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In each newsletter issue, you have the opportunity to providefeedback throughout the year. Tell us how we’re doing, what you like,or what you want in future issues. Please click on the “Rate This Issue”button to fill out a brief survey.
Thank you to the Newsletter Team for your editorial support of the publication of this issue. Kathleen and I look forward tocontinuing to serve the PHCNPG during the 2016-2017 membershipyear.
Wishing you all a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!
Brigette Grimes, MS, RD, CSSDNewsletter [email protected]
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 6
Letter from the Editor
gTheDigest
CURRENT NEWS | Policy and Advocacy
The Importance of Policy and Advocacy to OurProfession: Support for Current Academy Priorities
CONTENT:
1 Letter from the Editors 1-2 CURRENT NEWS | Policy and Advocacy 1 The Importance of Policy and Advocacy
to Our Profession: Support for CurrentAcademy Priorities
3 CURRENT NEWS | Topics of Interest 3 Obesity Prevention in Child Care Settings 3-4 Governor Jack Markell of Delaware signs
“Breakfast After the Bell” Law 4 RESEARCH | Older Adults 4 Aging Expectations Among Older
Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status
4 Promoting the Congregate MealProgram to the Next Generation ofRural-Residing Older Adults
5 CONTINUING EDUCATION | CurrentOpportunities
5 Messeage from the Chair 6-10 PHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition
Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®) 8 Excellence in Public Health Award –
Karen Ehrens 8-9 2016 Outstanding Member of the Year
9 2016 Outstanding Student Member of the Year
10 Call for 2017 Award Nominations 10 A Message from the Student Committee
Chair 11-13 FEATURED MEMBERS | In the Field 11 Megan Fallon, MS11-12 Jocceline Hernandez, MS, RD 12 Rebecca Russell, MPH, RD 13 Noereem Z. Mena, MS, RDN, LD 14 2016-2017 Executive Committee
Judy Klavens-Giunta, RDN, PHCN DPG Policy and Advocacy leader
“Support for nutrition is not only good public policy, it is goodpolitics.”
Advocacy is an important part of the three-pronged approach that theAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) uses in its efforts toadvance the dietetics profession, the other two are research, andeducation. The Academy considers public policy and advocacy to be acrucial area of focus to support the Academy’s Strategic PlanRoadmap, and “critical to achieving the mission, vision, goals, andstrategies outlined” in this road map,” as well as significantlyinfluencing the public image of the Academy and of the dieteticsprofession.”
To keep policy and advocacy priorities current, last year priorities wererestructured from 2012 when they were created and received Board ofDirectors approval. The restructure reset the focus on four issues thatallow the Academy’s policy and advocacy work to integrate state andnational issues. This includes consumer and community concerns suchas access to quality health care, in addition to issues related toprofessional areas of practice. Following are the public policy focusareas for 2015-2017. You can read about them in more detail byclicking on the links below.2
Disease Prevention and TreatmentLifecycle NutritionHealthy Food Systems and AccessQuality Health Care
Thank you all for the warm welcome to the Public Health/CommunityNutrition Practice Group (PHCNPG) Executive Committee! Kay Sisk, pastNewsletter Editor, and Kathleen Cullinen, Associate Newsletter Editor,provided a great hand-off with the Summer 2016 edition. Over the lastfew months, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Kay andKathleen to assist with my transition into this new role. I am grateful forall the guidance and have learned so much. I must admit pulling thisedition together was a bit of a learning curve for me. Going forward wewill continue to improve the process and provide meaningful content toour members, to include CEU articles.
This issue features updates from the PHCNPG Chair, topics of interest,current research studies, PHCNPG members in the field, highlightsfrom the PHCNPG events at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™(FNCE®), 2016 PHCNPG Award recipients, and a Call for 2017 AwardNominations.
The Academy’s Washington D.C. Policy Initiatives and Advocacy staffregularly works on current and upcoming legislation important to theprofession, and frequently appears on the Hill to testify at legislativecommittee hearings and participate in regular lobbying. However, theAcademy increasingly depends on and needs members to be moreinvolved. Member involvement and support for policy priorities isessential for success in this area. If we as professionals hope to have animpact on the national and state legislative policy, laws, regulations,etc. that affect all areas of our practice, it is essential that we all play apart in supporting the Academy’s efforts, as well as reaching outindividually.
There are many ways to be involved:
Action AlertsIt is important to respond to and participate in Action Alerts. ActionAlerts are activated when the Academy needs to mobilize its membersto contact their federal legislators to let them know how important aspecific issue is to us as constituents and professionals. It’s a chance toremind legislators of the important part that nutrition plays in ahealthy lifestyle, and how it can lower health care costs. The Academy’sAction Center makes it easy to send correspondence created by theAcademy, with the specific message of the action alert using theAcademy supplied correspondence and easy link to your federallegislators. All you have to do is click on the Action Center link (above –no log in is necessary), and supply your personal information. Yourfederal legislator’s name(s) will appear – click “Take Action.” Yourmessage is automatically sent. It takes less than 10 minutes.
The most current action alert is “Support National Clinical CommissionLegislation in U.S. Senate.” If you have already participated, thank you,if not, please click on the Action Center link in the paragraph aboveand participate. Other Action Alerts still open are: “Let’s FightMalnutrition September 2016,” and the “Treat and Reduce Obesity Act.”Past Action Alerts have included those to encourage legislators tosupport the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, the Dietary Guidelinesand the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act.
Request from the Academy for Comments on Proposed and CurrentRegulations and LegislationThe Academy Policy Initiatives and Advocacy office in Washington,D.C. also reaches out to practice groups to get member opinion andinput to include in letters and recommendations submitted to federalagencies and legislative committees on various regulations andlegislation relating to the priority areas listed above. Since we arestakeholders in these areas, our input can significantly improve theinformation included in the Academy’s submissions. We are thepractitioners out in the field who can contribute our uniqueperspective and knowledge on how regulations and laws can and douniquely affect our efforts.
Public Health Community Nutrition (PHCN) has in the past sent outrequests for comment from PHCNDPG members via eblast and via thelistserv. We are working to streamline this process to make it easier tosubmit feedback for us to pass on to the Academy’s Policy Initiativesand Advocacy staff at the D.C. office. We will be creating a link on ourwebsite that will allow you to submit comments more easily.
ANDPACANDPAC is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Political ActionCommittee. ANDPAC is the only political action committee thatspecifically focuses on food and nutrition. ANDPAC is considered oneof the top Political Action Committees (PACs) in the country thatfocuses on health issues.
The goal of ANDPAC is to support pro-nutrition candidates for federaloffice. Go to the ANDPAC page for a list of websites and resources thatwill help you better understand ANDPAC and how its work relates toour government policies and issues important to the Academy.
ANDPAC also supports the Academy’s Policy Initiative and Advocacyteam in Washington, D.C.
ANDPAC, like other PACs, collects contributions from Academymembers and uses these funds to support political candidates runningfor federal office with a pro-nutrition focus. It is possible to requestfunds to support a local candidate for federal office. The ANDPACBoard of Directors has set certain criteria that the candidate must meetbefore a donation is approved. For more information go to theANDPAC Political Contributions page.
It is important to remember that ANDPAC is supported by memberdonations. All members benefit from ANDPAC activities. Your supportof these activities with your donations is critical to the success ofANDPAC’s efforts. Go to the ANDPAC Donations page to learn more.
Public Policy Workshop (PPW)Each spring the Academy hosts a Public Policy Workshop “Food andNutrition Summit,” attended by close to 500 Academy members. PPWfocuses on several important issues that affect our profession. Duringthe workshop, attendees receive up-to-date information about theseissues, and guidance on how to best advocate with legislators. DuringPPW, the Academy recognizes members of Congress who have shownoutstanding support for nutrition and health related issues, andpresents an Academy member with the Public Policy LeadershipAward.
The culmination of the workshop is a visit to the Hill to meet withcongressional members from your voting district and state. It isexciting to walk through the House of Representatives and Senateoffice buildings. Go to the PPW page at eatrightpro.org for moreinformation.
Whatever activity or activities you choose, it is important to beinvolved. Contact me at [email protected] for more information onthese activities, and to volunteer to participate in submittingcomments to the Academy, as well as work with us on supportingpolicy and advocacy activities.
“If nutrition is your profession, policy should be your passion.”Click on the links below for updates from On the Pulse ateatrightpro.org for the latest public policy updates from the Academy.
ANDPAC News and UpdatesFrom the HillState MattersRegulatory Comments
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTCURRENT NEWS | Policy and Advocacy2
Call for Authors: The DigestPreparations for the Spring Issue of The Digest are underway!
The Newsletter team is seeking authors to contributecontent relevant to the Public Health/Community NutritionPractice Group (PHCNPG) membership.
If you or someone you know is interested in contributing toan upcoming issue of The Digest, contact Brigette Grimes(Newsletter Editor) and Kathleen Cullinen (AssociateNewsletter Editor) at [email protected],and include “Newsletter” in the subject line.
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST CURRENT NEWS | Topics of Interest 3
Noereem Mena, MS, RDN. PhD Candidate, Department of Nutrition andFood Sciences, The University of Rhode Island, [email protected]
Childhood obesity affects nearly 9% of preschool-aged children (ages2-5 years) in the United States.1,2 Although child obesity prevalence isbelow the Healthy People 2020 goal of 9.4%, nearly 23% of U.S.preschool-aged children are still overweight or obese.3,4
In recent decades, there has been an increase in the number ofparents who utilize organized child care for their children.5 Childrenenrolled in this service spend an average of 35 hours a week in childcare, where they consume most of their daily calories.5,6 To addressobesity in preschool-aged children, efforts have been made towardimproving child care nutrition policies to help support and promotethe development of healthy eating behaviors in early childhood.5
There are federal policies and programs which specifically focus onimproving nutrition and health for infants, toddlers, and young childrenin both home-based and center-based child care.7 Most notably is theChild and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This program providesnutritious meals and snacks to over 4 million children in child caresettings. This past year, revisions were made to CACFP to better alignmeal patterns with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; thefirst major revision since 1968. These revisions include: Serving only low-fat or non-fat milk to children ages 2 and older Separating the combined fruit and vegetable component into
separate components Limiting fruit juice to no more than 4-6 fluid ounces once per day
for children ages 1-6 No longer counting grain-based desserts toward the grains component Reducing added sugar intake by limiting the amount of sugar in
yogurts and breakfast cereals served • No more than 23 grams of sugar per 6 ounces of yogurt • No more than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce of cereal Making drinking water available throughout the day
Full Implementation of the New Meal Pattern is Required by October 1, 2017Other federal policies and programs which aim to improve thenutrition and physical activity environments of child care settings
include: 1) Implementation of the 2014 Reauthorization of the ChildCare and Development Block Grant (CCDBG); 2) Head StartPerformance Standards; and 3) the U.S. Centers for Disease Controland Prevention’s Early Childhood Initiatives. For the full list and moreinformation on these programs, check out the State of Obesity - PolicyAnalysis of Early Childhood Policies and Programs.
As registered dietitians nutritionists, it is important to be familiar withthese policies and programs. Understanding them and theirdevelopment can help us to identify other areas for improvement inchild care settings, and advocate for the improvement of nutritionpolicies. Early prevention of overweight and obesity is crucial, and canimpact the trajectory of a child’s life.
References:1. Ogden C, Carroll, M, Fryar, C, Flegal, K. Prevalence of obesity amongadults and youth: United States, 2011–2014. NCHS data brief, No. 219.Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015.2. Ogden C, Carroll M, Kit B, Flegal K. Prevalence of childhood andadult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. JAMA. 2014;311(8):806-814.3. Biro F, Wien M. Childhood obesity and adult morbidities. Am J ClinNutr. 2010;91(5):1499S-1505S.4. Freedman D, Mei Z, Srinivasan S, Berenson G, Dietz W.Cardiovascular risk factors and excess adiposity among overweightchildren and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study. J Pediatr.2007;150(1):12-17e12.5. Larson N, Ward D, Neelon S, Story M. What role can child-caresettings play in obesity prevention? A review of the evidence and callfor research efforts. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111(9):1343-1362.6. Larson N, Neelon B, Story M. Preventing obesity among preschoolchildren: how can child-care settings promote healthy eating andphysical activity? Princeton (NJ), 2011.7. Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood JohnsonFoundation. Early Childhood Policies and Programs.http://stateofobesity.org/policy/early-childhood-policies-and-programs/introduction.8. Skinner J, Carruth B, Wendy B, Ziegler PJ. Children’s foodpreferences: a longitudinal analysis. J Am Diet Assoc.2002;102(11):1638-1647.
Obesity Prevention in Child Care Settings
Governor Jack Markell of Delaware signs “Breakfast After the Bell” LawSarah Woods, BS, NDTR
Delaware’s “Breakfast After the Bell” law, or House Bill 408, was signedinto law by Governor Jack Markell on Sept. 14, 2016. The law requiresDelaware schools already participating in the Community EligibilityProvision (CEP) of The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA, Public Law111-296; Dec. 13, 2010) to implement alternative service models forschool breakfast by the 2017-2018 school year.1
These service models allow students opportunities to eat a healthybreakfast by serving food in settings and during times more flexiblethan the standard before-school, cafeteria-only option. Specificmodels mentioned in the legislation are Breakfast in the Classroom,Grab and Go Breakfast, and Second Chance Breakfast, but schools arenot limited to those options.1
Schools participating in CEP already provide breakfast at no cost totheir students, but despite this cost reduction, students still face
obstacles such as time constraints and social stigma that can preventthem from participating.
The Food Bank of Delaware, the Delaware State Education Association,and the Delaware State Department of Education were in full supportof House Bill 408. In Delaware, about one out of every five children arefood insecure, one of the many problems that the Food Bank ofDelaware, a member of Feeding America, works to combat in thestate.3 “It was exciting to be involved with the passage of House Bill408,” says Chad Robinson, the Food Bank of Delaware’s Director ofStrategic Initiatives. “We worked tirelessly throughout the session tohelp legislators understand how food insecurity affects our state andparticularly our children,” said Robinson. “Serving breakfast throughalternative service models increases participation in breakfast andpositively impacts our schools.”
According to the Food Research and Action Council (FRAC), alternativebreakfast service models, such as those mentioned in House Bill 408,
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTCURRENT NEWS | Topics of Interest4
RESEARCH | Older Adults
Jody L. Vogelzang, PhD, RDN, FAND, CHES
The Theory of Planned Behavior is based on the three constructs ofintention and behavior: attitude, subjective norm, and perceivedbehavioral control. In populations with lower socioeconomic status(SES), poorer life expectations, poorer lifestyle habits, and a lowerbelief of personal control exists. Authors argue that motivation towarda healthier lifestyle would be difficult given the aging expectations(AE) of this group.
This article described a research study with 170 older adults (60 yearsof age and older) living in Ontario, Canada. Individuals were recruitedthat represented diverse ethnicities and low SES. The authorshypothesized that “a lower AE would be associated with lower physicalactivity levels and poorer physical and mental health.” Validatedmeasurement tools were used to assess the participant’s AE, physicalactivity, as well as physical and mental health.
Aging Expectations Among Older Adults of Low Socioeconomic Status
Jody L Vogelzang, PhD, RDN, FAND, CHES
Participation in congregate meal programs (CMP) has been steadilydecreasing nationwide. This article used qualitative research toevaluate perceptions of CMP, preferred wellness programcharacteristics, and the desires of older adults who are notparticipating in the CMP due to age ineligibility or lack of interest. Iowans aged 45 years old or above were recruited to participate in asingle two-hour focus group. A convenience sample of 27 participants(average age of 62.5 years) took part in the focus groups. Participantswere predominantly white, rural-residing and college-educated.
Responses indicated that congregate meals were thought of as beingfor low-income older people, serving “bad” food, and wereunwelcoming to outsiders. One respondent believed that when youstart participating in programs designed for older adults, you are onestep closer to a nursing home. Respondents reported that inclusion of
an educational session or exercise program in addition to a mealwould be preferable.
Suggestions for improving congregate meals included better programpromotion, and using intergenerational activities. Some participantsthought evening meals would be better accepted than lunchtimemeals.
As the population of those eligible for congregate meals increases,improving the perception and satisfaction of CMP is vital.
Reference1. Hoerr K, Francis S, Margrett J, Peterson M, Franke W. Promoting theCongregate Meal Program to the Next Generation of Rural-ResidingOlder Adults. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics.2016;35(2):113-123.
Promoting the Congregate Meal Program to the NextGeneration of Rural-Residing Older Adults
break down barriers by reducing social stigma and timeframechallenges. Alternative breakfast service models achieve this by nolonger singling out students who are being served breakfast throughthe program, and by allowing the breakfast serving process to becomemore streamlined. As a result, more students can access the programand participation rates are higher.2 Research compiled by FRAC showsthat students participating in alternative serving model breakfastprograms consume more nutritious breakfasts and show measurableimprovements in attendance, test performance, and mental health.4
Delaware Representative Ed Osienski, House Bill 408’s sponsor, isoptimistic that the passage of the “Breakfast After the Bell” law is a stepin the right direction for improving the nutrition of his state’s youngestresidents. “We’ve seen how successful school breakfast programs canbe when schools and policymakers think outside the box, and we wantthat success in our state. Thanks to this new law, we will see thatprogress continue in our schools,” commented Osienski.5
References:1. Osienki E. 148th General Assembly House Bill 408 w/ HA2. 2016,June. 2. Levin, M. FRAC Breakfast for Learning. http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/breakfastforlearning.pdf. 2014.3. WBOC. Food Bank of Delaware: Child Hunger a Major Problem.http://www.wboc.com/story/32556260/food-bank-of-delaware-child-hunger-a-major-problem. 2017, July.4. Hartline-Grafton, H. FRAC Breakfast for Health. Retrieved fromhttp://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/breakfastforhealth.pdf.2014.5. Turner, K. Governor Signs Osienki Billto Increase Options for SchoolBreakfast Programs. http://www.fbd.org/governor-signs-osienski-bill-to-increase-options-for-school-breakfast-programs/. 2016, September.
Results indicated that those with better AE had higher levels of socialfunctioning, energy and vitality. In addition, those with better AEscores also had higher levels of physical activity. Study participantswho lived in lower income housing, as opposed to individual homes,were more likely to have lower AE and poor mental health.Investigators concluded that AE is strongly associated with mentalhealth, self-rated health, and physical activity in a sample of low SESand ethnically diverse older adults.
Reference:1. Dogra, S, Al-Shahav B, Manson J, Tamim H. Aging expectations areassociated with physical activity and health among older adults of lowsocioeconomic status. Aging and Physical Activity. 2015;23:180-186.
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST CONTINUING EDUCATION | Current Opportunities 5
In January 2016, the PHCNPG Executive Committee approved a newappointed position. The Education Coordinator will serve as a memberof the Executive Committee and will be responsible for developingand organizing education opportunities for members.
The Education Committee Chair for the 2016-2018 term is LeslyeRauth, MPH, RD, CDE. If you are interested in serving as part of theEducation Committee or have ideas for Leslye, please feel free to emailher at [email protected].
The Western Region Public Health Training CenterThe Western Region Public Health Training Center (WRPHTC),located in the University of Arizona Mel and Enid ZuckermanCollege of Public Health in Tuczon, AZ, provides a variety oftraining opportunities for registered dietitians working in publichealth and community nutrition. The WRPHTC represents Region IXof the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), whichencompasses Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the U.S.Associated Pacific Islands. The WRPHTC specifically works toprovide expertise on nutrition, physical activity, and obesity to theNational Public Health Learning Network that includes 10 regional public health training centers and a coordinating center.
The WRPHTC provides competency-driven continuing education in theform of webinars, online short courses, and in-person trainings. TheWRPHTC is a Continuing Professional Education Accredited Providerwith the Commission on Dietetic Registration. The following is asampling of their popular self-paced online trainings, availablenationwide, offered free of charge, and approved for ContinuingProfessional Education Units (CPEU): Motivational Interviewing (0.5 CPEU) Best Practices in Program Planning for Localized Obesity Prevention
(1.0 CPEU) Improving Community Food Security Through Community and
School Gardens (1.0 CPEU) Tools and Approaches to Optimizing Nutrition Education (0.5 CPEU)
The WRPHTC is also hosting a live webinar series on SuccessfulNutrition Programs for Native American and Pacific IslanderCommunities. The final session will be December 13, 2016, Tohono O’odham Nation and Pasqua Yaqui
Diabetes Program by Dolores Addison, MPH, RD
Previous sessions were recorded and are available online at theWRPHTC website.
Please visit: http://wrphtc.arizona.edu/ and https://www.facebook.com/arizonaPHTC.
Western Region Public Health Training Center
Thank you to all who attended FNCE® and helped support ourSpotlight session. Ruth Lindberg, MPH, MUP, and Jessica DonzeBlack, MPH, RD, presented “Growing the Youngest Generation:Health Impact Assessment of Child Care Meals.” The purpose andprocess of Health Impact Assessments (HIA) were presentedfollowed by specific methods and results of the HIA new mealpatterns required by the Child and Adult Care Program. Keyfindings of the HIA included:
a) Increased whole grain and vegetable intake, and decreasedconsumption of grain-based desserts, which will likely have apositive impact on the nutritional quality of foods;
b) Strategies including nutrition education, training, and technicalassistance, and more nutrient-dense offerings may positivelyimpact attitudes toward healthy foods; and
c) Meal pattern changes may result in a minor increase in providercosts related to serving healthier foods, resulting in a potentialdecrease in provider participation.
Many Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) providers andconsultants attended the session.
The Member Showcase allowed FNCE® attendees to find out aboutthe practice of public health and community nutrition thanks toour volunteers Kayla Fitzgerald, Alicia Grove, Judy Vogelzang,Tatyana El-Kour, and Leslye Rauth.
A member reception was held at District Hall on the Bostonwaterfront. Those in attendance used Open Space Technology tohave discourse on several topics in addition to informalnetworking. There were several conversation groups led by
members Patrick Berner, who is a practicing physical therapist,and identified barriers to collaborative education and trainingprograms among health disciplines; Judy Klavens-Giuntadistinguished processes to best assist members in commenting onregulatory and policy initiatives; Alicia Groves discovered thatstudents want more scholarships available, even if dollar amountsare decreased; and José Wendel listened to ideas on how to gethealth equity into all public health programs. These conversationswill influence how Board members carry out activities that aremost helpful to members.
Our annual face-to-face Board meeting held on Saturday resultedin several decisions regarding managing information flow tomembers through our website and e-blasts. To that end,Electronics Communications Coordinator, Marielle Counts, willbegin consolidating messages to members and send a weeklyemail with the week’s news and action items. We hope this reducednumber of messages will help you manage your emailcommunications.
We continue to redesign our website with responsive designelements, meaning the user interface on mobile devices will bemuch improved. Our redesigned webpage will be able to track andcreate CEU certificates for members who complete webinar andDigest CEUs – that’s right, we will begin to offer CEU articlesthrough The Digest! Launch of our improved functioning website isplanned for Spring of 2017.
~ Kay Dutram, Chair
Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™FNCE® 2016PHCNPG@
The 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®), the annual meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, was held October 15-18, 2016 in Boston, MA. Here are highlights from PHCNPH at FNCE®!
PHCNPG Annual Planning MeetingBefore FNCE® even started, your PHCNPG Executive Committee was hard at work planning for the upcoming year. Some of the activities on theagenda i ncluded the Second Century report and discussion of how we will showcase the Second Century in 2017, updates on our upcomingwebsite redesign, Continuing Education topics and platforms, and future partnerships and collaborations.
Brigette Grimes, MS, RD, CSSD
Left to right: Karen Chaska, Anna Vanderleest, Jennifer Bragg.
Left to right: Alice Lenihan, Lauren Melnick, and Alicia Grove.Left to right: Mya Wilson, Kay Dutram, Leslye Rauth, Tatyana El-Kour.
Support for Breastfeeding Mothers at FNCE®PHCNPG and the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics proudly sponsored the MothersRoom at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®) 2016. The Mothers Roomprovides a quiet, private place for breastfeeding mothers to nurse their infants orpump breast milk while attending FNCE®. Since it started in 1991, the service hasexpanded to feature individual private spaces, a breast pump holding area, supplies,refreshments, and a refrigerator and freezer to store expressed milk. Special thanks toLauren Melnick, past Chair of the PHCNPG, for her efforts to organize the space, andvolunteers in order to offer this feature at the annual FNCE® meeting.
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTPHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®)6
Left to right: Kayla Fitzgerald, Tatyana El-Kour, MelanieJones, Alicia Grove.
Left to right: Judy Klavens-Giunta, and Alicia Grove.
DPG/MIG ShowcaseThanks to all of our current members who stopped by to say hello or those who camelooking for opportunities to get more involved. PHCNPG members can get involved byvolunteering on a committee, such as the Communications Committee andContinuing EducationCommittee among others.Thank you to our volunteersKayla Fitzgerald, Tatyana El-Kour, Alicia Grove, and JudyKlavens-Giunta for devotingtheir time to interacting withour members.
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST PHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®) 7
Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™FNCE® 2016PHCNPG@
PHCNPG Networking MeetingNearly 50 members attended the PHCNPHG Networking Meeting on Sunday eveningat District Hall located along the Boston Waterfront. Members in attendance
participated in guided and informal networking with fellow PHCNPG members.
Recipients of DPG Awards wereRecognized at the Reception
Read about each award winneron pages 8-9.
Left to right: Kay Dutram and Karen Ehrens. Left to right: Kay Dutram and Nate Stritzinger.
Members of the Student Committee at the PHCNPG Member Reception.
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTPHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®)8
Karen Ehrensworks by contract with the North Dakota Department ofHealth. She serves as the Coordinator of Healthy North Dakota, aprevention initiative to support North Dakotans to improve physical,mental, and emotional health for all by building innovative statewidepartnerships. Part of this work includes identifying and filling gaps inprevention networks. Another aspect of this work includes facilitatingintegration among prevention groups, or to put it more simply,helping to connect work across silos. Karen has made a commitmentto advance health equity and raise awareness about health inequitiesin North Dakota.
Another part of Karen’s work is coordinating the Creating a HungerFree North Dakota Coalition. This coalition works to raise awarenessabout food insecurity and hunger in the state, connect organizationsto work together when possible and learn from one another, andreduce duplication of effort. Creating a Hunger Free North DakotaCoalition is looking upstream to reduce root causes of hunger, which include inadequate resources and education. A new venture for Karen in 2016 is running for the North Dakotalegislature as a candidate for the House of Representatives in District32 in Bismarck.
Karen was born in Minot, North Dakota, and graduated with a degreein food and nutrition from North Dakota State University. Shecompleted her internship in dietetics at the Veterans AdministrationMedical Center, San Diego. She also completed an internship in theoffice of then U.S. Representative Byron Dorgan’s office in Washington,D.C. prior to beginning her dietetic practice.
Karen started her dietetic career working in a hospital, and observedthat patients were often too sick to absorb the nutrition education sheprovided. With strong feelings and experience that preventing diseasewas more effective than trying to treat it once in place, Karen movedon to work in the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction ChildNutrition Programs in the mid-1990’s, when early nutrition standardswere offered to improve school meals. She presented a testimony onbehalf of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) before theSenate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee in 2009 in a
hearing titled, Beyond Federal School MealsPrograms: Reforming Nutrition for Kids inSchools. This was in the time leading up tothe development and passage of theHealthy, Hunger Free Kids Act.
Karen appreciates learning from the vastexperience of members and leaders in thePHCNPG. She has volunteered in her stateAcademy affiliate, and served as the statelegislative coordinator. One issue whichKaren worked persistently on was therecognition for mothers to breastfeedanywhere in public. North Dakota was one of fewer than 10 stateswithout this legislation in place, and it took attempts over fourlegislative sessions to pass.
Karen chaired the Academy Legislative and Public Policy Committee(LPPC) in 2014, and was a member of the committee from 2011-2015.During her time on the committee, the LPPC guided establishment ofAcademy priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill, while Karen was chair of theFarm Bill work group. The establishment of these priorities allowed theAcademy to join with other nutrition and anti-hunger groups inadvocating for priorities, including nutrition safety net programs,maintaining funding for SNAP nutrition education, funding fornutrition research support for fruit and vegetable farming andnutrition programs, and supporting sustainable farm practices andpolicies for beginning farmers.
In her free time, Karen likes walking with her dog and family in allseasons. She enjoys spending time together with her daughter, who isjust starting college. Together with her husband Duane, a chef at St.Alexius Medical Center, the couple teaches cooking classes including“Mediterranean on the Prairie,” and various farmers market classes andcooking demonstrations. Karen finds peace and a change of focuswhen she works in flower and vegetable gardens in her own yard, andin community gardens across Bismarck.
Excellence in Public Health Award – Karen Ehrens
Karen Ehrens
Dr. Meg Bruening is an assistant professor in the School of Nutritionand Health Promotion at Arizona State University, one of the largestdietetics programs in the U.S. She is currently in her fifth year in theposition, where she teaches community nutrition and conducts publichealth nutrition research. Dr. Bruening works as a prevention scientistto address the social and environmental determinants of healthyeating among underserved young people, intertwining socialepidemiology with community-engaged research.
She came to Arizona in order to work on issues related to foodinsecurity and food access, and has been working on community-based participatory research with middle school youth and collegestudents. A few years ago, Dr. Bruening was fortunate to receive anEarly Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health toexamine the mechanisms by which friendship networks impact eating,physical activity, and weight outcomes among young people. She hasa number of school-based projects examining how school mealprograms impact eating and health outcomes. Dr. Bruening aims toconduct research that directly (or indirectly) informs policy in order to
address health equity and social determinants of health for low-income, under-resourced youth and their families.
Dr. Bruening was born in a small rural town in Iowa, and moved toPennsylvania when she was in elementary school. She completed herundergraduate degree at Penn State with a BS in Nutritional Sciencesand a minor in International Agriculture – hoping at the time to focusher work internationally. Living in the same town in which she went tocollege, Dr. Bruening spent every opportunity abroad to strengthenher skills for international work. She completed her internship at IowaState University with her rotations in Waterloo, IA. After her internship,Dr. Bruening worked as a program coordinator for the Penn StateInternational Agricultural Study Abroad Program in Moscow, Russia.When she returned to the U.S., Dr. Bruening became a Women, Infants,and Children(WIC) dietitian in Philadelphia, and later, the nutritionistfor the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network, which was thenhoused in the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center. These experiencesopened her eyes to domestic needs and helped her to connect policyand systems to positive health behavior change. After four years of
2016 Outstanding Member of the Year
Nate’s passion for nutrition advocacy hasled him to many rich and rewardingexperiences. As an intern at the DurhamCounty Department of Public Health, heworked on efforts focused on policy,system, and environmental change withinthe community. Additional efforts haveincluded participation in such projects asassisting a doctoral student with qualitativeresearch on local food policy councils, workonWomen, Infants, and Children (WIC)policy analysis at the Global Food ResearchProgram at the Carolina Population Center,and as a program and development intern at Philabundance,Philadelphia’s largest hunger-relief organization.
Leadership roles have included service as a delegate for the AmericanMock World Health Organization, Food Day chair and treasurer onbehalf of the Nutrition Coalition, and as fundraising co-chair for the37th annual Minority Health Conference, the largest and longest-running student-led health conference in the nation. His work continuesto raise awareness about health disparities, advocate for effectivenutrition policies, and mobilize the community to take action.
All of these roles will serve him well as he advances towards hisculminating rotation with the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) in Washington, D.C., where he will continue to impact lives througheffective nutrition policy and program development.
Following completion of his graduate coursework he is hoping toserve his community as a public health dietitian or perhaps a publicpolicy analyst, and is looking forward to the mentorship programwithin the practice group to help guide him both personally andprofessionally towards these goals.
In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, running, playing tennis, hikingand traveling. His adventurous spirit always has him up for exploringnew places close to home and far away.
The PHCNPG Student committee is very proud of all of Nate’s hardwork. On behalf of our practice group, profession, and community:Congratulations!
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST CURRENT NEWS | Legislative Updates 9FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST PHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®)
working as a community and public health dietitian, Dr. Brueningmoved to Minnesota to pursue her Master of Public Health (MPH) innutrition, and then a doctoral degree in nutritional sciences with apublic health emphasis. She had the fortune of working with amazingresearchers like Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Mary Story, and JamieStang who provided her with a foundation for the work she is doingnow.
Dr. Bruening loves public health nutrition and the Public HealthCommunity Nutrition Practice Group (PHCNPG). She served as Chairand leader to the Public Health and Community Nutrition (PHCN)Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance(SOP/SOPP). This amazing team consisted of public health anddietetics leaders throughout the country who worked for over twoyears to create the SOP/SOPP. As public health and communitydietitian nutritionists, we have a unique voice on how we approachdietetics, and our area of the field is ripe for rapid growth. We hopethat the PHCN SOP/SOPP provides a competency guide for
professional growth among PHCN members, as well as a betterunderstanding among non-PHCN members on what our work lookslike. This document requires revision every five years, so if you havefeedback, please feel free to send it to her!
Dr. Bruening is a volunteer-aholic and loves to be engaged in activitiesin which she can contribute to make an impact. She has been veryactive as an Academy member, serving on the Child NutritionReauthorization taskforce, the Future of Food Initiative, HOD FoodSecurity Task Force, as HOD Delegate for the Hunger andEnvironmental Nutrition DPG, on the Sustainable, Resilient, HealthyFood and Water Systems Standards of Professional Performance paper,and as the Public Policy Coordinator for Minnesota, among otheractivities.
Aside from her work and volunteering, Dr. Bruening loves to hike,camp, and travel to explore new and interesting foods and drinks.
Nate Stritzinger is a student in the combined Masters of PublicHealth/Registered Dietitian (MPH/RD) program at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been an active member of thePublic Health Commumity Nutrition Practice Group(PHCNPG) for threeyears, after discovering the field of public health. This year he hastaken more active roles in the committee and joined the PHCNPGStudent Committee, where he serves on two project subcommittees.
After completion of his undergraduate studies in Sociology at IthacaCollege in upstate NY, with minors in French and EnvironmentalStudies, he was awarded a Semester at Sea opportunity, where hecircumnavigated the globe, traveling to 12 countries. Along the way,he was able to volunteer with a non-profit in South Africa that wastasked with ameliorating malnutrition and poverty in the townshipsoutside of Cape Town. This eye-opening experience cultivated hisinterests in food justice, food access and food insecurity, andultimately led him to pursue a Master’s degree in public health andnutrition.
2016 Outstanding Student Member of the Year
Nate Stritzinger
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Be sure to “like” the PHCNPG Facebook page and follow uson Twitter @PHCNPG. These are great ways to connect withother PHCNPG members! We host photo contests andfrequently post current information of relevance for publichealth and community nutrition professionals as well asimportant announcements.
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Submitted by Alicia Grove, BA, PHCNPG Student Committee Chair [email protected], [email protected]
Hello Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice GroupMembers! Our 2016-2017 is off to a great start with the fall issue ofThe Student Digest and our monthly student Facebook group “Askthe RDN” chats. The chats have given students an opportunity toconnect to public health nutrition professionals and learn moreabout different career options. If you have ideas for future “Ask theRDN” chats, please let me know.
We are excited to have connected mentors and student menteesthrough our mentorship program. Our program seeks to connectmembers who are experienced nutrition professionals withstudents and interns, with the aim to promote growth in specialtypractice areas, general career, and personal growth. Our studentcommittee is always looking for more mentors and mentees, andwe are focusing on connecting people in a similar geographiclocation or career interests.
We are happy to share that our student membership survey iscompiled and will be sent out. Please look for the survey in yourinbox and complete it to share your feedback with us so we canimprove your experiences. You also have the chance to win a free
PHCNPG membership next year. Thestudent committee will be starting towork on our winter issue of The StudentDigest very soon and if you areinterested in contributing to it, pleasecontact me. Our current and ongoingprojects are providing more support forour mentoring program, creatingnutrition related policy projects, anddeveloping a resource for new RDNs tofind public health/community nutritionjobs.
I was excited to meet many student members of this practicegroup at FNCE® this year, and am thrilled that we have many newstudent members after FNCE®. Thanks for coming to theMembership Booth at FNCE® to learn more about us. I would alsolike to thank the Student Committee members that volunteeredwith PHCNPG activities at FNCE®. It was truly a pleasure to meet allof you in person, and your support for this practice group isappreciated. We encourage students to join our studentcommittee to become more involved. Email me if you have anyquestions or comments on matters dealing with students. I wouldlove to hear from you!
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTPHCNPG | 2016 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®)10
Alicia Grove
A Message from the Student Committee Chair
It is time to recognize outstanding Public Health Nutritionists! ThePublic Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group (PHCNPG) Award’sCommittee is looking for nominations for both Academy and PHCNPGAwards.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics AwardsThe Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a number of awards.Following is information on some of these:
Lenna Frances Cooper Lecture: Honors an Academy member whohas been recognized as a notable and inspiring speaker.
Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award: The highest honor the Academybestows on one of its members for contributions to the Academythrough extensive, active participation and service at all levels of theassociation.
Medallion Award: Honors Academy members who have showndedication to the high standards of the dietetics profession throughactive participation, leadership, and devotion to serving others indietetics and allied health fields.
Excellence in Practice Awards: Recognizing outstanding registereddietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, who havedemonstrated innovation, creativity, and leadership in a specificarea of practice.
Information on the Academy Awards and the nomination process is athttp://www.eatright.org/nationalawards/. Deadlines have not yet been
released by the Academy, but we will follow last year’s timeframe:
“Intent to Nominate” must be submitted by midnight CST onJanuary 15, 2017.
The completed award packet is due by midnight CST on March 1,2017.
For the PHCNPG to consider a nomination for an Academy award,submit a request including the type of honor or award, name, andcontact information of the candidate, and a brief summary supportingthe nomination by January 9, 2017. Please send the information [email protected].
Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group AwardsThe Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group has fourawards, which include: Outstanding Member of the Year Award Outstanding Young Member of the Year Award Outstanding Student Member of the Year Award Excellence in Public Health/Community Nutrition Award
Please send the completed nomination form to Brittney Sly, MPH, RDN,at [email protected] by April 3, 2017. Award information canbe found at http://www.phcnpg.org/.
If you have any questions, please contact Brittney Sly [email protected].
Call for 2017 Award Nominations
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST FEATURED MEMBERS | In the Field 11
Megan Fallon, MSMegan Fallon is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island (URI)where she received a master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciencesin May 2016. She will begin her dietetic internship with Sodexo inJanuary of 2017, where she will concentrate on leadership in dietetics.
During her undergraduate studies, Megan volunteered with theSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) inProvidence, Rhode Island. The SNAP-Ed program provides nutritioneducation to low-income Americans, and Megan observed firsthandhow some populations are disproportionately affected by chronicdisease. Working closely with community dietitians and teachingnutrition programs to people of all ages and income levels across thestate, Megan developed a passion for community nutrition and forproviding nutrition education to those with limited education andresources.
Megan’s experiences with SNAP-Ed motivated her to study healthbehaviors of underserved populations in Rhode Island. While workingas an Undergraduate Research Assistant transcribing semi-structuredinterviews of participants of the Expanded Food and NutritionEducation Program (EFNEP), Megan became interested in research andhow it can inform nutrition policies that influence health inequities.She continued her newfound passion for research by pursuing amaster’s degree with Dr. Alison Tovar in her Community Nutrition andChildhood Obesity Prevention lab at URI.
As part of her thesis, Megan explored the feeding practices of RhodeIsland Head Start teachers to determine whether observed feedingpractices are different than those self-reported on a questionnaire.Examining the feeding practices of child care teachers is important, asHead Start teachers in particular serve low-income and ethnicallydiverse children who are disproportionally impacted by obesity.Megan observed that feeding practices encouraged by Head Startpolicies (i.e. avoidance of food as a reward or to control a child’semotion) often explained a strong agreement between self-reportedand observed feeding practices. In other words, the frequency of these
coded practices by the researcher was similar to what was self-reported by the teacher. However, other feeding practices highlyencouraged by the literature (e.g., role modeling, praising a child fortrying new foods) did not strongly agree in frequency across measures.Megan hopes to publish this work to highlight the need for refinedmeasures that more accurately capture feeding practices within childcare settings. Her findings also indicate the need for a validated,standardized protocol for mealtime observations.
Megan is eager tobegin her dieteticinternship withSodexo, where shewill apply herfoundational nutritionknowledge to theclinical realm ofdietetics. She willconcentrate herinternship rotationson leadershipopportunities, as shebelieves leadershipexperience is criticalfor newly emergingdietitians ineducation, research,advocacy, and publicpolicy. Aftercompleting theinternship, Megan’sshort-term plans are towork as a clinical dietitian to gain more experience with individual-based care. In the long-term, she hopes to find a career that integratesnutrition research with policy. As a dietitian, Megan hopes to improvethe health of families, especially among the underserved.
Megan Fallon
Jocceline Hernandez, MS, RDJocceline Hernandez is the Registered Dietitian for the StudentMedical Services division at Los Angeles Unified School District(LAUSD), the nation’s second largest school district. She receivesreferrals from doctors, nurse practitioners, and medical assistants, ifnutrition-related concerns are identified through physical exam.School nurses from all LAUSD schools (K-12) also refer students andtheir families to the nearest school-based clinic in their area to receivenutrition consultations.
Through these referrals, Jocceline coordinates a time and day to bepresent at one of the 14 school-based clinics in the district, andcontacts the student’s legal guardian to schedule a one-on-onenutrition consultation to address the nutrition issue. During theconsultation, both guardian and student participate to identify areasof improvement to enhance their nutritional wellbeing, and leave thesession with three or four goals the child has agreed to fulfill toestablish a healthier lifestyle, with their family’s support.
Jocceline has identified some challenges that may keep students fromutilizing the nutrition services. Many students enter the school districtfrom other countries, and they are given a list of all school-basedclinics in the district that provide a school entry physical exam. Theclinic may not always be near the home school they are assigned to,and parents must then travel a long distance should they return fornutrition services. Additionally, when parents bring in their child for
nutrition consultations, the child may missschool for the appointment, and the parentmust request time off from work. Anotherchallenge is that some parents and studentsare just unable to keep their appointments.Jocceline has found that the biggest turnoutfor nutrition services comes from high schoolstudents, often because they can attend theirnutrition consultation during elective classes.
During the 2015-2016 school year, Joccelinefeels that she was able to address some of thechallenges and reach many more students byinitiating a collaboration with parent center representatives toschedule nutrition workshops, reaching more students and increasingawareness of the nutrition-related services offered at the school-basedclinics. Parents are also able to schedule an individual session withtheir child. Additionally during this past school year, Jocceline workedto build partnerships with other organizations and grant-fundedprograms. For example, the “Choose Health LA Kids” obesityprevention grant funded by the Department of Public Health andcoordinated by Northeast Valley Health Corporation, provides grocerystore tours, foods demos, nutrition lessons, and resource access to theparent centers. Moreover, the Hunger Action Los Angeles (HALA), anon-profit organization that “works to end hunger and promotehealthy eating through advocacy, direct service, and organizing,”
Jocceline Hernandez
To address such issues, Rebecca’sdepartment within Adventist Health, aims to“create healthier communities througheducation and outreach.” Rebecca workswith the interdisciplinary teams to improvecare for patients at all points of contact,including inpatient, outpatient, andcommunity services. The goal is to ensureconsistency and continuity of care throughall touch points. As an outreach dietitian,Rebecca’s goal is to create multiple resourcesso that people can choose their own path towellness. Some people need nutrition interventions, while others needphysical activity, or smoking cessation and lung health resources.Rebecca develops opportunities to help anyone find their own pathwhen they are ready to make lifestyle changes.
A major part of Rebecca’s job is working in the community. Sheteaches regular nutrition and wellness classes to a variety of groups inthe community, in addition to working with community coalitions. Forexample, Rebecca works with the Kings Partnership for Prevention andthe Kings County Diabesity Coalition (for which she currently serves aschair), to coordinate nutrition and wellness messages, resources, andactivities to better target and impact the community. A new coalitionthat Rebecca is currently assisting to develop is the Whole Person CarePilot – Kings County Coalition, which involves multiple communitypartners (such as the hospital, Kings County Public Health department,local MediCal Health plans, law enforcement, and local organizations)to target behavioral health, substance abuse, and homelessness inKings County.
One of Rebecca’s big goals in Kings County is to bring necessaryresources to the community. In 2016, through a new partnership withthe American Lung Association, Rebecca’s team brought the firstBetter Breather’s Club to Kings County, the first annual respiratory rallyto connect those suffering from chronic lung diseases with resourcesand education on current research and treatments. On May 31, 2016,Rebecca taught the only smoking cessation class offered in KingsCounty – Freedom From Smoking®.
Regarding her outreach efforts, Rebecca says “I have found that thecommunity is so happy to see that the hospital has someone like meworking outside of the walls of our campus, going to where thepeople are, and helping them improve their health and lives.Community partners welcome me into their organizations, invite meto their programs and to meet with their participants. Everypresentation I give usually leads to two or three more!” One ofRebecca’s largest roles is ensuring coordination of all activities andconfirming all activities are meaningful and lend themselves to thedepartment’s purpose and goals. Rebecca expresses “Wellness is sucha huge field and it is easy to try to do too much and end up not doingenough.”
Rebecca Russell, MPH, RDRebecca Russell is the Community Wellness Director with AdventistHealth – Central Valley Network based in Kings County, CA. KingsCounty is located within a congressional district that is ranked 436 outof 436 in the Measure of America: Geographies of Opportunityrankings. This measure ranks well – being by congressional districtsbased on health, access to knowledge, and living standards. KingsCounty’s ranking indicates residents have multiple health issues. Forexample, it is estimated that 48% of Kings County has prediabetes,and more than 35,000 people are estimated to be obese. Additionally,the Central Valley has the highest smoking rate in California at over16%.
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTFEATURED MEMBERS | In the Field12
brings awareness of SNAP benefit use at the local farmers markets inthe neighborhoods where workshops are held.
Jocceline looks forward to continuing to implement previouslysuccessful approaches in 2016-2017 school year, and increasingpartnerships with other organizations to reach more parents. Throughthe support of a grant from the University of California Los Angeles(UCLA) Fit4LA program, two clinics will be used as a pilot to
implement video conferencing nutrition services (Teledietitian) usingan iPad. This will allow parents and their child to connect withJocceline using a video conferencing application. By utilizing thisservice, Jocceline hopes to increase participation rates and eliminatethe need to schedule a nutrition session at a later date. Once a referralis made, teledietitian services will provide flexibility and timeliness ofservices.
Rebecca Russell
Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group
MISSION:Empowering members to be leaders in the practice ofpublic health nutrition and community nutrition.
VISION:Optimizing the population’s health through theapplication of public health nutrition and communitynutrition principles and interventions.
Goal 1: Build and empower a diverse membership thatsupports our mission and vision.
Goal 2: Enhance members’ knowledge and skills relatedto current and emerging public health nutritionand community nutrition issues throughevidence-based solutions.
Goal 3: Support members' involvement in public policyto promote optimal outcomes in public healthnutrition and community nutrition.
Goal 4: Identify and develop key collaborations andpartnerships to promote the public’s health andwell-being.
Goal 5: Provide and support effective training to thepublic health nutrition and community nutritionworkforce.
Goal 6: Promote evidence-based public health nutritionand community nutrition-related research andpractices
.Mission and Vision Approved by The Academy of Board ofDirectors on May 16, 2013
After completing her master’s degree andsuccessfully passing the NationalRegistration Examination for Dietitians test,Noereem continued her research efforts andbegan her doctoral program in the summerof 2014, also becoming a studentinvestigator on the Healthy Start/ComienzosSanos project at Brown University’s School ofPublic Health. This project seeks to improvethe nutrition and physical activityenvironments of home-based child care in RI.
While working on this project, Noereemsubmitted, and was awarded, a supplemental diversity grant proposalunder Healthy Start, to further support the understanding of feedingpractices across the child care and home environment. Thissupplement provides tuition and stipend support for Noereem tocomplete her doctoral training. The goal of her research project is todevelop standardized communication between parents and child careproviders regarding best feeding practices to support healthy dietarybehaviors.
Recently, Noereem has also become interested in how federal policies,like child nutrition programs, can influence child care environments.To gain more experience in nutrition policy, Noereem recently took onthe position as the Public Policy Coordinator for the Rhode IslandAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In this position, she willdisseminate information on policy and legislative activities related tothe interests and mission of the Academy. This position will allow herto continue to stay abreast on nutrition policies that influence thecommunity’s health.
Noereem’s experiences in these projects continue to support hergraduate program goals and career interests. She is expected tograduate in the Spring of 2018, and upon completing her doctoralprogram, she intends to pursue a career in the field of public healthnutrition, where she will focus her efforts on nutrition polices thatpromote healthy behaviors in young children.
FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST FEATURED MEMBERS | In the Field 13
Noereem Z. Mena, MS, RDN, LDNoereem Mena is a doctoral student in the Department of Nutritionand Food Sciences at the University of Rhode Island (URI). Shecurrently works in the office of the Community Nutrition andChildhood Obesity Prevention Research Group under the supervisionof Dr. Alison Tovar. This research group is dedicated to preventingchildhood obesity across multiple environments. Noereem has beenworking with Dr. Tovar since the fall of 2012, where she completed theCombined Master of Science Dietetic Internship (MSDI) program. Sincethen, she has been cultivating her doctoral dissertation which focuseson the way provider and parent feeding practices within the child careand home environment influence young children’s dietary behaviors.
As part of the MSDI program, she completed her master’s thesis whereshe conducted focus groups with Hispanic parents of preschool-agedchildren enrolled in child care. The goal of her thesis was to identifycultural and contextual influences on parental feeding practicesamong this target group. Her published findings highlighted thatfeeding practices employed by this group of Hispanic mothers wereinfluenced by parent childhood mealtime experiences, their spouse,other family members, and foods their children were exposed to inchild care.
Noereem Z. Mena
Noereem Z. Mena
THANK YOU to the following PHCNPG members who serve on the Communication Committee’s NewsletterTeam and contributed as writers, editorial staff, and review board members for this issue of The Digest.
Special thanks to the following members of the PHCNPG Student Committee who reviewed the 2016 Award winner articles.
If you are interested in joining the newsletter team for the 2016-2017 membership year, contact Brigette Grimes (newsletter editor) andKathleen Cullinen (associate newsletter editor) at [email protected], and include “Newsletter” in the subject line.
Alyssa Fritz, RD, LDJordan Holland, RD, MPH, CPHJudy Klavens-Giunta, RDN
Alicia Grove, BA Stella Yan, BS Elizabeth Douglass, BS
Whitney Leet, MS, RDNoereem Z. Mena, MS, RDNCassandra Nikolaus, BS
Julie Shimko, MA, CPTJody Vogelzang, PhD, RDN, FAND, CHESSarah Woods, BS, NDTR
FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTCURRENT NEWS | Legislative Updates14 FALL / WINTER 2016 – THE DIGESTCURRENT NEWS | Legislative Updates14FALL/WINTER 2016 – THE DIGEST 2016-2017 PHCNPG Executive Committee
ChairKay Dutram, MS, RDN, LD
Chair-ElectJanelle P. Gunn, MPH, RDN
Past ChairLauren Melnick, MS, RD, LD
TreasurerJessica Barron, MS, RD, [email protected]
SecretaryTatyana El-Kour, MS, RDN, FAND
Delegate, House of DelegatesShannon Robson, PhD, MPH, RD
AdvisorJosefine (José) Wendel, MS, RD, CDN
Awards Committee ChairBrittney Sly, MPH, RDN
Membership Committee ChairKayla Fitzgerald, [email protected]
Nominating Committee ChairAlice Lenihan, MPH, RD, LDN
Policy and Advocacy LeaderJudy Klavens-Giunta, RDN
Student Committee ChairAlicia Grove, BA
Education Committee ChairLeslye Rauth, MPH, RDN, CDE
Newsletter EditorBrigette Grimes, MS, RD, LD
Associate Newsletter EditorKathleen Cullinen, PhD, RD
Website EditorJocceline Hernandez, MS, RD
Electronic CommunicationsCoordinator
Marielle Counts, [email protected]
PHCNPG Communications Committee:[email protected]
DPG Relations Manager:Mya Wilson, MPH, MBA
Newsletter Design and Layout: Joyce Simpson
The views and statements appearing in The Digest do not necessarily reflectpolicies and/or official positions of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics(Academy) or Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group (PHCNPG).Product names mentioned in this publication do not constitute endorsement bythe Academy or PHCNPG.
©2016-2017 Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group, a dieteticpractice group of the Academy. The PHCNPG welcomes corporate relationshipsthat support our strategic plans and activities; however, these relationships do notnecessarily indicate endorsement by our membership.
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