Dr. Evelyn Ford Crayton, Equity and Diversity Champion, Receives Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Highest Honor

September 30, 2024

CHICAGO - Evelyn Ford Crayton, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, dedicated advocate for diversity and health equity, will receive the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor given by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

Dr. Crayton will accept her award on October 5 during the Academy’s Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo^® in Minneapolis, Minn.

Crayton’s commitment to the profession of dietetics spans five decades, from academia to community and government programs, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse and under-represented populations and at-risk groups across the life cycle.

An Academy member since 1969, Crayton has held in a variety of roles in the organization, including Academy President, the first African American in this position. In addition, she has served in the House of Delegates, the Council on Future Practice, the Foundation’s Board of Directors, as well as the Nutrition Education for the Public Dietetic Practice Group and Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Crayton has been an active and involved member of the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition Member Interest Group since its inception.

Colleagues nominating Crayton praise her lifetime of dedication to nutrition and dietetics, saying: “She inspires and mentors others, especially young registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technician, registered. Thanks to her generous financial support, she has championed many in our profession to attend national and state meetings, register for the CDR exam, pay tuition and more. She has established endowments at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to help students join our profession and provided scholarships at other schools. She has truly made an impact on the future of nutrition and dietetics.”

Now retired as Professor Emeritus at Auburn University, Crayon’s dedication to nutrition continues as the leader for a health equity resource being developed with the National Baptist Convention. She also heads a three-year funded education and community garden project for people living with Type 2 diabetes and teaches classes on preserving the foods for year-round supply.

More information is available on the Academy’s 2024 national honors and award winners.

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Representing more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.