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President's April 2006 Message
Dear fellow FDA members,
It's the last week of the legislative session
and our lobbying team Larry Gonzalez and Sandy
Woodruff, MS, RD have been extremely busy attending
meetings, speaking to legislators and key staff,
suggesting language for bills, meeting with bill
sponsors, and keeping an eye on anything and everything
that may affect the profession of dietetics. We're
very lucky to have these two professionals on
our side in Tallahassee. If dietetics is your
profession, politics is your business.
Other news from the Capital:
- On April 26, 38 participants attended the first
Nutrition Matters – Legislative Workshop in Tallahassee.
Internship programs from the University of Florida
led by Gail Kauwell, PhD RD, University of North
Florida led by Catherine Christie, PHD RD, Mayo
Clinic/St. Luke’s Hospital led by Sherry Mahoney,
RD the Department of Education led by Richard Parks,
RD and the James Haley Veteran’s Hospital led by
Anne Brezina, MS RD were represented. Participants
heard about the legislative process from FDA lobbyist
Larry Gonzalez, current nutrition matters (bills
under consideration) from FDA RD Lobbyist Sandy
Woodruff, MS RD, and visited the capital, saw a
bill signed into law by the governor and saw both
the House and the Senate in session. A huge thank
you goes to Toni Martin, MPH RD for her conception,
organization, planning and orchestration of this
very memorable day. Many thanks are also due to
President- Elect Molly Gladding, RD and Executive
Director Chris Stapell, MS RD for their significant
contributions to the day’s events.
- Sandy Woodruff, MS RD, Chris Stapell, MS RD, and
I met with Karen Murphy of the Governor's staff
to follow-up on the National Governor's Conference
meeting and discuss nutrition priorities in the
state of Florida.
- I represented FDA at the Leadership Council Inaugural
Meeting for the Florida Physical Activity and Healthful
Nutrition Network (FPAHNN) in Tallahassee on Thursday
April 27. The DOH is establishing a network of interested
parties who want to work on the obesity issue in
Florida. This network will be broad and all encompassing.
Details on how you can be a part of this effort
will be forthcoming.
- Thank you to all of you who wrote or called or
emailed your legislators to voice your support of
AHEC. Your voices were heard and their funding was
restored in the appropriations bill. Let’s hope
nothing changes in this last week!
- FDA is working on scheduling an "idea raiser"
at our FDA annual meeting in Orlando. 100ideas.org
was created by Rep. Marco Rubio (R-Miami) to collect
ideas for the future agenda of the House of Representatives.
Our idea raiser will focus on the obesity epidemic
we hope that many of you attending our meeting will
come and bring your innovative ideas. The guidelines
for submitting ideas include:
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They
should be relevant to everyday life. Every
idea should speak to the hopes and anxieties
of real Floridians.
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Every
idea should be about the future. They should
not just make Florida a better place to
live and work today, but also a better place
to live and work for our children 20 years
from now and their children as well.
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No
idea should unnecessarily expand the role
of government.
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Welcome
to our newest FDA team member, Jacque Rudd!
Jacque started April 10th as our new Administrative
Assistant. She comes to us from the State of
Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation. Jacque
works Monday – Thursday 1:00 pm to 5:00pm. Look
for her and our new bookkeeper, Cindy Crisp,
at our upcoming annual meeting in July.
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The
May FOCUS is in the mail so look for it in your
mailbox and on the website by May 10th. Thanks
again to Joan Williams, RD, Focus Editor for
her excellent compiling, formatting, and editing
skills.
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FDA
was featured in the Spring 2006 edition of the
Affiliate Update regarding the project and development
of our online Manual of Medical Nutrition Therapy.
Congratulations to headquarters for their submission
of this important project and thanks to all
members who contributed and made our manual
such a quality product.
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FDA
has submitted fifty member names for a listing
of Florida Advanced Level Practitioners compiled
by CDR. The characteristics or functions of
these dietitians included: integration of practice
with research and education, functioning with
a high degree of professional autonomy and independent
practice, advanced skills in problem solving,
decision making, and reasoning, recognition
as an expert resource, demonstration of global
vision and initiative in approaching their practice,
and possessing advanced education and training.
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Scholarship
applications are still available on the FDA
web site at www.eatrightflorida.org. Please
pass these on to worthy students you know.
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District
National Nutrition Month submissions will be
judged this month and recognition will be given
at our upcoming annual meeting in July.
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Mark your calendars for July 9th-12th for the
FDA annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton Grande
Lakes in Orlando. You should have received your
FDA annual meeting program in the mail. Hotel
rooms are filling up fast. It will be a great
time so plan to join us in Orlando at the Ritz!
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FDA
Annual Meeting in Orlando will again include
a Poster session on Tuesday July 11 from 12:30-2:30.
This is your chance to showcase your research
project, community program, or outcomes research.
Look on the FDA website for details about applying
to be a part of our Poster Session this summer.
The deadline for submission is May 8th.
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Also
at the annual meeting on Monday July 10, you
can meet and greet FDA authors. If you have
written a book and want to participate in our
first ever FDA presents Meet Florida's Authors,
contact Chris at FDA headquarters for details.
All we ask is a copy of your book to use for
the foundation basket fund raiser.
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For
those of you who like to plan ahead, FDA has
signed with the Boca Raton Resort and Club for
annual meeting 2008 and the Naples Grande for
2009.
As always, let me know if you have issues, questions,
comments, or concerns. I love hearing from you.
Let's hope the last week of the legislature is
a productive one for all of us!
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