Clyde L. Reese, III, Esq., Commissioner	Sonny Perdue, Governor

DCH Names State's Chief Nutritionist to Head WIC Program

ATLANTA - Miriam Bell, Deputy Director of Public Health Programs and Services with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), named Abdul K. Lindsay as new director for the Georgia Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program.

“Mr. Lindsay will take over as director of an organization that has been central to providing low-income women, infants, and children nutritious foods to supplement their diets, information on healthy eating and guidance to health care for over 30 years,” said Bell.  “His knowledge and experiences are a perfect fit for this position.”

Mr. Lindsay has held key leadership positions overseeing and providing various dietetic components including food and nutrition services as well as nutrition education/counseling in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina as a School Nutrition Director, School Nutrition Administrator, Clinical Nutrition Manager, Public Health Community Nutritionist, Public Health WIC Nutritionist and Administrative Dietitian.

“Abdul not only possesses a great depth of knowledge regarding nutrition, he has a passion for WIC that is unprecedented,” added Bell.  “His family benefited from WIC services and knows first-hand what an important role WIC offers families in Georgia and in our nation.”

In Georgia, WIC services are provided through 18 health districts and two contract agencies.   Services are provided at over 265 health clinics including: 16 hospitals, five military base clinics, three Division of Family and Children Services (DFACS) offices and via in-home certifications.   Currently, there are over 1,600 authorized food retailers that participate in the WIC food delivery system.

Under Mr. Lindsay’s leadership in Georgia, the Nutrition Section has developed and integrated key innovative technology to better serve the clients and to increase access to services targeting improving the health of Georgia families.  He is committed to bringing an increased compliance, accountability, security and ease of use for WIC services.  Last month, Mr. Lindsay’s team and the collective efforts of statewide WIC providers led efforts to prepare Georgia for the statewide roll out of the new WIC Food Packages, which became effective on October 1.

“Becoming the new WIC director brings back many lifelong memories of knowing what it meant to my family to have access to adequate food and care,” said Lindsay, MScFT, RD, LD, CPT.  “I am humbled to know that I can play an even greater role in making sure that other families experience a quality WIC Program as my family did while growing up in Miami, Florida.” 

Mr. Lindsay earned his Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Food Technology and Dietetics, Nutrition and Fitness from the University of Georgia and Florida State University, respectively.  He is also a graduate of Miami Jackson Senior High School. 

To learn more about the Georgia WIC Program, please visit, http://state.ga.us/programs/wic or call 1-800-228-9173.