FWDA ELECTED OFFICERS
President-Valerie Henderson
Valerie Henderson's (MS, RD, LD) passion for nutrition was formed in childhood as she listened to her health-conscious grandmother talk about the importance of good nutrition. While working toward her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Human Nutrition at Texas A&M University, Valerie worked for the campus health center and the Texas Cooperative Extension developing and teaching nutrition programs. Since graduation, she has been working in the hospital setting as a clinical dietitian. She currently works prn for three hospitals- Arlington Memorial (inpatient and outpatient), Baylor All-Saints (outpatient), and Healthsouth. She also enjoys being involved in Bible Study Fellowship, working in the children's ministry at her church, and coaching a high school volleyball team. She loves being a Registered Dietitian because it allows her to meld 2 of her passions in life- teaching and nutrition!
President-elect-Leslie Lopez
Secretary-Mary Barkley
Dr. Mary P. Clarke Barkley, RD,LD, an Indiana native, is Professor Emeritus of Human Nutrition having served as a State Specialist in Nutrition Education for K-State's Cooperative Extension Service at Kansas State University for 26 years. Her education included graduating from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Indiana State University; and Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. She became a registered dietitian and later a licensed dietitian following her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. She worked as a clinical, administrative and teaching dietitian before completing her education and joining the faculty at KSU. She has held numerous professional offices including serving as President of the Kansas Dietetic Association and the Kansas Nutrition Council. Following her retirement in 1999, Mary married Theodore (Ted) Barkley, professor emeritus in botany from KS-State U, and moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Since his death in 2004, she keeps busy with volunteer work, travel and visiting her three daughters and three step-children and their families.
Treasurer-Ruth Linhart
Ruth Linhart, MPH, RD, LD received her B.S. degree from Florida State University and her MPH degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
She worked for 12 years as an Outpatient Dietitian at DeWitt Army Health Care System, Ft Belvoir, VA before moving to Texas. Following her husband’s retirement from the Marine Corp, she became more involved in Northern Virginia Dietetic Association serving as Fundraiser, Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary. She currently is working part-time as a Nutrition Coach. She enjoys quilting, genealogy and golfing.
Immediate Past President-Paula Cantu
Paula Cantu, RD, LD received a B.S in Dietetics and a B.S. in Food Science from Iowa State University and then completed her dietetic internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. After two years at Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a clinical dietitian, Paula left the military and landed a job as a clinical dietitian at Arlington Memorial Hospital (AMH). Because she wanted to try her hands at management, Paula left AMH and worked at two different hospitals as a Chief Clinical Dietitian/Food Service Director before returning to AMH. Paula has been Director of Nutrition Services at AMH for 12 years now. In addition to this full time job, she is an adjunct instructor at TCC and has been involved in leadership positions for TDA and FWDA over the past several years.
Chair, Nominating/Awards Committee-Jeanne Gay
Jeanne Gay MS,RD,LD has served with FWDA board in several positions in the past 17 years. She received her undergraduate degree at McNeese State in Lake Charles, La. and her Master's degree at TWU. Since then Jeanne has worked numerous positions in Dietetics including Medicare billing for Nutritional Support Services, Clinical RD at John Peter Smith as her foundation, Sales for Sandoz/Novartis Nutrition, and currently in Consulting in LTC and surgical hospitals. When not at work she enjoys being with her husband Tony and her son Everett. She enjoys playing softball, reading and cooking for friends.
Nominating/Awards Committee-Janet Hendrix-Duncan
Janet Hendrix Duncan, MS, RD, LD is the past President for 2005-2006 and was President in 1975-76. She has been a member of Dietitians in Business Communication, the Food and Culinary Professionals, and Consultant Dietitians in Healthcare Facilities practice groups for continuing learning and networking opportunities. She is employed with Ben E Keith Foods as Corporate Dietitian and Healthcare Specialist. Her work allows for travel in the Southwest, primarily all of Texas , and speaking engagements or working tradeshows, selling, and marketing. The role of a non-traditional dietitian has been rewarding during these 17 years of employment with Ben E Keith Foods. Janet has held leadership roles with the Texas Dietetic Association both on the Nominating Committee, and as Exhibitor Advisory Chairman working with the FNCE tradeshow. Janet has been a member of Fort Worth Dietetic Association since 1970 and has held several offices and voluntary committee/planning tasks for seminars and career guidance
Nominating/Awards Committee-Gina Hill
Since 2003, Dr. Gina Jarman Hill, RD, LD has worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Christian University. Gina also works as a consultant dietitian in the Fort Worth area. She earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Food and Nutrition and completed the dietetic internship at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. While in Lubbock, she worked as the clinical dietitian at Joe Arrington Cancer Research and Treatment and was employed part-time as a consultant dietitian and as an instructor at Texas Tech University. She served as President-elect, President, and National Nutrition Month Chairperson for the LDA and helped raise funds to endow the LDA scholarship. She has served as the National Nutrition Month/Spring Seminar chair for the FWDA and on the nominating committees for both TDA and FWDA. Hill is also a member of the two dietetic practice groups; the Dietetic Educators of Practitioners (DEP) and Women's Health and Reproductive Nutrition (WHRN) where she was also elected to the nominating committee. In 2001, Dr. Hill was honored by the TDA as a Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year.
Chair of Professional Issues-Marlene Gatewood
Website Committee, Chair-Christine Sawyer
Christine Sawyer, RD, LD received a BS in Clinical Nutrition from The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, a coordinated program. Christine has a passion for pediatric nutrition. She immediately went to work for Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) of Tarrant and Parker Counties to work with developmentally delayed children from birth to three years old. Christine left ECI to raise her family of two boys! She has coordinated the FWDA website since 2003.
Finance Committee, Chair-Ruth Linhart
See bio information above.
Chair, Bylaws/Parliamentarian-Belinda Boshell
Belinda Boshell, MS, RD, LD brings years of volunteer experience to FWDA. For the Fort Worth Dietetic Association: Treasurer. With the East Texas Dietetic Association: President-elect, President, Immediate Past President. For the Texas Dietetic Association: Immediate Past President, President, President-elect, Treasurer, Vice President, Vice President-elect, and Nominating Committee, as well as holding appointed positions on Chair of the Community Nutrition Division of the Council on Practice, Speakers Bureau Task Force and Awards Coordinator. A recent retiree with 25 years service to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Belinda holds BA, BS, and MS degrees from Texas Woman’s University in Denton.
Membership Committee, Chair - Dee Rollins
Dr. Dee Rollins is a clinical dietitian, nutrition educator and professional speaker on ways to achieve lifestyle habits that promote lifelong health and nutrition. Dee started the Lifestyle Weight Management Center at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine nine years ago where she continues to see physician referred patients for individual outpatient nutrition counseling. She has taught medical nutrition therapy at Tarrant County College and at Texas Woman’s University
to dietetic students. Her practice includes preteen to adult male and female patients with eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Her clientele also includes hypoglycemic, obese and bariatric patients with whom she focuses on lifestyle behavior modification for weight loss, which include stress management, routine exercise, quality sleep as well as healthy daily eating habits and meal patterns. She also sees patients exhibiting GI disorders, such as celiac disease, IBS, Crohn’s and cardiac conditions. She is often an invited guest speaker at community events and holds nutrition classes within the hospital. She is often quoted in local and national print media and is frequently seen on local television as a nutrition expert and spokesperson for Baylor Hospital. She received her Bachelor's from Texas Tech University; her Master's of Science and dietetics internship in Nutrition from the University of Iowa; and her Doctorate degree in Nutrition with an emphasis in psychology and counseling from Texas Woman's University.
Director-at-Large - Public Policy-Danny Davis
Director-at-Large - Communications-Lisa Hall
Lisa Hall RD,LD received her B.S. in Dietetics at Texas Woman's University while being a certified pharmacy technician for seven years. She completed her dietetic internship at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas (PHD). During that time she discovered the love for the clinical side of dietetics. Prior to her internship she volunteered at PHD for a year and loved working for Texas Health Resources (THR). Post graduation, she was blessed to continue her career within THR and accepted a job at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, where she currently works as the Oncology/Med Surg/CVICU dietitian. She also works PRN for Kindred Mansfield and is the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospice dietitian for Vitas Hospice. Her major future goal is to obtain her credential to specialize in oncology, CSO.
FWDA APPOINTED COMMITTEE/TASK FORCE/LIAISON
Historian-Vicki Catlin
Chair, Public Relations-Lyn Dart
Lyn Dart, PhD, RD, LD joined the Department of Nutritional Sciences faculty at Texas Christian University (TCU) in 2001. She was the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics from 2004 through the summer of 2007, and is currently serving as the Director of the Food Management Program. Dr Dart is also the General Supervised Practice Coordinator and the Community and Culminating Coordinator for the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. Dr Dart's prior work experience as a professional in nutrition and dietetics include business management, clinical dietetics, private consulting, and research. As a faculty member at TCU, she is committed to increasing research opportunities for undergraduate nutrition students. Dr Dart is involved in community-campus partnerships that provide collaborative research opportunities, effectively engage students in service-learning, and improve nutritional health outcomes in the community. Community-based participatory research for TCU nutrition and dietetic students in the past have included projects at the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Senior Citizen Services of Tarrant County, Fort Worth Zoo, Cornerstone Community Center, Fort Worth Independent School District, Baylor All-Saints Medical Center, Birdville Independent School District, Lockheed Martin Recreation Association, Tarrant County Resource Connection and the Tarrant County Master Gardeners Association.
Scholarship Banquet Co-chairs-Janet Hendrix-Duncan & Belinda Boshell
See bio information above.
Chair, Student Relations -Vicky Hull
Vicky Hull, RD, LD received a B.S. in Dietetics from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, a coordinated program. She has been working as a clinical dietitian for 2 years. She currently works as a clinical dietitian at Harris Methodist Southwest Hospital.
Student Liaison - TCC-SE-Cheryl Campbell
Student Liaison - TCU-Rachel Head, Jennifer Hunt and Charlotte Filla
Student Liaison - TWU-Danita Ortowski
Student Liaison - UT Southwestern-Ashley Netting
