2022 Award Winners
Research Grant Awards
Congratulations to Diane Lindsay-Adler, MS, RDN, CDN, who was selected to receive the PNPG Research Grant Award for her project entitled “Taste and Smell Sensitivity of Children with Obesity and Asthma.” This single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, exploratory study of school-aged children with asthma with or without obesity and age and sex-matched, healthy, non-obese controls will be investigating the relationship between taste and smell perception in children with asthma and obesity and comparing these relationships to non-obese children with asthma and healthy controls. Diane is currently a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Boston Children’s Health Physicians (BCHP) division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology, and Sleep Medicine. We congratulate Diane and look forward to seeing the results of her study!
Congratulations to Dr. Lynn Brann, Ph.D., RDN, FAND, who was selected to receive the PNPG Community Research Grant Award for her project, “Cultivating self-regulation and healthy food intake: Parental and caregiver engagement to support mindful eating behaviors among young children.” This qualitative research design will focus on the development and testing of the mindfulness components for parents and caregivers learning mindful eating and positive feeding practices. She will pilot-test the lesson content with parents of preschoolers and childcare providers for feasibility, acceptability, and mode of delivery and, based on feedback from parents and caregivers, modify the lesson content and adapt it for the preferred virtual delivery method. Dr. Brann is currently the Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food
Studies, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University. We congratulate Dr. Brann and look forward to seeing the results of her study!
Creative Nutrition Education Award
Congratulations to Robin Nuse, RD, CSP, LDN, CLC, who was selected to receive the PNPG Creative Nutrition Education Award for her project entitled “Nemours FARM Nutrition Videos.” Nemours Children’s Hospital (NCH), located in Wilmington, Delaware, provides primary and specialty pediatric care. Robin’s committee is responsible for growing fresh produce on the Hospital grounds and educating families and employees on growing a variety of produce and herbs at home in conjunction with healthy nutrition messaging. Through the “FARM Nutrition
Videos,” they will educate patients and their families on safe food handling and preparation. Viewers will also learn about the benefits of incorporating fresh produce into meals and the specific nutrition associated with the fruit or vegetables highlighted in each video. We congratulate Robin and wish you much success with your videos!
Published Research Award
Congratulations to Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Ph.D., R.D.N., FAND, for receiving the Published Research Award for her publication “Effects of Longer Seated Lunch Time on Food Consumption and Waste in Elementary and Middle School-age Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” The study assessed the effect of a more extended seated lunchtime on food consumption and waste among elementary and middle school-age children. The findings demonstrated in this crossover trial of 241 lunch observations from 38 children that 20 minutes of seated lunchtime were associated with significantly less waste of fruits and vegetables compared with 10 minutes of seated lunchtime. Results from this study support a policy that requires 20 minutes of seated lunchtime for school-age children, leading to better diet quality and reduced food waste. Praise Melissa and her colleagues for a vital research publication for school-age children feeding when food waste and healthy eating are essential.
Outstanding Member Award
PNPG is proud to announce our 2021-2022 Outstanding Member of the Year, Leslie Hope Wills, MA, RD, CSP, IBCLC. L. Hope Wills is an accomplished leader of pediatric nutrition, having held a variety of pediatrics-related positions Nutrition faculty for Leadership Education
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND), Program Director USC UCEDD Dietetic Internship; and lecturer at USC School of Preventive Medicine and Gerontology as well as clinical service at High-Risk Infant Follow Clinic, CHLA, USC UCEDD Feeding Development Clinic, Audrey Hepburn CARES Center, and Lactation Support. Hope has served as the Roundtable Editor, Infant Child Adolescent, ACEND reviewer, Clinical Director, Health Promotions for Special Olympics, Reviewer for Pediatric Journal of Nursing, JPEN, and JAND, Chair of NCPRO, and Planning Committee for Breastfeeding Summit for Breastfeed LA. She has had several Peer Reviewed publications and textbooks. Over the years, she has contributed numerous Posters and Presentations on pediatric topics, including breastfeeding and nutrition for children with special health care needs. Thank you, Hope, for all you have done for our profession and DPG!
Pre-Professional Scholarships
Congratulations to Elizabeth Gutierrez for her selection as the 2021 PNPG Pre-Professional Practice Scholarship recipient! Elizabeth graduated with a BS & MS in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Her professors have
acknowledged Elizabeth for her excellent pediatric research and extracurricular activities. Based on her experience in Education and Training for Health, she was outstanding at providing bite-sized nutrition education for children that they could apply to their daily lives. Elizabeth created
healthy recipes that coincided with the nutrition lesson and addressed children's allergies in the classroom.
Congratulations to Karey Fenning for her selection as the 2021 PNPG Pre-Professional Practice Scholarship recipient! Karey graduated with a BS in Nutrition at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, and will begin the MS portion in May 2022, along with her supervised practice. Karey has
been working as a dietetic technician for patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for the past four years. She is passionate about pediatric care and enjoys working on quality improvement projects.
Past PNPG's Recipients of Grants and Awards