Steering Committee

Tracey Bates, MPH, RDN, LDN, FAND

School Nutrition Specialist | F2SCNC Co-Chair | Founding Partner

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Biography

Tracey Bates, MPH, RDN, LDN, FAND is a School Nutrition Specialist for School Nutrition Services with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. In this role, she coordinates nutrition communications and outreach, develops educational materials and resources, supports healthy school environments, and provides professional development for School Nutrition personnel, educators and others working with school-age children and their families.Bates is currently co-chair for the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina and serves on the advisory committee for FoodCorps NC and the Whole Child NC interagency committee. In addition, she serves on the steering committee and is a past chair for NC Action for Healthy Kids. Bates is a former House of Delegates Director and Board of Directors member for the national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A Fellow of the Academy as well as a former delegate and past president for the North Carolina Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Bates received the Recognized Young Dietitian and Member of the Year awards.

Diane Beth, MS, RDN, LDN

Nutrition Program Consultant | Founding Partner

NC Department of Health and Human Services

Biography

Diane is the Nutrition Program Consultant with the Children & Youth Branch at the NC Division of Public Health. Diane leads efforts to incorporate research and evidence about what works for nutrition into Branch programs/services focused in the school system, school-based health centers, local health departments, early care and education settings and other private providers through training, technical assistance and consultation. She also coordinates and collaborates across the Branch and with other sections of the Division, other agencies and organizations to enhance interventions with children and youth.

With over 30 years of experience in public health and dietetics, Ms. Beth is recognized for her leadership, communication, collaboration and integration skills. Diane received a Master of Science degree in Public Health Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University. She also completed a dietetic internship at the University of Cincinnati Hospital.

Diane hails from Ohio and has called North Carolina home since 1992. She is passionate about food, good health, dancing, hiking, and sharing time with family and friends. She also loves performing (lead vocals and percussion) in a band (SWAG) with her wonderful husband, Ray.

Kirsten Blackburn

Farm to School Outreach Coordinator

Center for Environmental Farming Systems | NC State University

Biography

Kirsten Blackburn is the Farm to School Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems at NC State. They have a B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kirsten began their farm to school journey as an intern for No Kid Hungry where they were involved with Summer Meals education and lobbied for Child Nutrition laws with federal lawmakers. Following this internship, they taught garden and nutrition education in schools as a FoodCorps Service Member for two years. FoodCorps showed them that the valuable connection between schools and their communities can facilitate changes in food access, food sovereignty, and other food justice topics. In their current role as the Farm to School Outreach coordinator, they help to coordinate farm to school activities around North Carolina through local and statewide partnerships.

Basheera Enahora, PhD, MBA, RDN, LDN

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist

NC State University

Biography

Dr. Enahora is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, focused on Nutrition Education and Behavior, in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her research is motivated by the desire to reduce health disparities in lower-resourced communities and based on her experience in clinical practice as a Registered Dietitian working primarily with underrepresented minority adults and teenagers. Dr. Enahora utilizes innovative technologies, including SMS text messaging and digital apps, while aiming to influence dietary behaviors and improve health outcomes among disadvantaged families.

Alison Francis

Director of School Nutrition

Haywood County Schools

Biography

Alison Francis is the Director of School Nutrition for Haywood County Schools, in Waynesville, NC. A Graduate of Western Carolina University with a degree in Hospitality Management. She is also a certified School Nutrition Specialist through the School Nutrition Association. Prior to her 24 years in School Nutrition she was in Restaurant Management and Corporate Catering. Alison is passionate about Farm to School Programs. She served as a Peer Leader with the Farm to School Network and is on the Advisory Board for the North Carolina Farm to School Program.

Anna Glasgow

Senior Garden Specialist

Poe Center for Health Education

Biography

Anna is the Senior Garden Specialist at the Poe Center for Health Education in Raleigh. The Poe Center is a SNAP-Ed implementing agency and field trip destination. Anna teaches students of all ages how and why to grow their own food.

Anna obtained her bachelor's degree in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill and her Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Science from East Carolina University.  

Although a North Carolina native, Anna has spent time living, learning, teaching, and gardening in Louisiana, California, and Kenya. Before joining the Poe Center, she was a secondary science educator for 8 years with a special passion for teaching about the connection between environmental and personal health.  

Anna is an Extension Master Gardener volunteer and proud chicken owner.

Raina Goldstein Bunnag, MPH, RD, LDN

Nutrition Specialist, Healthy School Environments

Durham County Department of Public Health - Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education (DINE)

Biography

Raina Goldstein Bunnag is the Healthy School Environments nutrition specialist for DINE, Durham’s Innovative Nutrition Education Program. DINE is a SNAP-Ed program at the Durham County Department of Public Health. In this role, Raina supports school staff and administration in making healthy changes to their nutrition and physical activity environment such as in school gardens and cafeterias.  She also provides nutrition education to kindergarten-5^th graders. Prior to DINE, Raina worked with farmers markets and in employee wellness. Raina is a registered dietitian with a Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; she is currently pursuing a degree in food and agriculture policy.

Valerie Green

Retired Child Nutrition Director

Biography

Valerie had worked for Child Nutrition for twenty- nine years and had enjoyed the networking and opportunities.  She started her career as an intern in the Child Nutrition Department with Greensboro City Schools while attending UNC-Greensboro.  She spent two years working for a contract foodservice in Greensboro and Raleigh until she joined the Child Nutrition world. She started working in Durham City Schools in 1990 as Assistant Director of Child Nutrition. In 2006, she became Director in Child Nutrition in Warren County Schools. After two years in Warren County, she became the Child Nutrition Director of Orange County Schools. She stayed in that position until she retired in February 2020.  She has served on the NC Food Distribution Advisory Council, Orange County Food Council, and Orange County Cooperative Extension Advisory Board. Valerie received the Farm to School Coalition Honorable Mention Award in 2019.

Remi Ham, MLA

Assistant Teaching Professor | Farm to School Specialist

NC State University

Biography

Remi’s body of work ranges from city planning, university planning, and project management. Her recent work has focused on designing edible teaching gardens and developing an environmental curriculum for K-12 schools. Additionally, Remi has focused on reducing food insecurity through community gardens and urban agriculture, while helping break down perceived barriers to growing one’s own food. Her work in urban agriculture has received a number of awards, including the City of Raleigh Environmental Award in Urban Agriculture and The Hunger Hero Award.

Morgan King

Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences

NC Cooperative Extension

Biography

Morgan is the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension in New Hanover County. After graduating from NC State she served five years as the 4-H Youth Development Agent in Brunswick County where she began her journey in Farm to School. As the FoodCorps Site Supervisor for two service members and the youth development agent Morgan engaged with students around gardening, nutrition, food, and fun. Morgan serves on Extensions Local Food Program Team as the Farm to School Working Group co-chair. In her current role she works with communities, adults, and youth in the areas of food access, nutrition, and overall wellness. 

Tenisha McLean

Agriculture Education Coordinator

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

Biography

Tenisha McLean is the Agriculture Education Coordinator for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. She finds her passions in gardening both indoors and outdoors and working with elementary school students to help them learn to love gardening and to get excited about growing fruits and vegetables. Before she joined the team at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, she served as an Americorps FoodCorps service member in Cherokee, NC from 2019-2021. There, she worked with elementary and middle school students to provide youth gardening and nutrition programming. Tenisha attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she earned her B.S. in Biology. 

Scott Morrison, MA, PhD

Associate Professor of Education

Elon University

Biography

Scott Morrison spent 11 years as a 6th grade English and social studies teacher in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. He is currently an associate professor of education at Elon University. He teaches courses on diversity, assessment, adolescent development, environmental education, and garden-based learning. His research focuses on ecologically minded teaching, everyday environmental education, and social media in teacher education (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, TikTok).

Heather Morton

Director

North Carolina Farm Bureau | Ag in the Classroom

Biography

Heather Morton is a North Carolina native and grew up working alongside her father at his plant nursery operations. Along with the nursery operations, her family raises beef cattle and farms row crops. Heather graduated from NC State University with a BS degree in Biological Sciences and Horticulture, and has a Master’s degree in Agricultural and Extension Education. She currently serves as the Director of North Carolina Ag in the Classroom, which is affiliated with North Carolina Farm Bureau. In her role as Director, Heather oversees the programs and initiatives of NC Ag in the Classroom, such as the Book Planter, Going Local Grant, Ag Mags, and curriculum writing, and helps facilitate educational outreach between school systems and 100 county Farm Bureaus to include farm to school and ag science events. Heather and her husband Clark live in Wendell, NC.

Melissa Needham, MPH, CHES

Lead Associate, Food Security

Save the Children

Biography

Based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Melissa Needham currently serves as Save the Children’s Food Security Lead Associate. Save the Children US is a non-profit humanitarian organization that strives to make sure all children in rural communities have the nourishing food they need for a healthy, strong foundation to thrive as learners and in life. Melissa coordinates Save the Children's state-based, strategic child hunger interventions and supports recipients of Save the Children grants and technical assistance.

Charles Parrish

VP of Agriculture

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

Biography

Charles serves as VP of Agriculture at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Biological Engineering from NC State University and his Master's in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Arizona. His specialties span controlled environment agriculture, hydroponics, permaculture, and outdoor learning environment design. His work at the Food Shuttle involves community-centered solutions to address the root causes of hunger to help realize a hunger-free community.

Danielle Raucheisen

Growing Minds Program Manager

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Biography

Danielle has now settled in the Asheville area after moving from Pennsylvania, where she spent eight years at the School District of Philadelphia working in nutrition education and health and wellness programs. 

Gwen Turner

Family and Consumer Sciences Education Consultant

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Biography

Gwen Turner serves as the FCS Education Consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.  Gwen works to implement student education programs for Food, Nutrition, Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism, and Counseling and Mental Health to meet the needs of business and industry in preparing students for future careers. Gwen was a Family and Consumer Science Teacher for 12 years in Nash County primarily teaching Food and Nutrition courses.  She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Family and Consumer Sciences Education from East Carolina University where she also received her Bachelor’s of Science in Family and Community Services. Gwen enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 kids in their home town of Nashville, NC. She enjoys exercising, travelling, and supporting education.   

Lauren Weyand, MDA, RDN, LDN

School Nutrition Director

Craven County Schools