Extension dietitian to serve on new Dairy Alliance Collective

RAYMOND, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service instructor has been selected to serve as a member of The Dairy Alliance Dietitian Collective.

Qula Madkin, an Extension dietitian nutritionist in the MSU Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, is one of eight health professionals from across the Southeast selected for the inaugural collective.

The group will serve as trusted voices and spokespeople for The Dairy Alliance. Each group member will bring diverse subject expertise, including sports nutrition, culinary health, diabetes care and intuitive eating.

“I’m truly honored by this recognition. Serving The Dairy Alliance underscores my commitment to leading with purpose and expanding access to trusted nutrition education across our region,” said Madkin, who is based at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond.

Madkin directs Extension’s statewide nutrition programs and leads the development, coordination and distribution of evidence-based nutrition and wellness materials. She provides comprehensive training and technical assistance to Extension agents responsible for nutrition education, ensuring consistent program quality and statewide impact.

She also serves as a dynamic social media educator, delivering fun, practical and culturally relevant nutrition strategies to audiences across Mississippi.

Madkin plays an active role in grant acquisition and strategy, including identifying funding opportunities and ensuring programs align with Extension priorities, which help funded initiatives become scalable, community-ready programs.

Curt Lacy, Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center head, said Madkin brings a deep and practical understanding of wellness promotion and nutrition education to the collective.

“Qula is committed to professional excellence and high-impact public health work, and she is widely recognized as a leading nutrition expert across Mississippi,” Lacy said.

“Her leadership helps position Extension’s nutrition efforts for long-term sustainability, innovation and measurable public-health outcomes. Given the historical significance of the dairy industry to the people and communities of central and southwest Mississippi, it is especially fitting that she has been asked to serve in this capacity,” he said.

Madkin earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition from MSU and is currently pursuing her doctorate. She has more than 22 years of experience spanning community health, private practice and academic environments.

A registered and licensed dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, she has also completed advanced training through the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Adult Weight Management Program.

The Dairy Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about dairy foods and the dairy industry. Funded by dairy farm families in the Southeast, the organization works with dairy farmers, schools, sports teams, health professionals, local organizations, state leaders, the media and the public in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.