About the Association

The Croatian Association of Nutritionists (CroAN) was established to connect nutritionists with
bachelors, master and doctorates in nutritional science, as well as colleagues from related fields, in order to aid in the development of the profession and to preserve professional standards.

CroAN aims to promote, develop, and improve the profession by organising seminars, conferences, and other expert meetings in the field of nutritional science. We encourage scientific advancement in the field, networking opportunities, and professional development of our members, as well as cooperation with other similar associations and organisations in the Republic of Croatia and from around the world.

CroAN cooperates with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and other Croatian health institutions in order to promote the work of nutritionists and inform the public about important developments in the field of nutrition. Through organisation of lectures, counselling, public forums and other promotional activities, CroAN affects public opinion on the importance of proper nutrition in sustaining individual health. In the future, CroAN plans to develop its publishing activities as well.

Members

Board of Directors

The authority of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors makes a proposal of the CroAN Statute, including its amendments and addendums, elects and dismisses the Secretary and Treasurer of CroAN, determines the proposed financial plan and final financial accounts, submits the annual report on the work of CroAN to the Assembly, makes membership decisions, decides on the change of address of the CroAN, informs its members and the public, decides on the use of assets, initiates proceedings to the Court of Honour, determines membership fees, proposes the members of the Board of Supervisors and the Court of Honour for the election by the Assembly of CroAN, establishes committees and other bodies that help to achieve the objectives of CroAN, as well as performs all other activities which the Assembly puts in its jurisdiction.

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Mašenjka Katić, M.Ed. Nutrition

President

Bio

Mašenjka graduated at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb and started her career in 1993 as a nutritionist at the Clinical Hospital of Dubrava. She completed an international study of business management at the University for Technology and Engineering in Zagreb and continued to work in the food industry in leadership positions in product research and development. She spent several years in the United States where she gained experience working on a research project at the National Institute of Health (NIH). She is a consultant and project manager in product research and development as well as promoting proper nutrition.

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Dora Bučan Nenadić, M.Ed. Nutrition

Vice-president

Bio

Dora graduated in 2013 at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology in Zagreb, majoring in Nutrition. Upon completion of her studies, she began working at the Institute of Public Health of the Split-Dalmatia County. Since 2015 she has been employed at University Hospital Centre Split where the focus of her work and future research is clinical nutrition and dietetics. She is one of the founders of the idea and implementation of the European project “Digitalisation and improvement of nutritional care for patients with chronic diseases” at the Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Split. She is an assistant at the Faculty of Science in Split and an external associate at the Faculty of Medicine in Split. She joined CroAN in 2015 and in 2016 became a member of the Organising Committee of the International Congress of Nutritionists. In the same year, she was elected president of the Croatian Association of Nutritionists, a position which she held for two terms until 2020.

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Dora Babić Cikoš, PhD

Secretary

Bio

Dora graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, and began her career in 2011 as a clinical research associate. She enrolled in the postgraduate doctoral study of Nutrition at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb in 2012, and in 2018 she successfully defended her thesis and obtained the title of Doctor of Science. In the meantime, she continued her career in the field of clinical trials while also founding and serving as a member of the Board of Directors in various positions within CroAN.

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Ivana Linardić, M.Ed. Nutrition

Treasurer

Bio

In 2011 Ivana graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology. During her graduate studies she spent one semester at the University of Ghent, Belgium as part of the Erasmus program. She has been a member of CroAN since it was founded. During her short professional work in the field of nutrition she worked in nutrition counselling and diet planning. Since 2012 she has been working in the field of clinical trials, first as a clinical research associate and since 2020 as a team leader of clinical research associates.

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Marija Selak, M.Ed. Nutrition

Member

Bio

Marija graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek in 2017. After graduating, she worked in a private nutrition company and after that as a lecturer in vocational subjects at the Medical School in Split. Since 2019 she has been employed at the University Hospital Centre Split and the following year she opened her own nutrition counselling centre. She is an external associate of the Faculty of Medicine in Split and participates in several European and Croatian projects. She has regularly received further training at domestic and foreign scientific and professional conferences.

Board of Supervisors

Authority of the Board of Supervisors

The Board of Supervisors considers and supervises the implementation of the provisions of the Statute and other general acts of CroAN, monitors the work of the boards and authorities of CroAN, supervises the work of CroAN, proposes a written report on the financial performance of CroAN over the previous year at the annual meeting of the Assembly of CroAN, monitors financial operations of CroAN and performs other duties as assigned by the Assembly.

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Marija Petras, M.Ed. Nutrition

President

Bio

Marija graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb. At the same faculty she is currently completing her postgraduate doctoral study “Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering, Food Technology and Nutrition”, majoring in Nutrition. She started her career in 2013 in the food industry and since 2018 he has been working in the pharmaceutical industry. During 2014 and 2015 she volunteered as an expert associate in the City Society of the Red Cross Koprivnica as part of the Counselling Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Overweight People. She joined CroAN in 2016 and participated as a volunteer in the organisation of the 4th International Congress of Nutritionists. The same year she became the Secretary of CroAN and a member of the organising committee of the 5th International Congress of Nutritionists. From 2018 to 2020 she was a member of the Board of Directors of CroAN. She also participated as a member of the organising committee of the 6th, 7th and 8th International Congresses of Nutritionists.

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Matea Smoljo, M.Ed. Nutrition

Member

Bio

Matea graduated in Nutrition at the University of Modern Sciences – CKM in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is employed at the private polyclinic Doctus in Split as part of a multidisciplinary team working with children and young people with disabilities. She is an active member of CroAN where she has participated in the organisation of the International Congresses of Nutritionists and the design and implementation of the project “Growing Up Healthy”.

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Ela Kolak, M.Ed. Nutrition

Member

Bio

Ela graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb. After graduating from college she worked in a private nutrition company. Since 2021 she has been employed on the European project “Digitalisation and improvement of nutritional care for patients with chronic diseases” at the Clinic for Internal Medicine of the University Hospital Centre Split. In 2018 she joined CroAN and the following year she became a member of the Organising Committee of the International Congress of Nutritionists. She participates in several European and Croatian projects and additionally is regularly a member of domestic and foreign scientific and professional conferences.

Court of Honour

Authority of the Court of Honour

Tasks of the Court of Honour include resolving potential disputes between members of the CroAN, protection of the provisions of the Statute and the decisions of CroAN. The Court of Honour decides on the disciplinary measures for members of the CroAN if their actions violate the reputation of CroAN and damage the reputation and honour of nutritional science as a profession.

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Margita Zlatić, M.Ed. Nutrition

President

Biografija

Margita has a master’s degree in Nutrition with a degree from the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology in Zagreb. She graduated in 2011 and in 2013 she completed the Pedagogical-psychological and methodological-didactic training at the Faculty of Teacher Education in Osijek. Thanks to her work experience in public schools, one of the focuses of her interest is nutrition of children and young people. In 2016 she started working as a dietitian at the Spanish company Naturhouse Ltd. at its offices in Zagreb where she also works today and is mostly engaged in women’s nutrition, weight loss, dietary supplements and the diet of recreational athletes. She also works as a lecturer at the Higher School in Bjelovar and is an external associate of the City of Bjelovar, creating menus in school kitchens in Bjelovar primary schools. She actively trains rowing and in her free time he likes long walks in nature.

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Tanja Pijerov, M.Ed. Nutrition

Member

Bio

Marija graduated in Nutrition at the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek in 2017. After graduating, she worked in a private nutrition company and after that as a lecturer in vocational subjects at the Medical School in Split. Since 2019 she has been employed at the University Hospital Centre Split and the following year she opened her own nutrition counselling centre. She is an external associate of the Faculty of Medicine in Split and participates in several European and Croatian projects. She has regularly received further training at domestic and foreign scientific and professional conferences.

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Mašenjka Katić, M.Ed. Nutrition

Member

Bio

Mašenjka graduated at the Faculty for Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb and started her career in 1993 as a nutritionist at the Clinical Hospital of Dubrava. She completed an international study of business management at the University for Technology and Engineering in Zagreb and continued to work in the food industry in leadership positions in product research and development. She spent several years in the United States where she gained experience working on a research project at the National Institute of Health (NIH). She is a consultant and project manager in product research and development as well as promoting proper nutrition.