President-Elect Candidate, 2022
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Top 5 Achievements
1. Meals on Wings Program
Adequate access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for health is a basic human right, yet 1 in 4 U.S. households are food insecure. Food insecurity results in an increased risk of diseases such as diabetes, HTN, heart disease and stands as a focus of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ strategic plan. The Meals on Wings is an innovative program that recovers unused food from hospitals, repackages into healthful meals, and delivers to homebound older adults on the waitlist for Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wings is powered by student volunteers and has documented improvement in participants’ nutrition health and well being as well as volunteers’ empathy and leadership skills. In 2 ½ years, Meals on Wings has provided 50,000 meals to older adults.
2. International work in malnutrition
For the past decade, I have been working in malnutrition in developing countries including Uganda, India, Dominican Republic, Belize, and Ghana. For the past 5 years, I have collaborated with the University of Ghana to provide training to Ghanaian dietitians, provide nutrition care in hospitals and the community, and assist the University with achieving accreditation with ACEND.
3. Developing and directing the UNF DCN program
UNF has the second practice doctorate in nutrition in the country. The program’s emphasis is on leadership and evidence-based practice, skills needed for the future of the profession. Additionally, with the movement to master’s for entry-level, doctoral-prepared clinicians are needed to train the next practitioners.
4. President of Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
One of the most challenging and rewarding leadership experiences of my career. Within my presidency, we focused on licensure and building a strong public policy team. In 2015, Florida was able to introduce and pass a model practice act in just one legislative session.
As a media spokesperson for 8 years, I provide an average of 4 media stories each month, translating nutrition science into information consumers understand and can apply. The media coverage elevates the profession of dietetics, the Academy, and helps establish the registered dietitian nutritionist as the nutrition expert.