CRN Members, vote via your personal ballot received via email. Contact Gretchen Powers with questions.
“Annette played a pivotal role in shaping the dietary supplement industry, and I’ve always admired her visionary leadership. It’s an honor to be recognized in her name and to continue supporting the industry with the same dedication to integrity, progress, and lasting impact.”
BIO: Karen Todd is registered dietitian with over 30 years of experience in exercise performance and nutritional product development. Currently, she serve as the Vice President of Global Brand Marketing for Kyowa Hakko, where she leads marketing efforts for our portfolio of health product ingredients. Beyond my work at Kyowa, she serves on the executive board of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), chair the Foundation for CRN, and sit on the board of directors for the Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN) initiative. Karen also created TheSupplementDietitian.com as a trusted educational resource for consumers and media, driven by her lifelong passion for helping people understand how dietary supplements and nutraceutical ingredients can support their health and lifestyle at every stage of life.
FUN FACTS:
- What is your favorite supplement? Cognizin Citicoline for mental clarity, focus and long-term brain health support.
- What is your ‘happy place’? My happy place is anywhere on or near the water, whether I’m boating at sunrise, walking along the shoreline, or simply soaking in a beautiful sunset. The rhythm of the water and the colors of the sky bring me a deep sense of peace, clarity, and inspiration.
- What is your special talent that may surprise people? I love using my food science degree and nutrition formulation experience to formulate craft cocktails! My latest creation features butterfly pea flower, which starts as a stunning deep blue and transforms into vivid shades of purple and pink when you add citrus or other acids. It’s science, art, and a little bit of magic in a glass.
NOMINATION SUBMISSION: Karen is a registered dietitian with over 30 years of experience in the dietary supplement and functional food industry, where I’ve had the privilege of leading through action, mentorship, and advocacy. As Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Kyowa Hakko, she’s helped transform branded ingredients like Cognizin and Setria into consumer-recognized, science-backed solutions for cognitive and immune health.
Through her Myth Busting series, she works to debunk misinformation and build consumer trust. With The Supplement Dietitian platform, she aims to make complex science relatable and actionable. Karen is a proud advocate for dietary supplements and is often seen wearing her favorite slogan: “I Love Dietary Supplements!”
As a founding leader and former Chair of Women in Nutraceuticals, she is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for women in executive and scientific roles. She also serves on CRN’s Board of Directors, where she has worked alongside industry leaders to support innovation, credibility, and growth across the sector.
Karen’s leadership is rooted in purpose: uplifting others, elevating transparent marketing practices, and advancing innovation that supports real public health outcomes.
Learn more about this honor in CRN's April 2025 press release, “CRN and Radicle Science Announce 2025 Annette Dickinson Trailblazer Award.”
