By Julie Stefanski, MEd, RD, LDN, CDE
From October 21st to 24th, more than 12,000 nutrition professionals gathered at Chicago’s McCormick Place for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE®), offered hundreds of experts sharing the latest nutrition research along with new food and nutrition products, fun get togethers, and networking with others in the field of nutrition.
For Karen Buch, owner of Nutrition Connections, LLC the best part of FNCE was the networking. Karen shared, “Of course, I also love learning about the latest nutrition science and hearing from food manufacturers about new products that are coming to market. It’s always a whirlwind meeting, but that’s part of the fun!”
The Academy Foundation Gala, was held at the Crystal Garden at the Navy Pier and offered attendees food, dancing, and an awards program that acknowledged the accomplishments of the Academy’s most active members. Each year, proceeds from the gala support the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation by providing scholarships, research grants, awards, and support for public education.
Pictured above are Susan Evanchack, Kelly Danis, and Sherri Jones who all work at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, Pittsburgh, PA along with Academy President Donna Martin.
Pitt Future Dietitians also had a great time attending the Gala.
Many attendees took advantage of visiting the booths of the dietetic practice group. Here PAND member Mary Alice Gettings MS, RDN, LDN, CDE talks about benefits of joining the Dietitians in Integrative & Functional Medicine DPG.
Congratulations to Zac Breeding MS, RDN, LDN for being honored as the recipient of the Distinguished Trinko award for his work with Latinos and Hispanics in dietetics and nutrition.
Jessica L. Bachman, PhD, MS-MPH, RDN Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise Science at the University of Scranton along with Christine Karpinski, PhD, RD, CSSD, LDN, Assistant Professor West Chester University (not pictured) and Columbia University Professor Dr. Karen Reznik Dolins, EdD, RD, CSSD, CDN were awarded Outstanding Abstract at FNCE® 2017 for their poster “Development and Validation of a 49-Item Sports Nutrition Knowledge Instrument (49-SNKI) for Adult Athletes.”
The number of #EatrightPA members who are featured as speakers and authorities in the field of Nutrition is always amazing. Angela Grassi, MS, RDN, LDN, owner of PCOS Nutrition Center is pictured here before her session on PCOS: Beyond Hormones & Hot Flashes—Nutrition Interventions for Women Later in Life. Other PA speakers included Karen Virostek, Monica Nagle, Juliet Mancino, and Zac Breeding.
Nutrition students Rachel Duncan and Jacquelyn Klunk from the University of Pittsburgh are pictured here with the poster they assisted with which was presented by Cindy Burke and Judy Dodd on Tracing Leadership, Strategic and Critical Thinking.
PA Dietitians were well represented at the Food & Nutrition Magazine Social, an event held for the Academy Spokespersons and other dietitians involved in media. Pictured from left to right are Caroline Passerrello, Libby Mills, Haley Goodrich, Heather Mangieri, and Julie Stefanski.
And of course the biggest draw of #FNCE is was the Expo. Most would probably vote that the greatest attraction of the Expo was created by OceanSpray in the form of an enormous, interactive cranberry bog. Pictured is Erin Long Dunleavy getting her cranberry fix.
Past-Presidents of PAND Michele Rager and Julie Charnosky practiced their foodservice training in the Siggi’s booth.
Put FNCE 2018 on your calendar today! It will be held October 20 to 23 in Washington, DC!
