Dr. Janine Dray-Daris (aka Dr. Dray) has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in food science and human nutrition. She then went to the University of North Florida (UNF) where she received a master’s in health science with an emphasis on nutrition and a doctorate in clinical nutrition. Dr. Dray’s research concentration was on the effects that food insecurity has on diabetes in underserved communities. She taught at UNF for 10 years and was a program coordinator for the student dietetic internship program. Currently, she works as a renal dietitian for two dialysis centers- Caribbean Kidney Center in Christiansted, VI, and the other in St. Thomas; she also teaches online.

Born in Buffalo, New York (still a huge Buffalo Bills fan), her career began as a chef. Needing warmer weather, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida, living there for the next 25 years. Dr. Dray is married to a wonderful man, Nick, and they have one daughter, Lexey, who is following in her mother’s footsteps and attending the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

When her husband retired in May 2020, they packed up their dog and cat and sailed to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. They live on a 38 ft Leopard catamaran sailboat in Gallows Bay, Christiansted. Dr. Dray’s husband is a scuba diver instructor and volunteers for coral restoration. She recently completed her scuba diving certification (you can’t live in the Virgin Islands and not be a certified scuba diver!) They love to sail their boat, scuba dive, hike, and spend time with friends in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean.