Winner to be announced at CONVERGENCE ‘26
JULY 14, 2026
WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and Radicle Science today announced the finalists for the 2026 CRN/Radicle Science Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award, recognizing visionary leaders who are redefining the future of the dietary supplement and functional food industry through bold innovation, scientific advancement, and meaningful impact.
“The CRN member community is home to many dietary supplement and functional food industry leaders,” said CRN Vice President Marketing and Member Experience Gretchen Powers. “The Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award celebrates transformative visionaries nominated by their peers and honors the groundbreaking work of former president and founding staff member Dr. Dickinson that lifted up so many others.”
Trailblazer Award nominations were evaluated on leadership, innovation, and advocacy. Judges considered how the nominees spearheaded initiatives that significantly enhanced the dietary supplement industry landscape, drove change through product, scientific, or strategic breakthroughs addressing real consumer needs, and promoted innovation, public health, and accountability, resulting in positive impact extending beyond their own organizations.
CRN and Radicle Science congratulate the following finalists for the 2026 Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award:
- Heather Isely is executive vice president of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. A longtime advocate for nutrition education and consumer access to dietary supplements, she has helped build one of the most comprehensive science-based nutrition education platforms in retail health, including free consumer education, trained nutritional health coaches in every store, and extensive staff training rooted in credible research.
- Arthur Ouwehand, Ph.D., is technical fellow and principal scientist at IFF Health Sciences. A globally recognized leader in probiotic and microbiome science, he has authored more than 400 scientific publications and book chapters and has helped define the scientific foundation for probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics through decades of research, global collaboration, and mentorship.
- Vic Rathi is CEO and founder of Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics. Known industry-wide as the “Godfather of Enzymes,” he has spent more than 40 years transforming complex enzymology into clinically validated ingredients, leading work associated with 17 registered patents, nine GRAS dossiers, more than 30 published studies, and more than 900 custom enzyme and probiotic formulations.
- Isabelle Raymond, Ph.D., is senior vice president, global clinical and medical affairs at Nutrafol. She leads Nutrafol’s global clinical research strategy, overseeing rigorous clinical testing and medical research publications, including randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Dr. Raymond has pioneered publication of clinical studies in women experiencing menopausal hair thinning. She is also a passionate advocate for advancing the inclusion of women in clinical trial design.
- Andrew Shao, Ph.D., is senior vice president, global scientific and regulatory affairs at Niagen Bioscience. Over more than 25 years, he has helped shape science-based standards for nutrients and bioactive ingredients, advanced global research in healthy aging and NAD+ science and contributed to more than 60 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and book chapters.
“These finalists represent the very best of what it means to be a trailblazer—leaders who are willing to ask bold questions, challenge convention, and build the evidence needed to move our industry forward,” said Pelin Thorogood, co-founder and executive chair of Radicle Science. “Each has helped advance a more trusted and impactful future for wellness through their commitment to science, consumer education, responsible innovation, and better health. Radicle Science is proud to join CRN in celebrating their leadership and the possibilities they are creating for all of us.”
“Recognition as a finalist for the Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award is such an honor because it recognizes leadership that strengthens the broader industry, not only one organization,” said Deshanie Rai, Ph.D., FASN, head, regulatory affairs & quality assurance, Kemin Health & Human Nutrition, recipient of the 2025 Trailblazer Award. “This year's finalists have each made meaningful contributions, demonstrating the persistence and purpose required to transform ideas into lasting progress.”
CRN members are invited to cast their vote by July 31 to name the 2026 honoree, which will be announced at CONVERGENCE ‘26, part of its annual signature events, taking place Oct. 6–8 at the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
Further details about the Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award and finalists are available at www.crnusa.org/trailblazer.
About CRN: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973 and based in Washington, D.C., is the leading trade association representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry. Bringing together manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and service providers, CRN unites its member companies around a shared commitment to science, transparency, and responsible business practices—advancing a strong, credible marketplace that supports consumer health and industry growth.
In an increasingly complex regulatory and media environment, CRN serves as the industry’s front line—shaping science-based policy, defending market access, and countering misinformation. Through strategic advocacy, self-regulatory leadership, voluntary guidelines, and evidence-based communications, CRN ensures that responsible companies are recognized, protected, and positioned to innovate and compete. Learn more at crnusa.org and follow @CRN_Supplements on X and LinkedIn.
About Radicle Science: Named a “World Changing Idea” by Fast Company, Radicle Science is a healthtech company pioneering a new standard of proven, precision wellness. Through its award-winning Proof-as-a-Service platform—combining AI, consumer science and large-scale decentralized trials—Radicle delivers clinical-grade evidence and consumer insights with unprecedented speed and scale, at a fraction of the cost. Since its founding in 2021, Radicle Science has conducted placebo-controlled trials with nearly 100,000 Americans, more than the total enrolled in all FDA drug approval trials during the same period. Learn more at www.RadicleScience.com.