Award Archives

2021 Award Winners

SCAN Achievement Award Winner

Mark Kern PhD, RD, CSSD

Mark Kern, PhD, RD, CSSD is a Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences and Coordinator of Foods and Nutrition at San Diego State University. He completed his BS and MS degrees in Nutrition Science at Indiana University and his PhD in Foods and Nutrition through the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program at Purdue University in conjunction with the Health, Kinesiology and Leisure Studies Department. He has been a SCAN member since 1995 and has served as Editor-in-Chief of PULSE since 2003. He has also previously served as a member of the Executive Committee and chaired the Nomination Committee and has been a presenter at the annual Symposium. His areas of professional interest include the independent and interactive effects of diet and exercise on risk factors for chronic disease, appetite/weight regulation, and athletic performance. His research has been funded by the USDA, American Heart Association, and numerous food commodity boards.

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SCAN Achievement Award Winner

Cheryl Toner, MS, RDN

Cheryl Toner, MS, RDN is a leader in food, health, and communications, with a passion for building collaborative solutions to food system challenges. She is currently the Director of Food Sector Engagement for the American Heart Association. She earned a BS in nutrition at the University of Houston with a minor in Spanish and MS in nutrition at Texas Woman’s University and completed her dietetic internship at the Houston Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center.

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SCAN Distinguished Scholar Award Winner

Karen Daigle MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS

Karen Daigle is a Performance Dietitian and Officer in the U.S. Army. She has supported the establishment of military Human Performance Programs and facilitated the creation of full-time Sport/Performance Dietitian positions within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the U.S. Army. Karen has served as a Sport Dietitian and Physiologist with Team USA and as a Human Performance Program Director with Army Special Operations Forces. She has deployed in support of numerous military operations during her 24 years of service spanning the Navy, Air National Guard, and Army.

Karen is a Certified Specialist in Sport Dietetics, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator. She received her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from Louisiana State University and her master’s degrees in Movement Science and Food and Nutrition form Florida State University.

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SCAN Excellence in Practice Award Winner

Lindzi Torres MPH, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ACSM EC-P

Lindzi currently serves on active duty at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, as the Operations Officer for the Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron, USAF. In addition, she serves as the military Chair for the DoD Performance Nutrition Working Group. She established the first AF active duty Performance Dietitian position and Performance Nutrition program for the Special Warfare (Air Force Special Operations) training enterprise overseeing a team of 9 nutrition professionals, $1.1M annual operation budget in support of 560 operators and support staff, 1.1K trainees, over 16 programs across 10 states. Lindzi has experience in various areas of dietetics, to include health promotion, public health nutrition, clinical dietetics, disordered eating, and sports/performance nutrition. She managed the largest overseas USAF health and wellness center nutrition program and deployed for 6 months to Afghanistan in support of Operation: ENDURING FREEDOM as the sole dietitian for all US military and coalition forces in theatre.

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SCAN Student Award Winner

Peter Pace MS, CSCS

Peter is a currently completing his dietetic internship at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, NY in conjunction with graduate coursework at New York University. Before entering the combined dietetic internship/graduate program, Peter earned his master’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also holds two undergraduate degrees, one from Arizona State University in Nutrition and Dietetics, and another from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Business Management where he was a collegiate football player. Throughout his academic pursuits he has held leadership roles in both campus and community organizations, worked as a research assistant in both nutrition & exercise physiology labs, and maintained employment as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. He was also able to gain hands on experience in sports nutrition as a volunteer with Rutgers University’s performance nutrition team. Peter plans on utilizing his expertise in nutrition & exercise physiology to optimize the performance of our Nation’s Special Operations Soldiers.

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SCAN Graduate Student Research Grant (Wellness) Winner

Shannon Herbert MS, RD

Mentor: Kathleen Woolf PhD, RD, FACSM

Living with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Effect on Relationships with Food and Dietary Intake Patterns

Shannon Herbert, MS, RD is a registered dietitian, yoga instructor, and first year doctoral student in the Nutrition and Dietetics program at New York University (New York, NY). Her research interests lie in understanding how lifestyle behaviors (diet, physical activity) may impact chronic disease, with the hope of developing lifestyle interventions that support and promote lifelong well-being. Her research is focused on exploring and developing lifestyle interventions for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Shannon aims to explore the experiences of women with PCOS, with a focus on their relationship with food and their dietary intake patterns. Shannon received her bachelor’s of science degree in Global Public Health & Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as her master’s of science degree in Clinical Nutrition, from New York University. She completed her dietetic internship at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in Bronx, NY.

SCAN Practitioner Sports Research Grant Winner

Diane DellaValle PhD, RDN, CSSD
Associate Professor/Research Dietitian, King’s College

Improving the iron status of collegiate athletes with the Lucky Iron Fish

Diane M. DellaValle earned her doctorate in human nutrition with minors in human epidemiology and community nutrition from Cornell University. She also earned a master’s degree in nutritional sciences from The Pennsylvania State University and completed her BS in Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietetic Internship (Coordinated Program) at Marywood University. Since earning her doctorate, Diane has served in multiple research and faculty positions in the US government and academia, and is currently at King’s College where she teaches in an online graduate program. Dr. DellaValle is a member of several national organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Society for Nutrition. Her research program focuses on iron deficiency and its functional outcomes in athletes and non-athletes, and its impacts on cognitive and physical performance, as well as ways to enhance iron concentration and bioavailability of diets around the globe. You can read more about Diane’s background and research here.

SCAN Practitioner Sports Research Grant Winner

Kelly Pritchett PhD, RDN, CSSD
Associate Professor, Central Washington University

Risk of Low Energy Availability and Menstrual Dysfunction in College Age Female Runners

Kelly Pritchett is an Associate Professor in Nutrition and Exercise Science at Central Washington University. As a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, she has consulted with both elite and collegiate athletes as well as with active individuals. While in college, she competed on the swimming and diving team at the University of Alabama. Pritchett serves on the leadership committee of the Academy's Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition dietetic practice group as the Education Coordinator, and served as a National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Pritchett is an active member of the American College of Sports Medicine. She has authored research articles for scientific journals and presented at regional and national conferences. Her current research interests include post exercise nutrition for recovery, vitamin D and the athlete, and energy availability in spinal cord injured athletes. In her spare time, she enjoys running and spending time with her three active boys.

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Past SCAN Dietetic Internship Award Recipients:

2020 Camilla Ahlqvist
2020 Thea Boatswain
2020 Jenny Litchford
2020 Teresa Patten
2020 Katya Wolf

Past Distinguished Ambassador Award Recipients:

2009 Dan Riley
2011 Patricia M. Babjak
2017 Ralph La Forge

Past Sports Dietetics-USA Meritorious Service Award Recipients:

2010 Suzanne Girard Eberle

Award Archives

2021 Award Winners

SCAN Achievement Award Winner

Mark Kern PhD, RD, CSSD

SCAN Achievement Award Winner

Cheryl Toner, MS, RDN

SCAN Distinguished Scholar Award Winner

Karen Daigle MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS

SCAN Excellence in Practice Award Winner

Lindzi Torres MPH, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ACSM EC-P

SCAN Student Award Winner

Peter Pace MS, CSCS

SCAN Graduate Student Research Grant (Wellness) Winner

Shannon Herbert MS, RD

SCAN Practitioner Sports Research Grant Winner

Diane DellaValle PhD, RDN, CSSDAssociate Professor/Research Dietitian, King’s College

SCAN Practitioner Sports Research Grant Winner

Kelly Pritchett PhD, RDN, CSSDAssociate Professor, Central Washington University

Past SCAN Dietetic Internship Award Recipients:

Past Distinguished Ambassador Award Recipients:

Past Sports Dietetics-USA Meritorious Service Award Recipients:

Diane DellaValle PhD, RDN, CSSD
Associate Professor/Research Dietitian, King’s College

Kelly Pritchett PhD, RDN, CSSD
Associate Professor, Central Washington University