Member Spotlight: Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, LD

Welcome 2008-2009 NEHP Chair-elect!

Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, LD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Ms. Sandon holds a Masters of Education in Education Technology from the University of Texas, Brownsville and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Minnesota. She completed her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics (now Fairview University Hospital).

Her role at UT Southwestern Medical Center includes admissions counseling and recruitment of prospective dietetic students into the bachelors coordinated program. She serves as the course coordinator for the Orientation to Clinical Dietetics, Medical Terminology, Health Care Delivery, and Sports Nutrition and Health Promotion courses. In addition, she lectures on medical nutrition therapy of hypertension, sports nutrition, anthropometric and energy needs assessment, and other disease prevention/health promotion related topics. She also supervises senior levels students in adult care clinical rotations. Other responsibilities include development of online delivery methods of course materials and serving on multiple university wide committees.

Ms. Sandon has been actively involved at the district and national levels of the American Dietetic Association. She served as treasurer of Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals (NEHP) from 2005-2007 and nominating committee member for 2007-2008. She is currently finishing her term as the 2007-08 President of the Dallas Dietetic Association.

As the Dallas based American Dietetic Association Spokesperson, she puts scientifically based nutrition information into consumer friendly language. Ms. Sandon has been featured in multiple media outlets including CNN Radio, Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today, WebMD and the Dallas Morning News. She frequently contributes articles to the Dallas Dietetic Association website “Nutrition Tidbits” section and is the section editor of the Center for Human Nutrition Wellness website for Women’s Nutrition and Nutrition Trends.

Ms. Sandon was named the 2005 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the Texas Dietetic Association. She was also awarded the 2006 Dallas Dietetic Association Media Award and the 2007 Texas Dietetic Association Media Award.

Ms. Sandon has a personal interest in wellness and sports nutrition and exercise. She is a certified fitness instructor by the American Council on Exercise and a Level III YogaFit instructor. She has nine years experience in leading fitness and wellness classes for health and fitness centers across Dallas.