Title: 1) Assistant Professor; 2) Adjunct Professor
Company: 1) Framingham State University; 2) Simmons University
Location: Framingham, Massachusetts, United States
Marianella Herrera de Franco, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at Framingham State University and Adjunct Professor at Simmons University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in nutrition education.
A renowned expert in international nutrition, humanitarian nutrition, and food security, Dr. Herrera de Franco has excelled as an assistant professor at Framingham State University since 2022 and an adjunct professor at Simmons University since 2023. At Framingham State University, she teaches courses on public health and epidemiology, wellness for life, and a course she developed concerning global health and nutrition issues with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. At Simmons University, she imparts her knowledge on international nutrition issues. Moreover, Dr. Herrera de Franco’s dedication to education is evident in her mentorship of master’s degree students and her seminar on human rights related to food and health for doctoral students.
Dr. Herrera de Franco’s career is marked by significant contributions to academia and humanitarian efforts. Prior to her current positions, she was active as an associate professor at the Center for Development Studies at Central University of Venezuela, where she laid the foundation for her later involvement in emergency nutrition projects in collaboration with the World Food Program. These experiences have enriched Dr. Herrera de Franco’s research and teaching, allowing her to provide integrative perspectives to students tackling complex global challenges.
Dr. Herrera de Franco’s professional ventures have been complemented by her participation in numerous industry-related organizations. She was appointed as the chair-elect of Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is also a national correspondent member of the Venezuelan National Academy of Medicine and a member of the Latin American Society of Nutrition and the Venezuelan Society of Pediatrics. Dr. Herrera de Franco’s administrative roles also include formerly serving as a chair of the Council on Research, as the president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and on the board of directors for the Bengoa Foundation and Probebe in Venezuela
In addition to these activities, Dr. Herrera de Franco operates a consulting firm with a partner from Mexico who is also involved in public policies. Together, they aim to engage with governments, multilateral agencies, or industries to further their mission of improving global nutrition standards. Dr. Herrera de Franco also showcased her expertise as a co-presenter at the Wimpfheimer-Guggenheim International Lecture on Food and Nutrition Disaster and Humanitarian Relief.
Dr. Herrera de Franco’s academic achievements are extensive, having initially earned a master’s degree in nutrition with a specialization in pregnant women from Simón Bolívar University in 2003. She concluded her academic efforts at the aforementioned university in 2015, graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy in human nutrition in 2015. Furthermore, Dr. Herrera de Franco obtained a medical degree from Central University of Venezuela, completed coursework at Harvard University’s Executive Program on Applying Behavioral Insight to the Design of Public Policies and conducted epidemiology research at Boston University.
Dr. Herrera de Franco has been recognized with several prestigious accolades, including the Trinko Award from Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2022. She was previously honored as the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year by the International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2018. Among the many accomplishments in her career, she is incredibly proud of her ability to balance her personal and professional lives, especially as her family remains essential to her life. Looking toward the future, Dr. Herrera de Franco hopes to help create a world where everyone has adequate nutrition through collaborative efforts that advocate for better food quality within human rights frameworks.
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