September 3, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Deborah Garofano’s passion for sports and nutrition stemmed from her own experience as a competitive swimmer and tennis player.
“I was fascinated by the role that nutrition played in my performance,” she says. “And I loved that my diet was an aspect of my training that I could influence.”
With both parents working as medical professionals, Garofano knew she wanted to enter the field as well, and she decided to study dietetics at Iowa State University. After completing an internship to fulfill the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian and a master’s degree in preventive medicine from the University of Iowa, she was ready to begin her career.
Over the past three decades. Garofano has amassed an array of experiences as both a clinician and an educator. She has taught adjunct courses at seven higher education institutions, including the University of South Carolina where she once worked as the campus dietitian for Student Health Services and filled the inaugural role of sports dietitian for USC athletics. Since 2012, Garofano has worked at the Columbia VA Health Care system –managing their weight management programs.
“Over the years, my interests and experiences have evolved, and I have become especially passionate about helping others find balance in their nutrition while developing a healthy relationship with food and their bodies,” Garofano says. “I truly enjoy mentoring students, helping them build confidence, develop their professional skills and find their own path within the field of dietetics.”
In her new role as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science, Garofano will be contributing to the department’s M.S. in Performance and Dietetics program. Launched in 2025, the new master’s degree complements the department’s other clinical program offerings (athletic training and physical therapy) while also carving a pathway for students to claim their niche in the increasingly specialized world of sports performance. Combining an evidence-based curriculum in the classroom with supervised learning experiences in the field, students graduate as Performance Dietitians, ready to take the national registration exam and fulfill the state licensing requirements to become credentialed Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.
“I was drawn to the Arnold School because of the passionate, high-quality faculty and their commitment to excellence and student learning,” Garofano says. “I am excited to help grow the performance and dietetics program into a premiere program in which our graduates are highly recruited. I am also looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues from my past at the university, and I’m honored to back on USC’s vibrant campus.”
“Deborah brings experience, excitement for the field, and, as a former USC employee, relevant institutional knowledge to her role as Director of Clinical Education in our Performance Nutrition and Dietetics program,” EXSC chair Shawn Arent says. “I believe her background will pay real dividends for both the students and the preceptors while strengthening the relationships with our community stakeholders.”