For more than three decades, National Dairy Council (NDC) has collaborated with third-party health and wellness experts who complement checkoff staff in educating peers, consumers, thought leaders, media, and more about dairy’s contributions to nutrition, well-being, and sustainable food systems.

These NDC ambassadors and advisers are credentialed experts who share the science-based benefits of dairy foods as part of a healthy diet to help people thrive across the life span.

While they are champions for dairy’s role in being part of the solution for public and planetary health, the relationships are a two-way street as we learn from this esteemed group of dietitians and physicians, seeking their counsel on dairy education and outreach programs. Our team of NDC professionals meets with them in a peer-to-peer setting about four times a year and have regular touch points with each member.

The team of ambassadors and advisers are a diverse group, including some who are bilingual. They represent various fields of expertise with some working as professors at major universities, while others are practicing physicians, pediatricians, exercise physiologists and dietitians. Some bring sports nutrition credentials to the table, while others have built a strong social media following interacting with consumers. Many also generate dairy related content that we share through our NDC and Undeniably Dairy channels.

We also work with our ambassadors on mainstream media efforts. We sometimes turn to them when we’re contacted by media outlets to provide a third-party voice to stories. Other times, they may be contacted by a reporter and turn to NDC to compare notes on topics such as the latest dairy nutrition or sustainability research, or to help debunk myths.

Here are some examples of how we have collaborated with our NDC Ambassadors and Advisors:

Registered dietitian Toby Amidor, who is a Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author, is often contacted by the media for nutrition insights. In a recent Parade article, Amidor shares how people older than 50 should consume fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and instead choose milk. Amidor says, “Not only can the nutrients found in one cup of milk help fill nutrient gaps, but research shows that it may be helpful with a variety of health conditions including bone and muscle health, immune health, inflammation, heart health, diabetes, and weight control,” she says. Amidor also acknowledges milk and yogurt for their protein content.

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Manuel Villacorta, a registered dietitian and author of nutrition, wellness, weight loss books, and cookbooks, hosts “The Caliente Kitchen Show” on YouTube. One of his episodes was called “How to Make Tasty Milk: 5 Simple Ideas" where he makes it clear he’s talking about “cow’s milk, real milk.” He offers tips to enhance milk with options such as fresh strawberries and chocolate. He also appeals to his Hispanic audience with Horchata-inspired milk, featuring cinnamon, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. His content also appears on his TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram channels.

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NDC assisted registered dietitian Amy Goodson with science-based information when she was contacted by "TODAY" for comments regarding social media reactions to the use of cellulose in shredded cheese products. According to the article, videos were instructing people to stay away from packaged shredded cheeses because the products are covered in “wood shavings” and “saw dust.” The article asks whether buying block or shredded cheese is better and Goodson responded, “Both options contain the same nutrient-rich goodness that cheese provides, including calcium, protein, vitamin B12, selenium, niacin, riboflavin, and iodine.”

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