Academy Honors Seven Members with Medallion Awards in Recognition of Service

October 21, 2026

CHICAGO – The 2026 Medallion Award recipients will be honored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics during the 2026 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo^® in San Antonio, Texas, October 24-27. For five decades, the Medallion Awards have celebrated the dedication and high standards of the nutrition and dietetics profession of Academy members. The Medallion Award recipients are honored for their participation, leadership and devotion to others in the field of nutrition and dietetics and allied health professions.

The 2026 Medallion Award honorees are:

Joan Salge Blake, EdD, MS, RD, LDN, FAND, Sudbury, Mass.
Salge Blake, an Academy member since 1983, is the director of Nutrition Programs at Boston University. She served in a variety of leadership roles with the Academy, including ANDPAC Board of Directors member, National Media Spokesperson for the Academy, and Committee of Lifelong Learning member, as well as held multiple roles with the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Sharon Cox, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND, Waxhaw, N.C.
Cox, an Academy member since 1981, is a distinguished nutrition and healthcare executive with more than 35 years of sustained, high-impact contributions to the profession of dietetics. She is currently the chair of the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN) Member Interest Group (MIG) and has held several leadership roles with the Academy, including member of the Board of Directors and House Leadership Team, member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Taskforce, and chair of the Nominating Committee.

Linda Farr, RND, LD, FAND, Greensboro, Ga.
Farr, an Academy member since 1974, has expertise in a variety of practice settings, including food service management, clinical nutrition, entrepreneurship, and private practice ownership. She has served as Academy President and was also a member of the Academy Board of Directors and House of Delegates and held multiple leadership roles with the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, South Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Dallas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Yvonne D. Greer, DrPH, RD, CD, Milwaukee, Wis.
Greer, an Academy member since 1977, is currently an adjunct instructor for the Integrated Master’s in Nutrition Program at Mount Mary University. A respected leader whose work bridges nutrition science, education, and community impact, she has served in a number of roles with the Academy, including the House of Delegates and Board of Directors, as well as with the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN) and Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic Association.

Denise Baird Schwartz, MS, RD, FADA, FAND, FASPEN, Studio City, Calif.
Baird Schwartz, an Academy member since 1973, spent the majority of her career at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, where she was the Nutrition Support Coordinator for 18 years before retiring. She continues to dedicate her time and expertise to the nutrition and dietetics profession, especially her passion for clinical ethics and its dissemination to all RDNs and NDTRs.

Stella G. Uzogara, PhD, MS, RDN, LDN, CFS, FAND, Lexington, Mass.
Uzogara, an Academy member since 2007, is a dedicated life scientist whose career spans public policy, science education, and public health. Most recently, she served as a science and technology policy fellow within the U.S. government, contributing her expertise in both the legislative branch at the U.S. House of Representatives and the executive branch at the National Science Foundation. She served as a Diversity Leader and Mentor in Nutrition and Health for the Academy's Diversity Leaders Program, was Director of Education for the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and was a mentor for the National Organization for Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN).

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RDN, LD, Marietta, Ga.
Zelman, an Academy member since 1976, has utilized her leadership, advocacy, and exceptional communication skills to elevate the visibility and credibility of evidence-based nutrition science across the country. She has served as an Academy Board of Directors member, member of the Academy's Licensure Task Force, and was also a National Media Spokesperson for the Academy. She has also served in numerous roles with the Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

More information is available on the Academy's 2026 national honors and award winners.