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Contributions and Leadership Achievements.
| Organization |
Position |
Term |
| American Dietetic Association |
Director-at-Large, Board of Directors |
2008-2010 |
| American Dietetic Association |
Chair, Food Labeling Task Force |
2005-2010 |
| Commission on Dietetic Registration |
Chair |
2001-2004 |
| ADA House of Delegates |
Research Delegate, Council on Professional Issues |
1997-2000 |
| Research DPG |
Chair, Secretary, other Board offices |
1990-1996 |
If elected, what are your plans for office?
My plans for office focus on four areas:
1) Continuing to implement the Strategic Plan in a fiscally responsible manner that benefits the public and our membership.
2)Managing effective short- and long-term financial planning and expanding our funding base to keep the Association and the ADA Foundation fiscally sound.
3) Creating a Respected Brand: We need to create further value and respect for the work we do, i.e., demonstrating and promoting how we affect the health of the nation.
4) Providing outstanding educational experiences for the profession's students. We do not have enough supervised practice opportunities for graduates to qualify for the RD exam. We all need to work creatively to address this problem.
Give an example of how you successfully led a team to accomplish an objective/goal.
In 2005, I led CDR in strategic planning. This entailed working with CDR staff and members in providing informational pieces and trend data prior to the meeting, working with a facilitator, making sure all members participated in and contributed to the mission, vision and goals; determining our new initiatives; and creating the plan of work. One of the group's outcome strategies was to actively promote the RD. The CDR team with PR created a campaign to accomplish this strategy. We also set a goal to fiscally support ADA research initiatives that would benefit the RD. This research funding continues through the present time.
Describe your most fulfilling leadership experience.
My most fulfilling leadership experience involved assuring nutrition was integral to medicine and health as a discipline at the University of Utah. I coordinated the effort to appeal the elimination of the Division of Foods and Nutrition, which required enlisting the support of multiple groups, e.g., legislators and members of the Board of Regents. We provided data to University and state entities documenting the need for a Division of Foods and Nutrition at a Research 1 University.
Success in this effort led to my being charged with leading the creation of an accredited graduate program, the Coordinated Master's Program in Nutrition. We again reached out to our supporters and the new program received CADE accreditation.
Identify 3 of your strengths/skills that make you an ideal candidate.
Three of my strengths are
1) Strategic thinker/innovater.
2) Focused/goal-oriented.
3) Skilled at networking and communications.
My background as a division director, researcher, business owner and leader at many levels of the American Dietetic Association has provided me with diverse experiences and perspectives to become a strategic thinker and innovator.
My board experiences in professional and community areas, leading and implementing strategic planning as a division director and as chair of CDR, have enabled me to become focused and goal-oriented. As Division Director, CDR Chair and business owner, I effectively manage fiscal operations. My professional experiences have helped me hone my communication and networking skills.