FIU Athletics

Amanda Fernandez joined FIU in June of 2018, accepting a dual-role position as FIU's first full-time sports nutritionist and as an assistant athletic trainer where she oversees the sports nutrition program for all 18 Division I athletic teams. During her first year at FIU, Fernandez met with all the athletic teams, hosting team talks, group/position talks and individual one-on-one counseling.  She also met with and educated coaches on the importance of implementing a sports nutrition regimen for their teams. Additionally, she has coordinated and prepared recovery and fueling stations in the different teams’ locker rooms, the weight room, and on the sideline/court side. Fernandez also started the FIU Sports Nutrition Instagram page to help spread and communicate the FIU Sports Nutrition “Fact of the Week” and the “Recipe of the Week.” She has also started to implement cooking classes for the different teams and helped the athletics department coordinate the transition of the new food service company, Chartwells, on campus.

Prior to FIU, Fernandez continued to volunteer as a nutrition intern with the University of Miami’s football team during the 2017- 2018. After the completion of her graduate assistantship, she accepted a year-long, dual-role internship at the University of Miami from 2016 to 2017 working with the football team within the Sports Nutrition and Athletic Training department. Fernandez was a graduate assistant at the University of Miami from 2014 to 2016, where she worked with the football, track and field and cross country teams. During this time, she also provided interim athletic training for the women's volleyball and men's basketball team while volunteering as a nutrition intern for athletes from all sports team. . Fernandez was also the head athletic trainer at SLAM Charter Middle/High School from 2013 to 2014.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Fernandez graduated with a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Duquesne University in 2013. She graduated with a master’s in nutrition with a specialization in exercise physiology- strength and conditioning from the University of Miami in 2016.  In addition to her athletic training license and certificate, she earned her Florida state license in Nutrition and Dietetics, her Certified Nutrition Specialist certification, and her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification. Fernandez also obtained her Registered Dietitian certificate from the University of Alabama.