Conference Session

Heather Reed is an NEC with the CDE. She cochairs the California Local School Wellness Policy and SLM of California collaboratives. She was the Project Director for the California?s TN SLM grant project. Ms. Reed worked as a Public Health Nutritionist with the California Department of Public Health, and as an adjunct nutrition professor. She is a registered dietitian who earned her Master of Arts from San Francisco State University and her Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware.

Crystal Young is an Associate Governmental Program Analyst with the California Department of Education. She has coordinated training, funding, and evaluation for the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and TN SLM of California grant. Prior to the CDE, she coordinated collaborative youth development projects and education services for Hennepin County, Minneapolis Public Schools, and Twin Cities Union Gospel Mission in Minnesota. Ms. Young earned her Master of Arts in Special Education from Bethel University and Bachelor of Science in Social Science from University of Northwestern St. Paul.

Rosemary Carter is a Program Manager for the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program in Placer and Nevada counties. She graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in Nutrition. She has worked for the University of California Cooperative Extension since 2001. The program provides nutrition education for participants and those qualified for the CalFresh Supplemental Food Program. All schools with over 50 percent of students receiving free and reduced-price meals qualify to participate in the UC CalFresh program. All state and Head Start preschools are also eligible to participate. Ms. Carter oversees both the adult and youth components of UC CalFresh as well as provides direct education in the elementary schools. Over the years she has expanded the program to include tastings, cooking academies, school gardens, physical education, and family fun health fairs. Her goal is to get students excited about eating healthy foods and creating healthy habits that will last a life time.