RAYMOND — A Mississippi State University Extension Service instructor has been selected to serve on the new Dairy Alliance Dietitian Collective.
Qula Madkin, an Extension dietitian nutritionist in the MSU Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, is one of eight health professionals from across the Southeast chosen for the inaugural collective.
The group will serve as trusted voices and spokespeople for The Dairy Alliance. Members bring expertise in areas including sports nutrition, culinary health, diabetes care and intuitive eating.
“I’m truly honored by this recognition,” Madkin said. “Serving The Dairy Alliance underscores my commitment to leading with purpose and expanding access to trusted nutrition education across our region.” She is based at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond.
Madkin directs Extension’s statewide nutrition programs and oversees the development, coordination and distribution of evidence-based nutrition and wellness materials. She provides training and technical assistance to Extension agents responsible for nutrition education, ensuring consistent program quality and statewide impact.
She also serves as a social media educator, delivering practical and culturally relevant nutrition strategies to audiences across Mississippi.
Madkin is active in grant acquisition and program strategy, including identifying funding opportunities and ensuring initiatives align with Extension priorities to become scalable, community-ready programs.
Curt Lacy, head of the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center, said Madkin brings a deep and practical understanding of wellness promotion and nutrition education to the collective.
“Qula is committed to professional excellence and high-impact public health work, and she is widely recognized as a leading nutrition expert across Mississippi,” Lacy said. “Her leadership helps position Extension’s nutrition efforts for long-term sustainability, innovation and measurable public-health outcomes. Given the historical significance of the dairy industry to communities in central and southwest Mississippi, it is especially fitting that she has been asked to serve in this capacity.”
Madkin earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition from MSU and is pursuing a doctorate. She has more than 22 years of experience in community health, private practice and academic settings.
A registered and licensed dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, Madkin has completed advanced training through the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Adult Weight Management Program.
The Dairy Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about dairy foods and the dairy industry. Funded by dairy farm families in the Southeast, the organization works with schools, sports teams, health professionals, local organizations, state leaders, the media and the public in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Posted in Food
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