Madiha Ajaz is a PhD scholar in Nutrition and Dietetics at Griffith University, Australia. Her research bridges clinical, public health, and molecular nutrition, focusing on the role of antioxidants in the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). With more than seven years of experience in clinical dietetics, academia, and research, she combines practical healthcare experience with laboratory-based investigation. Madiha currently serves as the HDR Representative on the Griffith Health Group Board and the HDR Consultative Committee, advocating for research students and contributing to academic leadership. She is also a member of the Board of Studies at Ziauddin University and a member of the Early Career Task Force of the Federation of Oceanic Nutrition Societies (FONS). Her work reflects a passion for evidence-based nutrition and translational research aimed at improving population health.

Misbah Ajaz is a Registered Dietitian and Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, with experience in both clinical practice and academic research. Her professional work lies at the intersection of patient-centered care and population-based nutrition research, allowing her to translate clinical observations into meaningful research questions. Misbah's research primarily focuses on children and adolescents, with a particular interest in nutrition education, knowledge translation, and behavior change during this critical stage of growth and development. Drawing on her clinical background, Misbah aims to design evidence-based, practical, and contextually relevant interventions that can improve dietary awareness and long-term health outcomes. She is also actively involved in curriculum development and academic program design, aligning education with contemporary nutrition challenges. Through her work, she strives to contribute to preventive nutrition strategies that empower young populations with sustainable knowledge and skills.

Arielle Belove has been a registered dietitian for over 15 years and has spent the last five years at Northwestern McHenry Hospital. Two years ago, she transitioned into the role of Advanced Dietitian, Clinical Practice Specialist, where she continues to bring her expertise and dedication to patient care. Arielle has always enjoyed working with home nutrition support patients and finds great fulfillment in providing specialized education to this unique population. She has developed a newfound passion for quality improvement and has actively participated in three QI initiatives focused on optimizing enteral nutrition delivery in the ICU and implementing a hospital-wide nasal bridle rollout. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Nutrition Support Committee for the Northwest region, helping to guide best practices across the system. Outside of work, Arielle loves soaking up quality time with her husband and two kids—whether it's backyard adventures or chasing waves on beach vacations, she's always up for a little sun, sand, and family fun.

Susy Cohen is the critical care dietitian at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital for over five years now. In this role, she provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to critically ill patients in the medical, surgical, trauma, and cardiovascular intensive care units. Through comprehensive assessments, education, and individualized care, she optimizes nutrition support to enhance patient outcomes and drive clinical excellence. Committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based practice, she stays at the forefront of clinical guidelines and research to deliver high-quality care and improve patient results. Susy enjoys mentoring others in the field, has held leadership roles within the South Florida Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, and actively volunteers with Dietitians in Nutrition Support (DNS).

Kalee Eichelberger is a clinical dietitian and certified health educator with diverse experience in healthcare, public health education, patient advocacy, and medical nutrition therapy. Her journey began as an individual reliant upon nutrition support herself, which inspired her career in clinical nutrition. Her career focus has been on the process improvement and management of nutrition support therapies in the hospital, ambulatory and home settings and during transitions of care. Currently, Kalee serves as the Education Manager for the Oley Foundation where she develops, coordinates and oversees the educational programs and initiatives of the foundation. She strives to make a meaningful impact on the quality of life, care ownership, and patient care experience of individuals on nutrition support.

Maggie Jerome is an assistant professor in Graduate Programs in Human Nutrition at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon. She earned her undergraduate degree in nutrition from Auburn University and completed her M.S. and Dietetic Internship at Texas Woman's University. During that time, she discovered her interest in neonatal nutrition through the Baylor College of Medicine Neonatal Nutrition Fellowship. Dr. Jerome worked as a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) dietitian at University of Kentucky HealthCare and then at OHSU. Her work in the NICU sparked a deeper interest in research and education focused on preterm infant nutrition. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in nutrition science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she joined a lab studying preterm infant nutrition and body composition. She returned to OHSU as a pediatric dietitian in 2021 and joined the GPHN faculty in 2022. She teaches Nutrition Physiology, and her research focuses on nutrition support practices in the NICU and nutrition recommendations for preterm infants after NICU discharge, including their effects on body composition and long-term health. She also is the registered dietitian for OHSU Health: Hillsboro Medical Center Level II NICU. Dr. Jerome is a certified nutrition support clinician (C.N.S.C.) and a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society for Nutrition and the Oregon Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group.

Sarah Lackowski is a registered dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital in Northern Illinois. She earned her Master of Science in Nutrition and completed her dietetic internship at Northern Illinois University, laying the foundation for her future career. Sarah now brings over eight years of experience in the inpatient setting, with expertise in critical care and nutrition support with commitment to optimizing patient outcomes during the transition from hospital to home. Sarah holds the Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) credential and is passionate about advancing evidence-based practice in clinical nutrition. In her current role, she has led quality improvement initiatives focused on enhancing the discharge process for patients requiring nutrition support and spearheaded the development of an interprofessional nutrition support team within the hospital. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys staying active through yoga, taking walks with her dachshund Charlie or training for races with friends – she is looking forward to taking on the Chicago marathon this fall!

Alyson Lawrence is a neonatal dietitian at CHOC, a part of Rady Children’s Health, in Orange, CA. She completed her dietetic internship through Cal Poly Pomona followed by her pediatric residency at CHOC. Alyson has worked in a wide variety of pediatric areas, ranging from pediatric intensive care to her current role in the neonatal intensive care unit. She has a special interest in neonatal patients with short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure. Alyson is involved in many research projects and committees within her institution focused on enhancing knowledge and improving patient care. She also is an active member of ASPEN, serving as an author for the GI section of the Neonatal Newsletter and is a content creator for the Dietitians in Nutrition Support YouTube Channel.

Stacy Pelekhaty is the Senior Clinical Nutrition Specialist at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, within the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been a dietitian for over 15 years, and has won awards for innovation in healthcare, malnutrition advocacy, and excellence in patient care. Stacy's nutrition research focuses include energy and protein needs, malnutrition assessment, and the clinical impacts of nutrition interventions in trauma and ECMO patients, and she has presented her research at national and international conferences. Additionally, Stacy is a member of the 2026 class of ASPEN fellows.

Dr. Jana Ponce is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Director of the Doctor of Nutrition and Dietetics (DND) program. As a registered dietitian nutritionist with a clinical background, her research focuses on the role of nutrition in resolving inflammation to prevent and treat disease. In addition to her academic role, Dr. Ponce serves as Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at Nebraska Medicine, where she leads data-driven initiatives, analytics, and research to advance quality improvement in clinical nutrition.

Hannah Santoro serves as the Clinical Nutrition Manager with Metz Culinary Management at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), a Level One Trauma Center in Buffalo, New York. In this role, she oversees a team of twelve dietitians and one dietetic technician, providing leadership in clinical practice, policy development, and nutrition care initiatives. Hannah initially joined ECMC as a clinical dietitian, gaining extensive bedside experience, including conducting nutrition-focused physical exams, and precepting students in the assessment and documentation of malnutrition. She collaborated closely with management and clinical leadership during ECMC's transition from AAIM to GLIM criteria and continues to work with nutrition professionals to advance accurate malnutrition coding. As Clinical Nutrition Manager, she develops evidence-aligned policies and procedures and works closely with administration, physicians, and clinical documentation specialists to ensure appropriate coding, documentation, and reimbursement. Hannah also partners with the Metz corporate team on the implementation of ICD-11 codes and contributes to the broader GLIM workgroup focused on refining malnutrition diagnostic standards. She holds a B.S. in Food and Nutrition Sciences and an M.S. in Adult Education from Buffalo State University. Prior to joining ECMC, she worked in women and children's nutrition assistance programs and served as a GI Oncology Dietitian at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her combined clinical and leadership experience underscores her dedication to supporting both current and future dietitians in advancing best practices for malnutrition identification and documentation in acute care.

Nikki Spurgeon, MS, RDN, LMNT, is a Medical Nutrition Therapist Specialist with more than 20 years of experience in inpatient clinical nutrition, specializing in oncology and bone marrow transplant (BMT). Since joining Nebraska Medicine in 2004, she has served as the primary inpatient dietitian for the BMT program, providing assessments, counseling and advanced nutrition support for patients undergoing autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

She is recognized for her leadership in protocol development and quality improvement. Her most recent work includes leading evidence-based revisions to enteral nutrition initiation practices in the allogeneic transplant population, aimed at optimizing tolerance and improving clinical outcomes. She was recently honored with an Extraordinary Achievement Award from Nebraska Medicine in recognition of the significant impact these protocol improvements have had within the BMT program. Nikki earned her Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Kansas Medical Center and her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science and Dietetics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.