Nutrition Spokesperson
Judy MacNeill began working with the Michigan Apple Committee in the fall of 2007 as the organization's nutrition spokesperson. A registered dietician and past president of the Michigan Dietetic Association, MacNeill speaks with authority on the issues of apples and good health.
Judy, a nutrition expert in the field of adult- and child-obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, is passionate about how all foods, especially fruits and vegetables, can impact the health of people in Michigan. She is a registered dietitian, a certified adult weight management specialist, a certified diabetes educator, and is proud to be the new nutrition spokesperson for the Michigan Apple Committee.
Judy is currently the wellness director for Alpena Regional Medical Center in northern Michigan, as well as the creator and director of a popular weight management program that is now entering its 20thyear in northeast Michigan.
Judy has conducted over 100 television, radio, and newspaper interviews, addressing all aspects of nutrition. A frequently requested guest speaker, Judy's forte is providing cooking demonstrations to illustrate how healthy can also be delicious.
Prior to her current position as wellness director, Judy served as an outpatient clinical dietitian at Alpena General Hospital, specializing in diabetes, cardiovascular, and obesity treatment. Judy also owned a personal trainer business: Nutrition & Fitness Solutions, which provided in-home nutrition and fitness consulting services for individuals in a three-county region.
Ardent about how good nutrition can impact the lives of people residing in Michigan, Judy has served as past president of the Michigan Dietetic Association, as well as numerous positions at the local and state level for the Dietetic Association. She has testified to the State Senate Health Committee on child obesity, she has flown to Washington DC to discuss with our congressmen how nutrition impacts our elderly, and she has been instrumental in securing Medicare reimbursement for people with diabetes.
Judy has been the recipient of several awards, including the prestigious Legislative Activity Award from the American Dietetic Association's Diabetes Practice Group, and the New Researcher's Award from the ADA on her research about comparing different weight management methods on overweight women.
A member of the American Dietetic Association, Judy earned her Masters of Science in Clinical Dietetics from Chicago Medical School/Finch University of Health Sciences, and her Bachelors of Science in Foods and Nutrition from Central Michigan University.