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CDR's Roles and Governance

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CDR's Role

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.

Governance

The Commission currently consists of 13 members, 10 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 Commission Chair serves a one (1) year term followed by an Immediate Past-Chair one (1) year term. The Chair-Elect serves in a 2-year position which includes the first year as Chair-Elect followed by the next year as Chair. Commission Board Terms begin on June 1.

2025 - 2026 Commissioners

Chair
Shelby Yaceczko, DCN, RDN-AP, CNSC, CCTD

Chair-Elect
Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, RD, CSOWM, FAND 

Immediate Past-Chair
Valaree Williams, MS, RD, CSO, LDN, CNSC, FAND

Public Member
Mark Wagner, ICYB

 

Lini Alappat, MS, RD, LD, CNSC

Chimene Castor, PhD, EdD, RDN, CHES, FAND

Jillian Joyce, PhD, RD

Sean Paladini, MS, RD, CSR

Emily Patten, PhD, RDN, CD 

Aaron Schwartz, MBA, MS, RD, LD

Roniece Weaver, MS, RD, LD

             

NDTR Representative
ShLanda Burdton, BS, NDTR

Newly Credentialed Practitioner Representative
Rachelle Turner, MS, RDN, LDN

Accreditation

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. CDR certification programs submitted to NCCA meet these rigorous standards and are fully accredited by NCCA, the accrediting arm of the Institute of Credentialing Excellence based in Washington D.C.

NCCA Accredited Program

Issuer: Institute for Credentialing Excellence

CDR Credentials

CDR currently administers ten (10) separate and distinct certification programs that award credentials: 

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