Outstanding Dietitian of the Year, Hydee E. Becker, MS, RDN, LD
The Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics proudly recognizes Hydee E. Becker, MS, RDN, LD, as the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year for 2023. This Award recognizes members who have demonstrated leadership in the affiliate or employment through research, education, management, or legislation. Recipients of this Award have also served as outstanding role models of professionalism and as a source of inspiration to others in nutrition and dietetics.
Nomination Letter:
Hydee has been instrumental in preparing dietitians to meet Idaho workforce needs since joining the U of I faculty. Over the past eight years, Hydee has led the dietetics program at the University of Idaho through many changes and challenges with grace and grit. The loss of a dear colleague, Samantha Ramsey, in 2017 rocked both the program and our professional world. Hydee held tight to the program, students, and our professional community to help many overcome that difficult time. She navigated the waters of transitioning the dietetics program from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree option, all while supporting current students and preceptors. Oh, and this occurred during a pandemic!
The Idaho dietetics profession benefits from Hydee’s engagement and involvement in national dietetic practice groups, our state organization, and local dietetic professional groups. Steady contributions are a constant of her professional leadership. Hydee’s calm and quiet style of getting things done might escape the notice of some – she does not seek the limelight. Her gifts and contributions to the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have not escaped notice, and her actions have benefitted the entire dietetics profession in Idaho.
Andrea M. Jeffery, MS, RDN, LD, Emerging Dietetic Leader
The Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is proud to recognize Andrea M. Jeffery, MS, RDN, LD, as the Emerging Dietetic Leader for 2023. This Award recognizes members who have demonstrated initiative and leadership in the affiliate or employment through research, education, management, or legislation. Recipients of this Award are recognized for their strong leadership skills, regardless of their age, who are at the beginning of their dietetics careers.
Nomination Letter:
Andrea has been active in the Academy of Nutrition and the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. On a national level, she served as the State Coordinator for the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. In this role, she participated in the Nutrition and Dietetics Advocacy Summit (2022) and Child Nutrition Advocacy Day (2021). During Andrea’s time as the State Policy Representative, she coordinated and led a coalition of RDNs and MS/Dietetic Interns that met with Idaho Governor Brad Little for the proclamation signings of National Nutrition Month and National RND Day.
For the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, she has been active in planning the Annual Meeting, including serving as Chair of the Fundraising Committee in 2021 and as a member of the same committee in 2019.
Andrea has contributed to research projects, including analyzing the efficacy of a Fruit and Vegetable prescription program, culminating in a poster presentation and a peer-reviewed journal article. Andrea actively contributed to the research project on the Anti-inflammatory Diet for Women with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome. That project also culminated in poster sessions and a peer-reviewed article.
Andrea’s work experience includes teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses at Idaho State University. As an undergraduate student, graduate student, and new practitioner, Andrea has demonstrated superior leadership in legislation, education, research, and management. She is the epitome of what the Emerging Dietetic Leader Award captures.
Lea C. Steiner, MS, RDN, LD, CSG – Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year
The Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is proud to recognize Lea C. Steiner as the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year for 2023. This Award recognizes members 35 years and younger who have demonstrated leadership in the affiliate or employment through research, education, management, or legislation. Recipients of this Award have also demonstrated concern for promoting the population’s optimal health and nutritional status.
Nomination Letter:
Lea is committed to the dietetics community nationally and locally.
Lea serves on the Commission on Dietetics Registration Specialist Certification Taskforce and writes exam content for the CSG specialty certification. In addition to her involvement with CDR specialty certifications, she serves on the IAND board as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation Chair.
Lea has been actively involved in the IAND annual meeting planning this year.
An example of her commitment to the Idaho Academy Board, in 2022, Lea presented as a telehealth panelist speaker at the IAND yearly meeting less than a week after having a baby!
Lea has been involved with the Idaho Special Olympics Healthy Athletes in the community.
In addition to her commitments to leadership, education, community, and research, Lea goes above and beyond for her patients at the Idaho VA. She often spearheads quality improvement projects to improve patient safety or quality of care at the VA. This year she was working to address food insecurity for veterans. She has been working with the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force and hopes to pilot a produce prescription program starting this spring. In the past, she has obtained grant funding to initiate a telehealth program for nutrition education and cook-along classes so that patients could increase fruit and vegetable intake and improve chronic disease. Veterans love these classes because it helps make eating vegetables quick, easy, and affordable.
Lea is working on a doctoral degree. Lea’s thesis work was accepted as a poster presenter for the ASPEN nutrition conference. She has published in peer-reviewed journals.
Lea is a beloved clinical preceptor for dietetic interns for over five years. She also precepts University of Washington medical students and residents and often presents at grand rounds or noon conferences for providers she works with at the VA. Last year her grand rounds co-presentation on fad diets was the most well-attended grand rounds of the year.
Lea’s future is bright, and the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics looks forward to her continued growth and contributions to our profession.
RoseAnna B. Holliday, PhD, MPH, RDN, LD, FAND – Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Lifetime Achievement Award 2023.
The Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is proud to recognize, RoseAnna B. Holliday, PhD, MPH, RDN, LD, FAND, as the recipient of the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Lifetime Achievement Award. This award formerly known as the June Yerrington Award is the highest honor the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics bestows on one of its members.
The Award honors an Idaho Academy member who has contributed to the profession through extensive, active participation and service to the profession of nutrition and dietetics.
The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award is someone whose unique contributions have created new opportunities for registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered; inspired others to take on leadership roles; and promoted the Idaho Academy’s mission, vision, and goals.
Three letters of nomination are required for this award. Below is information from each letter:
Nomination Letter #1:
This award also honors the respect the recipient has earned from his or her colleagues. RoseAnna has the traits of a leader in our profession.
I have known RoseAnna for almost 30 years, and I have seen firsthand how she leads with confidence, intelligence, positivity, and fun. When RoseAnna was President of the Idaho Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, she coined the phrase “better together.”
RoseAnna has served our affiliate as our State Media Representative, President-elect/President/Past President, and Affiliate Delegate.
In 2012, RoseAnna and other IAND Presidents started a tradition of presenting to the Idaho House and Senate Health & Welfare Committees. The groundwork laid by RoseAnna, and others were critical when the Board of Medicine submitted an update to our State Licensure Statute in 2017. The contacts RoseAnna and others made with Idaho Legislators made the difference in the “Hail Mary” effort to pass the revisions to our Idaho Statute.
RoseAnna and many Idaho RDNs were at the Idaho State Capitol in April of 2017 when Governor C. Butch Otter signed the legislation. IAND wants all Idaho RDNs to know how hard our members worked on the revisions to the Dietitian Licensure Statute. Members such as RoseAnna recognize the importance of speaking up for our profession.
RoseAnna served as our Affiliate Delegate from 2015-2021. She stepped forward and served as a Table Facilitator and Culture team member. Today, RoseAnna is a respected member of the HLT (House Leadership Team), and she is helping to put Idaho on the map.
In 2022, RoseAnna chaired the Fundraising Committee for the Idaho Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. RoseAnna and her committee raised over $2400 for RDs2B. They also had a lot of fun working together.
Nomination Letter #2:
RoseAnna has an impressive resume with experience and service in several areas. She was a public health dietitian at the Idaho Central District Department of Health, a grant coordinator for the Idaho Department of Education, and worked in public relations and consumer communications at Fleishman-Hillard and Midwest Dairy Association, respectively. RoseAnna served as Chair for the Department of Health Sciences and Human Services at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) for eight years. Currently, RoseAnna is a Professor in the Department of Biology at CSI, where she teaches a variety of nutrition-related courses. She also served on the St. Luke’s Magic Valley Health Foundation Board where she was a past chair. RoseAnna’s most recent accomplishment was being selected as the current Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics House of Delegates Director. Her colleagues and I are so proud of her.
It is not surprising that RoseAnna is the recipient of multiple awards for all her amazing contributions to the dietetics field: Idaho Academy’s Outstanding Dietitian of the Year in 2015, Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2014, Kansas City and Idaho Dietetic Associations’ Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year in 2002 and 1999, respectively. In addition, RoseAnna was named Miss Idaho in 1993!
Nomination Letter #3:
RoseAnna is enthusiastic, dedicated, knowledgeable, forward-thinking, and exudes passion for the dietetics field in which she serves. Her enthusiasm and passion are contagious, which only makes us, as Idaho dietitians, better. We are better together! As demonstrated by her dedication and excellent work to move dietetics forward on a local and national level, RoseAnna Holliday truly deserves the Idaho Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Lifetime Achievement award.