Billie Smith is being honored in Category 1: Building a Customer Focused Culture for pioneering the Warrior Wellness Project, an innovative "Food is Medicine" initiative that addresses food insecurity while improving health outcomes for Veterans. As a Clinical Dietitian at the West Palm Beach VA, Billie recognized that access to nutritious food is essential to effective health care and built a customer-centered program that integrates clinical nutrition, education, and community resources to meet Veterans' whole-health needs.

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Through the Warrior Wellness Project, Billie established a coalition of seven community partners, including local food banks and the University of Florida, to provide medically tailored groceries, nutrition education, and financial literacy resources for Veterans and their families. She secured donations to launch temperature-controlled food lockers with 24-hour access, distributed more than 25,000 pounds of donated food, and led 104 nutrition classes through the VA Fresh and Health Teaching Kitchen programs. Her collaborative, evidence-based approach has created a scalable model that connects health care with food access and addresses the root causes of chronic disease.

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The Warrior Wellness Project has delivered meaningful benefits for both Veterans and the VA. Participants gained reliable access to healthy food, nutrition education, and wraparound support designed to improve chronic health conditions while reducing food insecurity. The initiative also strengthened collaboration among nutrition, social work, and whole health teams, creating a more coordinated and efficient model of care. Recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and highlighted at the White House Food Security Summit, Billie's leadership has established a national model for improving Veteran health through compassionate, customer-focused innovation.