The Academy was conceptualized as the American Dietetic Association at a meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1917, ultimately leading to its formal incorporation and first central office in Chicago. The Academy's founders were a visionary group of women — led by Lenna F. Cooper and the organization's first president, Lulu C. Graves — dedicated to helping the government conserve food and improve the public's health and nutrition during World War I.
Over one hundred years later, the Academy remains strongly connected to its origins: committed to helping solve the greatest food and nutrition challenges of the day through the transformational power of nutrition. The Academy's 2017 Centennial created a road map that continues to advance the profession and set the stage for the Academy's strategic plan.
Discover more about the Academy as the organization organization heads into the next 100 years.
Explore the Academy as we stand today — our members living out the mission and vision of the organization. Watch our members as they change the health of their communities through nutrition with numerous videos in our Multimedia News Center.
