Awards Recognise The Best In Health And Nutrition

9 September, 2005

MEDIA RELEASE

Awards Recognise The Best In Health And Nutrition

Outstanding members of the dietetic profession were honoured this week by receiving awards at the New Zealand Dietetic Association (NZDA) annual conference.

The awards evening recognised the achievements of this year’s award winners, while last night was reserved for the surprise announcement of the prestigious NZDA Award of Excellence.

This year’s recipient of the Excellence Award was Penny Field, Director of the University of Otago’s Dietetic Training programme. The Award of Excellence is given to a professional dietitian who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the profession in New Zealand.

Penny Field’s position of Director is a new one, recognising the programme at Otago is world renowned and unique in acknowledging the growing diversity of the profession.

Penny is passionate about nurturing dietetic students and graduates and plays a significant mentoring role at the University. She is currently completing a PhD, focusing on the application of research in nutrition policy making.

Her nominating colleagues said of Penny, “She believes in teaching for tomorrow, and the profession is particularly indebted to her leadership of the dietetic training programme and her contribution to the Dietitians’ Board for so many years.”

Karen Fukofuka received this year’s Nestlé Young Achiever Award. Karen is recognised for performing well outside the realms of an ordinary workload, having completed her dietetic training at the same time as working in both paid and voluntary dietetic positions, and raising a family of seven!

Karen holds various positions on nutrition-related Boards and Committees, and her advice and guidance on the health and nutrition of Pacific Islanders is extremely valuable.

For outstanding diligence and dedication to the study of dietetics, Susan Cook received this year’s Bernice Kelly award for Top All Round Student. Susan also received the Spotless Award for Top Academic Student.

NZDA president, Helen Wallwork, said the recipients were all outstanding. “We were absolutely thrilled to have such a high calibre of nominees this year, and it was with great pleasure we were able to honour our profession in this way.”

“The NZDA would like to thank all award sponsors for recognising the importance of dietetics and for making the awards possible.”

A full list of awards, recipients, and sponsors follows:

NZDA Awards 2005

Award Recipient Sponsor

Young Achiever Award Karen Fukofuka Nestlé

Abbott Award Alex Chisholme, Julian Jensen Abbott and Education Trust Fund

Abbott and Ed Trust Awards Ingrid Perols, Jenny Hayward (NZDA Central District) Abbott and Education Trust Fund

Bernice Kelly Award – Top All Round Student Susan Cook Bernice Kelly

Spotless Award – Top Academic Student Susan Cook Spotless Services (NZ) Ltd

Neige Todhunter Award Amy Pettigrew (Masters in Science in Human Nutrition) Neige Todhunter

Nutricia Auspen Award Paul Rigby Nutricia Auspen

Award of Excellence Penny Field NZDA

ENDS

About the NZDA

The New Zealand Dietetic Association, founded in 1943, is the professional Association for registered dietitians and associated professionals. New Zealand registered dietitians are registered by the Dietitians’ Board. Members of NZDA work within a professional code of ethics.

For more information visit: www.dietitians.org.nz

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