About the Award

Nominate a Colleague You Admire, or Yourself!

The Director of the Year award recognizes school nutrition directors for the contributions they have made throughout their school nutrition careers. Self-nominations are accepted for this award.

Who Can Be Nominated?

The nominee must be:

  • Currently and for the past three years a School Nutrition Director at the school district level
  • Currently and for the past three years a SNA member in the District Director or Major City Director sections

The nominee must also have:

  • Served in at least one position on the state or national executive board OR as a member on a state or national committee

Are There Any Restrictions?

The nominee cannot be:

  • A current state or national SNA president
  • A current SNA national Board of Directors member
  • A current SNA member in the Employee or Manager category
  • Hold a title or job responsibilities that do not confirm the nominee’s status as school nutrition director
  • A previous national winner of the Outstanding Director of the Year award or Director of the Year award

Self-nominations are accepted. Nominations must be submitted through the Submittable platform. SNA will not accept nominations from current members of the SNA national Board of Directors or of SNA national standing or strategic committees.

How Will the Entries Be Judged?

The nominee will be judged on five categories. Please note the weights of each category:

  • Program Enhancement (worth 30% of total score)
  • Staff Development (worth 20% of total score)
  • School Involvement (worth 15% of total score)
  • SNA Involvement (worth 15% of total score – 5% for volunteer service on state committee or state board or national committee or board)
  • Community Involvement (worth 15% of total score)
  • Has SNA Certificate or Credential (worth 5% of total score)

State Judging: Each year every state association may award one individual with the Director of the Year award. State entries will be judged by a panel appointed by the State President to determine a state winner. State winners submitted to SNA by March 15 are automatically advanced to the regional judging.

Regional Judging: State winning entries will be judged by a panel of volunteers to determine a regional winner. Regional winners will automatically advance to the national judging.

National Judging: Regional winning entries will be judged by the SNA Member Services Committee to determine a national winner. All regional winners will remain anonymous during national judging.

How Will Winners Be Recognized and Rewarded?

Award winners will receive the below prizes:

  • State winners will receive a certificate.
  • Regional winners will receive a pin, certificate and $50.
  • National winners will receive a plaque and an all-expense paid trip to ANC, up to $1,000.

Additional awards and recognition may be given to state winners by the state association. Please check with your state association for more information.

Submission Deadline

March 1, 2024*
California’s submission deadline is September 1, 2023.
Alabama’s submission deadline is January 5, 2024.
Virginia’s submission deadline is January 25, 2024.

Award Winners

2023
Patsi Gregory
School Nutrition Program Supervisor
Robertson County Schools
Springfield, TN

2022
Robert Rolfe
School Nutrition Director
Henderson County Public Schools
Henderson, NC

2021
Anna Apoian
Nutrition Services Director
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District
Norwalk, California

2020
Annette Hendrickx Derouin
Director of Food and Nutrition Services
Willmar Public Schools
Willmar, Minnesota

2019
Becky Domokos-Bays
Director of School Nutrition
Loudoun County Public Schools
Ashburn, Virginia

2018
Connie Little
Nutrition Services Supervisor
Beavercreek City Schools
Beavercreek, Ohio

2017
Mark Bordeau
Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services, New York