Thank you for a Great Year!
As I look back on my year as Chair of your Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, I am overwhelmed by the passion my fellow Academy members have for our Foundation and the tremendous support we have received in a most difficult and challenging year. As the world began to feel the full impact of COVID-19, our members came together to support and utilize our Foundation’s resources that empower food and nutrition practitioners to address preparedness, patient care, food safety and access in their communities.
For the first time, FNCE® became a virtual event last year and the Foundation pivoted to offer our events virtually. We rely on our FNCE® events to support our annual programs and Academy members came through in a big way, participating in our events that provided some fun, exercise, and shopping.
What I am most proud of this year is the organizations and donors that worked with our Foundation to develop funds and provide support to our strategic priorities in the areas of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility. Both the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors and Commission on Dietetic Registration stepped up to provide additional funding towards these priorities.
I am happy to share two recent and significant efforts in diversity and inclusion from our Foundation. Advancing Diversity in Dietetics Scholarship will award $25,000 each to two aspiring registered dietitian nutritionists of diverse backgrounds or cultures. This commitment to diversity will be further represented by the selection committee, as its members will reflect diversity in race and ethnicity, gender, age, and experience. Secondly, it is exciting to report our Foundation has its first Diversity & Inclusion Fellow, Marie Allsopp, DrPH, MPH, MS, RD, LD/N, CHES, who will collaborate with our Academy and throughout the profession to identify and find solutions to barriers that our diverse students, registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered face.
Lastly, several Academy members partnered with our Foundation to establish Funds that will help them leave their legacy in areas of interest that are near and dear to their hearts and will have an impact on generations of the next food and nutrition practitioners. Our Foundation continues to be the catalyst for our profession to come together to address the greatest food and nutrition challenges now and in the future.
From left to right: Kathleen Wilson-Gold, Donna Martin, Margaret Garner and Terri Raymond
We could not have accomplished all this great work this past year without the selflessness and dedication of our Foundation staff and Board. I am grateful to both groups, whose positive attitude and tireless effort have made working in this role a true pleasure. I would like to acknowledge those individuals rotating off our Board after May 31:
- Kathleen Wilson-Gold, MS, RDN, LD, FAND – Past-Chair
- Kevin L. Sauer, PhD, RDN, LD, CDE, FAND – President-Elect
- Kathleen Niedert, MBA, RD, CSG, FADA – Treasurer
- William C. Barkley, MBA, RD, LD, FAND – Director
- Constance Locher-Bussard, RD, LDN – Director
Thanks to each of them for their diligence, enthusiasm, and generosity. We will all be in excellent hands with incoming Foundation Chair, Becky Dorner, RDN, LD, FAND, and I look forward to giving her my full support as I move into the role of Past Chair for 2021- 2022. Finally, thanks to every one of you reading these messages and our donors who drive our progress in advancing our mission, all of this is made possible through your generosity and passion for our profession. It has been an honor and privilege to serve in this role!
Gratefully,
Margaret P. Garner, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, CIC
Chair, 2012-2021
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation
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