Kelli Wilmes, an instructor in Northwest Missouri State University’s School of Health Science and Wellness and the director of the University’s didactic program in dietetics, has been elected as a region director of the Missouri Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MOAND) for the 2023-2024 membership year.

MOAND is an advocate for the dietetic profession and is the largest group of nutrition professionals in Missouri, serving the public through health, food and nutrition.

To be a regional director, an individual must be active in the national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a member of MOAND. Nominees must have a bachelor’s degree and be licensed and registered dietitians with experience in leadership positions on the MOAND board or its region committee.

Wilmes will be responsible for continuing the promotion of education opportunities within the profession, the organization’s events and making decisions pertaining to MOAND and the academy’s bylaws.

“It is a privilege to serve the association and represent dietitians from this area,” Wilmes said. “I am excited to see what events and opportunities we can accomplish in the next two years. I always encourage my students to get involved and be an advocate for our profession. This position allows me to do the same.”

Wilmes was a faculty member at Northwest from 2013 to 2019, when she departed the University to work in clinical dietetics. Wilmes returned to the Northwest faculty in 2022 and teaches courses related to food service management, food preparation, food science, dietetics and nutrition. She has a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Missouri State University and a master’s degree in nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. 

Additionally, she is a faculty advisor for the Northwest Student Dietetic Association, the Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society and the Christian Campus House.