The Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is an organization of nutrition professionals providing expert food and nutrition services to the residents of Wisconsin. WAND is an affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, consisting of approximately 900 nutrition experts commonly known as Registered Dietitian (RD) and Dietetic Technician Registered (DTR).
MISSION
Empower members to be Wisconsin’s food and nutrition leaders.
VISION
Optimize Wisconsin’s health through food and nutrition.
OFFICE
ADDRESS
563 Carter Court, Suite B, Kimberly, WI 54136
CONTACT
920-560-5619 | wand@badgerbay.co
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MEAGAN GIBSON
NATHAN BUTZLAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
JENNY HEAP
LAUREN ASCHER
CASEY ROSENBURG
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
CHAIR/PRESIDENT-ELECT
HEATHER MASTERS, MS, RDN, CD
PRESIDENT/PAST-CHAIR
MEAGAN GIBSON, MS, RDN, CD
PAST PRESIDENT
ADRIAN LEQUE, MS, RDN, LD. FAND
STATE MEDIA REP
EMILIE WILLIAMSON, MBA, RDN
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PLANNING (PEP) CHAIR
ANNIE WEISS, MS, CD
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PLANNING (PEP) CHAIR ELECT
LORI KLOS, PHD. RD
MEMBERSHIP & DIVERSITY CHAIR
EMILY OSCHMANN, RDN, LDN, CDN
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
AVA GOVEK
MEMBER
JENNIFER ADAMCZYK
EMILY WALLACE
JENNIFER HANLON
STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ERIC OSTERMANN
ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR
LIZA ROSENTHAL
OFFICE MANAGER
SANDY SHIMON
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SKYLER WOLFF
ALYSSA KICKBUSH
ADAM KUCHINA
KELSE MCLIMANS
HEIDI KATE
President’s
Welcome
Welcome
Mara Aschliman
Kayla Billman
Kristina Bowman
Melissa J Burke
Isabelle
Courchaine
Bailee Dobson
Patricia Dover
Tori Erickson
Kelly Fazendin
Allyson Foote
Nick Gibson
Grace Griffin
Timothy Halverson
Samantha Johnson
Anna Keays
Brooke Klatkiewicz
Trichelle Munsamy
Madison Schafer
Eva Schlicht
Veronica Skaradzinski
Mary Smith
Florence Uruakpa
Karah Valerio
MorganVavra
Ava Vesperman
Jean Ziegenhorn
Mount Mary University
UW Stevens Point
WI Beef Council
Global Health Products
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
MESSAGE FROM OUR 2025-2026 PRESIDENT
Meagan Gibson, MS, RDN, CD President 2025-2026
I am truly honored and excited to begin my term as President of the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!
First, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing President, Adrian LeQue, and our Past-President, Deborah Tang, for their outstanding leadership and dedication over the past few years. I’d also like to give a special shout out to our Events and Membership Manager at Badger Bay, Liza Rosenthal, for her hard work and continued support.
I’m grateful for our incredible Board members and all of you, our active WAND members. Your commitment, passion, and support are truly the foundation of this organization!
By way of introduction, my background as a Registered Dietitian is in foodservice management across healthcare, higher education, and school nutrition. I currently serve as a Program Director and will step into the role of Dietetics Department Chair at Mount Mary University in July. I’m deeply passionate about teaching; our students are the future of our profession! One of my goals this year is to increase student member engagement and create more opportunities for them to grow and lead within WAND.
As I begin this journey, I’m focused on a few key priorities:
• Growing our membership
• Enhancing engagement and satisfaction among current members
• Expanding networking and professional development opportunities
Guided by WAND’s mission: Empowering members to be Wisconsin’s food and nutrition leaders, I am confident we can achieve great things together!
Looking ahead, here are a few exciting updates to watch for:
• News on the Dietitian Licensure Compact
• Our 4th Annual Career and Leadership Day at UW Green Bay in November
• An in-person Board Orientation in mid-June
Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I look forward to a great year ahead!
Warmly,
Meagan Gibson
Meagan Gibson
WELCOME BACK TO THE WAND BOARD!
Congratulations to all Board Members! WAND Board Members Returning for 2025-2026
Welcome Back!
WAND is excited to welcome back Carolyn Lammersfeld, MBA, MS, RD, LDN, Kavita Poddar, RD, LDN, CDCES, CLS, CD, and Amy Stinson, MS, RD, CDCES, CD. Carolyn and Kavita will continue to serve as Co-State Policy Representatives, and Amy will continue to serve as Nutrition Services Payment Specialist.
Carolyn Lammersfeld, MBA, MS, RD, LDN
Co-State Policy Representative
In my 24 years of progressive leadership experience in health care, I know how to build relationships and teams to get the right thing done at the right time. I’ve seen firsthand how the lack of coverage for MNT for people with cancer can impact their health. As State Policy Representative Co-position, I will work with WAND to advocate for RD licensure and improve access to MNT for Wisconsin residents.
Kavita Poddar, PhD, RD, CD, CLS, CDCES
Co-State Policy Representative
First and foremost, I would like to thank WAND for giving me this opportunity to serve as State Policy Representative. Currently I am working as a clinical nutritionist at UW health and have 10 years of experience in heart and Vascular and Diabetes care. This experience as a clinical nutritionist has shown me how health policy can impact health of an individual and the impact that we as health care providers can have on policies through Advocacy. I got involved in Advocacy recently (4 months ago) and ever since my interest in Policy and Advocacy has grown tremendously.
I will bring 10 years of clinical experience with me to this position which provides me with an understanding of how policies can have an impact on the health of an individual – thus be in a better position to do the advocacy work. My values align with the values and mission of WAND and the PPAC committee. This puts me in a better position to advance the goals and vision of the WAND. I am passionate about advocacy and therefore will do full justice to the position.
Amy Stinson, MS, RD, CD, CDCES
Nutrition Services Payment Specialist
As the Nutrition Services Payment Specialist (formerly Reimbursement Representative) I hope to be an integral part of our Public Policy Committee and serve as a local resource for the members who have questions about coding and coverage issues. I plan to participate in and encourage activism in advocacy efforts to expand federal and state nutrition coverage policies. We deserve to be reimbursed for all the hard work we do as Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians!
WAND BITES
Connect with Us on Social Media!
Thrilled to connect with the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics here on social vvmedia! We looking forward to staying updated on the latest trends, research, and valuable resources in nutrition and dietetics. As a passionate advocate for health and wellness. We are excited to engage with a community of like-minded professionals dedicated to making a positive impact on public health. Can’t wait to learn more, share insights, and be part of the conversation!
WAND Online Member Profile Log-in
Our staff have been working to update our records for our professional and student members. Having current and useful member information is critical to the success of our communications and membership engagement initiatives. One such update includes changes to your WAND online member profile. To make it easier for members to log in on WAND’s website, your username has been updated to your Academy ID number! Check your email for all the details and feel free to contact the office with any questions eatrightwisc@gmail.com or 920-560-5619
UW Madison, Dietetics and Nutrition Club
The UW Madison Dietetics and Nutrition Club participated in National Nutrition Month we put 18 yard signs on the lower 1/3 of Bascom Hill, highlighting some fun nutritional tidbits and misconception. Pictured below is the imagery that was used for the signage!
Alyssa Kickbush
2025 ANNUAL CONFERECE RECAP
Casey Rosenberg, MS, RDN, CD, CLS Professional Education Chair
On April 3rd and 4th we hosted our annual spring conference in Madison, right on the square of the capital. We started the conference with some unique opportunities to get involved in advocacy and food security on a local level. Attendees had the opportunity to visit a local food pantry and volunteer for the morning, learning about food access issues and food security issues in the Madison area. The other option involved attendees meeting with their local representatives at the capitol to discussed the Licensure Compact we are hoping to get passed within the state of Wisconsin. Great learning and networking took place at both events.
Then we were able to dive right into the learning, hearing a from a broad variety of speakers. Starting out with a broad overview of integrative and functional nutrition and how we can put this topic into practice within the dietary guidelines and using food as medicine. We then heard from speakers on the opposite spectrum of using food as food for patients, specifically those within the eating disorder realm. It was very interesting to hear from multiple professionals on the broad spectrums of nutrition.
We were able to hear from a panel of members of the 2024-2025 Leadership Academy the WAND hosted over the last year and a half. I think it was a great representation of what the Leadership Academy was, how it benefited members, and the learning opportunities and community partnerships and growth that was fueled from the experience. We can’t wait to see the future potential and partnerships that might arise out of the program.
Lastly, we heard from a speaker on nutritional needs of those who are lactating. This was an eyeopening discussion on an area often overlooked in our field. I think the first day of this conference showed the broad spectrum of populations, needs, and disease states that we as a profession have the opportunity to impact and educate. The day was rounded out with an enjoyable networking session fit with wonderful views of the capital.
On Friday we kicked off the morning with a charismatic speaker discussing functional medicine and nutrition throughout the lifespan in a non-conventional setting. It was great to see the breadth of his work and how he is directly improving patient health states through this practice. We then heard about the work happening in Wisconsin around food and nutrition security from a policy and practice standpoint.
Our last two sessions of the day included speakers on food relationship and disease prevention and getting people to find their connections between the two and optimizing our protein intake to improve our health.
Along with the wonderful variety of speakers discussed above we also had a good mixture of vendors for attendees to visit with, some cutting-edge poster presentations, well deserved awards, and tasty food. We were able to see and increase in attendance and we hope to continue to grow our annual conference and offer a wide variety of education topics and nutrition themes in the future years to come. Hope to see you all the annual WAND 2026 Conference!
Thank you,
Casey Rosenberg
Casey Rosenberg WAND 2024-2025 PEP Chair
WELCOME TO THE WAND BOARD!
Congratulations to all Board Members! WAND Board Members Starting for 2025-2026
We are so excited to have some new board members joining us and some familiar faces staying around. We are excited to announce that we have Heather Masters, RDN, CD as WAND’s new President-Elect, Lori Klos PhD, RD as Professional Education Chair-Elect, Jennifer Hanlon, RDN as Northern Regional Representative, and Emily Wallace, MS, RD, CD as Southern Regional Representative.
We are excited to have Carolyn Lammersfeld, MBA, MS, RD, LDN and Kavita Poddar, RD, LDN, CDCES, CLS, CD as Co-State Policy Representatives as well as Amy Stinson, MS, RD, CDCES, CD as our Nutrition Services Payment Specialist. Below we have included some messages from our new board members, take the time to read them and if you see them out and make sure to congratulate them.
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MEET THE BOARD
Congratulations to all Board Members! WAND Board Members Starting for 2025-2026
Heather Masters, RDN, CD President-Elect
I am truly honored and grateful to be selected for the President-Elect of WAND for 2025–2026. Thank you for your trust and support—I’m inspired by the incredible work of this organization and its members. As a student attending the WAND annual conferences many years ago, I envisioned one day being like the Registered Dietitians I met throughout the conferences. This feels like an incredible full circle moment currently working in academia and now being able to give back to this organization serving as the WAND president-elect for 2025-2026 and then stepping into the role of WAND board president for 2026-2027. I look forward to serving in these roles as we continue to elevate our profession and make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.
Lori Klos PhD, RD
With 17 years of experience in higher education, I specialize in creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences that empower [future] nutrition and dietetic professionals to make a positive impact in the lives of others. I would bring a passion for education and commitment to delivering innovative, member-relevant programming to WAND. Collaborating with the PE Chair, I would seek to enhance the toolkits of WAND members to advance nutrition and dietetics, fostering growth and excellence in the profession.
Emily Wallace, MS, RD, CD
I am excited to be serving as WAND Southern Region-Representative. With over 15 years of experience as an RDN, I am committed to advancing the profession and engaging RDNs and NDTRs in advocacy, professional development, and patient care. At UW Health, I lead a talented team caring for children and advocating for enhanced nutrition care. If elected, I will foster collaboration, offer educational events, and promote our profession’s leadership.
Jennifer Hanlon, RDN
I have been a Registered Dietitian for 23 years with most of those years in Food Service management and clinical work both in long-term care and acute care. Currently, I am the dietitian for University Dining with the University of Wisconsin -Stevens Point. This position brings together my favorite pieces of my prior work experience which include recipe development and testing, food service data management, interaction with students, food allergy and intolerance management, as well as back of house interaction with staff, students and customers. In my current role, I can impact and educate students, staff and colleagues the importance of choosing a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.
SUMMER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Students who have gone above and beyond in nutrition
Students are Nominated by Peers/Mentors
June
July
August
Alyssa Kickbush
Submitted by Adam Kuchnia
University of Wisconsin Madison
Alyssa has all the qualities to advance the field of Nutrition and Dietetics. Specifically, I’d like to highlight her leadership roles as attributes that set her apart from her peers. She has been the president of the student-run Dietetics and Nutrition Club for the past two years. Our Department has observed an overall increase in club activity– such as increased social media outreach, student-led volunteer activities and willingness to answer requests for assistance with various campus events. Alyssa has been an outstanding active and engaged leader, and these qualities will serve our profession well in the future! She is a true leader.
Submitted by Kelse McLimans
Joseph Rinaldi Viterbo University
Joseph is a student at Viterbo University in their Dual Dietetic Internship and Master of Science in Community – Medical Dietetics Program. Joseph is known for his ability to build rapport with clientele. His affinity for learning and his passion for helping others makes him a standout intern and future dietitian. His professors wish they could clone 1,000 more Joe’s but unfortunately, we are stuck with one phenomenal one
Submitted by Heidi Kate
Ronald Bernander Milwaukee Area Technical College
Ron is a student at the Milwaukee Area Technical College. Ron has an innate sense of humility and grace that a professional in the field must possess. He is an excellent student and brings joy to the classroom and those that have the privilege of meeting his acquaintance. His drive and compassion will take him far in the field of dietetics.
NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH
Lauren Ascher Mount Mary University
The Mount Mary University Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association planned an event at lunchtime with the campus dining hall for National Nutrition Month. Two of our board leadership members met with the food service director, Erik, to plan the type of meals. Beforehand, we surveyed association members who eat at the dining hall regularly to get ideas about new things they would want. We kept those ideas in mind when proposing recipe ideas. To embrace the theme of Food Connects Us for National Nutrition Month, we wanted to feature meals from various cultures. We expressed this vision to the food service director, who helped us find recipes that the kitchen staff could make. We collaborated to feature a Greek salad, quesabirria tacos with rice and beans, make-your-own soba noodle bowls, and various desserts. Members of the association mingled with students while they were eating and offered them an entry for some National Nutrition Month swag. Overall, this was a successful event with good food and student participation.
Celebrating National Nutrition Month with global flavors.
Our Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association teamed up with campus dining to bring students a delicious, culturally inspired lunch experience.
THANK YOU & SAVE THE DATE
Thank You Members for all you do for WAND Join us at the next WAND related event this year!
We would like to thank all the board members that will be leaving the board this year. We could not have done everything we accomplished these past few years. This includes Deborah Tang, MS, RD, CD, AnnaMarie Rodriguez, RDN, LD, FAND, Jamie Weber, RDN, and Jean Bouche, RD, CNSD, CD. Deborah did a wonderful job in the roll of President-Elect, President, and Past-President. AnnaMarie helped make sure we had wonderful events as she served as Professional Education Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past-Chair. Jamie help make sure the Western Region had regional events as the Western Regional Rep, and Jean did the same but for the Northeastern Region. We are so grateful to have had you on the board and wish you all the best.
The event will include:
PULSE...
A Health & Wellness Fest
MWF and Aurora Health Care is proud to announce that Henry Maier Festival Park will host the second annual Pulse...A Health & Wellness Fest presented by Aurora Health Care on September 13, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m! This FREE community event will provide attendees with the tools and resources needed to live fitter, healthier, and happier lives. Participants can engage in a variety of fitness activities, watch cooking demonstrations, hear panel discussions, and interact with dozens of vendors and community partners such as local recreation programs, nonprofits, gyms, shopping vendors, healthy food brands, and much more.
• Group workouts, led by local trainers and fitness organizations
• Cooking demonstrations by local chefs and others focused on healthy eating
• Panels and talk-back sessions led by Aurora Health Care experts focused on men’s, women’s and family health
• Pickleball Village, featuring open play, workshops, coaching, competitions with pros, and vendors
• Community partners and activities from Girls on the Run of Southeastern Wisconsin, and more
GROW YOUR OWN GOODNESS
Adrian LeQue, MS, RDN, LD, FAND Discover Easy Container Gardening Tips for Your Favorite Produce
As nutrition professionals, a big challenge in clinical nutrition is to help increase the fruit and vegetable consumption of our clients or patients. Taking a multi-pronged approach can include making recipe suggestions, providing farmer’s market dates and information, and providing resources on growing their own vegetables.
An estimated 1500 small-acreage producers grow well over 50 crops in Wisconsin. Some of these include asparagus, beans, beets, carrots, celery, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, horseradish, leafy greens, melons, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins and other squashes, sweet corn, and tomatoes.
You don’t need an acreage to enjoy some home-grown foods this summer. If you want to try your hand at growing some of your own vegetables, you can try things like planting pots with a tomato or pepper plant. If you want to try combination pots, I love planting combination pots of my favorite herbs or salads. You can even try planting a large pot with some lettuces, radishes, and train some mini cucumbers up sticks formed into a tee-pee. Then you will have an entire salad bowl in one container.
Vegetable Varieties
Tomatoes: For a beefsteak tomato, I love Cherokee purple, Brandywine, and big beef beefsteak tomatoes. Black cherry and sunrise bumblebee are two of my favorite cherry varieties. If you want to can some sauces, we love Amish paste and San Marzano tomatoes. If you want to try a specialty tomato, try Gold Medal. This large, yellow tomato with a blush of red is sweet, low in acid, and tastes great!
Peppers: I usually try to find a snack pepper such as Lunch Bunch, but you can grow a single plant of any variety in a patio pot!
Lettuce: Buttercrunch, Green or red oakleaf, green or red incised (frilled texture) are all great varieties to try. I love to have a few varieties growing so I can make a mixed bowl.
Radishes: French Breakfast are more elongated, so you can fit more in a smaller space. These are great for deck boxes that you normally would plant flowers in too.
Mini-Cucumbers: Mexican Sour Gherkins are 1”and look like miniature watermelons. I love these fresh in salads, but they can also be pickled.
Herbs: Grow what you love and will use. I always have a pot of rosemary and thyme growing in my kitchen window, but in the summertime, I want more… I pick up some parsley, sage, basil, dill, and anything else I want handy.
You can go as big or as small as you want growing your own vegetables. You can have a large garden, or you can plant up a pot of herbs. Last year I planted strawberries in patio boxes. I loved the fresh strawberries all summer, but I probably would have done things differently. One thing that is nice about gardening is that you get to start over next year with an entirely new growing season! Happy growing!
WANDPAC continues to work improve the impact that we can make in the WAND Community
WANDPAC collects voluntary contributions from members into a single account and distributes those contributions - under the directions of a governing board - to candidates for elective state office. Outside of administrative costs, the PAC Program is funded entirely through member contributions.
We look forward to building our assests to be able contribute in teh future to legislators who have and will continue to support our nutrition policies. See below for more details on what we’ve been able to accomplish with our WANDPAC dollars - and plan to donate today!
If you would like to see your WANDPAC contriubutions and determine if it’s time to donate, in your profiles you can...
• Log In
• Under “Invoicing, Payment & History” Click on “Donations”
• This will share your amount donated over time
Thank you again for the consideration of donation to this important fun to advancing our profession
Profits from sales in the WAND merchandise store go towards supporting scholarships for students and practitioners.
STATE POLICY NEWS
Nathan Butzlaff
WAND Legislative Update from Hoven Consulting
State Assembly Approves Interstate Dietitian Compact Bill
On May 13, the State Assembly approved Assembly Bill 45, legislation to enter Wisconsin into the interstate Dietitian Licensure Compact, by voice vote. This legislation, which is strongly supported by WAND, was introduced by State Representative Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) and state Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point). WAND worked closely with both legislators on introducing this legislation, which would allow eligible Wisconsin dietitians to more easily practice their profession in one or more states outside of Wisconsin that are also part of the compact.
In order to formally create this compact, Governors in at least seven states need to sign legislation entering their respective states into this compact. As this is written, this legislation has been enacted in twelve states - Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, Mississippi, Utah, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Iowa.
Also, as you know, the State of Wisconsin provides certification – instead of licensure – to dietitians. Regardless, this interstate compact would still apply to dietitians who are certified in Wisconsin.
The next step for this legislation is a full Senate vote. The Senate Health Committee voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend approval of the Senate version of this bill, Senate Bill 71, on May 5. WAND’s government relations team continues to advocate for the advancement of this legislation.
State Senate Approves Bill Extending Medicaid Postpartum Coverage
On April 22, the State Senate voted overwhelmingly (32-1) to approve Senate Bill 23, which would extend eligibility for the Medicaid program for postpartum women to the first 12 months after childbirth.
Currently, pregnant women in Wisconsin who are enrolled in Medicaid remain eligible for such coverage through the end of the month in which their 90-day postpartum period ends. The postpartum period is a medically vulnerable period for all women and, as such, disruptions in health care coverage during this timeframe can adversely affect access to medically necessary health care. Extension of Medicaid Coverage to 12 months aligns with the March of Dimes evidenceinformed recommendation to prevent maternal and infant mortality.
Now that Senate Bill 23 has passed the Senate, it has been referred to the Assembly for further legislative action. In addition to WAND, there are numerous health care organizations that are advocating for the advancement of this legislation.
Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee Votes to Remove Governor’s Priorities from Budget Bill
On May 6, the Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance sent a memo to their members detailing all of the budget items included in Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ Fiscal Year 20252027 state budget request that they intend to remove from further consideration by the committee. The committee took this up as one vote at their first executive session addressing the FY2025-2027 budget, which occurred on May 8 in Madison.
As Republicans hold a 12-4 majority on this committee, the committee voted to remove these budget items. However, it is important to note that even if certain budget items from the Governor’s budget
STATE POLICY NEWS CONT.
Nathan Butzlaff WAND Legislative Update from Hoven Consulting
request remained in the budget bill after this vote, a majority of committee members would still need to vote to approve including those budget items in the committee’s version of the budget bill. Those votes will occur at committee meetings on various dates in the future, as the committee considers different state agency budget items. In addition, the Joint Committee on Finance is able to offer their own budget amendments to different state agencies.
The committee removed over 600 budget items from Governor Evers’ budget request, including the following budget items likely of interest to WAND:
Department of Health Services
• Healthy Food Incentive Program
• Provide $488,600 annually for the Healthy Food Incentive Program, which aims to improve access to healthy, fresh, and locally sourced fruits and vegetables for individuals participating in the FoodShare program. Funding provided is intended to cover the cost of benefits, as well as administrative and contract staffing costs associated with program implementation.
• Currently, there is $425,000 in unspent funding available for this program.
Department of Public Instruction
• “School Meals for All” Funding, which would provide enough funding for all K-12 students in Wisconsin to receive free school meals during every school day, regardless of family income.
• School Breakfast Reimbursement
• This proposal was to increase the K-12 school breakfast reimbursement to provide enough funding to reimburse schools at $0.15 per breakfast served.
WAND Advocacy Day Held on April 3 in Madison
On April 3, WAND held its first in-person state Advocacy Day in Madison in several years. Over 40 WAND members attended this event, which was held at the Park Hotel in Madison – right across the street from the Capitol building.
Advocacy Day featured a guest speaker from the Legislature – Christopher Schaefer, chief of staff to state Representative Rob Brooks (R-Saukville). Rep. Brooks is the author of the Assembly bill – Assembly Bill 45 – that would enter Wisconsin into the interstate Dietitian Licensure Compact. Christopher provided an update on this legislation. Following those remarks, WAND lobbyist Nathan Butzlaff delivered a presentation on WAND’s policy priorities for the 2025-2026 legislative session – entering Wisconsin into the interstate dietitian licensure compact and the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months – and provided tips on how to conduct meetings with state legislators. (In addition, Nathan led a pre-Advocacy Day webinar on March 25 on legislative advocacy, which was recorded and is available to WAND members on the WAND website.)
Following these Advocacy Day presentations, WAND members walked across the street to the state Capitol building and met with legislators and legislative staff to advocate on WAND’s policy priorities.
WAND Advocacy Day 2025 was a success! Thanks to all WAND members who attended Advocacy Day and met with their respective legislators to advocate for policy priorities that will ultimately benefit not only Wisconsin dietitians, but also patients.
POTATOES AND IMMUNE FUNCTION
Jenny Heap, MS, RDN National Potato Growers Update
As winter fades and spring blooms, so do seasonal allergies. With lingering challenges of COVID-19 and flu season, supporting a resilient immune system is more crucial than ever. While the peak of respiratory virus season varies, maintaining a strong immune system is crucial year-round. Despite fluctuations in COVID-19, flu, and RSV hospitalizations, the importance of immune health remains constant.
Registered dietitians understand that the interest in immune health has been significantly heightened since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people turning to supplementation for enhanced immune function. While it is well documented that malnutrition and certain nutrient deficiencies impair immune function, whether immunity can be enhanced by consuming high levels of these nutrients via supplementation still lacks scientific consensus. Though nutrient supplementation might be necessary in some cases to ensure adequate intake, all of these immunesupporting nutrients can be found in common foods. No single whole food provides all, but some – like potatoes – can deliver a surprising dose in just one serving.
Nutrients that support immunity
Several nutrients including zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, D, and E, are required to support an immune system capable of mounting a healthy response to invading pathogens. Potatoes and potato dishes can help boost consumption of several of these immunecritical nutrients, along with others, essential for general health and wellness.
In addition to providing 620 mg of potassium (more than a banana), 2 grams of dietary fiber, and 3 grams of high-quality protein, one medium 5.3-ounce potato delivers:
Vitamin C: 20 mg, 30% DV
While evidence supporting vitamin C as an immunity booster is inconsistent, this antioxidant certainly merits its fame as an immunity superhero. Vitamin C protects immune cells from the very reactive oxygen species they must release to kill pathogens and is used rapidly during active immune responses.
While likely best known for its critical role in immune function, vitamin C is also essential for the synthesis of collagen, which provides structure and elasticity to connective tissues throughout the body, including the skin, which is a primary barrier that acts to keep foreign pathogens out of the body. Another important benefit of vitamin C is that it improves the bioavailability of iron found in plant foods. About 4.5 mg of vitamin C is lost when potato skin is removed.
Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg, 10% DV
This B vitamin plays an important role in immune function, making it possible for immune cells to proliferate enough to effectively defend against foreign pathogens. While necessary for proper immune function, research indicates that consuming more than is recommended does not further enhance immunity.
Iron: 1.1 mg, 6% DV
Iron is necessary for both the structure and function of several enzymes that must be present for the immune system to function. The immune system also relies on iron in the production of T lymphocytes. Too little iron certainly impairs immune function, however getting too much can have the same negative impact.
Content produced in partnership with the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association represents growers committed to good agriculture, food safety, nutrition, traceability, and providing America with fresh, high-quality produce. Wisconsin-grown potatoes offer more than just great taste. Local and sustainably sourced, they’re packed with nutrition no matter the variety. Every one of our Wisconsin Healthy Grown® farms is certified by an independent oversight organization. It ensures our growers pass annual Wisconsin Healthy Grown Potato and Vegetable whole-farm audits, and that all our packers and shippers maintain the highest sustainability standards.
High-Quality Protein: 3 g
Though not a significant source of iron, potatoes’ impressive vitamin C content, and very low (to nonexistent) antinutrient levels make the bioavailability shine compared to that of many other plant foods rich in iron.
Polyphenols: Beyond vitamin C, potatoes provide antioxidant polyphenols in varying amounts depending on the variety. Potatoes with colored flesh are rich in polyphenols, purple potatoes in particular. Research suggests that polyphenols may also improve immune function. Many potato types are grown locally in Wisconsin, including different varieties of red, blue and purple, white, yellow-gold, Russet and Fingerling.
The biological value (BV) of potato protein might surprise you. Depending on the variety, the BV comes in anywhere between 90 and 100 – approaching that of an egg – and is higher in biological value than protein from both soybeans and legumes. While not high in protein, potatoes offer more per serving than most other foods commonly consumed from the vegetables and legumes category.
Dietary Fiber: 2 g, 7% DV
The fiber in potatoes, composed mostly of cellulose, enhances satiety and may contribute to a healthier gut microbiome and help reduce inflammation. In addition, fiber promotes bowel regularity. Fiber is the only nutrient significantly reduced when a potato is peeled. A little less than 50% is found in the skin, so leave the peel on to optimize fiber.
Potassium: 620 mg, 15% DV
Potassium is necessary for healthy heart and kidney function, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. Inadequate intake can increase blood pressure and deplete the calcium in bones.
Potassium is found primarily in the flesh of the potato. Removing the skin reduces potassium by ~150 mg.
Choose complementary ingredients to support a healthy immune system:
• Give these new potato dishes a try in your quest to keep immunity strong. Each ingredient adds immune-supporting nutrients that perfectly complement the benefits found in potatoes.
• Adding arugula to a pot of mashed potatoes adds vitamin A to the dish.
• Mashed purple potatoes boost polyphenols.
Roasted potato salad with egg and herb vinaigrette is packed with immune-critical nutrients, including vitamin A (herbs and arugula), vitamin E (olive oil) and vitamin D (eggs).
For additional delicious ways to enjoy potatoes, visit the recipes section on eatwisconsinpotato.com. Look for the Wisconsin Healthy Grown® certification seal on your potatoes and explore more at eatwisconsinpotatoes.com!
