Kathleen M. Zelman ’75

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RDN, LD is a food, nutrition and media communication consultant and owner of No Nonsense Nutrition, LLC.  She serves as a contributing editor to the Academy’s Food & Nutrition Magazine and is a member of the board of directors of the True Health Initiative, Inc and Nutrition4Kids medical advisory board. Formerly, Kathleen served as the director of nutrition for WebMD for sixteen years helping to build a state-of-the-art food, diet and nutrition portal.

Zelman received one of the highest honors from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the 2016 ‘Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Award’ in recognition of a distinguished career and remarkable contributions to the dietetics profession.  In 2007, Zelman was awarded the prestigious AND “Media Excellence Award” for her contribution and commitment to educating consumers about food and nutrition. The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) named Kathleen the 2011 recipient of their “Nutrition Science Media Award” for outstanding science and nutrition journalism. The Institute of Food Technologists awarded her with the 2012 “Media Award for Excellence in Consumer Journalism”.  In 2014 Zelman was awarded the “Distinguished Alumni” award from Montclair State University.

Her media experience is extensive, including co-hosting a weekly radio program for four years, serving twelve years as a national spokesperson for the Academy, over 1000 print and television appearances and a co-author on several books.

Zelman is an invited speaker at professional meetings worldwide and had the honor to share the stage as the nutrition expert with First Lady Michelle Obama celebrating Let’s Move and with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at the launch of My Plate.

Zelman has served as a dietetic internship director at Ochsner Medical Institutions and assistant professor at St. Mary’s Dominican College.  Active in local, state and national dietetic associations including serving on the Academy’s board of directors, as a trustee on the Georgia Dietetic Foundation and two terms as a delegate to the Academy House of Delegates.  She received her master’s degree in public health from Tulane University and her bachelor of science from Montclair State University.