Important FNCE 2020 Update
The Academy’s Board of Directors determined on Friday, June 19, that the 2020 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™, scheduled for October 17 to 20 in Indianapolis, Ind., will transition to a virtual event experience, to be held on the same dates. For more information please visit https://eatrightfnce.org/.
Board Spotlight: Heather White – Get to Know Your President!
As the Director of Menu Services, Heather directs and manages team of seven professionals in a division of Nutrition Systems and Purchasing Alliance that provides a customized menu program for approximately 400 clients in 12 states across the nation. The communities served by Heather and her team range from long-term care facilities, hospitals, assisted living facilities, prisons, childcare facilities, senior meals on wheels programs, summer camps and schools. Heather and her staff work closely with their clients to provide nutritionally sound menus while taking into account a number of variable, including budgetary contracts, regional food preferences and regulatory compliance.
Heather earned a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and nutrition form The University of Southern Mississippi in 2002, and she returned for a Master of Science in Institutional Management in 2008. In 2008, Heather was awarded the Emerging Leader by the Mississippi Dietetic Association (Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics).
Heather served on the board of the Mississippi Dietetic Association in 2010-2012 and served as chair of the Dietetics Practice group Consultant Dietitians in Healthcare Facilities in Mississippi. She is also an active member of the Junior League of Jackson and Pinelake Church.
Telehealth Help through The Academy
Photo Credit Telemedia Newswire: https://geobrava.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/how-video-in-the-cloud-enables-virtual-telehealth-applications/
Did you know that The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has updated resources related to telehealth? Visit https://www.eatrightpro.org/practice/practice-resources/telehealth for:
- The Academy’s Quick Guide Practicing Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- COVID-19 Q & A addressing business and telehealth
- Additional Telehealth Articles from the Academy
Delegate Letter
Dear MS-AND Members,
As we transition into the 2020-2021 year of the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, I am looking forward to my second year as your delegate to the Academy’s House of Delegates. The word “transition” seems to be a word to define 2020. All of our lives have transitioned in so many ways this year. I am looking forward to working with these evolutions and moving our organization forward.
Although the in-person meeting for the 2020 Academy Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) was shifted to an virtual meeting that will take place October 17 to 20, 2020, we will still be able to experience many of the things that makes FNCE great. The Fall 2020 House meeting will also be virtual. I will keep you up to date about the topics on which the House of Delegates is working.
Please remember to visit the Academy’s Action Center (www.eatrightpro.org/advocacy) to let our national legislators know issues that are important to our profession. Current action items include:
- A partnership with National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education to encourage Congress to provide $300 million in funding for minority serving institutions that would support allied health professions programs including nutrition and dietetics;
- The House of Representatives recently passed the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800). The Academy supports critical provisions to address rising rates of food insecurity and economic distress outlined in the bill and urges members of the Senate to include these provisions in their bill language and for a timely passage of the next package; and
- Access to MNT is more important than ever now that evidence indicates many diet-related chronic conditions are leading to poor outcomes for COVID-19 patients.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns or if I can help you in any way.
Sincerely,
Lydia West, MPH, RDN, LD, CC, Delegate
Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Renewing Your Membership
We appreciate your Academy and MS-AND membership and commitment to the profession as a member during the 2019-20 membership year. While we navigate this unprecedented time of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy and MS-AND remain committed to serving our members.
Now more than ever, you need the cutting-edge practice information and professional resources Academy membership offers at the national level, while also maximizing the benefits of MS-AND, such as the annual conference, CEU opportunities, networking with others in your profession, and more.
The Academy recognizes that membership renewal coincides with this challenging time and is offering several options to help with your renewal:
- The membership renewal deadline has been extended through June 30 online, by phone or by mail.
- An option to pay dues in two equal installments is now available. The first installment is due by June 30, and a second installment is due by September 15.
- If financial hardship threatens your ability to maintain Academy membership, you may request an application for a Financial Hardship Dues Reduction.
Renew your membership with the Academy and MS-AND online or by calling the Academy Member Service Center toll-free at 800/877-1600, ext. 5000 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time). For more information on the installment and hardship options, please email [email protected] or call the Academy Member Service Center.
With programs and support at both the local and national level, now is the time to stay connected. Today, tomorrow and beyond, the Academy and MS-AND are here to amplify your voice, your profession and your career.