INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 1, 2022) The Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) selected Karen Chapman-Novakofski, PhD, RDN to receive the Helen Denning Ullrich Award for Lifetime Excellence in Nutrition Education. The award will be presented at the 2022 SNEB Annual Conference during the opening session on July 29, 2022, in Atlanta, GA. Established to provide an annual award in honor of Helen Denning Ullrich, this award recognizes a SNEB member for outstanding achievement in the field of nutrition education. Helen was a group of pioneering leaders dedicated to making sound nutrition education a tool for effective change. She was the first Editor of the Journal of Nutrition Education.

Dr. Chapman-Novakofski is Editor in Chief of the Society’s peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB). Her service to the Journal began when she was appointed to the Editorial Board then in 2005 became an Associate Editor before becoming Editor-in-Chief in 2007. After 15 years of service to the Journal and the Society, she will be retiring as Editor in 2022.

She writes, “My involvement with JNEB exponentially increased my understanding of nutrition education and behavior research, policy, and practice by continuously reading the manuscripts and reviews, learning about standards in the publication field, as well as best practices in qualitative and quantitative research. However, the best outcome from my involvement is the networking. I’m sure others will have the same experience.”

Beyond JNEB, she is known as a nutrition education professional with a vast research career, especially contributing to the fields of diabetes and osteoporosis. Her publications in areas of nutrition total more than 120 peer-reviewed publications as well as 12 book chapters and more than 70 editorials. The web presence she generated reaches a broad lay audience, demonstrating outcomes that are important to the mission of SNEB. These efforts have led to more than 200 invited presentations regionally, nationally and internationally as well as numerous professional awards, including the 2012 Mary Abbott Hess Award for Innovation in Education for the Your Guide to Diet and Diabetes website from the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics, the 2019 Foundation the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Medallion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Spitze Land-Grant Professorial Career Excellence Award in 2020.

Dr. Chapman-Novakofski began teaching a community nutrition class in 1994 with a focus on global nutrition issues and highlighting global perspectives of social, political and economic nutrition-related problems, in both national and international settings. Through this class, she has written teaching grants to support incorporating short videos of colleagues in non-US countries who conduct nutrition education or community health interventions to bring colleagues from Mexico into the classroom via Blackboard. Dr. Chapman-Novakofski utilized experiences with international student who could transmit issues of culture, acculturation, food and foodways to provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge.

“The collegial environment she cultivates among her mentees allowed me to succeed academically in the program amid language challenges and physical setbacks. With her encouragement and guidance, I later obtained the registered dietitian credential. She has continued to be a major source of wisdom, support, and inspiration in my journey to becoming a successful scholar,” said Karina Diaz Rios, PhD, RD, prior mentee of Dr. Chapman-Novakofski.

In addition, Dr. Chapman-Novakofski pioneered a program to convey nutrition education to military families. Through collaboration with the Military Families’ Learning Network, she conducted 27 webinars estimated to reach more than 5,400 dietitians and nutrition educators since piloting in July 2015. Dr. Chapman-Novakofski has received seven awards for her teaching, including one for curriculum development, another for mentoring, and two nominated by the students, themselves.

Beyond her position as Editor-in-Chief of JNEB, Dr. Chapman-Novakofski has served SNEB on various committees such as Higher Education Division Student Research Awards member, chair of Annual Conference Technology Night, and co-chair of the Nominating Committee.
However, her capability as Editor-in-Chief is why former Managing Editor of JNEB, Susan Pollock states, “Karen has been a transformative influence on JNEB during her term as Editor-in-Chief. Her contributions to SNEB, especially through JNEB, will be felt long into the future. Under her stewardship, new recognition programs, growth in pages and issues published, and increased Impact Factor all attest to her success in creating positive change for JNEB. Her achievements are underscored by the longevity of the staff serving the journal and continuing her mission.”

Suzie Goodell, Associate Professor of Nutrition at North Carolina State University believes “Karen’s mentorship of other researchers to be one of her greatest contributions to the field.” Dr. Chapman-Novoakofski’s words of affirmation, facilitation opportunities, or sharing insides on behind-the-scenes work is why Goodell says the nominee is a “champion of the future” with “unquantifiable support.”

ABOUT THE SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR The Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) represents the unique professional interests of nutrition educators worldwide. The Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior advances food and nutrition education research, practice, and policy that promote equity and support public and planetary health and has a vision of people worldwide empowered by food and nutrition education to change behavior, food systems, and policy.