Annette Dickinnson, PhD, a longtime expert in the dietary supplements field, passed away on January 15 at the age of 81.

Dickinson was the longest-serving member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). She joined the trade association as an original staff member in 1973, and held several positions prior to her role as president from 2002 until her retirement in 2005. After her retirement, Dickinson remained an active consultant and advocate for evidence-based nutrition policy, CRN stated.  

CRN recognized Dickinson for her “commitment to science, her principled approach, and her dedication to promoting better nutrition.”

She authored several editions of The Benefits of Nutritional Supplements, an educational resource by CRN, and has testified before Congress on the topic. She’s served on esteemed advisory panels including the FDA’s Food Advisory Committee and the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels.

“Her steady hand and insistence on science-backed policy led the organization through many tough decisions and proved to define CRN’s course as ‘the science behind the supplements,’” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN.

Per her obituary, Dickinson grew up in Lubbock Texas, and moved to Washington, D.C. as a young adult, where she received her Doctorate in food science and nutrition and began her tenure at CRN and met her future husband, Charlie. Afterward, they moved to Minnesota to be closer to family. She was an avid reader, and was in three book clubs at the time of her passing. She and Charlie frequently traveled to France and took conversational French courses for many years. Most importantly, she enjoyed close relationships with her brothers and their families in Texas, staying connected through writing and phone calls, her obituary states.

“Annette will be remembered for her intelligence, her zest for life, her thoughtfulness and generosity, her compassion for those less fortunate than her, and especially her love and devotion to family. She will be sorely missed,” her obituary states.