Dietetics Alumnae Recognized

A University of Idaho family and consumer sciences alumnae will receive the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, the organization’s highest honor.

Darlene Dougherty, ’65, food and nutrition, will be presented with the award during the 2025 Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee, in October. She was nominated by Hydee Becker, a clinical associate professor and director of dietetics within U of I’s Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Dougherty works as a medical nutrition therapist with Banner Lassen Medical Center in Susanville, California, where she makes recommendations for diet and nutritional support, provides nutrition counseling and assists in policy and procedure development for culinary services.

Dougherty has held elected and appointed leadership roles at the academy’s practice group, district, state and national levels and has helped shape its governance policy and professional development efforts. She’s represented the academy in congressional hearings, at industry conferences and in national media interviews, and she advocated for reimbursement of registered dietitian services to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

In her nomination letter, Becker wrote how Dougherty’s career has spanned more than 50 years and has influenced policy, education, practice, research and mentorship.

“Darlene’s leadership is built on a foundation of service, mentorship and a relentless pursuit of excellence,” Becker wrote. “She is the person who sees potential before others recognize it in themselves, often giving that first encouraging nudge toward leadership or innovation.”

Dougherty has prior experience working as a management consultant, a nutrition educator, a nutrition specialist aiding underserved populations, a lecturer at several colleges and universities, an affordable housing compliance auditor, an administrative assistant with a housing authority, a team nutrition trainer, editor of a monthly newsletter focused on hospital food and nutrition, a director of dietetic internship experiences, a consultant specializing in computer-based management information systems for food service operations, a therapeutic surgical dietitian, a therapeutic staff dietician and a grant administrator.

She was one of the first dietitians who developed computer systems for nutrition and dietetics, and she was often called upon to share her expertise.

Furthermore, she’s published volumes of papers and she is a frequent public speaker.

Published in Catching Up with CALS