Madeleine Sigman-Grant, maternal child health and nutrition specialist and professor at University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, was selected as the recipient of the Western Region Excellence in Extension award. 

A plaque and cash award will be presented to Sigman-Grant at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities annual meeting on Nov. 2 in Orlando, Fla. The Association awards only five Regional Awards of Excellence in Extension and one National Award of Excellence each year, along with one National Extension Diversity Award. Sigman-Grant receiving the Western Region award this year marks the fifth time in eight years that Nevada has taken home one of these few prestigious honors. Nevada Extension faculty have been awarded two Regional Excellence, two National Excellence and one National Diversity award during this time.

"I am extremely happy that Madeleine's work was recognized by the Association," said Mark Walker, dean of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. "Her work exemplifies what we try to do here in Nevada at Extension. She identified needs in her area of expertise and worked tirelessly collaborating with many partners to conduct research and programming to address those needs. She developed a program that established her as a national expert on breastfeeding and lactation, and this additional honor acknowledges the importance of her work."

Sigman-Grant is based in Cooperative Extension's Clark County office and her work has primarily focused on child feeding guidelines, childhood obesity prevention and community breastfeeding programs. She works with health professionals to increase awareness of human lactation and has been engaged in Nevada's breastfeeding efforts through her leadership activities with the Nevada Breastfeeding Task Force.

"I love what I do and how that impacts our community," stated Sigman-Grant after receiving the notification, "It is truly an honor to receive this recognition from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities."

"The committee was very impressed with your outstanding leadership and community partnership for children's and women's health and nutrition," noted Fred Schlutt from the Extension Committee on Organization & Policy, who served as chair of the Award Review Committee.

Sigman-Grant's service activities reflect the respect that both scholars and professionals across the nation have for her knowledge and work, having been appointed to committees and boards of national institutions including the National Institutes of Health; the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine; the American Academy of Pediatrics; the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. In 2012, she was named Nevada Dietitian of the Year and was inducted into the Medela Breastfeeding Hall of Excellence. In 2012, as a member of the All 4 Kids Program team, she received six awards for partnership and program development. Earlier this year she was a recipient for the Nevada Women's Fund Women of Achievement Award.

Sigman-Grant's scholarly activity has resulted in securing over $5,852,000 in funding; publishing 42 peer-reviewed journal articles, 13 book chapters, 26 fact sheets, eight curriculum, six special publications, 21 technical publications, and one audiovisual production; and giving over 60 invited presentations.