Donna Martin, EdS, RDN, LD, FAND
President-electPOSITION | Skills/Attributes associated with the position | Examples of how I have demonstrated outcomes for each skill/attribute that qualify me for the position |
President-elect |
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• Served on the Board of Directors for four years. • Received approval for a balance AND budget that was first challenged by the BOD who wanted to add in “pet projects”. • Testified in front of the House of Representatives Education and Workforce Committee on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. I was the only individual, out of four witnesses testifying, who represented the stance of the Academy on the issues. I focused on the potential we had to change a whole generation's eating habits. • Led a school district through all changes that have been made in the National School Lunch/Breakfast Program over the years. • Met with Michelle Obama in the White House to discuss her”Let’s Move” Campaign and how to bring about change in the National School Lunch Program. • Started a “Farm to School” Program. • Currently oversee a 4 million dollar budget and 60 employees with diverse backgrounds and education. |
Employer | Title | Years Employed |
Burke County Board of Education | School Nutrition Director | 14 |
Richmond County Board of Education | School Nutrition Director | 9 |
Augusta Area Dietetic Internship | Internship Director | 11 |
Leadership Position | Organization | Years Involved in the Organization | My specific leadership contributions, achievements and outcomes: | Leadership Skills used in this position: |
Treasurer | Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | - | As Treasurer of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics I had three main goals that I wanted to accomplish while in office. The first goal was to educate the Academy Board, the House of Delegates, and the membership about the financial status of the Academy and its various organizational units. I sought to not only teach them how to read and understand financial statements and budgets, but also emphasized the importance of these to the future of the Academy and profession. One of my main focuses was to educate on the differences between revenue generated for the budget; dues revenue and non-dues revenue. Additionally, I made it a priority to educate the board about potential decisions and how each would affect the health of our budget long term. As a result of this educational process, the board is much more engaged and knowledgeable about financial decisions made. The second goal was to change the composition of the Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) to give it more continuity. After much discussion, the committee decided that the Treasurer position would be a three year commitment with a Treasurer elect, Treasurer, and Past Treasurer on the board to provide this stability. To help with this as well, we are also in the process of changing the two appointed members, who currently have a two year term, to three members with staggered three year terms. My final goal was to make the Treasurer’s position a much more sought after position by emphasizing the opportunities attained in this position, as well as the importance of finance in this field. This has led to a greater interest in the Treasurer-elect position. | |
Newsletter Editor | School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group | - | When I started as Newsletter Editor, the Newsletter was only 4 pages long and mostly consisted of budget information and annual reports. I was newsletter Editor for 3 years and by the end of my term the newsletter was 12-18 pages long. I recruited a committee to submit articles for the newsletter based on several sections, including, Hot Topics, Wellness, Legislation, Member Spotlight and Best Practices. The newsletter became one of the top rated benefits of membership by the practice group members. Having a committee also allowed me to train someone to take over as Newsletter Chair when I went on to serve as the Electronics Communication Chair. | |
Electronic Communications Chair | School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group | - | This position was for the Electronic Communications Chair of the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group. When I first came onboard with this group, they had a very outdated website and did not have the ability to send out eblasts. I immediately investigated several “eblast” communication systems and found the most inexpensive program that would meet our needs. I trained myself on how to use the system, and then proceeded to upload and maintain all of the addresses for the practice group members. I also developed a system to send eblasts in a way that would not put them in the “spam” email category. I then wrote a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids for a new website. With this new RFP, a vendor and I worked together to create a website that was more modern and user-friendly. With these changes, traffic increased tremendously. I updated the site regularly and ensured that all requests were answered within 24 hours. This new website became the members’ favorite component of the membership. |
What do you see as opportunities for the future of the nutrition and dietetics profession?
I believe the field of nutrition and dietetics is growing tremendously. This gives nutrition professionals ample opportunity to lead the way in eliminating malnutrition, decreasing chronic diseases, increasing food security, and exploring the intersection of agriculture, nutrition and health. We have the authentic opportunity to make a difference in not only improving people’s quality of food, but also improving their quality of life.
Campaign Statement
The Academy is at a tipping point on the cusp of our 100th Birthday. Moving together, we can reach even higher ground as a major player in critical nutrition issues, leading to healthier individuals, a healthier country, and a healthier world.