2015 LAHIDAN Distinguished Service Trinko Award
David Orozco, MS, RD
Congratulations to David Orozco for receiving the 2015 Trinko Award. We are so pleased to have him as a Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition (LAHIDAN) member. A native of Colombia, David is a hard-working registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who has shown his dedication to the profession by volunteering for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for years. He was president of the Student Advisory Committee for the Academy in 2004, part of the Professional Development Committee from 2011 to 2014, and a Nominating Committee Member from 2012 to 2015. David has contributed enormously to the development and success of LAHIDAN as a founding member, secretary from 2009 to 2011, and an advisor ever since. He has also been very active in the Georgia chapter of the Academy and has represented Georgia at the House of Delegates in many occasions. David serves as an inspiration for LAHIDAN members and students, showing them how to become more involved in their profession. He is eager to help others and exceeds in everything he does. David graduated from Georgia State University with a Masters in Health Sciences. He also holds certifications as a Health Fitness Specialist from the American College of Sports Medicine, Intuitive Eating Counselor, and Quit Smart® smoking cessation counselor. As an RDN and health fitness specialist, David has helped hundreds of individuals manage their weight, diabetes, and kidney disease as well as make positive lifestyle improvements. David owns td wellness, LLC, a nutrition and health consulting business that provides solutions for healthy living for individuals, organizations, and corporations. He provides nutrition, health, and wellness “lunch and learn” sessions or presentations to various organizations and their employees. He leads fitness classes and programs and provides health coaching sessions to groups and individuals. He teaches an adult weight management program known as Shape Healthy. He also works with organizations such as the Emory Latino Diabetes Program, the Diabetes Association of Atlanta, and as a spinning instructor for Core Body Fitness. In addition, David is an instructor at Georgia State University, where he teaches Spanish for health care professionals. David loves enjoying time with his wife, daughter, and dog. He loves to cook, being active outdoors, biking, hiking, and camping. Finally, he holds the rank of Sandan (third degree black belt) in the Japanese martial art of Aikido.
2015 Student FNCE® Scholarship Recipient
Angel Huertas
I cannot attribute my path in dietetics to one person in particular. Instead, I think about the many people whom I have met on my life journey who could have been a little healthier or happier if they only knew a little bit of what I know now. I have been blessed in many ways, and I want to give back to others through my career in dietetics. I want to thank my professors Dr. Goodell and Dr. Cooke at North Carolina State University for inspiring me through their work and introducing me to the Cooking Matters Program. Through this program, I learned how nutrition can empower and motivate underprivileged children to make positive changes. I would also like to thank my professors Mr. O’Brient, Mrs. Price, and Dr. Okeiyi at North Carolina Central University for believing in me. Last but not least, I thank the members of LAHIDAN for being so welcoming and supporting me in my education. I will continue to make everyone proud! My interests include old houses; gardening; nature; animal welfare; sustainability; renewable resources; and good health that encompasses exercise, nutrition, and spirituality. Beyond these many interests, I know that my calling is to help others reach happiness. As I grow up, I realize more and more that one’s happiness is directly related to one’s mental (spiritual) and physical state. A human being is composed of a physical body and a spirit that expresses itself through the body. Unhappiness, sickness, and depression can be related to an imbalance in the physical body or the spirit. My passion is to help others find balance in their lives so that both the spirit and the body can be healthy and in harmony. Before delving into the world of nutrition science, my career was in health coaching and personal training. I loved my job. With every single client, I told myself that I was going to make his or her life better in some way, and that is what continues to drive me. Dietetics is just one piece of the support that I hope to provide to my clients and friends. The body needs proper exercise and nutrition so that the spirit can express itself to the fullest. Hippocrates knew what he was talking about when he said “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” As I work toward completion of my Masters of Science in nutrition, the importance of proper nutrition and its effects on the body has gained increasing relevance for me. In the future, I would like to speak at conferences, schools, and universities to educate people on the importance of nutrition in avoiding nutrition-related diseases and conditions.