It has been my honor to serve as your Academy Foundation Chair!
During this past year I’ve had the honor and privilege to serve as Chair of our Academy Foundation. Throughout my career and involvement with our Foundation as a volunteer leader, I have developed a great appreciation for the impact our Foundation has on Academy members and the profession. Our Foundation’s work and impact strengthens each year, raising funds that support numerous Fellowships and research that builds the evidence for the role of food and nutrition for us as food and nutrition professionals to an incredible effort to support the ever-expanding demand in scholarships that helps to build the next generation of ample and qualified food and nutrition professionals.
Here are a few highlights from our 2023 – 2024 year:
- Research - We are committed to investing in our profession's future, collaborating closely with the Academy's Research, International, and Scientific Affairs (RISA) team to secure funding that supports essential research projects on behalf of our profession. I urge you to check out the impact our Foundation makes through research and updates on all the ongoing research from our dynamic RISA team. Our collaborative efforts are improving health outcomes and informing evidence-based practices. These studies collectively illustrate the Academy and Foundation’s commitment to advancing evidence-based practice and improving health through nutrition and dietetics research.
In April, the Academy’s RISA team and our Foundation hosted the Nutrition Science Forum: Addressing Malnutrition and Health Equity Across the Spectrum, where primary investigators of key projects shared exciting malnutrition research being conducted by RISA and funded by the Foundation. These studies are exemplar of different research methods, settings and populations and highlight the complexity of understanding malnutrition and the capacity and capabilities of the Academy and Foundation.
It was an opportunity to bring together key external stakeholders to engage in meaningful conversations about malnutrition, gaps and opportunities in further research.
- Fellowships - Our fellows make important strides to advance our profession through research, resource development, and other programs. Currently, the Foundation has six active fellows. This spring, our two most recent summer Evidence Analysis Center (EAC) fellows began their work leading systematic reviews that have contributed to the important body of evidence that supports nutrition interventions led by RDNs. Additionally, our 2023-2024 Grace L. Ostenso Nutrition in Public Policy Fellow, Laura Bain, PhD, MBA, RDN has been making important contributions to nutrition policy work as a member of U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand’s office. Our fellows also go on to exciting roles as leaders in their respective areas of practice, like past International Research Fellow Gabriela Montenegro-Bethancourt, PhD, who was sworn in as the new Secretary of Science and Technology for the country of Guatemala in March.
- Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign - While we are proud of the tremendous impact we are able to make each year with our scholarships. Now more than ever, dietetic students and interns are facing any number of challenges while completing their education and internships, including the rising costs of an education and the increasing demand for our scholarships.
Additionally, each year, our Foundation receives three times the number of scholarship applications versus the number we can award. In 2023, more than 700 deserving students and interns who applied for a scholarship did not receive a scholarship due to limited funds.
To address this need, our Foundation launched its Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign, an effort to raise $1M by 2025 in new dollars, to build enough resources to award $1M annually.
We are currently at 62% of our goal. If you have made a contribution, thank you! If you’ve not yet made a contribution to our Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign, I encourage you to take the opportunity to do so as soon as possible. Your contribution does not have to be large to be impactful. You may make your contribution through our online contribution form or fill out a pledge form for a larger gift that can be paid out over three years.
I want to thank all of our volunteer FY24 Board members who give their time, expertise and dollars to our Foundation. We could not have accomplished our great work this year without you. A particular thanks to the board members who will rotate off our Foundation Board after May 31 who I have noted with an asterisk.
- Marcia Kyle RDN, CDCES, LD, FAND; Chair-Elect
- Hope S. Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDCES, BC-ADM, FADCES; Past-Chair*
- Karen P. Lacey, MS, RDN, CD, FAND; Secretary
- Livleen Gill, MBA, RDN, LDN, FAND; Academy President-Elect*
- Krista Yoder, MPH, RD, LDN, PMP, PBA, FAND; Treasurer*
- Mary Lee Chin, MS, RD; Director*
- Catherine W. Christie, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND; Director
- Dorothy Chen-Maynard, PHD, RDN, FAND; Director
- Linda Gigliotti, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CDCES, FAND; Director
- Manju Karkare, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, FAND; Director
- Aida Miles, EdE, MMsc, RDN, CSP, LD, FAND; Director
- Tina Sergi, MS, RD, CPT, LD; 30 and Under Director
- Sylvia Rowe, MA; Public Member*
- Wylecia Wiggs Harris, PhD, CAE; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Foundation Chief Executive Officer
I have no doubts that our Foundation will be in excellent hands with the incoming Foundation Chair, Marcia Kyle RDN, CDCES, LD, FAND. Marcy is an experienced leader having served numerous volunteer leadership roles with the Academy’s House of Delegates, Board, Council on Future Practice and Legislative Public Policy Committee. She has my full support as I move into the role of past chair.
Finally, thanks to our donors, advocates and volunteers who drive progress in advancing the mission and vision of our Foundation. Our work is made possible through your generosity and passion for our profession.
Thank you again for the honor and privilege to serve as our Foundation chair this year and help us keep up the great work by donating today!
Sincerely,
Susan Laramee, MS, RDN, FADA, FAND
2023-2024 Academy Foundation Chair
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