Overview

Thea Palmer Zimmerman, MS, is a Senior Study Director and recognized research nutritionist with more than 25 years of experience in dietary assessment focused on food and nutrient databases. As leader of Westat’s Dietary Assessment Team (DAT), she guides the development and maintenance of the question and nutrient database for the NCI’s Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Recall (ASA24). She also directs DAT’s development, adaption, and linking of dietary databases for specialized nutrient research and mixed-mode data collection; coordinates the collection of telephone and field dietary data using USDA’s Automated Multiple Pass Method and the ASA24; and codes and cleans dietary data and monitors its quality.

In addition, Zimmerman has been the project director and task leader for dozens of federal nutrition and dietary studies for NCI, EPA, FNS), and ERS. 

Education

• MS, Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University
• BS, (cum laude), Chemistry, John Carroll University