March 11, 2026
9:00AM - 4:00PM

36th Annual Legislation & Public Policy Advocacy Day

Ohio Statehouse, Columbus, Ohio

Thomas Worthington Room, lower level
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Workshop Location
Ohio Statehouse, Thomas Worthington Room, lower level, Columbus, Ohio
(The Statehouse is located in Downtown Columbus between S. High Street and Third Street and E. Broad Street and State Street.)

3 CPEUs will be applied for.

Timeline

NOTE: Please be on time so that you have the information you need to visit your legislator or aide! Allow plenty of time for parking and security check-in. (You will need ID)

Agenda

9:00 am - 9:30 am                  Registration

NOTE: Please be on time so that you have the information you need to visit your legislator or aide! Allow plenty of time for parking and security check-in. (need ID)

9:30 am – 11:00 am               General Session – State Legislative Issues
                                                             and Role Play on What to Say on a Visit
                                                             Speaker: Kay Mavko, MS, RDN, LD, Cynthia Blocksom MEd, RDN, LD,
                                                             MCHES, FAND
                                                             (Level 2, PI 3.3.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.8)

Briefing on state legislative issues that should be discussed during legislator visits. Additional information will be provided on what to do when making your visits.

• Explain nutrition-related legislative and regulatory issues that impact the dietetic professional in Ohio
• Advocate nutrition issues with legislators and other policy makers
• Identify effective messaging strategies to educate legislators on the important role dietitians serve in consumer protection

11:00 am – 12:00 pm              Legislator Visits

Your scheduled meetings to discuss issues with legislators or the legislator's aide in the Statehouse (Senators) and Vern Riffe Building (Representatives). Cynthia Blocksom and Pat McKnight will provide instructions on how to proceed.
 

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm               Lunch on your own, report and discussion of visits with
                                                              legislators and aides

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm                 Attend House or Senate Opening Session Hearings
                                                             National Nutrition Month and RDN Day will be recognized

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm                 General Session
                                                            Speakers:  Kay Mavko, MS, RDN, LD, Kendra Schmuck, RDN, LD, CDE,
                                                            Laura Poland RDN, LD, Pat McKnight, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND
                                                            (Level 2, Performance Indicators: 3.3.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.8)

Regulatory Issues, Federal Legislative Issues, Update on Medicaid Reimbursement for MNT and ANDPAC and OANDPAC, Q&A, Summary and Evaluations   

• Review current Federal legislative issues affecting dietetics and how nutrition professionals are implementing federal policies related to nutrition in the state of Ohio
• Describe nutrition payment and reimbursement models at state and federal levels
• Identify additional need for education and the advocating of targeted legislators to support policies and of the need for and impact of PAC funds for advocating nutrition issues with legislators and other policy makers.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm                 Optional Statehouse Tour

Speakers

Cynthia Blocksom, MEd, RDN, LD, MCHES, FAND currently teaches as a Clinical Assistant Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati while devoting an extensive amount of time to advocating for the dietetic profession. She is currently the State Policy Co-Chair for OAND while also serving as the Cincinnati District’s Policy and Reimbursement Chair. She is passionate about how public policy affects the health and safety of the public. Cynthia earned a BS in Nutrition (Dietetics) from The Ohio State University, a Master of Education in Nutrition and a second Masters in Community Health Education from the University of Cincinnati.

Kay Mavko, MS, RDN, LD is OAND’s State Regulatory Specialist (SRS) and a long-time Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics member from Dublin, Ohio who has worked in adult and pediatric nutrition, as a clinical dietitian, dietitian manager, and consultant, and then became the Director of the Ohio Board of Dietetics for over 13 years. Now retired from full-time employment, Kay currently is involved in public policy work in Ohio as the State Regulatory Specialist for the OAND and helps monitor the State Medical Board of Ohio activities related to dietitian licensure. Kay earned a BS in Nutrition (Dietetics) from Bowling Green State University, and MS in Human Nutrition from The Ohio State University.

Pat McKnight, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND has served as OAND, State Policy Chair for more than 20 years. She is Professor Emeritus at Mt. Carmel College of Nursing in Columbus. She is a 50-year member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Pat earned her BS in Dietetics and MS in Nutrition from The Ohio State University.

Laura Poland RDN, LD is OAND’s State Nutrition Payment Specialist Co-Chair (NPS) and has been a dietitian for over 30 years and has worked in a variety of settings but by far her favorite area of focus is weight management and type 2 diabetes and prevention. Laura is in private practice and is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Columbus Dietetic Association, and the Nutrition Entrepreneur RDs of Central Ohio. Laura is currently serving on the Ohio Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics as the NSPS (Nutrition Services Payment Specialist), the State Media Representative, and the NSPS for the Columbus Dietetic Association. Laura earned a BS in Allied Health Professions from The Ohio State University.

Kendra Schmuck, RDN, LD, CDE is a registered dietitian nutritionist, licensed dietitian who is certified as a diabetes educator. She has completed certification of training in Adult Weight Management & Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management. She has a Bachelor of Science in dietetics with an emphasis in food service management from Bowling Green State University. She did her dietetic internship through Idaho State University. She has worked as a diabetes educator, outpatient medical nutrition therapist, clinical medical nutrition therapist and in health promotion. She is currently employed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as the Chief of Clinical Dietetics. In her spare time, she is the public policy coordinator of the Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Public Policy Chair for the Dayton Dietetic Association. Kendra earned her BS in Dietetics from Bowling Green University.

Workshop Fees (does not include lunch)

Attendance is free but you must register. Please register by March 1st in order to receive pre-meeting instructions for scheduling a meeting with your legislator(s).

Register online today!