Cynthia Facemire, MMHC, R.D., LDN, administrative director of Vanderbilt University Hospital Expansion and Transition, has been named to receive the Medallion Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the organization’s upcoming Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Atlanta.
The award honors academy members who have shown dedication to the high standards of the dietetics profession through active participation, leadership and service to others in dietetics and allied health fields.
“Cynthia is truly a trailblazer in our profession,” said Elizabeth Robinson, M.Ed., R.D., LDN, director of the Dietetic Internship.
“Her career has spanned clinical nutrition, education and management practice. Her stellar accomplishments in the work setting are paralleled by her equally significant contributions to the academy and to other groups. She has tangibly advanced the profession of dietetics.”
Facemire has worked in the dietetics profession for nearly four decades. In her time at Vanderbilt, Robinson says Facemire has worn many hats.
She started as the associate director of Nutrition, overseeing a clinical staff of more than 35 dietitians providing support to VUH and 84 clinics and the internship program.
Later she transitioned into the role of director, where she managed food operations in three hospitals and across multiple clinics, which provided approximately 2,200 patient meals and sold nearly 4,500 meals to consumers per day.
In her current role as administrative director of Expansion and Transition, she is primarily involved in project management for new construction and renovation for VUH.
Facemire also supervised the Allied Health programs. Under her tutelage, she graduated 320 students from the Dietetic Internship program, with a 100 percent passage rate on certification exams.
Robinson notes that Facemire was instrumental in forming relationships with organizations in the community where students could gain practical experience in their field, a fundamental part of the program today.
Facemire attributes much of her success to others.
“The support I received from the Clinical Nutrition Teams and Dietetic Internship faculty throughout my years of service at Vanderbilt has allowed us to be recognized as national leaders in the provision of nutrition care and in the training of our students,” Facemire said.
