Katie Knappenberger - Director of Performance Nutrition - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Katie Knappenberger

Title:
Director of Performance Nutrition
Email:
Phone:
467-3489

Katie Knappenberger is the Program Director of Performance Nutrition at Northwestern Medicine and Northwestern University Athletics, a role she has held since her hire in June 2014. As Northwestern’s first full-time sports dietitian, Katie has led the strategic development and expansion of performance nutrition services from the ground up. Her responsibilities include program design and oversight, budget and fueling station development, policy creation, staff leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the delivery of evidence-based nutrition care to student-athletes within a fully integrated medical model. Under her leadership, the performance nutrition team has grown from a single provider to a multidisciplinary staff supporting comprehensive athlete health and performance initiatives.

Katie earned her Master of Science in Nutrition and Sports Dietetics from the University of Utah and her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Prior to joining Northwestern, she served as an Assistant Professor and Certified Athletic Trainer at Daytona State College, where she earned tenure while teaching general and sports nutrition courses and providing athletic training services to collegiate basketball programs. She has also held academic and guest lecturer roles at the University of Utah, delivering both university-level instruction and community education.

A nationally recognized leader in sports dietetics, Katie has been deeply involved with the American Sports and Performance Dietians Association (ASPDA) through board leadership, advocacy, education, and research initiatives. She served as President of the organization from May 2023 - May 2026. Her professional contributions include serving in multiple national leadership roles (including serving as ASPDA's Liaison to the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA)), leading webinars and conference sessions, and serving as the lead author on the NATA's Position Statement on The Evaluation of Dietary Supplements for Athlete Safety and Performance.

Katie is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian, and a Board Certified Athletic Trainer. She is based in Glenview, Illinois, and outside of work enjoys F45 training, hosting friends for special events, watching her 2 daughters in their numerous activities, and adventuring with her husband, Ryan.