August 2/Washington/States News Service -- Joy Dubost, Ph.D. R.D. has joined the National Restaurant Association as the director of Nutrition and Healthy Living. In this position, she will provide leadership and expertise on a wide spectrum of health and nutrition issues. She most recently served as principal nutritionist in Nutrition Communications for key initiatives with PepsiCo Inc., including supporting the brands Quaker and Tropicana.

Dubost assumes a key role for an association representing the nation's second largest private sector employer, an industry with 12.7 million jobs and nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations, at a time when there is an increasing desire on the part of consumers for more nutrition information about the food they and their families consume.

"We are pleased to have Joy Dubost join us as a key member of the public affairs team, who will help lead the association's efforts on some of the industry's most pressing issues," said Scott DeFife, executive vice president of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association.

"Joy's expertise and breadth of experience in nutrition and communicating the complex science around nutrition are critical as we lead and represent the industry during a period of great opportunity," said Joan McGlockton, vice president of Industry Affairs and Food Policy for the Association.

Before taking on her last position at PepsiCo in 2006, Dubost worked for two years as a senior scientist at the company, leading product development teams and providing technical guidance. Prior to her work at PepsiCo, Dubost was a clinical dietitian at Penn State's Geisinger Medical Center and a clinical nutritionist for two rehabilitation centers in Allentown, Pa.

Dubost received her bachelor's degree in chemistry and nutrition/dietetics from Hood College and a master's degree in food science from the University of Georgia. She earned a doctorate in food science from Penn State University.

From the August 16, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition