President’s Message
Hi Everyone,
My name is Brady Taylor and I am the 2019-2020 MS-AND president. I would like to welcome all of our new members to our newsletter and invite you to join in on the fun and contribute to the newsletter with any content that you feel would be of interest and importance to our members. With so many MS-AND members located all over Mississippi and beyond, this is a great way to get the news about things that concern us as dietitians, out to the rest of our colleagues. This will only go to strengthen our profession and help us bring the message of better health and nutrition to the population.
As we move through 2019 and enter the remaining weeks of summer, no doubt there are many of us that are having to adjust our lives to the process of getting kids back into a “school schedule”. August seems to be a time for growing, learning and for new beginnings for so many, it is safe to say that almost everyone is in some way going “back to school” right now. This is also the time that many people may be starting their journey of becoming a dietitian in an undergraduate program or even starting the first days of their highly anticipated internship.
For some, this means that they have chosen to go the route of a distance learning program where they are responsible for scheduling their educational rotations with the guidance of the program director. Along with our current university internship programs located throughout the state, these distance learning programs are producing some incredible practitioners that are strengthening our profession. I am sure that many of you have been contacted by a student in one of these programs requesting assistance in finding preceptors to help them gain the knowledge and experience that they need to fulfill the dream of becoming a RDN, and hopefully you were able to help them. I want to congratulate you for the sacrifice of your time and expertise in helping create the next generation of Registered Dietitians.
If you would like to become a preceptor for one of the many students that choose this route but you don’t know where to start, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to add you to the list of wonderful mentors that are promoting and enhancing our profession.
Brady Taylor
Experience FNCE!
Delegate Report
I would like to express appreciation personally and from the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to Karen Lewis for her years of support and dedication to the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (as well as when we were the Mississippi Dietetics Association). She has severed in many leadership roles and has a wealth of knowledge about our affiliate.
I am honored to serve as an appointed delegate to fulfil the remaining MS-AND Delegate term. The Strategic Issue for the Fall House of Delegates Meeting is Technology in Nutrition and Dietetics Practice October 24-26 in Philadelphia, PA. I look forward to attending this meeting and will present a full report when I return.
Please remember to use the Academy Action Center (www.eatrightpro.org/advocacy/take-action/action-center) to ask our U. S. Senators and Representatives support:
- School Food Modernization Act (S. 1949/H.R. 3444)
- Treat and Reduce Obesity Act and Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act
- Preventive Health Savings Act (H.R. 2584/S. 1361)
Lydia West, MPH, RDN, LD, CC
MS-AND Delegate and Past President
MS-AND Members Advance Their Leadership Skills
On June 28th, the Mississippi School Nutrition Association(MSNA) offered a Leadership Seminar at Table 100 in Flowood, MS. Many of our MS-AND members attended this meeting.
Left to right: Christopher Liddy, Brittany Logue, Alex Hallmark, Doris Schneider, Keba Laird, Valerie Weivoda, Lydia West, Ashley Harris and Brad Barlow
Several MS-AND members also participated in the 2019 Mississippi School Nutrition Association Annual 5K and 1-Mile Kids Fun Run on June 29, 2019 at The Nature Park in Flowood, MS.
Michael Rubenstein Memorial Kidney Walk
The Michael Rubenstein Memorial Kidney Walk will be held Saturday, September 28th in Jackson. More details can be found at https://kidneyms.org/.