Congratulations to the Recent CV-Well Award Recipients!

CV-Well is excited to acknowledge the outstanding practice and significant contributions these members have made, and continue to make, toward the promotion of CV-Well's work as a DPG, and in the areas of cardiovascular health and wellness.

This award recognizes a practitioner who has left a legacy to CV-Well and the dietetics profession through a history of leadership within CV-Well and outstanding service to the profession.

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RDN

Dr. Kathleen Woolf focuses her work on the integrated role of nutrition and physical activity for lifelong health throughout the lifespan. For both individuals and populations, nutrition and physical activity contribute to overall quality of life and play major roles in protecting health and delaying the progression of disease. Her research is multi-dimensional, involves human participants, and responds to key health and nutrition concerns of high priority in New York, the nation, and globally, supporting the current national dietary guidelines for nutrition (2010) and physical activity (2008). She has expertise in the assessment of nutrition and physical activity patterns (sedentary behaviors, physical inactivity, and physical activity) in healthy individuals (recreational/competitive athletes) and individuals with chronic disease (musculoskeletal, skin, & kidney disorders, obesity).

Dr. Woolf has held leadership positions within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the local, state, and national level. She is a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal. She has written a regular nutrition column for the USA Swimming magazine, SPLASH!, and has contributed to the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Preventive Medicine, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Topics in Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Obesity, and Public Health Nutrition.

Dr. Woolf completed her bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition from Arizona State University and her dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She holds a master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of California, Los Angles and a PhD in Exercise Science from Arizona State University.

This award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to research or the practice of dietetics as a result of continued commitment to scholarship.

Geeta Sikand, MA, RDN, FAND, FNLA, CLS

Geeta Sikand is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology).Ms. Sikand is a Clinical Lipid Specialist, Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), and Fellow of the National Lipid Association (NLA). Ms. Sikand is an at-large board member of the National Lipid Association and Past-President of the Pacific Lipid Association (PLA). Ms. Sikand is Co-chair of the NLA Nutrition Task Force and the NLA Clinical Lifestyle Modification Toolkit and is the Policy and Advocacy Leader for the Academy’s Cardiovascular Health and Well-being dietetic practice group (DPG). Ms. Sikand has authored 75 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on cardiovascular nutrition and dietetics practice. Ms. Sikand’s key area of research is Expansion of Medicare Coverage for MNT. 

Ms. Sikand is the lead author and chair of Nutrition interventions for adults with dyslipidemia: a Clinical Perspective from the National Lipid Association and coauthor of “Nutrition interventions for youth with dyslipidemia: a National Lipid Association clinical perspective. Geeta is the lead author of “Medical Nutrition Therapy Provided by Dietitians is effective and saves healthcare costs in the management of adults with dyslipidemia, published in Current Atherosclerosis Reports and coauthor of “Lipid-Lowering Nutraceuticals for an Integrative Approach to Dyslipidemia. 

Ms. Sikand has excelled in her leadership, community service and research contributions to the South Asian community: 1) Co-Chair, South Asian Workgroup of the National Lipid Association; 2) Founder, Asian Indian Women’s 

Recipient of national and state awards: 2025 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ‘Distinguished Scholar Award’ in Cardiovascular Health and Wellbeing; 2023 ‘NLA Pentathlon Gold Medal award for first place in the leadership, presentations, and publications category’; 2020 ‘National Lipid Association Presidents Service Award’; 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ‘Medallion Award’; 2019 ‘PLA President’s Service Award’; 2019 California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ‘Dolores Nyhus Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award’; and 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ‘Excellence in Cardiovascular Practice Award,’ 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ Asian Indians in Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013 ‘Distinguished Service Award’ Dietitians in Health Care Communities.  For publishing her own seminal studies in 1998 and 2000, she was awarded the prestigious ‘Mary Huddleson Award’ for making the highest contribution to the dietetics profession by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

This award recognizes outstanding practice of a member in one of CV-Well's practice areas (cardiovascular health/nutrition and/or wellness and well-being). Excellence encompasses visibility of practice in a CV-Well practice area, professional accomplishments demonstrated to advance and impact the profession, and outstanding leadership and service to the profession.

Rosie Gonzalez, MS, RDN, LD

Rosie González is a consultant, speaker, and Tiny Habits® Coach with expertise in behavioral health, product development, research, and workforce well-being. She is passionate about creating scalable, equitable health solutions that drive behavior change across communities and workforce populations. Most recently, she led the product and website development for a national employer-focused well-being initiative with the American Heart Association.

She has held multiple leadership roles within SCAN and CV-Well, including serving as Co-Director of the Cardiovascular/Wellness area, contributing to the governance committee during the formation of CV-Well, and serving on the SCAN Symposium Planning Committee. Her contributions also include mentoring through CV-Well’s Mentoring Circles program and representing SCAN as the 2014 FNCE Spotlight Speaker.

Rosie completed her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University and her dietetic training and master’s at Texas Woman’s University and the VA Hospital in Houston. Outside of her professional work, Rosie enjoys hiking, cycling, running, and swimming, as well as traveling with her husband, Steven, and spending time with her family and their Standard Poodle, Santo.