Contact us at (949) 874-3438 or contact@dietitiansofoc.com
Our Story
Jennifer DeFrain (owner), started consulting as a dietitian in Orange County in 2003. After working as a dietitian and Clinical Nutrition Manager in the hospital setting in the late 90's/early 2000s, and working as a consultant herself in various healthcare facilities, she realized there was a big need for an agency of dietitians to help staff the constant openings in the field, that she was not able to fill on her own. She constantly seeks to add experienced, professional, positive dietitians to her team.
Although Jennifer started the company with the mission to provide local healthcare facilities with professional, reliable, and experienced dietitians she expanded services throughout California.
Our CEO
Jennifer DeFrain, MS RD
Jennifer’s curiosity in life and eagerness to learn drove her to start working at a young age. Like many 12-year-olds in the 80’s, she started babysitting for family friends and became a “candy striper” at a local hospital. As soon as she became old enough for a worker’s permit in the state of Virginia, at the age of 15, she entered the food industry, working at McDonald's, and then Olive Garden and Pizza Hut. She attributes much of her work ethic and business sense to her early years of working with and learning under these multibillion dollar food companies where she experienced their training programs, daily procedures, and standards of consistency.
Jennifer continued in customer service related jobs throughout high school and into college, where she started as a business major. After learning about the dietetics profession, she changed to a minor in business and switched her focus to Food and Nutrition, eventually earning her Master’s in Nutrition from Central Michigan University. After completing her internship at the Detroit Medical center in 1997, Jennifer started her first job as a dietitian in 1998 at William Beaumont Hospital. In 2001, she moved to Southern CA, where she continued to work in the hospital setting and went on to manage the nutrition department as a Clinical Nutrition Manager. In 2003, she started consulting work with various health care facilities including hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, and in 2005, she started working with hospices. Jennifer continues her career as a dietitian and owner of Dietitians of Orange County, while trying to stay active in her community.
Our VP of Operations
Hande Tan, MS RD
Hande graduated from UCLA in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Physiological Sciences and the hopes of entering the healthcare field. She explored different fields such as medicine and physical therapy before deciding that she could turn her passion for nutrition into a career by becoming a Registered Dietitian. She received her Master's Degree in Nutrition from the University of Alabama and completed her dietetic internship through Lenoir-Rhyne University, becoming a Registered Dietitian in 2017.
Hande began her journey with Dietitians of Orange County as a student while in her Master's program, eventually being hired on as an Administrative Assistant and then moving up to VP of Operations. She continues to keep up her clinical skills by working as a Clinical Dietitian in hospitals throughout Orange County. Hande spends her free time trying to keep up with her toddler and testing out new baking recipes.