Oak Brook, IL – The Central Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging(CCSNMMI) will honor Rebecca A. Sajdak, BA, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMTS from Loyola 
University Medical Center with the presentation of the Steven M. Pinsky, MD Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor the CCSNMMI can bestow upon a member. The Distinguished Service Award, or Gold Medal, will be presented to Sajdak at the March 23-24, 2019 CCSNMMI Annual Spring Meeting at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook, Illinois, to recognize her outstanding leadership in nuclear medicine.
Rebecca’s career summary says she is Loyola’s Nuclear Medicine Staff Technologist with an extensive background in all nuclear imaging techniques, computer processing skills, involvement with researching new products, programming macros, and training new employees on procedures and techniques.
For the nuclear medicine community, however, she is known for being a tireless advocate for advancing the profession and a leader at both the Chapter and national Nuclear Medicine Societies, becoming only the second nuclear medicine technologist to be elected president of the Central Chapter.
Rebecca received her certificate in Radiologic Technology from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in 1989 and her certificates in Nuclear Medicine in 1991 from both the ARRT and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB). From 1989 to 1999 she was a member of the Associates and Technical Affiliates of the Chicagoland Area (ATACA). In 1999 she was appointed to represent nuclear medicine on the State of Illinois’ Radiologic Technologist Accreditation Advisory Board, a position she held until 2010.
Also in 1999, Rebecca joined the Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Central Chapter. In 2002, she served on the Bylaws Committee and the Continuing Education Committee. In 2003 she was elected President-Elect of the Chapter’s Technologist Section, becoming President of the Section in 2005. As President of the Technologist Section, she also served on the Committee on Chapters and the House of Delegates for the Society of Nuclear Medicine. During this time she was an ex officio member of the Board of Governors.
In 2006 she became an elected member of the Board of Governors. In 2010, she moved from the Board of Governors into the Chapter’s officer rotation, being elected as the Secretary- Treasurer, then as President-Elect, becoming President in 2011-2012. As President, she also served again on the Committee on Chapters and the House of Delegates at the National level. Upon completion of her term as President, Rebecca became the Chapters representative to the SNMMI- TS National Council of Representatives, the policy development arm of the National Technologist Section.
In addition to her involvement at the National level related to serving in officer positions for the Chapter, Rebecca served on the Continuing Education Committee for the SNMMI-TS in 2008, a Delegate at Large for the SNMMI-TS in 2009 and 2010 and a participant in the Clinical Trials Network from 2010 to the present.
In 2006 Rebecca was instrumental in the creation of the Chapter’s Nuclear Medicine Outreach Program, visiting career days in high schools throughout the Chapter, talking to students, showing examples and images of patient diagnosis and treatment and answering questions about careers in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
Rebecca and her husband, Bob, have one son, Randall, and two grandsons, Sean and Kyle.
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