Awards

Women's Health DPG Awards - Nominations-Applications

     
Nominations for the WH DPG annual awards are now being solicited. The following awards will be posted in WH DPG electronic communications and presented at the upcoming FNCE®.

Excellence in Practice Award– this award is to recognize a DPG member who has exhibited outstanding service, dedication and/or innovation to the field of women’s health and nutrition.

Emerging Professional Award – this award is to recognize a member of the DPG who has exhibited interest and initiative in the area of women’s health.

Outstanding Student Award – this award will recognize two (2) student members of the DPG who have exhibited outstanding service, leadership and accomplishment.

Each nomination requires two (2) letters of recommendation. Please consider nominating a qualified candidate or yourself!

Deadline for submitting applications is June 1st.

View Past Awards Winners

      

2021 Winners

Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health - Val Schonberg, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, NCMP, FAND


Ms. Schonberg currently owns Enlighten U Nutrition Consulting where she offers valuable RDN services to recreational and professional athletes, dancers and performing artists, women in midlife and menopause, and individuals with disordered eating concerns. Formerly an RDN with the Emily Program, a disordered eating treatment program, in Minnesota, she started the first ACEND accredited eating disorder dietetic internship. She has also worked with Division 1 women gymnasts and professional dances to promote optimal nutrition for sport. She was invited to join the Minnesota Dance Medicine Foundation and in 2019, was asked to the nutrition consultant for the women’s multidisciplinary clinic at Emory Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, in Atlanta, GA. She has also provided pro – bono nutrition education for Dakota Woodlands homeless shelter in Eagen, MN. Val Schonberg has excelled in her career promoting healthy eating to women in various settings and is continuing to blaze new trails moving forward.

Emerging Professional in Women’s Health -Kanisha Neal, RD, CLEC, Birth Doula

Ms. Neal currently serves as the Diversity Liaison for the WH DPG where she leads and monitors diversity and inclusion grant activities. She has applied for and obtained the Academy’s $1000 Diversity Mini Grant so that WH can continue to facilitate and promote diversity. With these funds, she started the Student Partner Program (SPP) and was able to recruit and also supervise 9 Student Partners who help complete the diversity grant activities, which includes the Candid Conversations series. This series is a sessions of interviews with current dietitians about issues of diversity in the profession.  She also mentors aspiring BIPOC Dietitians. In her professional role, she serves as the Southern California WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator. Kanisha is a tireless advocate for women and children, especially those underrepresented groups.

Outstanding Student in Women’s Health - Zul Franchesca Panganiban

Miss Panganiban is a student at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She currently serves the WH DPG as a Student Partner for diversity and inclusion. She has a passion for promoting diversity especially through honoring food customs. She was a co-facilitator of Candid Conversations, a series of interviews with practicing dietitians that revolved around promoting diversity and inclusion in the profession of dietetics. Ms. Panganiban has shown a great deal of professionalism and poise in her current student work and will be a strong asset to the profession in her future.

        

        

2020 Winners

  • Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health -Megan McMillin, MS, RDN, CSP, LDN, IBCLC
  • Emerging Professional in Women’s Health -Trisha Cousins EdD, RDN, LDN
  • Outstanding Students in Women’s Health - Hannah Burgoon

2019 Winners

  • Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health - Mara Vitolins, DrPH, MPH, RDN
  • Emerging Professional in Women’s Health - Melissa Groves, RDN
  • Outstanding Students in Women’s Health - Jeani Hunt-Gibbon and Manisha Pise 

2018 Winners

  • Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health - Jean Tiffany Cox, MS, RD, LN
  • Emerging Professional in Women’s Health - Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC

2017 Winners

  • Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health -Helen Lane, PhD, RD
  • Emerging Professional in Women’s Health -Kendra Tolbert, MS, RDN, CLC, CDN

2016 Winners

  • Excellence in Practice in Women’s Health - Lisa Akers, MS, RDN, IBCLC, RLC, FAND (Video)
  • Emerging Professional in Women’s Health - Traci Briant Causey, MS, MBA, SNS
  • Outstanding Students in Women’s Health - Lee Crosby (Video) & Leila Shinn (Video)