Welcome from the Incoming GSDA President

We are working hard on fostering a supportive community of nutrition professionals, interns, and students located in Greater Seattle and surrounding regions. That said, you do not need to live in Seattle to join GSDA as most of our events are virtual, although we are excited to host more in-person networking events. We have a lot planned this year and I cannot wait to share it with you all. Remember that our membership model is now all-inclusive, which means you only need to pay for membership once and you get access to all our member benefits and events. (Still need to join or renew? Click here.)

Here’s a preview of what you can expect and how to get the most out of your membership this year.

1) Virtual CE events: We will continue to offer live webinars presented by subject matter experts on a variety of topics, as well as our virtual book club. CE topics may include clinical nutrition, public health, community nutrition, nutrition policy, entrepreneurship, and more.

2) In-person networking and social events: We are kicking things off this year with a fun game night at Flatstick Pub in South Lake Union on Tuesday, Sept 26th. (RSVP here!) We will have more in-person social events later in the year. Check out our upcoming events calendar and save the dates!

3) Referral Resources: Have your own private practice? Looking for speaking opportunities? We maintain a referral database to promote yourself! Check out our Find a Nutritionist page and our Speakers Bureau. Contact us for more information on using these resources.

4) Stay connected with our newsletter, blog, and social media posts. We are proud of the varied content our team puts together to share with members, including seasonal recipes, nutrition news, and special topics from our committees and board members. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, join our LinkedIn group, and be sure you are signed up on our email listserv. (Not sure if you are on the listserv? Head to our homepage and sign up.)

5) Nutrition policy and advocacy: Our Legislative Committee stays current on local and national nutrition-related policy and advocacy work and shares updates with our members and tips on how to get involved. Look out for their announcements on social media as well as future blog posts. And while you are here, take a look at the current Academy action alerts.

6) Student support: Our wonderful student representatives from UW, SPU, and Bastyr organize 2 events per year to foster networking and mentorship between students, interns, and working nutrition professionals.

7) A commitment to diversity: Our Diversity Committee is integrated with all aspects of our board, from member recruitment and board nominations to planning continuing education events and finding speakers. The committee is also dedicated to sharing resources to support diversity and inclusion within the profession as well as strategies to better serve our patients and clients from diverse backgrounds.

I am looking forward to seeing you all soon. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Grace Ling, MS, RD, CD, CDCES