In recognition of outstanding service and contributions to the nutrition and dietetics profession, 26 individuals have been selected by the Honors Committee and Board of Directors to receive top Academy national honors and awards. Congratulations go to the following recipients for outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession and practice of nutrition and dietetics.
Click on the name of an honoree to learn more about them.
Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award
Honorary Membership
- Karen Elizabeth Aspry, MD, MS, FACC, FNLA, FAHA
- Peggi A. Guenter, PhD, RN, FAAN, FASPEN
- Osama Hamdy, MD, PhD
- Kevin C. Maki, PhD, CLS, FNLA, FTOS, FACN
Medallion Awards
- Leslie J. Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, RDN
- Catherine M. Champagne, PhD, RDN, LDN, FADA, FAND, FTOS, FAHA
- Linda M. Gigliotti, MS, RDN, CDCES, CSOWM, FAND
- Mary B. Gregoire, PhD, RD
- Susan McLaughlin, MOL, BS, RDN, CDCES, LMNT
- Nancy Munoz, DCN, MHA, RDN, FAND
- Margaret M. Rowe, MS, RD, LDN, FADA, FAND
- Terese M. Scollard, MBA, RDN, LD, FAND
Media Excellence Award
Outstanding Social Media Award
Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Promotion Award
Excellence in Practice Awards
- Business and Industry: Elizabeth Anne Pash, MS, RD, LDN
- Clinical Nutrition: Patricia Becker, MS, RDN, CSP, FAND
- Communications: Christina M. Rollins, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC, FAND
- Community and Public Health: Melissa Pflugh Prescott, PhD, RDN, FAND
- Consultant: Rosalind Vera Benner, RD
- Education: Jane Ziegler, DCN, RDN, LDN
- Executive Leadership: Mary Hise, PhD, RDN, CNSC, FASPEN
- Informatics: Margaret K. Dittloff, MS, RDN
- Management: Kate Willcutts, DCN, RD, CNSC
- Research: Mara Z. Vitolins, DrPH, MPH, RDN, FAND
Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award
Susan T. Borra
RDN
The Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award is the highest award bestowed upon a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The 2021 Award is presented to Susan Borra, RD, for her tireless promotion of the nutrition and dietetics profession, successfully partnering with professionals and organizations to make the voices of dietitians heard on key policies related to food, nutrition, and health.
Her national volunteer roles include service as Academy President (2001-2002) and Academy Foundation Chair (1997-1999), as well as chair of numerous committees such as the Finance and Audit Committee and Honors Committee. At the state level, she served as Maryland affiliate President. Her superior involvement in dietetic practice groups includes a term as secretary in Dietitians in Business and Communications and a founding role in Food and Culinary Professionals.
As an executive for non-profit associations, as well as an international communications firm, she initiated multiple programs to advance nutrition and food safety communications. Her strategic planning roles within various organizations have shaped the direction of the food retail industry. Even in retirement, she continues her industry-related volunteer work on nutrition education, leadership, and food safety programs.
Perhaps Borra’s greatest impact is her generous service as a mentor and advocate for dietitians and communication professionals, imparting the importance of science-based nutrition communications, as well as advocating for consumers and the improvement of public health. The students and professionals that have worked with her credit the positive force of her inspiring leadership to their professional success.
Honorary Membership
Karen Elizabeth Aspry
MD, MS, FACC, FNLA, FAHA
In recognition of:
- Her strong support for good nutrition practices, which are key to guiding her clinical practice, professional service activities, and instruction of medical students, residents, and fellows.
- Her service activities that have advanced the profession of dietetics and promoted Academy members for professional opportunities that benefit public health.
- Her relentless activities with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to encourage the organization to support Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) reimbursement for Academy members. She advocated for ACC to co-sign a letter of support to Congress for MNT reimbursement for RDNs.
- Her strong nutrition promotion efforts as chair of the ACC Nutrition Work Group. She used this forum to promote nutrition and RDNs to many different audiences.
- Her commitment to being an advocate for publishing nutrition-related articles in different journals that reach a large audience of health care professionals.
- Her work at the local level with the head of dietary and food services at her primary hospital to improve the cardiac diet for inpatients.
- Her role on the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee to advance medical nutrition education and promote RDN and MD collaborations for improved patient care.
- Her work with RDNs to develop National Lipid Association tear sheets for patient education on nutrition topics.
Honorary Membership
Peggi A. Guenter
PhD, RN, FAAN, FASPEN
In recognition of:
- Her professional knowledge in nutrition support research and practice that has led to numerous publications, books, book chapters, and invited presentations.
- Her contributions as an author to many American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN.) clinical standards and guidelines in areas such as Enteral Nutrition (EN) practice, Parenteral Nutrition (PN) standardization, safe practices for PN, and General Guidelines for the use of PN and EN in adult and pediatric patients.
- Her technical expertise and passion for patient safety, which led to the manufacturing of ENfit® enteral connectors which prevent intravenous and enteral tubing misconnections, saving the lives of those on enteral nutrition.
- Her collaborative work with the Academy and ASPEN on establishing consensus characteristics for malnutrition.
- Her receipt of the highly prestigious ASPEN Lifetime Achievement Award for a highly accomplished professional colleague.
Honorary Membership
Osama Hamdy
MD, PhD
In recognition of:
- His role in advancing clinical and translational research addressing the benefit of diet and behavioral strategies for patients with diabetes and obesity.
- His leadership and Academic positions at Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School.
- His notable national and international service towards the advancement of the profession.
- His advocacy of the role of RDNs and nutritional interventions in weigh management.
- His joint initiatives with RDNs to collaborate on relevant scholarly publications and scientific meetings.
- His contribution to the science of diabetes prevention and educational weight management innovations for diabetes patients such as the Why WAIT (Weight Achievement and Intensive Treatment) program and Healthimation.
- His international work in the development of the global transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm (tDNA).
Honorary Membership
Kevin C. Maki
PhD, CLS, FNLA, FTOS, FACN
In recognition of:
- His distinguished and impactful contributions at the national and international levels in the design and conduct of clinical studies in human nutrition, metabolism, and chronic disease risk factor management.
- His unwavering dedication to improvements in nutrition and health as evidenced by his legacy of research on nutrients, such as fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, plus their impacts on risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
- His service and leadership at the national-level in professional and scientific societies, including the National Lipid Association, the American Society of Nutrition, and the Accreditation Council for Clinical Lipidology.
- His unwavering support of the Academy’s mission and vision by collaborating with RDNs when conducting research related to the optimal health and nutrition status of the population.
- His strong ties with the Academy by consistently promoting Academy members as contributing authors to the literature on optimal health and nutritional status of the population.
- His extensive career-long contributions to nutrition research and publications.
Medallion Awards
Leslie J. Bonci
MPH, RDN, CSSD, LDN
In recognition of:
- Her exceptional commitment to the Academy, its leadership, its members and its mission.
- Her dedicated support of the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition dietetic practice group, the Pittsburgh Dietetic Association, and other professional organizations.
- Her outstanding work promoting the crucial role of the RDN in the healthcare system and training future generations of Academy members. She has been acknowledged by her colleagues in the Academy, the sports world and students for exemplary service and contributions to the profession.
- Her extraordinary skill sets as a clinician, educator, and communicator through the training and education of dietetic interns, allied health professional students, athletes and coaches. She has mentored several RDNs who have become directors of sports nutrition programs, leaders in nutrition communications, and researchers in food and nutrition departments.
- Her enthusiasm for teaching and sharing her passion for evidence-based nutrition with consumers of all ages in the classroom, private practice, and the media.
- Her significant contributions to Academy publications that have been instrumental in advancing the knowledge of sports nutrition and best practices for coaches and athletes, as well as RDNs.
Medallion Awards
Catherine M. Champagne
PhD, RDN, LDN, FADA, FAND, FTOS, FAHA
In recognition of:
- Her significant service to the profession at the national, state, and local levels, including roles on the Academy’s Disorders of Lipid Metabolism Work Group, the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Board of Editors, and the Scholarship Committee.
- Her ongoing service to the Louisiana State Board of Examiners in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a former president of the Baton Rouge Academy and a member of the “Eat Fit Baton Rouge” campaign.
- Her active membership in the Weight Management (WM), Research, and Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition dietetic practice groups, including serving as director of the WM Professional Development committee since 2016.
- Her ability to translate research to practice for health professionals and the public.
- Her commitment to rigorous science, effective translation of findings, and inspiring future practitioners and researchers.
- Her work with the Department of Defense in efforts to ensure the nutritional adequacy of meals fed to our military.
- Her ability and commitment to inspire, mentor, and train underrepresented groups in the dietetics profession.
- Her role designing diets for several major research trials including Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Dietary Effects on Lipids and Thrombolytic Activity (DELTA), and others.
- Her dedication to innovative research that impacts the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in the US and globally.
Medallion Awards
Linda M. Gigliotti
MS, RDN, CDCES, CSOWM, FAND
In recognition of:
- Her passion for leadership as a clinician and educator, as well as her committed service to the dietetics profession.
- Her awards for the Weight Management (WM) dietetic practice group’s Excellence in Practice Award and the California Academy’s highest award, the Delores Nyhus Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement.
- Her role as chair of WM, where she, in collaboration with the Diabetes Care and Education practice group, filed a petition with the Council on Future Practice to approve a new Specialist Certification in Obesity and Weight Management credential, the first interdisciplinary credential developed and managed by CDR.
- Her service to the Orange District Dietetic Association and for planning the California Academy Annual Meeting in 1997.
- Her role as a member of the California Academy’s Public Policy Council from 2015-18.
- Her service as elected CDR Commissioner from 2016-19, serving as the chair in 2018-19.
- Her service as the chair of WM DPG and as a member of the committee to develop the first SOP/SOPP for Weight Management.
Medallion Awards
Mary B. Gregoire
PhD, RD
In recognition of:
- Her outstanding research on food systems operations, leadership topics, and dietetics education. Her eminent abilities as a researcher, teacher, mentor, and collegial faculty member are well recognized by the legions of RDNs whose careers she has influenced.
- Her textbook, Foodservice Organizations: A Managerial and Systems Approach, remains the gold standard in food service management classrooms throughout the country, and her name is synonymous as an expert in foodservice management and sustainability by students and educators alike.
- Her service on the Board of Editors for many journals, as a site visitor for the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration, and in many Academy task forces.
- Her numerous years of service as a Director of Food and Nutrition Services at community hospitals, universities, and academic medical centers while often serving simultaneously in a teacher-practitioner role, positively influencing and motivating the future leaders in the profession.
- Her leadership as a transformational agent for our profession while serving as department chair at Iowa State University and Rush University Medical Center.
- Her ability to inspire a shared vision for the future of dietetics education as Executive Director of ACEND.
Medallion Awards
Susan McLaughlin
MOL, RDN, CDCES, LMNT
In recognition of:
- Her outstanding dedication to the profession for more than 40 years, providing nutrition services to people of all ages with a focus on youth and older adults with diabetes, as well as those with developmental disabilities.
- Her tireless volunteer service at the highest level for several professional organizations, including chair of the Diabetes practice group; President of Healthcare and Education for the American Diabetes Association; chair of the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education; and national board member for the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
- Her dedicated leadership for the International Diabetes Federation, chairing the Diabetes Education Consultative Section and serving as a Stream Lead for the World Diabetes Congress Scientific Program Planning Committees.
- Her Advancement of nutrition and healthcare for members of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska for decades, focusing on diabetes prevention, reducing food insecurity, promoting a return to traditional foods, securing grant funding, and numerous community initiatives.
- Her role as a highly respected teacher and mentor, giving hundreds of presentations over the years and contributing to many high-impact publications.
- Her quiet, cheerful, and steady presence while working passionately behind the scenes to promote the role of the dietitian and to advocate for people with, and at risk for, diabetes.
Medallion Awards
Nancy Munoz
DCN, MHA, RDN, FAND
In recognition of:
- Her leadership in the field of nutrition, older adults, and wound care.
- Her devotion to excellent service through leadership positions in the Academy, including the Dietetics in Healthcare Communities and Healthy Aging practice groups, as New Jersey Dietetic Association president, and as co-chair of the Malnutrition in the Older Adult Evidence Analysis Library workgroup.
- Her persuasive leadership while improving patient care and promoting the inclusion of the RDN on the wound care team through her National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel Board of Directors positions and as co-chair of the Nutrition Small Working Group of the International Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Injuries.
- Her mentorship through sharing her skillset and knowledge to help healthcare providers at all levels understand the role of nutrition as a component of health in patients and clients.
- Her authorship of and contributions to numerous peer reviewed publications, including the 2nd and 3rd editions of “Nutrition for the Older Adult” and the 1st edition of “Nutrition Assessment: Clinical and Research Applications.”
- Her numerous peer-reviewed presentations, both domestic and international.
- Her service to our nation’s heroes as she oversees the nutrition care provided to 72,000 Veterans in the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System.
Medallion Awards
Margaret M. Rowe
MS, RD, LDN, FADA, FAND
In recognition of:
- Her far-reaching career as a clinician, clinical manager, department director, community educator, researcher, consultant, author, national speaker, and policy expert/advocate for the dietetics profession.
- Her dedicated volunteer leadership and service in numerous Academy, Pennsylvania Academy, and Pennsylvania District Associations in elected or appointed positions, including as co-chair of the House of Delegates Evolution Designer Team, chair of the Academy’s Consumer Protection and Licensure Sub-Committee and Telehealth Task Force, Legislative and Public Policy Committee member, and Pennsylvania Academy Treasurer and Licensure Task Force Chair.
- Her active mentorship of students, interns, Academy, and Pennsylvania Academy members, influencing the profession in significant, positive ways now and into the future.
- Her scholarly contributions, including as co-author of the textbook, Managing Clinical Nutrition Services, and numerous documents for the Academy and Pennsylvania Academy.
- Her strong inclusion and promotion of the RDN and NDTR in governmental, patient care, school, community, and legislative settings.
- Her humble example of a life of integrity and service to her profession, community, and family.
Medallion Awards
Terese M. Scollard
MBA, RDN, LD, FAND
In recognition of:
- Her exceptional leadership in Academy dietetic practice groups and affiliates, such as the Clinical Nutrition Managers practice group and the Oregon Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Her contributions to the development of the Nutrition Care Process and, more recently, the Academy’s Nutrition Care Process Research work, which was instrumental in the development of the consensus guideline work of the 2012 Academy Malnutrition Workgroup.
- Her dedication to education and practice serving as a program reviewer for the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Her commitment as reviewer for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and as an item writer for the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Her contributions to education and practice in malnutrition assessment, documentation, and coding.
- Her considerable contributions to scholarship on the topics of perioperative nutrition, nutrition-focused physical exam, hand grip strength, malnutrition documentation, and coding.
- Her work with the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) serving on their Malnutrition committee and as a reviewer for ASPEN publications.
Media Excellence Award
Dawn Jackson Blatner
RDN, CSSD
Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics who skillfully works with the media to translate science into consumer-friendly, on-trend, actionable information. She is the author of two books: The Flexitarian Diet, ranked a top plant-based diet by US News & World Report, and her newest book, The Superfood Swap. She starred in (and won!) the hit primetime reality TV show on ABC called, My Diet Is Better Than Yours.
She is on the advisory board of SHAPE magazine and is a celebrity diet consultant for PEOPLE magazine. She is the creator of the Nutrition WOW blog, ranked top nutrition blog by Health magazine and she is a trusted expert appearing regularly in local and national media outlets such as The Today Show and Good Morning America.
She worked as the head dietitian for the Chicago Cubs for 10 years and has the World Series ring to prove it. She also worked as the dietitian for Lifetime Television, Wild Oats health food store, The Chopping Block cooking school, exclusive beauty spas, DePaul University, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute. She is a former national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and hosted a reality-style TV show called S.E.E. Chicago for three seasons.
Outstanding Social Media Award
Lauren Chan
MS, RD, LDN
Lauren Chan, MS, RD, LDN, the Dietitians in Nutrition Support (DNS) practice group’s YouTube® Coordinator, identified a need for practical, informal nutrition support education that could supplement student and dietetic interns’ didactic learning. After bringing the idea of a nutrition support-focused YouTube® channel to the DNS executive committee, she began development. In less than 3 years, the DNS YouTube® channel has grown to include 27 different videos with over 2,800 subscribers and 80,000 views from 43 different countries. The videos cover a wide range of topics from “What is Parenteral Nutrition” to “Speed Round! Practice EN Calcs!” to “30 Years on TPN: 5 Tips for Becoming a Better Provider.” Through her social media work, she formed relationships with students, interns, professors, and RDNs. Her educational work on the DNS YouTube® channel represents the far-reaching, positive impact that is possible using social media technology.
Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Promotion Award
Stella G. Uzogara
PhD, MS, RDN, LDN, CFS, FAND
Dr. Stella G. Uzogara is an interdisciplinary scientist, a food and nutritional professional, educator, and health researcher who has applied diversity, equity, and inclusion promotion and social justice efforts throughout her career. She currently works as Epidemiologist at Massachusetts Department of Public Health and as Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Roxbury Community College in Boston, MA, where she previously received the “RCC Gateway Award” for teaching excellence and for facilitating student learning in a multi-cultural setting.
An educator and health researcher with over twenty years of college teaching and research experience, both nationally and internationally, she has imparted knowledge to traditional and non-traditional students, minority and majority populations, and multicultural students, at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Many of her students and mentees have become successful professionals, including interns in the National Organization of Blacks in Nutrition and Dietetics member interest group who eventually became RDNs. Dr. Uzogara believes in the “train the trainer” philosophy to increase the number of diverse individuals not only in the Academy, but also in the nutrition and food professions, and other health careers, thereby creating a diverse workforce which will help to reduce health disparities in underserved communities.
Dr. Uzogara earned her PhD in Food Science from the University of London, her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Drexel University in Philadelphia, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She received her professional training in nutrition and dietetics from Simmons University and Iowa State University. Dr Uzogara resides with her family in Massachusetts.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Business and Industry
Elizabeth Anne Pash
MS, RD, LDN
Elizabeth Anne Pash, MS, RD, LDN is Vice President of Medical Affairs at Gelesis. As an accomplished medical affairs leader with 20 years of experience, she brings scientific rigor, deep clinical insight, and proven leadership skills to key roles in top-ranking global organizations, supporting the development and launch of clinically relevant, economically viable medical products. With her exceptional clinical knowledge and expertise in multiple areas of business and industry, she is a passionate nutrition advocate and firm believer that medical affairs must be grounded in medicine and science, as opposed to marketing and promotion. Her positive attitude and team-based approach deliver consistently successful outcomes with medical accuracy, reputation, and validity.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Clinical Nutrition
Patricia Becker
MS, RDN, CSP, FAND
Patricia Becker, MS, RDN, CSP, FAND is a Neonatal Dietitian at Dayton Children’s Hospital. As a board-certified specialist in pediatric nutrition, she cares for the nutritional needs of children from conception to adulthood, specializing in pediatric, preterm, and neonatal undernutrition. She is the author of the “Pediatric Malnutrition” section of the Pediatric Nutrition Care Manual and co-editor of Pediatric Nutrition in Clinical Care, 5th edition. She served as chair of the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group and works to educate healthcare professionals on the Pediatric Malnutrition Indicators as defined in the joint Academy/ASPEN Consensus statement, of which she served as lead author. She has also presented on pediatric malnutrition, pediatric nutrition screening, and the Nutrition Focused Physical Exam.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Communications
Christina M. Rollins
MBA, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC, FAND
Christina M. Rollins, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC, FAND operates a private consulting business focused on nutrition counseling and education, food service sanitation monitoring, menu writing, and consumer quality assurance. She is a certified nutrition support clinician and current manager of Quality Programs at Option Health Care in Illinois. In addition to her numerous peer-reviewed publications and national speaking engagements related to advanced dietetics practice, she is a Past Chair of the Dietitians in Nutrition Support (DNS) dietetic practice group, where she recently conceptualized and launched the successful DNS Podcast, which she hosts to great acclaim. She also serves as a commissioner for the Commission on Dietetic Registration and was a former Illinois Academy media spokesperson.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Community and Public Health
Melissa Pflugh Prescott
PhD, RDN, FAND
Melissa Pflugh Prescott, PhD, RDN, FAND is Assistant Professor of School/Childhood Foods and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She investigates strategies to maximize healthy food behaviors while minimizing the negative impact of the food system on the environment. Her research helps school nutrition programs and families reduce costs through food waste mitigation and promotes improved diet quality among children through food systems education and behavioral economic interventions. Previously, she managed a school-based obesity prevention program across seven elementary schools located in Harlem and Washington Heights, New York City, and served in the Academy’s House of Delegates and as chair of the Academy’s Council on Future Practice.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Consultant
Rosalind Vera Benner
RD
Rosalind Vera Benner, RD runs RD Nutritional Consulting Services and is a nationally recognized supermarket dietitian in recipe development, nutrition analysis, and media. She teaches cooking skills and healthy nutrition guidelines to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone. She was one of the first media RDs to elevate the role of the dietitian as the nutrition expert and asserted that cooking skills are just as vital as nutrition education in dietetics practice. Over the course of her 50-plus year career, she has appeared on a variety of live and recorded segments providing cooking demos, nutrition education, and resources for families. As a bilingual dietitian, she has also provided educational presentations on English and Spanish television stations to help clients understand new standards for food purchases.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Education
Jane Ziegler
DCN, RDN, LDN
Jane Ziegler, DCN, RDN, LDN is an Associate Professor, Director of the Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition, and Vice Chair of Administration and Curriculum in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University, School of Health Professions. She also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. More than 30 years of her clinical practice have been in the areas of neonatal, pediatric, and adolescent nutrition with an emphasis on chronic disease. She has worked primarily in pediatric pulmonary and gastrointestinal disease, as well as pediatric weight management. Her ability to blend clinical practice into graduate level instruction inspires and empowers her students to advance their careers and become Doctors of Clinical Nutrition.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Executive Leadership
Mary Hise
PhD, RDN, CNSC, FASPEN
Mary Hise, PhD, RDN, CNSC, FASPEN is the Senior Director and Therapeutic Lead for Integrated Pharmacy Products at Baxter Healthcare Corporation, where she has worked in leadership for more than 12 years. She oversees the medical strategy and execution of all medical affair activities for the Global Nutrition and Generic Injectable businesses. Her work is paramount to new product development in the medical and clinical sections. She manages Evidence Generation Studies, key opinion leader management, and lifecycle product requirements. Her key leadership contributions include participation in the Global Labeling Committee, Field Action Committee, and commercial coordinated activities to support peer-to-peer programs and educational initiatives.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Informatics
Margaret K. Dittloff
MS, RDN
Margaret K. Dittloff, MS, RDN is a Certified Product Manager with more than 20 years of experience in software development for the healthcare industry. She is Head of Product at Junum, a developer of a digital healthcare tool designed to capture and leverage nutrition data to serve healthcare providers. Prior to that, she was the Academy’s Research Project Manager, where she managed the Academy’s Health Informatics Outcomes data registry and applications, which were among the first apps to demonstrate integrations using Health Level Seven® Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources® at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s (HIMSS) 2018 Interoperability Showcase. She currently serves as the Academy’s HIMSS Alliance representative.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Management
Kate Willcutts
DCN, RD, CNSC
Kate Willcutts, DCN, RD, CNSC is Clinical Nutrition Manager for the University of Virginia Health System, where she supervises more than 30 dietitians. Over the past five years, she has increased her staff by 50% and provided support for them to perform at the height of their scopes of practice and grow professionally, all while maintaining their enthusiasm for the field of dietetics. She is an author and presenter on a range of topics, including nutrition management of ostomies and fistulas, nutrition protocols, malnutrition, and best practices in post-operative feeding. Additionally, she works with twelve interns annually during their management rotations and served as the Chair of the Dietitians in Nutrition Support dietetic practice group, where she spearheaded the group’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Research
Mara Z. Vitolins
DrPH, MPH, RDN, FAND
Mara Z. Vitolins, DrPH, MPH, RDN, FAND is a Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She has been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for her contributions to nutrition research/science, as well as the advancement of dietitians and other health care professionals. Throughout her career as an RDN and academic researcher, she has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on several large diet and lifestyle intervention trials that have contributed to the development of evidence-based lifestyle interventions to modify risk for chronic diseases. Additionally, she is known for generously mentoring early career researchers, health care professionals, and, importantly, RDNs.
