Samaria Garrett, MS, RDN, LDN, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Licensed Hair Practitioner, and the founder of Feeding the Root Nutrition, a culturally responsive nutrition practice rooted in the principles of health equity and holistic nutrition. She specializes in supporting individuals navigating metabolic health conditions like diabetes, insulin resistance, and PCOS, with a strong emphasis on sustainable, whole-person care. 
 
Grounded in weight inclusivity, Samaria helps clients heal their relationship with food and body, providing care that honors lived experience, cultural identity, and community. She is especially skilled in working with clients struggling with disordered eating and chronic dieting, offering weight-inclusive nutrition therapy that is compassionate and evidence-based.  With a background in trichology and a license in natural hair care, Samaria brings a unique perspective to the connection between internal health and outward symptoms like hair thinning and breakage. However, her work extends far beyond aesthetics, her mission is to challenge systemic barriers in healthcare, increase representation in dietetics, and create spaces where Black and Brown communities feel seen, supported, and nourished. 
Samaria is a passionate speaker, educator, and consultant, and her work has been featured in both clinical and media settings. Whether teaching about diabetes prevention, leading cultural nutrition workshops, or mentoring emerging professionals, she is deeply committed to transforming healthcare through food, culture, and equity. 
 
Dr. Aleta Simmons, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Nashville, TN. She received her undergraduate degree from Alabama A&M University and graduate degree from Murray State University. Before medical school, she participated in a post-baccalaureate program called MEDPREP at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Dr. Simmons completed medical school at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. After graduating, she completed an internal medicine internship at Loyola University Medical Center and a dermatology residency at University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. 
 
Dr. Simmons is the founder of Simmons Skin Center and Get the Skin-E. At Simmons Skin Center, she offers expert general, medical, procedural, and cosmetic dermatology care through online and in-person appointments. Get the Skin-E is her online education platform through her website, webinars, and social media. Dr. Simmons collaborates with organizations, industry, and schools to deliver dermatology education through workshops and presentations, both locally and nationally.  Dr. Simmons previously practiced dermatology as an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she served as a Diversity Champion and was selected as a Fleming Scholar. She was invited to serve on the medical center's Racial Equity Taskforce and Patient Equity Committee. 
 
She gives back to the medical field through mentorship, serving as an adjunct professor at Meharry Medical College, and participating in the National Medical Association, National Medical Fellowships, the Skin of Color Society, and the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Simmons' clinical interests include acne, hyperpigmentation, procedural dermatology, and health disparities. When she is not educating the community and caring for patients, you can find her exploring the city with her dog, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. 

Disclosures:

Samaria Garrett MS, RDN, LDN, faculty for this event, is a content creator for HUM Nutritrion. All relevant financial relationships listed for this individual have been mitigated.

Aleta Simmons, MD, FAAD, and the planners of this educational activity have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. 

An “ineligible company” includes any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.