Keynote - Partnering to Improve Kids’ Health
(Presented by James Arena-De Rosa, Regional Administrator, and John Magnarelli, Regional Director of Special Nutrition Programs from the Boston office of USDA)
Dr. Janey Thornton
USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
Dr. Janey Thornton was appointed by President Barack Obama as USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS) on April 1, 2009.
As Deputy Under Secretary, Dr. Thornton is responsible for improving the health and well-being of Americans by developing and promoting science-based dietary guidance and administering USDA’s 15 nutrition assistance programs. FNCS programs work to end hunger in the United States and provide nutrition assistance, dietary guidance, nutrition policy coordination, and nutrition education.
Dr. Thornton previously served as School Nutrition Director for Hardin County Schools in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, worked with the Kentucky Department of Education and taught vocational home economics. Dr. Thornton has been active in the 55,000-member School Nutrition Association (SNA) and served as president during the 2006-2007 school year. She has also served as President of the School Nutrition Foundation and as an active member of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation.
A native of Kentucky, Dr. Thornton received her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from Western Kentucky University, a Master of Science degree in Vocational Education and School Administration from the University of Kentucky and she received her Doctorate in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Iowa State University in 2007.
With a BS in Health Education from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, and a Masters of Science in Education/Curriculum and Instruction from Portland State University, Jess Bogli began her career as a middle school health teacher in Portland, Oregon.
In 2003 Jess was presented with an opportunity to extend her passion and knowledge beyond the classroom, she became the Health Education Curriculum Specialist at the Department of Education and worked closely with a team of specialists from both the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to implement coordinated school health. In 2005, she was selected to be one of 17 people nationally to help revise and develop the National Health Education Standards, which were published early in 2007.
After working for ODE for three years, Jess decided to pursue a career as an education consultant because it would give her the opportunity and flexibility to provide targeted, strategic and comprehensive support to school health organizations. An exceptional speaker, presenter and facilitator, Jess's work includes facilitating meetings, workshops and strategic plans, presenting and speaking at conferences, and developing curriculum and materials specifically around school health issues. She was selected to be a CDC/DASH trainer for CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool.
Jess also volunteers in her community and for a variety of local and national organizations such the Society of State Directors of Health and Physical Education, Growing Gardens and member of the Albina Rotary Club.
Jess loves to participate in triathlons and enjoys mountain biking, screen printing, sewing and eating good food.
Elizabeth Walker
Project Director
National Association of State Boards of Education
Elizabeth Walker, MS, directs NASBE’s cooperative agreement with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health and is Principle Investigator for a RWJF Leadership for Healthy Communities grant. She works with national and federal agencies to promote high impact, evidence based policy changes to support healthy school environments. She also provides technical assistance and resources to states and their boards of education to build capacity around school nutrition and health.
Previously, Elizabeth coordinated the Nemours childhood obesity prevention campaign which focused on changing the policies and practices in school, community, primary care and child care environments. She worked closely with state agencies to change physical activity, nutrition and screen time regulations affecting after school and child care environments and developed tools to support this work. These tools are now being used in other states to promote changes in child care policies. At the Harvard Prevention Research Center, she focused on childhood obesity prevention in schools and early childhood environments through research, policy development, state coalition building, and youth engagement. She led the development of the Action for Healthy Kids, Students Taking Charge toolkit which is now being used as their national youth engagement program. Prior to that, she worked at Babies and Children’s Hospital in New York, developing community-based chronic disease prevention programs for women, children and adolescents. Elizabeth earned a bachelor's degree in health studies and exercise physiology at Boston University and a master's degree in exercise science from the University of Oregon.
Educating, Engaging and Activating Youth
around Healthy Eating & Physical Activity
Kate Lampel Link and Paul McAndrew
Day 2
Kate Lampel Link
Competitive Foods and Beverage Manager
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Kate Lampel Link has over 25 years of experience as a facilitator, trainer, educator, writer and service-oriented professional. Kate has worked with national and international organizations including the United Nations Foundation, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (a co-venture of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association) and the Amistad Institute. She has coordinated several statewide grant initiatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through Departments of Education in New York and Vermont. Kate was the founding executive director of The Center for Health and Learning, a national nonprofit organization that addresses the health needs of schools and communities. Kate specializes in designing and delivering skills-based learning events including the teaching of graduate courses through the University of Vermont and the Union Institute. Kate has authored numerous curricular resources including the award-winning empowerME@school student activism toolkit and Facilitator Guide. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University, a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from Queens College and credits towards a doctorate in Health Education from New York University. Kate continually serves on boards and committees that seek to engage others in caring for themselves and their communities. She is an avid cyclist and enjoys all kinds of winter sports including teaching young children cross country skiing. Kate is a Certified Dialogue Education Practitioner (www.globallearning.com) and a consulting member of The Firefly Group (www.thefirefly.org) and Perry Global Advisors (www.perryglobaladvisors.com).
To Market! To Market! Strategic Steps for Influencing Change
Debra Christopher and Grace Linn
Day 2
Debra Christopher
RMC Health
Debra Christopher is the Director of RMC Health’s Professional Development Partnership (PDP), a multi-year contract funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control. Serving in that capacity since 2002, she leads a team of professionals who work with educators from local, state and national organizations to strengthen their capacity to provide data-driven, high quality health education and prevention programs to youth. Through her expertise as a health education consultant and professional development specialist, Debra has successfully provided training and technical assistance to hundreds of individuals and groups throughout the U.S and is recognized nationally as a highly skilled professional developer and change agent.
Prior to leading the PDP Project, Debra served as RMC Health’s Director of Staff Development. In that role, she managed the professional development processes—the recruitment, development, assessment, and certification of all RMC Health trainers and provided oversight for the research-based design and delivery of RMC Health-sponsored events. In the seven years prior to her employment at RMC Health, Debra worked at Colorado’s Departments of Education and Health, during which time she served as a health education project director and resource specialist with a focus on prevention programs. Debra is a former assistant director of a pre-school and summer educational program for elementary students and is a former high school and middle school health education teacher.
Debra earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Development from Regis University. In addition, she is a graduate of the National Staff Development Council Academy and is certified in conducting the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)—the most widely used personality style inventory focused on adult teaching and learning.
Debra’s professional purpose is to move educators and others to embrace quality professional development as a means for creating positive and impactful change in the teaching and learning process.
Debra lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband Craig, son Nicolas and Yorkshire terrier Jaz where the four enjoy running, hiking and biking.
Grace Linn
President, Creative Media Solutions
Grace is President of Creative Media Solutions, Inc., a full-service, integrated marketing communications firm. Grace began her career as Director of Health Communications for Tri-County Health Department which serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties in Colorado. She established Creative Media Solutions in 1984, providing marketing consultation to a broad range of corporations, public health agencies and non-profit organizations throughout Colorado. Grace is a skilled project manager and facilitator, with a focus on delivering high quality marketing and communications materials that exceed customer expectations and that are delivered on time, and on budget.
Grace earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in Adult and Continuing Education, and Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Fine Art respectively, from the Pennsylvania State University. She also earned Certified Biomedical Communicator designation from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Her experience and education enable her to think about complex information in creative ways.
Janet Schwartz is the Chair of the Department of Consumer Sciences and a Professor of Food and Nutrition at Framingham State University where she has taught courses in Community Nutrition, Nutrition Science and Applications, and Public Health Nutrition since 1983. Janet received the American Dietetics Association Outstanding Dietetics Educator for Region I in 2002.
At Framingham State University, Janet continues her interest in community food and nutrition. She has developed and taught many courses including: NUTR 262 Food, Culture and Society, NUTR 478 Community Nutrition, NUTR 486 Experiences in Community Nutrition, and NUTR 978 Public Health Nutrition. She has been the chair of the Consumer Sciences Department since 2005.
She is the Co-Director of the Certificate in Excellence in Child Nutrition, a distance learning program for school food service directors. She teaches two courses in this program: Nutrition in Child Nutrition Programs and Nutrition and Education Theory and Practice. To date, 47 Massachusetts school food service directors and directors-to-be have received this Certificate. Since 2005, she has been the Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Action for Healthy Kids. As Director of the John Stalker Institute for Food and Nutrition from 1996-2005, she worked with others to develop programs for school food service staff and teachers. Over the past three years, she has worked with Compass Group and Chartwells K-12 Dining to offer online nutrition courses for over 4000 food service managers in all types of food service operations. In 2006, she received a grant from the MetroWest Health Care Foundation to provide technical assistance in nutrition to area programs working to improve the nutritional health of children in the 26 towns west of Boston. In 2010, she received a grant to conduct a Nutrition and Food Environmental Scan of ten schools in MetroWest. She has given numerous presentations in Massachusetts and nationally.
Janet received her Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University and her Masters Degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.
She has two children who are now adults and healthy eaters - her proudest accomplishment!
Walk About of Boston & Keynote – Healthy, Active Schools and Students
Mark Fenton
Day 3
Mark Fenton
Public Health, Planning, and Transportation Expert
Mark Fenton is a national public health, planning, and transportation expert, an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and former host of the “America’s Walking” series on PBS television. He’s author of numerous books including the best selling “Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness” (Lyons Press, 2nd edition 2008). He’s been a consultant to the University of North Carolina’s Safe Routes to School clearinghouse, and facilitator for the walkable community workshop series of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking; he now provides technical training and community planning as an independent consultant. Mark was a member of the United States national racewalking team from 1986 to 1991, and competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Trials in the 50-kilometer (31-mile) racewalk. He studied biomechanics at the Massachusetts Institute Technology, was a researcher at the Olympic Training Center’s Sports Science Laboratory in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and manager of Reebok’s Human Performance Laboratory. Mark has research publications and articles related to exercise science, physical activity promotion, and community level interventions. He’s a vocal advocate for non-motorized transportation, a frequent consultant on bicycle and pedestrian community plans, and recognized authority on public health issues and the need for community, environmental, and public-policy initiatives to encourage more walking, bicycling, and transit use.
EVENT DESRIPTION
Overview
This NPD event, Strengthening Our Practice: Furthering Our Impact will be an opportunity for DASH funded partners in Priority 3, Coordinated School Health, to participate in content and skill-building sessions for the purpose of increasing their knowledge and capacity to implement successful CSH programs.
This event will challenge participants by building on current knowledge and skills in order to advance nutrition and physical activity policy in your state. Team members will be asked to complete an action plan with anticipated work to be completed upon their return home.
Featured Keynote
NPD is pleased to announce that Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide the keynote address for this event. View Dr. Thornton’s bio here.
Event Goal & Objectives
To deliver content and skill-building exercises that assist DASH funded partners in improving the quality of Coordinated School Health programs at the state and local level.
Through participation in these events, participants will:
Increase capacity to develop and implement policy that supports nutrition and physical activity strategies in schools
Increase capacity to promote program successes and nutrition and physical activity related messages within schools and the broader community
Identify strategies for engaging students in improving the nutrition and physical activity environment in schools
Define short, mid, and long term benchmarks for on-going program improvement through completion of a team action plan
Target Audience/Participants
22 SEAs and 1 TG funded by DASH to address Priority 3 (Coordinated School Health)
Number of Attendees
Funded partners will submit an online TEAM APPLICATION FORM identifying a team of 3-5 participants for approval through the application process. Space is available for all DASH funded Coordinated School Health programs. Team participation is required. Team composition includes:
Required:
SEA CSH Director
SHA CSH Director
PANT Coordinator
Possible team members:
State Child Nutrition Director
State School Nurse Leader
School Board Member
School Food Service Director
Nutrition and/or Physical Activity Champion (i.e., a state or local partner enthusiastic about supporting the CSH workplan priorities)
Follow-Up Support
NPD events are designed to enrich and enhance ongoing skill development. On the final day, team members will create an Action Plan containing specific benchmarks. To support team efforts, a copy of the Action Plan will be sent to each team member, and will be shared with DASH project officers. Teams will work together to implement action steps generated during the event.
Additionally, the NPD website is a resource for participants to access the wealth of training materials from Strengthening Our Practice: Furthering Our Impact.
Strengthening Our Practice: 
EVENT MATERIALS
