CDR's Roles and Governance
The purpose of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), as the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), is to serve the public by establishing and enforcing standards effective for the profession, occupation, role, or specialty area with autonomy in decision‐making over all essential certification, including standard setting, the Code of Ethics, the Candidate Code of Conduct and issuing credentials to individuals who meet our standards, recertification policies and all related activities. The Academy owns the credentials; however, CDR has independent authority in matters pertaining to certification, recertification and all related professional assessment and development activities including standard setting for learners and providers, establishment of certification fees and administering credentialing programs. CDR maintains a registry of over 115,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners.
The Commission currently consists of 12 members, 9 who are RDNs or RDs, 1 of whom is a newly credentialed practitioner, 1 NDTR or DTR and 1 public representative. Credentialed practitioners elect Commission members for three-year terms, including an elected DTR. A Board-Certified Specialist and Advanced Practice in Clinical Nutrition representative was also included on CDR since the implementation of the specialist certification programs. A public representative and a newly credentialed practitioner are appointed. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by the Commission for a one-year term June 1 - May 31.
Chair
Rosa Hand, PhD, RDN, LD, FAND
Chair-Elect
Valaree Williams, MS, RD, CSO, LDN, FAND
Public Member
Mark Wagner, ICYB
Lini Alappat, MS, RD, LD, CNSC
Anisha Chhibber, MS, RD, CNSC, FAND
Jillian Joyce, PhD, RD
Christopher Messenger, PhD, MS, RD, LD, CNSC
Michele Rager, MS, RDN-AP, LDN, FAND
Aaron Schwartz, MBA, MS, RD, LD
Shelby Yaceczko, MS, RDN-AP, CNSC, CSSD
NDTR Representative
Christopher Mills, MPH, DTR, CSCS
Newly Credentialed Practitioner Representative
Olivia Nass, MS, RDN, CD
CDR submits its certification programs for review and voluntary accreditation to the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) to ensure compliance with accepted administrative and psychometric standards. All of CDR’s certification programs have met these rigorous standards and are fully accredited by NCCA, the accrediting arm of the Institute of Credentialing Excellence based in Washington D.C.
CDR currently administers ten (10) separate and distinct credentialing programs:
- Registered Dietitian; Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
- Dietetic Technician, Registered; Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered
- Board Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition
- Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition
- Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics
- Board Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition
- Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition
- Board Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management
- Board Certification as a Specialist in Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition
- Advanced Practice in Clinical Nutrition