Congratulations to the 2026 ANFP award recipients! ANFP celebrates the critical work they are doing across the country to provide innovative leadership and support the value of the CDM, CFPP credential.
Ambassador Award
Christopher Connolly
The Ambassador Award is dedicated to an industry colleague, such as an administrator or dietitian, who demonstrates continuous commitment to the CDM, CFPP credential through mentoring and support of the nutrition and food service department leader within their facility.
Christopher Connolly is a culinary systems strategist, educator, and author focused on how foodservice operations perform under real-world pressure. With more than twenty years of progressive leadership expertise, he currently consults with Direct Supply Procurement Services, supporting culinary operations in senior living and healthcare organizations nationwide in multi-site operations, performance improvement, and system-level optimization.
With experience spanning culinary leadership, multi-unit national operations, and consulting, Christopher works with a broad range of executive teams, senior leadership, department leaders and staff to strengthen consistency, spend management, food safety, financial performance, and resident dining outcomes at scale.
He is the creator of Culinary Systems Science™, a framework that examines kitchens as complex systems shaping reliability, safety, and resident experience. This work extends into Culinary Governance™, an applied platform that translates these principles into practical tools, training, and operational systems.
He is a multi-discipline national conference speaker and is currently pursuing a PhD in Hospitality Management at Iowa State University, where his research focuses on operational reliability and system design in foodservice.
A contributor to Edge magazine and an adjunct faculty member and healthcare preceptor, he has dedicated his career to mentoring credentialed foodservice leaders, advocating for the CDM, CFPP credential, and building durable systems that elevate the profession from task-bound operations to essential healthcare leadership. His unique ability to bridge frontline experience with executive-level strategy, combined with his commitment to professional development and industry advancement, makes him a true ambassador for nutrition and foodservice excellence.
CDM, CFPP Spotlight Award
Dominick Patrevito, CDM, CFPP
The CDM, CFPP Spotlight Award honors a member that has received their chapter’s CDM, CFPP of the Year award or was named as the CDM, CFPP of the Month in Nutrition & Foodservice Edge magazine. This member has proven to a devoted to their chapter as well as to ANFP.
Dominick Patrevito, CDM, CFPP, is an accomplished culinary and hospitality executive with extensive experience leading large-scale food service operations within the senior living industry. As the current Vice President of Culinary with Trilogy Health Services, he oversees culinary and dining services across 140 communities in seven states, with a steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional dining experiences that enhance the lives of our residents.
Throughout his career, he has built and led high-performing teams by providing the vision, support, and direction needed to achieve strategic goals, operational excellence, and company initiatives.
Since earning his CDM, CFPP credential in 2018, Dominick has distinguished himself as a dynamic leader who seamlessly balances a successful professional career with dedicated service to ANFP. In 2024, he was elected President-Elect of the Indiana ANFP chapter, where he has demonstrated creative, strategic, and innovative leadership. As program chair for the chapter's 2025 three-day conference, he secured all speakers and organized a community service project where attendees assembled twenty-five Mother's Day meal baskets for families in need.
He believes in creating a culture where team members feel empowered, engaged, and inspired to grow professionally. Under his leadership, teams are encouraged to enjoy meaningful and rewarding work, seize opportunities for advancement, and take pride in delivering memorable dining experiences.
His team approach, attention to detail, and commitment to culinary excellence earned him the 2025 Indiana ANFP Distinguished Member of the Year Award. A natural mentor and emerging national leader, Dominick represents the best of the CDM, CFPP credential.
Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award
Ariel Womack, CDM, CFPP
The Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding chapter volunteer who serves as a positive example to others, and whose dedicated service, time, and efforts to the foodservice industry help to advance the mission of ANFP at the state level.
Ariel Womack, CDM, CFPP is a Dining and Nutrition Services Manager at Ethica in Milledgeville, Georgia, and a rising leader in ANFP. She obtained her CDM, CFPP credential in 2018 and currently serves the Georgia (GA) ANFP in three simultaneous leadership capacities: Secretary, Webmaster, and Newsletter Editor to meet the needs of her chapter.
Ariel sets herself apart through sustained excellence in both her professional career and volunteer leadership. With a strong foundation in nutrition and food service management, Ariel is known for her hands-on approach, starting out in 2010 as a dietary aide quickly moving up to food service supervisor with the Department of Corrections, and eventually landing in a hospital setting as a retail/patient supervisor.
Her service extends beyond her facility through meaningful community outreach, including veteran support efforts, Ronald McDonald House donations, Meals on Wheels service, youth fundraising events, and food insecurity projects.
A natural mentor and motivator, Ariel engages others through enthusiasm, encouragement, and intentional leadership. She treats volunteers as essential partners, recognizing their contributions and empowering them to contribute at a higher level. Her dedication played a meaningful role in earning the Diamond Award in 2023 for GA ANFP.
She actively contributes to the growth and development of her peers by supporting the advancement of the CDM, CFPP credential, serving as a ServSafe instructor and proctor, and encouraging excellence in nutrition and foodservice leadership. Ariel has demonstrated consistent leadership, integrity, and passion for supporting both residents and fellow professionals in the field.
Dining Distinction Award
Georgia Georgacopulos-Lopez
The Dining Distinction Award honors a member that has contributed significantly to the health and well-being of individuals while providing an optimal dining experience, including the nutritional value of food, presentation, the environment in which food is served, and interactions with clients.
Georgia Georgacopulos-Lopez, known as Gia, currently serves as a Child Nutrition Operations Specialist at YES Prep Public Schools, where she oversees cafeteria operations across multiple campuses, ensures compliance with USDA food program regulations, and provides training to staff.
Gia's approach to school nutrition is both strategic and deeply personal. Rather than implementing sweeping changes immediately, she took time to observe existing processes, build trust with kitchen staff, and then collaborate with her teams to transform each cafeteria into a first-class operation. Her leadership has resulted in significant increases in breakfast and lunch participation, which is a testament to her ability to make school meals both nutritious and appealing to students
A champion of innovation, Gia streamlined meal service at elementary campuses by implementing fingerprint scanning for students, improving line efficiency, and ensuring accurate meal counting and claiming. At secondary campuses, she ensures equitable access to quality meals for every student, recognizing that meal insecurity is a real challenge and that every child deserves to feel equal in the lunch line.
In addition, she has extensive experience as a sports nutrition consultant through her private practice, working with amateur and elite athletes across multiple disciplines. She served as a sports nutritionist at a FIFA-recognized medical clinic, focusing on performance nutrition, injury recovery, and body composition.
Her ability to tailor programs to diverse student needs, think creatively to solve challenges, and foster a culture of belonging with measurable impacts position her as a model for school nutrition professionals nationwide.
Distinguished Service Award – Corporate Partner
Sysco
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a corporate partner that has demonstrated support for ANFP in pursuit of its mission.
Sysco Corporation stands as one of the ANFP’s most dedicated and impactful corporate partners, with a remarkable legacy of support spanning more than 25 years. Throughout this quarter-century partnership, Sysco has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing the nutrition and foodservice profession and supporting the CDM, CFPP credential.
Sysco has sponsored a comprehensive range of programs that directly benefit members pursuing or maintaining the CDM, CFPP credential, including webinars, the Leadership Institute, Spring and Fall Regional Meetings, the Skilled Nursing Benchmarking Program, and ACE. Beyond financial investment, Sysco has shown deep organizational commitment through active leadership participation at the highest levels.
Sysco has also maintained representation on the Nutrition & Foodservice Education Foundation (NFEF) Board of Trustees since 2015. Notably, Sysco was the first major corporate supporter when the Foundation rebranded, as NFEF in 2014 and continues to support the Foundation as a Visionary Level Sponsor.
Sysco has provided valuable industry expertise through representation on the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) for several years. Their current representative, JD Qualley, has gone above and beyond by serving on the IAC Education Task Force to help plan an IAC-produced session at ACE 2026.
Their partnership demonstrates unwavering dedication through sustained commitment across changing industry landscapes, professional development, research, networking opportunities, leadership engagement and a member-focused approach that consistently prioritizes programs directly impacting CDMs, CFPPs, and the broader ANFP community.
Horizon Award
Mariel Almazan
The Horizon Award recognizes members who are new to management, and who demonstrate a desire for future growth through initiatives within their facility or community, or local chapter, and display leadership in fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
M. Almazan, the Child Nutrition Coordinator, at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, Texas, has quickly distinguished herself through visionary leadership, innovation, and a deep commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. M. has transformed school meal programs into inclusive, culturally relevant, and educational experiences that positively impact students, staff, and the broader community.
As a recent graduate of Rice University (Class of '25) and a high school alumna of YES Prep Gulfton, her strength lies in her strong ties to the Houston community. Born and raised in Houston, she is passionate about improving food deserts and continues to support the free school lunch programs that she grew up with.
M. ensures that every child has access to nutritious meals that reflect the diversity of their backgrounds while introducing new foods in ways that promote healthy choices and lifelong habits. She champions programs that highlight diverse foods and traditions, helping students see their cultures represented in school meals while also exposing them to new culinary experiences in a respectful and engaging and incorporating fresh, locally sourced, and culturally relevant ingredients.
She integrates nutrition education into the classroom through hands-on learning experiences, engages students in promoting healthy eating habits, and leverages technology and creative problem-solving to streamline operations and enhance meal program accessibility.
M's unique combination of inclusive leadership, innovation, and measurable impact sets her apart as a transformative leader shaping the future of child nutrition. Her vision, dedication, and ability to inspire others position her as a model for school nutrition professionals nationwide.
Innovation Award
Thom Pastor, FACHE, CDM, CFPP
The Innovation Award recognizes an individual who has enhanced their nutrition and foodservice operations through technology, program development, nutrition, and operations.
Thom Pastor, CDM, CFPP, FACHE is the Director of Food and Nutrition Services at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in Anchorage, Alaska, where he oversees retail, inpatient hospital feeding, and clinical nutrition operations.
At the heart of ANTHC's foodservice operation is the traditional foods program, which brings salmon, moose, caribou, seal, wild berries, and other foods central to Alaska Native culture directly to patients and staff. For many patients, access to these foods during a hospital stay is more than a meal, it is a connection to identity, community, and home.
Upon his arrival, Thom inherited a 20,000-pound surplus of traditional foods stored at significant cost in off-site freezers. Rather than allow inevitable waste, he redistributed the surplus to tribal health organizations and community elders across the state, turning a potential loss into a one-time community benefit while resetting the program's purchasing model around realistic utilization. Today, the program operates with a tracked inventory system that ensures items reach the menu at peak freshness, and community trust has grown.
Since joining ANTHC, he began restructuring the team to address operational instability. He brought in a nationally recognized interim Executive Chef to model professional kitchen standards, embedded pay equity into every hiring decision to reduce turnover and build trust among staff. Today, three Alaska Native managers hold decision and design control over traditional menus across the service line, a meaningful investment in the cultural continuity of the program itself.
Thom pursued his FACHE credential, a distinction typically held by hospital administrators and clinical executives because he believes foodservice leadership belongs at the same table as every other healthcare discipline. His vision, dedication, and ability to hold both operational rigor and creative problem solving demonstrate the innovative strategies possible in the foodservice industry.
Legacy Award
Deb Dawson, CDM, CFPP
The Legacy Award recognizes an ANFP member who has been a member for at least 15 years and served three or more years on a national committee/board and attended at least three ANFP regional and/or annual meetings within the last five years.
Deb Dawson, CDM, CFPP built a distinguished career defined by service, leadership, and a deep commitment to advancing the nutrition and foodservice profession. She is a dedicated and long-standing member of ANFP. Her leadership spans nearly every level of the organization including chapter roles such as Treasurer, Secretary, Chair, and Spokesperson, as well as national positions including Director at Large, Treasurer, and National Chair from 2003–2004. She has also served as the CDBM and Foundation Chair, and coordinates projects for Past Chairs, helping shape the organization’s strategic direction and strengthen leadership continuity.
Beyond her formal leadership roles, Deb is widely respected as a mentor, educator, and advocate for professional excellence. She has taught CDM, CFPP exam preparation classes, served as a preceptor for students in dietary management programs, and consistently invested in developing future leaders in the field. Her efforts have strengthened workforce readiness, supported credentialing, and elevated the visibility of the CDM, CFPP credential across the profession.
Her influence extends well beyond the workplace. She is deeply committed to her community, teaching food safety, mentoring students, supporting church events, and encouraging youth education through music and food safety initiatives. She is known for her warmth, integrity, and ability to make others feel welcome, and leads with humility and purpose. Her career reflects not only remarkable achievements, but also a sustained dedication to serving others and strengthening the profession she has helped to shape, making her a truly deserving recipient of the Legacy Award.
Partnership Award
Kym Brenneman, RD, LD
The Partnership Award recognizes a company or facility who exhibits a strong commitment to the credential and supports the nutrition and foodservice department leaders as well as staff.
Kym Marie Brenneman, RD, LD is Vice President of Food & Nutrition Services for Saber Healthcare Group, where she leads system-wide operations across more than 160 communities. A strong advocate for professional advancement in food and nutrition services, she has partnered closely with ANFP to promote and elevate the credential. Through her support, individuals were able to pursue formal training, complete required coursework, and achieve professional credentialing, strengthening both their confidence and competence in foodservice and nutrition management.
Kym’s leadership includes launching a CDM, CFPP scholarship program and developing career pathways that strengthen the workforce and support long-term care excellence. The organization actively promotes the credential as a leadership standard within dietary services, encourages mentorship between credentialed and aspiring professionals, and allows dedicated time for coursework, study and professional development.
Saber's credentialed staff leaders such as those holding the CDM, CFPP have driven, meaningful, positive changes within the facility by strengthening both daily operations and long-term outcomes. This formal training has led to improved survey readiness, fewer deficiencies related to food safety and nutrition services, and more consistent compliance with federal and state requirements. Credentialed leaders bring structure to polices, menus, sanitation process, and documentation, reducing risk across shifts and departments.
Saber Health Care Group is a leading provider of post-acute and long-term care services, committed to enhancing the quality of life for the residents and families it serves. By investing in education, leadership development and operational excellence, Saber Health Care empowers its teams to deliver safe, high-quality care while fostering dignity, respect, and meaningful outcomes for every resident.
Public Policy Leadership Award
Jen Kiggans
The Public Policy Award recognizes a member or congressperson that exhibits strong support for efforts to change/strengthen public policy in the areas of nutrition, food, health care, and public health.
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans represents Virginia’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, bringing to public service a rare blend of military, clinical, and legislative experience. A board-certified Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, Kiggans has built her career around service, leadership, and advocacy for stronger health care systems.
Her firsthand experience in long-term care, nursing facilities, and private practice informs her policy, priorities, particularly those affecting older adults, patients with chronic conditions, and vulnerable communities. In Congress, she has championed legislation to expand access to medical nutrition therapy and improve care delivery in skilled nursing facilities. She has also recognized National CDM, CFPP Day in the Congressional Record for three consecutive years, underscoring her support for CDM, CFPPs and their contributions to nutrition, food safety, and public health.
In January 2026 Rep. Jen Kiggans and Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06) introduced the Enhancing Skilled Nursing Facilities Act to empower nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical nurse specialists to provide certain care in skilled nursing facilities to streamline care, reduce delay
Diamond Award
Georgia ANFP
The coveted Diamond Award recognizes one ANFP state chapter per year that exemplifies dedication to members through chapter initiatives and enthusiastic leadership.This year’s Diamond Award winner, Georgia (GA) ANFP, focused on giving back to their neighbors and the surrounding communities by partnering with local and national charities.
The chapter provided snacks, paper goods, and hygiene products for the Ronald McDonald House that provides support to families and parents of sick children who want to stay by their child's side that do not have the time or cannot afford to purchase the bare necessities.
They also partnered with the local organization, Uplifting Our Girls of Atlanta, run by women in government leadership including State House Representative, Kim Schofield. The organization fulfills various needs including helping young ladies with bra fittings, providing education to embrace puberty, and providing group meetings as a means of support. The chapter donated funds to help support this organization and purchase personal hygiene products.
Additionally, the chapter was able to provide support to Hand to Hand in Glynn County GA, an organization that provides housing for the homeless, including community of 51 tiny homes. One of the chapter’s CDM, CFPPs, works for the community and reached out and asked for support. The chapter began taking up a collection of items needed for the tiny house community including food, bedding, hygiene and cleaning products.
As a chapter they decided years ago that they wanted to help those in need in their state no matter the location. Word of mouth has helped to boost their reputation to provide aid, and they appreciate the opportunity to go above and beyond in their communities.
Congratulations, Georgia ANFP!