Members Highlights is proud to present our next Highlighted Member our very own Conference planning chair,

Susan Wilson.

It is a privilege to serve on the KAND board as the incoming President-Elect. I have served for KAND as the Fundraising chair and the 2018 Annual Conference Planning chair. I am very excited to continue to bring my passion for our profession to this board. I have served on the LAND board since it was re-established as the nominating chair. I serve on the University of Louisville Physicians (ULP) Wellness Committee and on the Nutrition Sub-committee helping to promote a healthier lifestyle for the ULP employees.

Becoming a dietitian and working as a dietitian has always been a work of love. When I returned to school to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian, I had wanted to go into pediatrics. I truly feel I won a golden ticket being able to work with the pediatric population in our Pediatric Gastroenterology office with some brilliant GI providers and wonderful staff.

In addition to working to promote nutrition and wellness in my career, I volunteer time to teach and to participate in various functions to promote better nutrition. This past year I have been a part of teaching nutrition to first year medical students through University of Louisville’s Medical school. I have volunteered preparing and serving meals at the Ronald McDonald house, I have worked at two career fairs to promote the field of dietetics, I regularly visit local elementary schools to teach nutrition, I have written several nutritional blogs and social media posts for ULP patients and employees, I regularly mentor shadowing students, have been a guest on a local food and nutrition radio show promoting nutrition and the profession of dietetics, and have co-authored educational material for ULP Peds GI.

Since beginning my career, I was told I could not bill for my services. I was told ‘no’ many times during my first year with ULP, but after working closely with Nancy Kuppersmith and Diana Pantalos and not giving up, I was finally able to convince my employer to let me bill for my services. To me, this is a huge win for dietitians! I may not be reimbursed for every patient I see, or for even half, but billing is in place so that once Medicaid in Kentucky is on board with reimbursing more RDs for MNT, more of my services will be reimbursed and my employer will see the added benefit an RD can bring.

Using my knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life for every person I work with is why I became a dietitian in the first place. I became a dietitian because I wanted to make an important difference in people’s lives, especially those of children. I feel I have come full circle. Being able to help treat a chronically sick child and being there for that worried parent is why I do what I do. It’s a work of love and of passion.

I know this was long and drawn out. I apologize Bottom line, being an RD does not stop when I leave work at the end of the day. It is something that is a part of who I am as a person. I work hard to promote our profession, because at the end of the day, no one will do it for us. We must promote ourselves and our expertise in this field.