Nominations and Elections

2026 Election Ballot

The Academy Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the candidates for the 2026 national ballot, chosen from many excellent nominees. Candidates' biographical information will be posted on the election website next month. Thanks to all who participated in the nominations process. The election will occur January 20-27, 2026.

Academy Board of Directors

President-elect
Amanda Goldman, MS, RD, LD, FAND (Ky.)
Young Hee Kim, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND (Conn.)

Treasurer-elect
Vicky Flaig, MEd, RDN (Calif.)
Leslene Gordon, PhD, RDN, LDN (Fla.)

House of Delegates Speaker-elect
Joanne Graham, PhD, RD (Calif.)
Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, LD, FAND (Texas)

Director-At-Large
Sangeeta Shrivastava, MS, PhD, RDN, FAND (Calif.)
Christina Valentine, MD, MS, RDN (Ohio)

House of Delegates Director
Lorna Fuller, PhD, RDN, LD (Ohio)
Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND (Calif.)

Academy House of Delegates

House of Delegates At Large Delegate, NDTR*
Sami Hupp, NDTR (Ohio)

Academy Nominating Committee

National Leader (two open positions)
Lucy Balogun, MPA, RD, LD (Ga.)
Allison Koch, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN (Ill.)
April Stull, PhD, RDN, FAND (Texas)

*The Nominating Committee strives to have at least two candidates for each elected position, as outlined in Academy Nominations and Elections policy . However, after thorough review of all nominees and their qualifications, only one candidate fully met the established criteria for this role.

Your Vote Is Your Voice!

Each year, the Academy holds national elections to select new leaders who will guide our mission and help shape the future of the profession. This is a vital opportunity to engage in organizational governance by nominating candidates and casting votes for national leadership positions.

What's New This Year

There are two key changes to the national election process for 2026:

1. Updated Election Timeline: To encourage greater participation and better align with other association activities, the 2026 election timeline has been modified. Specifically, elections will be held earlier in the calendar year (January 20 – 27, 2026) and the voting period will now last one week instead of two.
2. Separate Elections for the Commission on Dietetic Registration: The Academy's certification body will hold its own independent elections and CDR positions will not appear on the national association ballot. However, elections for dietetic practice group (DPG) and member interest group (MIG) leaders will continue to be held with the national election. An Academy voting member who is also a member of a DPG or MIG will see those respective group positions on the ballot when they log in to vote.

Get Involved!

Whether you're nominating a peer, throwing your hat in the ring or voting in the election, your engagement is essential to the continued strength of our association. Learn more about the nominations and elections process. Let's shape the future—together!

Nominations are open to all association members. You may nominate yourself or another qualified member who meets the established criteria for a given leadership position. To be considered, each nominee must accept the nomination and submit a complete nomination packet, which includes a biographical sketch, headshot photographs and a short video introduction.

The Nominating Committee carefully reviews all submitted packets. Nominees are evaluated against clearly defined position qualifications and criteria. Based on these evaluations, selected nominees are invited to participate in virtual interviews. These interviews play an important role in helping the Nominating Committee determine which individuals will be placed on the final ballot.

Once the ballot is announced a short campaigning period begins. Voting members then have the opportunity to cast their votes through a secure online election system.