Sonja L. Connor is the new president of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (AND)
Next we head to the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, which has elected Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Sonja L. Connor, research associate professor in the department of medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), as its president.
Connor, who began her new role on June 1 and will serve until May 31, 2015, is the director of the nutrition elective for medical students at OHSU, as well as the developer of the nutrition course for physician assistant students. Previously, she was a research dietitian at the University of Iowa Clinical Research Center.
She said: “Now is the time for the Academy and our members to move our profession forward, increase the recognition of registered dietitian nutritionists and dietetic technicians, registered as the food and nutrition experts – in our workplaces, in our communities, nationally and internationally.”
Connor, who is best known for her research on omega-3 fatty acids and the developing brain and retina (which helped lead to the addition of DHA to infant formula), has published dozens of scientific research papers on healthful eating to reduce the risk of coronary disease and other chronic diseases.
