Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 28 No. 4 P. 32
Just miles away from Disney World and Magic Kingdom, registered dietitians gathered together in what some might compare to a nutrition wonderland at the 13th annual Today’s Dietitian (TD) Spring Symposium. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort provided the perfect location for nutrition professionals to connect, learn, and soak up the Florida sunshine Orlando offered. After engaging in presentations, dietitians had the opportunity to check out the various sites in the Sunshine State.
Scholarship award winner and first-time attendee Lane Hochschild, MPH, RDN, a Food Farmacy dietitian at St Joseph’s Health in Syracuse, New York, says she was honored to attend the symposium. “I was able to learn and grow from the other dietitians in attendance. It was such a valuable experience for me. I can’t wait for next year.”
The opportunities and professional growth that the symposium provides are what make the four invigorating days so impactful for RDs. Once again, the symposium was filled with energizing group workouts, timely and relevant educational sessions, along with networking events that leave RDs feeling inspired to not just share what they learned on social media, but to actually put it into practice.
Taking Advantage of the Sun
Dietitians who arrived early in Orlando had the opportunity to attend a Saturday evening dinner sponsored by Living Plate. Jeanne Petrucci, MS, RDN, and Allison Harrell, RDN, CCMS, hosted dietitians who wanted to elevate their culinary skills in their presymposium session, “Lead with Impact: Culinary Demo Mastery for Nutrition Professionals.”
“Knowing how not only to speak nutrition but also effectively demo cooking skills live is such a critical skill in community and education focused nutrition, and Jeanne’s event gave was a full-on deep dive into all the aspects we need to know, from food prep and set up, camera work, sound and lighting,” says Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RDN, a Seattle-based dietitian and owner of Food Sense Nutrition. “Being at 4Roots farm was truly a magical experience, and to see and support their work in creating sustainable food systems and community education programs for people in Florida and beyond was incredibly inspiring.”
On Sunday morning, a select few early risers had the opportunity to attend the insightful session “Implementing Culinary Medicine from a Micro to Macro Scale” with Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, and Olivia Thomas, MS, RDN, LDN, with panelists Maggie Moon, MS, RD, and Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN. The speakers shared their expertise in culinary medicine, as well as advice about cookbook creation and design.
New York City-based Kansas State University nutrition student Michelle Nezolosky, MPH, says she found the session helpful. “This session helped me build a strong foundational understanding of culinary medicine concepts, which is important because many related terms are often used interchangeably or confused.”
Fueling Up and Starting Sessions
Sunday kicked off with attendees grabbing their TD goody bags filled with tasty treats and samples from the Symposium sponsors and enjoying complimentary probiotic-rich kefir from Lifeway.
In the opening symposium session, “Harnessing the Power of Your Voice,” Clancy Cash Harrison, MS, RDN, FAND, encouraged RDs to speak up. “I really appreciated the personal touches to the presentation,” says Stuart, Florida, attendee Marisa Hardenbergh, MS, RD, LDN. “Keep storytelling!” Tampa, Florida, dietitian Maura Fowler, MPH, RDN, LDN, was also inspired. “It brought me back to what made me an RD,” she says.
Addressing what has sometimes been viewed as a controversial topic, Jaclyn Klauder, RDN, LD, CEDS, and Stephanie Arnold, MS, RDN, LDN/LD, shared tips and important information about treating patients through recovery and addiction in their session “The Role of Nutrition in Substance Use Disorder Recovery.”
Hershey, Pennsylvania, rehab dietitian Karen Hudson, RDN, says the audience was clearly interested in what Klauder and Arnold had to say. “A lot of people know people who have had substance abuse problems,” she says. “The RD can play a much bigger role because there is so much malnutrition associated with substance abuse.”
The day ended with “Burnout and the Brain” presented by MIND Diet expert Moon, this time speaking with Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN.
“Nutrition is not solving everything, but it’s one piece of the puzzle,” says Oakland, California-based nutrition writer Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN. “The fact is you can’t do exercise or mindfulness without nutrition.”
After three jam-packed sessions, attendees relaxed and rejuvenated with “Tropical Vibes with Joy & LaCroix.” They sipped on the new PineApple CocoNut flavor and listened to steel drum music while Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, demoed two delicious mocktails–Spa Smoothie with LaCroix Blackberry Cucumber and Cherry Lime Spritzer with LaCroix Cherry Lime.
Thought-Provoking Breakfast and Lunch Sessions
Adequate fueling aids learning, so TD Symposium attendees had additional opportunities to soak up even more timely information on some of the hottest topics in nutrition science while they enjoyed a nourishing breakfast or lunch, courtesy of several symposium sponsors.
Breakfast Sessions
Both Monday breakfast sessions centered on a trending topic—fiber. With “fiber-maxxing” taking over TikTok, RDs had the valuable opportunity to get the true scoop on how much fiber we actually need, and if fiber lives up to its current hype.
Symposium speaker Melissa Mitri, MS, RD, says Kate Scarlata’s presentation “The Power of Fiber: Supporting Digestive and Gut Health,” sponsored by Activia®, was one of the most in-depth sessions she’s attended on fiber. “This session really delved into the specifics of different fiber types and their uses,” she says, adding that she especially appreciated Scarlata’s tips on the best fibers and strategies for those with gut sensitivities or conditions like IBS, which can help reduce the fear of eating fiber in this population.
In the next room, attendees also learned about the impact of fiber on health from WK Kellogg-sponsored breakfast session, “Fiber Decoded: Understanding Fiber Types, Health Benefits and Real Food Solutions to Close the Fiber Gap” presented by Sarah Ludmer, RD, chief wellbeing and sustainable business officer, and Jessica Smith, PhD, director of scientific affairs.
Dana Pryor, MBA, RD, LDN, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based acute care dietitian, says Ludmer was very engaging. “I am a cereal lover. It’s a big part of where my fiber comes from. It can be filling, it can be nutritious.”
Tuesday morning, the Bell Institute sponsored a breakfast session about whole grains, a topic that in recent years has been overshadowed by the protein craze. “The Whole Grains Food Paradox: Why People Have Tuned Out and How RDNs Can Lead the Comeback” was presented by Monica Amburn, MS, RDN, LDN, Julie Miller Jones, PhD, LN, CNS, CFS, FAACCI, FICC, and Alexandra Turnbull, RDN, LD.
Houston outpatient dietitian Bladimir Lacan, MS, RDN, LD, reiterated the sentiment that people who avoid whole grains are missing some essential nutrients. “We push protein and low carb, so a lot of people are missing out on fiber.”
Other attendees fueled up while listening to Amidor, James R. Coughlin, MS, PhD, CFS, and Julie Moss, PhD, discuss the controversial 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in the session, “Evolving Food Policy: Food Ingredients and the New Dietary Guidelines,” sponsored by the National Confectioners Association.
Amidor, a frequent presenter at the TD Symposium, was happy to share the takeaways behind the guidelines with her copresenters. “It’s an important topic that dietitians need to be in front of, and I hope that our presentation inspired more conversation on this topic,” she says.
Wednesday’s breakfast session. “Seed Oils: Understanding the Evidence and Communicating with Confidence,” sponsored by Soy Nutrition Institute Global, was presented by Matthew Nagra, ND, and Sarah Alsager, President, Communique, Inc.
“I liked how he said to tie it back to something they think is good and the contradiction. That exercise is good seed oils are bad,” says North Carolina dietitian Meredith Moyers MS, RDN, LDN.
Lunch Sessions
At Monday’s lunch sessions, attendees could choose to learn about low sugar solutions or functional nutrition.
“The RDs Toolkit for Lower Sugar Living: Real-World Solutions for Today’s Clients,” sponsored by Splenda and presented by Janice MacLeod, MA, RD, CDCES, FADCES, provided practical take-home tips for practitioners. “I liked the sugar swap and they are supporting that. Sugar is a problem, and that is a way to get people away from sugar,” says Kansas City, Kansas, renal dietitian Michele Onken MS, RDN.
The National Dairy Council (NDC) sponsored “The Vitality Economy: Investing the Functional Nutrition Pays off Across the Lifespan,” presented by NDC president Katie Brown, EdD, RDN, FAND, FASN.
“From the first years of life through healthy aging, the dairy matrix delivers 13 essential nutrients within a unique whole-food package,” says attendee Sylvia Klinger, DBA, MS, RDN, CPT, founder of Hispanic & Multicultural Nutrition Communications. “If you are not fueling your body with dairy foods, you are missing out on one of the easiest ways to help you stay healthy throughout your life cycle.”
From pasta and shared meals to the benefits of honey, attendees had delicious options to choose from for Tuesday’s lunch session.
“Shared Meals as a Vital Sign of Wellbeing,” presented by Micah Kaats, a PhD candidate in public policy, and Michele Lefebvre, RDN, MBA, left RDs with a lot of food for thought as they enjoyed a Mediterranean-inspired lunch, sponsored by Barilla. “I appreciate this presentation,” says Sara Wing, RDN, director of health and wellness for Cabot Creamery Corporation in Vermont. “It’s simple. It related to everyone in the room as a professional and a human. There is a takeaway that we all can act on.”
Dana White, MS, RD, ATC, presented “Buzzing with Benefits: Honey for Nutrition and Wellness,” sponsored by The National Honey Board, offering a fresh take on this popular sweetener, with a focus on athletes.
“Honey is such a beneficial food product that goes beyond tasting good,” says Fowler. “It is a tool that can provide the body with beneficial phytonutrients and used to help give energy to populations, such as athletes. The lecture was educational and it was also lovely to see how the speaker used honey in trending recipes.”
Sessions That Stick
Following in the footsteps of a few other couples that have presented at past TD Symposiums, the dynamic duo Jaime Schwartz Cohen, MS, RD, and Joe Cohen, APR, enlightened TD attendees about the power of marketing in their session “Selling Nutrition: Marketing and PR for Health Professionals.”
“We need more sessions like this! Since our curriculum doesn’t cover marketing, branding, and sales, we’ve had to learn these skills in the field,” says Gisela Bouvier, MBA, RDN, LDN, founder of Gisela Bouvier Nutrition in Punta Gorda, Florida.
“Conferences don’t need to be stiff and serious. The right amount of levity makes everything that came before it stick better,” says Orlando speaker and author Kait Richardson, RDN, LD. She said the Cohens did this several times, “but my favorite was when they demonstrated advertising vs marketing with a ‘Guy at the Bar’ skit. Hilarious!”
Jacksonville, Florida, media and private practice dietitian Chelsea Shafer, RD, LD, RYT, says the session presented by Samaria Garrett, MS, RDN, and Aleta Simmons, MD, “What Lies Beneath: Connecting Dermatology, Nutrition, and Chronic Disease,” was one of her favorites. “Samaria and Aleta shared a unique clinical perspective on conditions like PCOS/PMOS, type 2 diabetes, and menopause,” she says. “They provided clear and invaluable takeaways that I’ve been able to seamlessly implement into practice to better care for my clients.”
With the rise of AI, Luis Gonzalez, MS, RDN, a Chicago-based dietitian who works in nutrition communications, appreciated that Drew Hemler, MSc, RD, CDN, FAND, presented on this trending topic in, “They’re Already Using It: How to ‘Talk AI’ With Your Clients.”
“I thought it was really excellent how Drew included so much practical information,” Gonzalez says. “[He mentioned] specific scenarios on addressing questions from the patients, especially three frameworks.”
Morning Fitness
For those who wanted an energetic start to their day, the TD Symposium offered two fun and energizing fitness sessions.
Carlson’s Sunshine Stride gave walkers and runners a chance to get up and get moving before the Florida heat and humidity kicked in. Laurel Sterling, MA, RD, CD/N, and Frisline Saintoiry, MA, of Carlson Labs, joined participants on a refreshing walk as they took in the picturesque surroundings of the beautiful private lake and surrounding outdoor spaces. Each participant received a complimentary Carlson T-shirt.
Tuesday morning exercisers enjoyed an efficient, all-level strength training workout led by Jenna Braddock, MSH, RDN, CSSD, CPT—appropriate, given the symposium’s various talks that included a focus on muscle building and healthy aging. Attendees got their blood flowing with good mornings, lunges, and cross-country skiers. They finished off by refueling with tasty orange protein balls and an orange cream smoothie from sponsor Florida Orange Juice.
Evening Events
Everyone loves pizza, especially Dana White, RD, Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, and Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, who hosted a fun and hands-on pizza-making night: “The Networking Kitchen—Artisan Pizza Night with RDs” with creative flavor creations such as BBQ tofu, whipped goat cheese watermelon, and pistachio pesto.
“The pizza networking night created a fun, interactive environment that made it easy to connect with colleagues and spark meaningful conversations,” says dietitian Tina Gowin Carlucci, RD, of Eat Well Global. “Their amazing energy and the way they connected and worked so well together made the event especially engaging, and their practical pizza-making tips made the evening both informative and incredibly enjoyable.”
On Monday, attendees who wanted to grab some practical skills for inspiring curious young eaters joined Danimals for “PrEP Talk,” a pep talk for lunch prep—and went home with an inspiration guide and a lunchbox.
“This reinforces that children are learning and sometimes we try to force things on them,” says Megan Minner, MS, RD, LDN, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based school dietitian. “And sometimes that’s not appropriate.” She appreciated the information about how kids benefit from exposure to foods in different forms.
Later that evening, Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN, founder of FullWell, hosted attendees interested in the importance of preconception nutrition with the delicious dinner discussion, “The Window Before Pregnancy: A Cardiometabolic Case for Earlier Intervention.” “A beautiful reminder that the work we do long before pregnancy begins has a profound impact on outcomes,” says Tulsa, Oklahoma, dietitian Gabby Puche, MS, RDN, LD, IFNCP, RYT. “Grateful for spaces like this that sharpen my practice.”
Exhibit Hall
The expo hall was lined with tables, companies, and dietitians who wanted to share their products and expertise.
Sheila Opina, MS, RDN, LDN, a private practice dietitian in Florida, had a favorite booth. “I liked Barilla because it focused on food and family. It’s much needed, and it relates to everyone,” she says. “We as practitioners need to know what consumers value and I think family togetherness is a good start.”
One expo highlight was the variety. Orlando-based Aryana Oar, MS, RDN, LDN, said it was a “great opportunity to connect and try new products.”
Each year, attendees are randomly chosen to win cash prizes in addition to the grand prize, which is free registration to the Today’s Dietitian 2027 Spring Symposium in Las Vegas. This year, cash prize winners included Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT; Carla Gutke, RD; Marisela Bayona, RD, LDN, NBHWC; and Dana Qureshy, MS, RD. The grand prize winner was Kathy Levin, RDN, CDCES, DipACLM.
Social Media
Using the hashtag #TDSS26, Symposium attendees took to the social media to share their excitement.
Pennsylvania dietitian Becky Brown Wojcik RDN, (@wojcikbeckyyoganutrition) posted on Instagram: “Every year, Today’s Dietitian has the best nutrition conference. Great nutrition sessions, excellent food, interesting talks, delicious food samples and great connections!”
Also on Instagram, Mitri (@theweightloss.dietitian) shared: “This was my first-time attending this nutrition conference, which gathers hundreds of registered healthcare pros and some of the most influential speakers in the nutrition space. I have to say it was definitely one of my most favorite conferences, not too big, timely topics in the nutrition space, quality sponsors, & enough time to really connect with people [without] it feeling overwhelming.”
Over on LinkedIn, Kalamazoo, Michigan, dietitian Sara Flanders, MS, RDN, LD, posted: “Finishing up at Today’s Dietitian conference. so many good sessions over four days! RDs are the best source of emerging science regarding nutrition, and we get this through constant education. We do it for you! (and us, because we like food a lot and enjoy talking about it constantly).”
Knoxville, Tennessee, dietitian and certified diabetes educator Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDCES, posted on LinkedIn: “25 years as a dietitian, and my first time attending Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium. What a great time! Loved the presentations, the expo, but by far, the best part was the new connections, especially meeting such an amazing group of Nourish dietitians. Can’t wait to do it again!”
Take Aways and Looking Ahead to Las Vegas
Four days of feeling inspired, collecting practical takeaways and talking up a storm with fellow professionals goes by in a flash. Many attendees were already making plans to attend the 2027 Symposium.
“What I loved most about the conference was how much more intimate it was compared to larger conferences. With a smaller number of attendees, it was much easier to network and make meaningful, lasting connections,” says Sarah Davis, MS, RDN, a New Jersey-based community dietitian.
First-time attendee Kelitha Anderson, MS, RDN, LDN, says she enjoyed reconnecting with food friends and making new nutri-friends from across the country. “There’s something really special about being in a room full of passionate professionals who care about advancing dietetics and nutrition.”
Another first-time Symposium-goer from Yuma, Arizona, Janhavi Virkar, MS, RD, CDCES, says, “It was such a great learning experience filled with insightful discussions, new perspectives, and the chance to connect with other professionals in the field. Looking forward to applying what I learned in practice and attending more events like this in the future.”
Melissa Jaeger, RD, LD, head of nutrition at MyFitnessPal, says the symposium delivered on all fronts, from the expo floor to packed session rooms. “I brought home fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a few new snacks for the plane ride. Already looking forward to next year!”
The Today’s Dietitian 14th annual Spring Symposium will be returning, by popular demand, to Las Vegas in 2027. Secure your spot today by registering at tdsymposium.com. We can’t wait to see you there!
— Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, is a community dietitian, communications cochair for the NJAND, and nutrition writer and content creator on Instagram. Her account, @arugalyssa, promotes simple recipes and is a source for myth-busting nutrition misinformation.