NCAND Board Ballot 2026-2027President-Elect Nominee Melissa Bryan, MS, RD, LDN
Melissa is a Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate and DPD Program Director in Foods and Nutrition for the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management at Appalachian State University. Prior to working full-time at App State, Melissa spent five years as a clinical dietitian at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (now UNC Health Appalachian) . While at the health system, Melissa was the undergraduate and graduate preceptor for App State nutrition students in addition to providing nutrition care for the hospital owned dialysis unit and Skilled Nursing Facility. She has been a Registered Dietitian since 1999 and was a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) from 2010-2015. Melissa's interests are in the areas of eating disorders, sports nutrition, chronic disease and nutrition support. Melissa is an active member of AND, NCAND, and NDEP in addition to being an ACEND Program Reviewer. Outside of work, she likes to spend time with her family, travel and exercise. Education Treasurer Nominee Grace Garrett, MS, RD, LDN Grace Garrett, MS, RD, LDN, is a private practice dietitian passionate about helping individuals feel more confident and at ease with food. She enjoys working with motivated clients across the lifespan, from children navigating picky eating to adults improving their relationship with food. Grace is detail-oriented and organized, and she is excited to be on the ballot for Treasurer with NCAND. Delegate Nominees (listed alphabetically)
Melissa Gutschall, PhD, RD, LDN, FAND Dr. Gutschall is a Professor in Nutrition and Foods and Director of Graduate Programs in Nutrition at Appalachian State University. She has taught nutrition for 20 years at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and served as the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics for 5 years. She earned her BS and PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State University. Dr. Gutschall received the 2012 Inaugural College of Health Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2016 Beaver College of Health Sciences Research Award, the 2020 Cratis D. Williams Graduate School 100 Scholars Award, and the 2025 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Beaver College of Health Sciences. She was selected as the Outstanding Dietetics Educator for 2014 by the North Carolina Dietetics Association, for the Chancellor’s Inaugural Class of the Academic Leadership Development Program in 2015, and for the UNC-BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program for Women in 2021. Dr. Gutschall has been a registered dietitian for 25 years, and she continues to practice on an interdisciplinary team providing care for children with special needs in the Appalachian Region. She has served with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library and Simulation Task Force, and currently serves as Past-President on the NCAND board; she has earned the status of Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her current research agenda is aimed at using her experience to bridge the gap between food insecurity and chronic illness in the rural population of Watauga County and to develop nutrition education interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Tim Smith, MS, RD, LDN Tim Smith, MS, RD, LDN is a practicing dietitian and local business owner in North Carolina. His work emphasizes face-to-face nutrition education & counseling, as well as helping patients and clients maintain daily nutrition habits. He earned his MS in Nutrition in 2017 and currently manages his private practice in Davidson, North Carolina. |
