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Introducing the Academy's 2014-2015 President: Sonja Connor
It is my honor to introduce our 89th President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Sonja Connor, MS, RD, LD.Today's ADA … Now More Than Ever
If you attended ADA's 2009 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, if you have looked at the new video library on ADA's completely redesigned Web site, if you came to an affiliate or dietetic practice group meeting where I was privileged to speak in the past year, you are familiar with the phrase that forms the headline of this President's Page—my last as ADA's 84th President. It is not just a slogan, it is literally true: ADA members, registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, are needed and valued, now more than ever.Research Is the Foundation of Our Profession
One of the most exciting ongoing activities of the American Dietetic Association, with implications that reach years into the future, is ADA's research program. My predecessor, Martin M. Yadrick, MS, MBA, RD, FADA, wrote in this space about the ways that familiarity with dietetics research—even if we are not conducting it ourselves—is vital to our profession and all practitioners (1). Marty was absolutely correct about the value of research in the “real world” of dietetics practice; I would like to underscore Marty's comments and to update you on just a few recent initiatives and successes of ADA's research program that involve many members—and affect all of us.Representing You on the Road to the Olympics
By the time you read this, the 2010 Winter Olympics will have taken place, beginning with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 12. The torch's story began well before that day, however. Starting October 30, a relay of more than 12,000 people carried the Olympic torch about 27,000 miles through all parts of Canada.Healthy People 2020, ADA, and You
Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease. Since 1979, Healthy People has set and monitored national health objectives to meet a broad range of health needs, encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of our prevention activity (1).Know and Use ADA's Evidence-Based Practice Resources
As evidence-based medicine has evolved and become more sophisticated, so has the approach used by the American Dietetic Association … . (E)vidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, protocols, and other guides for practice will continue to shape dietetics practice in the years ahead (1).RD and DTR: A Valuable Partnership
To maximize the nutritional health of a patient, client, community, and nation, few professional relationships are more valuable than the partnership between the registered dietitian (RD) and the dietetic technician, registered (DTR). As a director of clinical nutrition, I value the different skill sets of the RD and DTR and I know that, together, they provide outstanding nutrition care for the patients at my health-care facility.Our Window to the World
Among its many accomplishments, the American Dietetic Association is an Internet pioneer. On the day www.eatright.org went live in 1996, there were about 100,000 Web sites in the entire world (1), scarcely a sliver of the more than 180 million sites that exist today (2). (You can see ADA's first Web site, and how far we have come in 13 years on the Internet, at http://web.archive.org/web/19961103134921/www.eatright.org/index.html .).Staying Passionate about Dietetics
The meetings, conferences, and other events I attend as ADA's president give me an opportunity I cherish: to speak regularly with members from all parts of the country, at every stage of their careers, from students to veteran members, in every area of practice. I truly enjoy hearing your thoughts, your suggestions, your experiences, your concerns. ADA members are not hesitant to speak our minds, and I welcome everything you have to say.Food, Nutrition, and a Shared Community Experience
As the fall harvest nears, I am reminded of the important part food plays in bringing families and communities together. Soon we will be eating the final crops from our gardens, visiting an apple orchard or pumpkin patch, and selecting the finest ingredients for Thanksgiving, Rosh Hashanah, and our whole range of culturally diverse celebrations. A healthful lifestyle becomes part of a person's and a community's shared cultural experience. And as today's health care profession recognizes the importance of including a client's culture within the assessment of his or her health needs, we as dietetics practitioners are asked to add cultural competency to our lifelong learning plans.Let's Make 2009 a Year to Remember
Anyone fortunate enough to serve as ADA's President finds this job and its responsibilities invigorating. I feel especially fortunate to serve during a year that is developing into one that may shape the future of our profession and be a watershed year for ADA and our members.Reward, Recognition, Remuneration: Consider a Specialty Credential
I am often asked what “all those initials” following my name stand for. MS, RD—those are relatively easy to answer (or to guess). But what about CSR, or CSP, CSSD, CSG, or CSO? We know they are professional credentials, though even dietetics practitioners may wonder what some of those letters mean.A Personal Commitment
These are exciting times to be a food and nutrition professional. From consumers, the media, and health professionals to local, state, and federal government officials—everyone is talking about nutrition. Disease prevention, childhood obesity, food safety, health-care reform, school meals, and restaurant labeling are everyday topics in every part of our country. Demand by consumers for local and sustainable foods has increased the number of farmers' markets and the incorporation of local and sustainable foods into operations and legislative initiatives affecting restaurants, schools, hospitals, and other health facilities.
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