STA​NDOUT AWARD 

The Saybrook Standout Award highlights students conducting outstanding research, community service, or work in their respective career fields.   Saybrook Standout Recipients will be highlighted at Saybrook Board of Trustees meetings. The recipient will have 10-15 minutes to present their accomplishment(s) to the Board and facilitate Q&A. The recipient will also be presented with an award and will be featured on the Saybrook Community Site and all university social media platforms. ​​

Nomination Process 

Each department chair will nominate student(s) who stand out in the department.  The nomination will include a detailed summary of the student’s achievement(s), specifically focusing on how the student’s work embodies Saybrook’s mission and vision and how they positively contribute to the body of knowledge, community, or career field.  

Saybrook standout award recipients​

The Saybrook Standout Committee is pleased to announce Elizabeth M. Madison​
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Elizabeth M. Madison, MA, RDN, CDN​, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, wellness coach, author, and community health advocate whose career spans more than 30 years of transformative work in counseling, leadership, nutrition, and public health. With over 30 years of clinical counseling experience, 20+ years in high-level executive leadership, 15+ years of nutrition counseling expertise, and more than a decade as a successful small business owner, Elizabeth brings a powerful multidisciplinary lens to her mission: to help individuals—especially African American women—achieve sustainable, whole-person wellness through culturally responsive and faith-integrated care. Elizabeth’s passion for health is rooted in her personal story. After a lifelong struggle with obesity and emotional eating, she lost over 115 pounds and has maintained that transformation for over 24 years. Guided by faith, this life-changing victory ignited her calling to transition from a career in vocational rehabilitation counseling to becoming a faith-based nutrition professional and wellness educator. Today, she specializes in weight management, chronic disease prevention, emotional eating, and diabetes care, all through a holistic lens that integrates mind, body, and spirit. In 2012, Elizabeth founded Elizabeth Madison Nutrition PLLC, providing nutrition counseling, developing corporate and client nutrition and wellness programs, and offering executive wellness coaching. She also founded and leads Healthy Living You, Inc. This nonprofit organization delivers grant-funded wellness programs tailored to African American communities, including cooking classes, nutrition workshops, and supermarket tours. Elizabeth is the author of " The 7 Spiritual Principles for Your Weight Loss Transformation: A Faith-Based Approach to Get the Weight Off and Keep It Off Forever. " The book introduces her signature framework that blends evidence-based nutrition with spiritual principles to empower readers in achieving and sustaining their health goals. This framework is the foundation for her professional services and public education efforts. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Elizabeth’s dissertation research examines the relationship between Christian African American women’s spiritual experiences, beliefs, and practices and their perceived ability to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Her research addresses the critical lack of effective, culturally tailored interventions for African American women—who face disproportionate rates of obesity and chronic illness. Her findings aim to inform healthcare professionals and dietitians on integrating faith-based and culturally relevant tools into weight management programs to improve outcomes and reduce health disparities. A dynamic speaker and trainer, Elizabeth presents nationally on topics such as emotional eating, faith and health, culturally competent care, and chronic disease prevention. She also provides professional development training to nutrition specialists in motivational interviewing and community-centered nutrition programming. Alongside her husband, she co-publishes Healthy Living & You, a free digital magazine dedicated to nutrition, fitness, and wellness in communities of color. She holds a master’s degree from New York University and enjoys gardening, boating, and beach days as part of the vibrant lifestyle she promotes in others​.

Congratulations, Elizabeth!