Virginia Messina (also known as Ginny Messina and The Vegan RD) is an American registered dietitian and veganism activist, best known for her research on plant-based nutrition. She has twice co-authored the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position paper on vegetarian diets.

Messina became a vegetarian in 1970s after reading the cookbook Laurel's Kitchen.^[1] She became interested in animal rights and veganism in the 1980s.^[1] She obtained a bachelor's degree in home economics from Douglass College and a Master of Public Health degree in human nutrition from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1981.^[2][3] She was director of nutrition services at George Washington University Medical Center from 1987 to 1989 and a dietitian for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) from 1989 to 1992.^[3] She was on the PCRM Board of Advisors from 1997 to 2012.^[3] Messina is an adjunct assistant professor at Loma Linda University.^[3]

Messina is a member of the Vegetarian Resource Group and has been on their board of advisors since 1997.^[3][4] Messina and her husband founded Vegetarian Nutrition: An International Journal.^[5] She is a founding member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.^[3][4] Messina co-authored the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetic Association) position paper on vegetarian diets in 1997 and 2003.^[6]

In 2011, Messina co-authored Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy on a Plant-Based Diet with Jack Norris.^[7] It was updated in 2020.^[8][9]

In 2018, Messina was a speaker at the Boston Veg Food Fest.^[10]

Messina is married to Mark J. Messina, a nutritionist and soy researcher.^[11] They reside in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.^[4] She is an animal rights activist and vegan who volunteers with Berkshire Voters for Animals.^[4] Messina serves on the board of directors of Alley Cat Rescue.^[12][13]

Her father William Joseph Kisch died in 2003.^[14]

• The Vegetarian Way: Total Health for You and Your Family (with Mark Messina, 1996)
• Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets (2003)^[6]
• The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications (with Reed Mangels, 2010)
• Vegan for Her: The Woman's Guide to Being Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet (2013)
• Never Too Late To Go Vegan (2014, with Carol J. Adams)^[15]
• Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy on a Plant-Based Diet (with Jack Norris, 2020)
• Nova Fails to Appreciate the Value of Plant-Based Meat and Dairy Alternatives in the Diet (with Mark Messina, 2024)^[16]

• The Vegan RD