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Academy Change Journey
An Eye to the Future
Welcome to this space, where you will learn more about the Academy’s change journey as we embark on it together.
Since September 2023, the Board of Directors for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has undertaken a series of discussions evaluating the current state and future direction for the Academy. This has included member voices, which will continue to be gathered and taken into consideration moving forward. All of these discussions have been instrumental in reigniting the Academy’s core purpose and bringing it forward toward a new future vision.
In this post-COVID era, we seek opportunities to bolster the Academy’s relevance for our members, elevate the value of the profession to improve the nutritional status of individuals and society at large, and foster the collaboration of the dietetic and nutrition professionals with allied health care professionals. Expanding awareness and access of medical nutrition therapy continues as a high priority goal for the Academy to improve health outcomes for everyone.
We identified four key objectives in support of our future state vision:
- We are an advocacy and public policy POWERHOUSE.
- We are recognized as a STEM profession.
- We are perceived by the public and other health care professionals as the NUMBER ONE food and nutrition experts.
- We demonstrate OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
We invite you to visit this page regularly, as we share details on how we plan to achieve these four objectives, plus videos of the Academy’s leadership describing the process for our change journey and other resources that will illuminate the road ahead.
Please join us on this change journey as we move forward.
- 2024-2025 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Board of Directors
Sharing the Vision for the Change Journey Ahead
Listen as the Academy's Chief Executive Officer, President and Immediate Past President discuss the future vision and direction for the Academy.
Fiscal Year 2025 Priorities
FOCUS AREA: Advocacy
- Invest in and fully deploy the resources necessary to increase access to Medical Nutrition Therapy.
- Continue to support the licensure compact to ensure practice across state lines.
FOCUS AREA: Member/Interprofessional Education
- Evaluate and enhance the Academy’s Evidence Analysis Library through the lens of interprofessional collaboration and education.
- Determine what is needed to have dietetics added as a STEM field under the professional classification.
FOCUS AREA: Public, Research and Media
- Work collaboratively with strategic partners to understand public opinions and perspectives.
- Launch a media campaign to position RDNs as the premier food and nutrition practitioners equipped to enhance the nutritional status of individuals and communities.
- Develop, expand and disseminate resources and research on emergent nutrition topics.
FOCUS AREA: Organizational/Structural Barriers to Sustained Growth and Relevance
- Create a new Academy strategic plan.
- Pause committee/taskforces and other activities that do not directly support the FY25 organizational priorities. Reestablish the charges of continuing committee/taskforces based on the priorities.
- Modernize and invest in the Academy’s financial and technological structure.
- Develop a blueprint for the Academy’s governance and organizational structure for the future.
Speaking on the goal of inspiring members to join the Academy's change journey:
“I think regardless of where you work, where your area of practice is, you elected your Board of Directors. You put your faith in us. We are here as your representative, hearing you, understanding what you want — and we are here to deliver on that promise. Trust us, we are here to make that work for you.”
Livleen Gill, MBA, RDN, LDN, FAND
2024-2025 Academy President
Our Eye to the Future — Originally Released at FNCE® 2024 in Minneapolis
What Is Our Core Purpose?
The Academy's Articles of Incorporation have been updated three times since the organization was founded in the early 1900s.
“The object for which it is formed is to bring about closer cooperation among dietitians and between dietitians and workers in allied fields; to improve conditions and raise standard of dietary work.”
“The object for which the Association is formed is to improve the nutritional status of human beings, to raise the standard of dietetic service and the status of the professional, and to bring about closer cooperation among dietitians and nutritionists and workers in allied fields.”
“The purpose for which the corporation is organized is to improve the nutritional status of human beings and to advance the science of dietetics and nutrition and to advance the education in these and allied areas.”
What will success look like for the Academy?
What excites you most about the Academy enterprise?
“The opportunity for us to deliver on the promise of why this organization was created... we’re passionate, we’re talented and this is our moment. There are dialogues occurring within the public related to food and nutrition that we need to step into. And we need to stake out our territory as the trusted authorities because there’s so much misinformation that is out there.”Wylecia Wiggs Harris, PhD, CAE
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics CEO
A Message from 2023-2024 President Lauri Wright
Addressing the importance of members being part of this step in the Academy's history:
“I am very excited to bring members along. They are part of this change story, too... We have to be bold. We have to go for it. This is a critical time in our whole profession. There are so many exciting things happening with the MNT Act, the interstate licensure compact; come along for an incredible journey forward. ... Together, if we unite and support one another and use our collective power, we can do this.”
Lauri Wright, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND
2023-2024 Academy President
A Conversation with Lauri Wright and Wylecia Wiggs Harris
What inspired you to take on this
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What excites you the most about
the Academy enterprise?
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How can the Academy be more
agile and adaptable?
The Noodle: Insights from the Academy’s CEO
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