Experience:
- 10+ years working in state and regional food systems across the country.
- 3+ years evaluating food security programs in farmers market, clinical, and retail settings.
- MPH in Public Health with coursework in global & US food policy, CAFO-derived antibiotic resistance, and agricultural occupational hazards.
- Advocated for USDA and FDA programs on Capitol Hill for a sustainable agriculture group.
- Organized “A Sustainable Plate” symposium in advance of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 hosted by former Deputy of Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan.
- Managed a full kitchen leading regular staff food safety training.
Featured Projects:
How prescription vegetables are changing kids’ lives
HOUSTON – A program offered through Memorial Hermann is helping low-income families get access to fresh produce that they cannot afford. The organization, Wholesome Wave is working with Target and local farmers’ markets to help 300 families in Houston get fruits and vegetables they desperately need in their diet.
Take Three Zucchinis and Call Me in the Morning: The Power of Produce Prescriptions – Modern Farmer
Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit founded by chef Michel Nischan, is renowned in social justice circles for its success in bringing healthy food to those who need it most. The organization pioneered the idea of doubling the value of SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) when recipients use them to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables, which is now commonplace across the country.
Center for Research in Education and Social Policy to evaluate food incentives
Wholesome Wave’s FINI grant will help food-insecure families in 17 states and the District of Columbia gain access to fresh fruits and vegetables through discounts and incentive programs.
Sustainability and Diet – A Linkage Whose Time Has Come – National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Since the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report was released last week, controversy has erupted over the DGAC recommendations for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015. The controversies are many, but the loudest has been whether the dietary guidelines should take sustainability into account.
Research Projects:
- Multi City Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) Program, Target. April 2017-March 2018. Project Budget: $1,800,000
- Ladder for Growth: A National Network to Build Capacity and Test Innovative Strategies for Healthy Food Incentives, U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 2015-March 2018. Project Budget: $3,770,000.
- Los Angeles Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) Program, Target. April 2016-March 2017. Project Budget: $800,000
- Farm to Grocery Nutrition Incentives, U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 2016-March 2019. Project Budget: $300,000
Work Experience:
- Research Manager, Wholesome Wave, April 2015 – April 2018
- Policy Intern, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, January 2015 – May 2018
- Project Assistant, Food Institute, George Washington University, June 2014 – December 2014
- Kitchen Supervisor, Whole Foods Market, February 2012 – July 2013
Featured Clients:
Relevant Publications:
- Purchases, Consumption, and BMI of SNAP Farmers’ Market Shoppers
- Dissemination of Technology to Evaluate Healthy Food Incentive Programs
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 Advisory Committee Public Comment
- Prospective Foods To Prevent Early-Onset Obesity: An Evolutionary Hypothesis About Human Ancestral Diet And Fetal Programming