Academy to Honor Six Members with Medallion Awards in Recognition of Service

October 8, 2025

CHICAGO – The 2025 Medallion Award recipients will be honored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics during the 2025 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo^® in Nashville, Tenn., October 11-14. Since 1976, 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 2025 Medallion Award honorees are:

Keith T. Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND, CDN, New York, N.Y.
Ayoob, an Academy member since 1979, is the Associate Professor Emeritus for the Department of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He served multiple terms as the Academy's Advisor to the American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology Health Professional Advisory Committee and spent nine years as an Academy spokesperson.

Mridul Datta, PhD, MS, RD, LD, FAND, Ames, Iowa
Datta, an Academy member since 1991, is the Clinical Associate Professor for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. She held multiple positions on the Academy's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee, Oncology Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group and Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors.

Sylvia E. Klinger, DBA, MS, RDN, Chicago, Ill.
Klinger, an Academy member since 1984, is Founder, President and CEO of Hispanic & Multicultural Nutrition Communications, LLC. She served in multiple roles across several Academy committees and DPGs, including Dietitians in Business and Communications DPG, International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Diversity Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee.

Sudha Raj, PhD, RDN, FAND, Syracuse, N.Y.
Raj, an Academy member since 1991, is the Teaching Professor and Graduate Program Director for the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at Syracuse University. She is actively involved in various DPGs and MIGs, including Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Nutrition DPG, Global Member Interest Group and Indian Member Interest Group, and has held leadership roles at both the national and state levels.

Hollie Raynor, PhD, RD, LDN, Knoxville, Tenn.
Raynor, an Academy member since 1990, is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She served on the Executive Committee of the Weight Management DPG, contributed to several Evidence Analysis Project Committees, led multiple position papers for the Academy, and represented the Academy in obesity-related conferences and partnerships.

Alyce M. Thomas, RDN, FAND
Thomas, an Academy member since 1980, is a former Nutrition Consultant for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the St. Joseph's University Medical Center. She has held national leadership roles on multiple Academy committees, chaired the Evidence-Based Practice Committee, helped develop the Scientific Integrity Principles, and began her current position as the House of Delegates At-Large Delegate for Retired Members this past June.

More information is available on the Academy's 2025 national honors and award winners.

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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 health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.