Meet the 2011 Scholars

Joanne Rinker, MS, BS
North Carolina

Joanne is currently in her tenth year as a Registered Dietitian and seventh year as a certified diabetes educator. She has worked in Public Health with the North Carolina Diabetes Prevention and Control Program since May 2007. For the past four years, she's been working on the implementation and facilitation of the North Carolina Diabetes Education Recognition Program. She has worked closely with Laura Edwards, the program coordinator, to build the largest American Diabetes Association (ADA) accredited site in the nation.

She currently works closely with 38 local health departments in 42 counties with over 60 service delivery sites. This program has increased access to diabetes care and improved health disparities among patients with diabetes in North Carolina.

Prior to this, Joanne worked in other hospital settings to implement and accredit ADA recognized programs at both Anson Community and Stanly Regional Hospitals. She has also done on-line diabetes coaching with www.fit4d.com, is a pediatric dietitian at the largest pediatric clinic in the state of NC and works at the YMCA of Stanly County as a fitness instructor.

Joanne has her BS and MS in Human Nutrition from West Virginia University. She is married and the proud mother of two little girls. Her interests include, running with friends, watching live music with her husband, taking her girls on vacations and challenging herself to save money with coupons!