CHICAGO – Registered dietitian nutritionist Kevin L. Sauer, professor in the department of food, nutrition, dietetics and health at Kansas State University and co-director of the national Center for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs, began his one-year term on June 1 as the 2021-2022 President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.
Sauer specializes in administrative dietetics and has previous experience in health care and food and nutrition services, school nutrition, and university dining. He is an accomplished educator and researcher who has been honored locally and nationally for his work. His honors include Kansas State University’s Mary Ruth Bedford Distinguished Faculty Award; the K-State Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching; the Kansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2015 Distinguished Dietitian of the Year Award; and the Academy’s 2019 Mentoring Award and Outstanding Educator Award.
“Achieving positive change is a collective effort, requiring a capacity among diverse individuals and groups to think strategically, raise critical questions and advance effective, efficient solutions. Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Directors approved a revitalized Strategic Plan to prioritize programs and initiatives in areas where the Academy will focus efforts to accelerate progress towards achieving our vision and mission,” Sauer said.
“Four new overarching, organization-wide goals that address inclusion, diversity, equity and access, known as IDEA, have been incorporated into the Strategic Plan. The goals will form the foundation of an IDEA action plan. The Board empowered the Academy’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee to make recommendations to support this important work,” Sauer said.
“As the global leaders in improving and safeguarding the nutritional health of all people, we continue to be tireless advocates for universal access to the lifesaving benefits everyone can obtain by working with registered dietitian nutritionists, especially in the prevention and treatment of common and costly chronic diseases,” Sauer said.
Sauer’s extensive service to the Academy includes former chair of the Commission on Dietetic Registration and the CDR’s Examination Panel as well as the chair of the 2020 CDR RDN/NDTR Entry-Level Practice Audit. He was a director at-large on the Academy’s Board of Directors in 2017-2020 and served on the Council on Future Practice; House of Delegates Evolution Design Team; Council on Research; Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors Council; Research Priorities and Development Task Force; Code of Ethics Revision Task Force and the Academy Foundation’s Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems collaborative. Sauer served as the Academy’s president-elect in 2020-2021.
Sauer earned undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees from Kansas State University.
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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 the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.
