley has four more years of research to put towards becoming a full professor at LSU. She hopes to accomplish her research goals, as well as grow strong LSU alumni who represent the dietetic profession and the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences.
“Gut feelings never lead you down a path that hurts you, and you have to trust that whenever you are figuring out what you want to do with your life post graduation,‘No’s’ are a redirection towards better things and you don’t realize it until much later, when you are doing exactly what you are supposed to in that moment of your career.”
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LSU's Scholarship First Agenda is helping achieve health, prosperity, and security for Louisiana and the world.