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Organization	Position	Term
The Joint Commission	Chair, Professional Technical Advisory Committee	2006-present
CADE	Program Reviewer/Site Visitor	2006 to present
American Dietetic Association	Evidence Based Reserach Committee	2005-2008
Commission on Dietetic Registration	Gerontological Certificate Program Work Group	2004 to 2010
American Dietetic Association	Director At Large	2002-2005

Placing our members in a strong position to be considered the "nutrition expert" is needed to maintain the high standards of our profession, increase the member's salaries and enhance the reputation of ADA. The only way to guarantee this mission is to continue to train our members as leaders; expand evidence based research (EBR); and continue our work in standardized language and reinforcement of the nutrition care process (NCP); and educate members on the benefit of why EBR and NCP are so very important in the future of our profession. We must also position ADA and our members within other health care and nutrition-related organizations to emphasize how nutrition impacts the overall health of Americans in so many ways.

During 1999, as chair of the Consultant Dietitians in Health Care Facilities (now Dietitians in Health Care Communities) the organization founds itself in financial trouble. Working with the Executive Committee of the DPG, we developed a plan that would decrease expenses while bringing in more advertising revenue. Some of these ideas included the use of computer files rather than sending "Board books" for each meeting--we were already beginning the "Green"movement but didn't realize it; we used conference calls instead of face to face meetings; and as chair of the group and to fund the "chair's project"--Pocket Resource for Management, I received permission from ADA to solicit paid advertisements within the manual

My most fulfilling leadership experience was serving as chair of Evidence Based Research. As a seasoned professional sometimes we forget that our profession is based on science not habit and intuition. Evidence-based practice promotes consistency in practice and expected outcomes. As chair, I saw ADA's Evidence Analysis Library continue to grow and be used by not only ADA members but other professional organizations. I also saw ADA's systematic process become the Gold Standard's as other organizations looked at evaluating research. During my three years on the committee numerous Nutrition Practice Guidelines and Evidence-Based Toolkits were developed for members.

1.) Financial accountability--I have 25 years of being accountable for large fiscal budgets within foodservice departments, state dietetic associations and DPGs 2) Leadership skills--I have a record of significant clinical and administrative responsibilities and leadership positions. Encouraging members to become active and to volunteer for committee assignments at all levels has always been important to me. I also enjoy mentoring and have worked with numerous dietetic students, dietary managers, and young graduates sharing my knowledge and experiences 3) Communication ability: I have presented hundreds of presentation and been involved in numerous publications promoting the profession, evidence-based research and nutrition care.