The Board of Directors for the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF announced that they have approved the affiliation of the Washington State Chapter as one of seven inaugural regional chapters with the national organization. Mary Hanson, manager Nutrition Services & Medical Nutrition Therapy at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, is the Washington State Chapter president.

AHF chapters provide an important forum for members and healthcare foodservice professionals to communicate and exchange information at the grassroots level. They may provide continuing education and networking and collaboration opportunities. They also serve as a conduit for regional perspectives and expertise to the national organization.

Inaugural AHF chapters, which represent more than 500 local healthcare foodservice professionals, will have a separate web page on the national AHF website and a leader from each chapter will be awarded a scholarship to attend the AHF national conference in June in Texas.