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Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is hosting the 2023 Sugar Reduction Summit, a three-day virtual event that will bring together public health professionals, researchers, advocates, philanthropic sector, thought leaders, and other stakeholders working in the field of sugar and sugary drink reduction. The event is designed to deepen conversation and learning about evidence-based policies that will reduce the sales and consumption of sugar and sugary drinks, while building community capacity for advocacy, improving health, and centering health equity.
This event is free to registrants. The program will include:
Four plenary sessions, including experts in the field, top scientists and researchers, successful community-based activists, and international health advocates
Up to 20 workshop sessions on sugar and sugary drink reduction science, communications, and evidence-based policies and initiatives grounded in health equity
Opportunities to network with other public health professionals, experts, advocates, and sugar and sugary drink reduction stakeholders
Who Should Attend
This Summit is open to public health allies, advocates, and activists for sugar and sugary drink reduction, including:
Public Health Professionals
Public Health Advocates
Policymakers and Legislative Aides
Public Health Students
Medical and Dental Professionals
Researchers
Philanthropic Sector
Thought Leaders
The Summit is not open to food and beverage industry professionals.
Welcome: Center for Science in the Public Interest Executive Director Dr. Peter Lurie
Keynote 1: Stacy Dean, MPP, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Keynote 2: Special announcement from Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Commissioner, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Dr. Peter Lurie
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
Colin Schwartz, MPP Center for Science in the Public Interest
Colin Schwartz, MPP
Mr. Colin Schwartz, MPP, is Director, Federal Affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In this role he is the organization’s lead lobbyist on issues ranging from the school meals programs to the Farm Bill and facilitates the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA), the nation’s largest nutrition advocacy coalition. He is often quoted by the media and is published in a number of journal articles on child nutrition policy. Prior to joining CSPI in July 2015, he served as director of government affairs at the Physicians Committee, policy and communications manager for the American Association of People with Disabilities, and manager of Viral Hepatitis Policy and Legislative Affairs at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. Colin earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego, and a Master in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD
Dr. Ashwin Vasan is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Vasan is a primary care physician, epidemiologist and public health expert with nearly 20 years of experience working to improve physical and mental health, social welfare and public policy for marginalized populations here in New York City, nationally and globally. Dr. Vasan began his career in global health, working at Partners in Health and the WHO, and most recently served as the President and CEO of Fountain House, a national mental health nonprofit. He serves as faculty at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he continues to see patients at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Stacy Dean, MPP U.S. Department of Agriculture
Stacy Dean, MPP
Stacy Dean was appointed by President Biden to serve as the Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services where she will work to advance the President’s agenda on increasing nutrition assistance for struggling families and individuals as well as tackling systemic racism and barriers to opportunity that have denied so many the chance to get ahead.Prior to joining President Biden’s Team at USDA, Dean served as the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). She directed CBPP’s food assistance team, which published frequent reports on how federal nutrition programs affect families and communities and developed policies to improve them.In addition to her work on federal nutrition programs, Dean directed CBPP efforts to integrate the delivery of health and human services programs at the state and local levels. Before joining CBPP, she worked as a budget analyst at the Office of Management and Budget.
April 25, 2023 02:15 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
Changing Norms and Advancing Policy: Sugary Drink Countermarketing and Public Awareness Campaigns
Increasing public awareness about the harms of sugary drinks and beverage industry marketing tactics is critical for successful policy campaigns and changing social norms around sugary drinks. This session will present examples of sugary drink counter marketing and traditional public awareness campaigns including campaign development, implementation, and effectiveness. Workshop attendees will learn what makes messages effective and how campaigns contribute to winning policy victories.
Gail Ogawa Hawaii Department of Health
Gail Ogawa
Gail Ogawa has worked in health education and the development and implementation of programs to improve community health in the private non-profit and public sectors for over 30 years. The majority of her work has been with the Hawaii Department of Health Disease Outbreak Control Division focusing on promoting immunizations across the lifespan. She currently coordinates the communications activities of the Hawaii Department of Health Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division and has worked on campaigns that support policy, system, and environmental change in the areas of asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, physical activity and nutrition, and tobacco cessation and control. Born and raised in Hawaii, Gail is a proud graduate of Oregon State University and enjoys Starbucks, Jazzercise, and spending time with her husband, 3 children, and dog.
Ann Potempa, MPH Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Health
Ann Potempa, MPH
Ann Potempa, MPH, has focused her career on health communication and education for more than 20 years. She leads the chronic disease communications team for the State of Alaska, working to reach priority audiences in effective and meaningful ways. Potempa started and continues to manage the state’s 10-year-old Play Every Day social marketing campaign to help Alaska children grow up at a healthy weight. The campaign reaches Alaska parents of young children to promote increased opportunities for daily physical activity and decreased consumption of added sugar. In 2022, Potempa led the development of the state's new Fresh Start campaign that connects Alaskans with free programs for better health. In the campaign’s first months, it met and exceeded evaluation goals to increase program enrollment.In addition to managing campaigns in Alaska, Potempa provides public health social marketing and health communication consultation to agencies and partners nationally and internationally. She previously was a newspaper journalist for 10 years. Potempa graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with Bachelor of Science degrees in journalism and sociology. She graduated from the University of Alaska—Anchorage with a Master of Public Health degree. Potempa also completed a Knight Journalism Fellowship at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jim Krieger Healthy Food America and University of Washington
Jim Krieger
Jim Krieger, MD, MPH is Executive Director of Healthy Food America and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington Schools Public Health. He previously worked for 25 years at Public Health – Seattle & King County as Chief of Chronic Disease Prevention.He supports policy change to promote healthy eating and health equity through research, provision of technical assistance to policy makers and advocates, and direct advocacy. His work has led to improvements in school nutrition, implementation of the nation’s second menu labeling regulation, adoption of sugary drink taxes, sugary drink counter-marketing campaigns, and increased access to healthy foods for people with low incomes. He has provided technical assistance for adoption, implementation, and evaluation of sugary drink taxes in over forty localities and states in the US. He helped lead the successful campaign to adopt a tax in Seattle and co-chaired its Tax Community Advisory Board from 2018-2019. He has authored reports on centering taxes in equity and best practices in tax design. He has published numerous articles about sweetened beverage taxes in academic journals, including a recent one assessing the equity of tax payments and benefits. If you want more:His work has been funded by NIH, CDC, and private foundations. He has served on Institute of Medicine Committees focused on obesity prevention. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Innovation in Prevention Award. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard, MD at the University of California, San Francisco, and MPH at University of Washington.
Rudy Ruiz Interlex Communications, Inc.
Rudy Ruiz
Rudy Ruiz is CEO of Interlex Communications, one of the nation's leading advocacy marketing agencies since 1995. In his role, Rudy has led messaging and branding strategy as well as multicultural insights for numerous public health campaigns, including initiatives related to: sugary drinks, nutrition and physical activity, smoking and vaping cessation and prevention, immunizations, and COVID. Interlex’s health-related clients include: American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, New York University, the state health departments of Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan and Texas, the local health departments of Houston, San Antonio, San Francisco and Seattle, Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, Coalition for a Healthy CA, United Healthcare, University of Texas, University of Washington, and USDA. Rudy has co-authored several research studies, including two on sugary drinks. He is also an award-winning writer of literary fiction. He earned his BA in Government from Harvard College and his Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
How Sugar Reduction Strategies Can Double as Sustainability Strategies
This session will look at how we can find and capitalize on opportunities to integrate sustainability into ongoing sugar reduction policy work. Nutrition, health, and the environment can all benefit from our policy strategies in unison. How can advocates be strategic in writing policies that target decreased sugar consumption, improved nutrition, and increased concern for the environment?
Zach Conrad, PhD, MPH William & Mary
Zach Conrad, PhD, MPH
Zach Conrad is a nutritional epidemiologist and food systems scientist at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. His research leverages large datasets and modeling techniques to examine how population-level dietary shifts affect diet quality, environmental sustainability, and affordability. He is the author of nearly 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and his research is currently supported by grants from the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences and The Jeffress Trust. He sits on the editorial board for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Nutrition Journal, and he is the Co-Chair of an NIH working group on metrics and tools to evaluate food system sustainability. Before joining William & Mary, Dr. Conrad was a Postdoctoral Scientist at USDA from 2016-2019 and a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University from 2015-2016. He earned his PhD in nutrition from the Friedman School, his MS in food systems from the Friedman School, his MPH in nutrition from Tufts University’s School of Medicine, and his BA in biology and anthropology from Trent University in Ontario, Canada.
Sara Ribakove, MBA Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sara Ribakove, MBA
Sara Ribakove is the Food and Environment Campaign Manager at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Her work is focused on creating a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable food system. Sara oversees CSPI’s new Food and Environment initiative as well as CSPI’s work on improving the nutritional quality of food for children in restaurants. Prior to joining CSPI, Sara worked for the Food Recovery Network, a non-profit working to reduce hunger and food waste. She received her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Georgetown University, focused on environmentally sustainable business practices and non-market strategy. She earned her B.A. in Public Health from the University of Rochester.
Claudia Malloy CSPI
Claudia Malloy
Claudia Malloy is a nonprofit leader whose career has woven together public policy, communications, advocacy, and movement building. She is a political strategist with a reputation for creating new mobilization approaches and designing strategic campaigns that result in clear policy victories. As the Senior Director of Advocacy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Claudia leads a cross-organizational team working to pass polices and strengthen partnerships to build momentum to improve the food environment with especially underserved populations and in historically disenfranchised communities. Claudia has been instrumental in the execution of landmark policies, including: passing the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill, finalizing President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, pausing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, passing the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, and getting nutrition labeling on restaurant menus. As Associate Vice President at the National Wildlife Federation, Claudia co-founded the Women in Conservation Leadership initiative that seeks to advance and empower women’s leadership in the U.S. conservation community and co-founded Planet Women, a non-profit working to insert more women into important leadership positions and deploying women as a conservation strategy to solve intractable environmental problems that threaten global health, economics, and the natural world. Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Claudia lives in Washington DC with her husband Chris and cats Loki and Maisie.
David Cleveland, Ph.D., M.S. U of California
David Cleveland, Ph.D., M.S.
David A. Cleveland is a food system ecologist who has done research and project work on sustainable agrifood systems with small-scale farmers and gardeners around the world. He earned an M.S. in genetics and a Ph.D. (1980) in agricultural anthropology from the University of Arizona, and is a Research Professor in the Environmental Studies Program, and the Department of Geography, University of California (UC), Santa Barbara. He is a member of the UC Research Consortium on Beverages and Health, the UC Healthy Beverage Initiative, and the UC Healthy Campus Network. His current focus is understanding the potential for creating food systems that support human and environmental health and social equity, including the potential for diet change to improve nutrition, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage, and promote food and environmental justice, in California, the US, and globally. This includes investigating the conflicting roles of food on university and college campuses, where the public good mission of higher education struggles against the dominance of neoliberalism and food for profit.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
Evaluating the Evidence for Added Sugars Reduction Policies
Evidence-based dietary guidance is clear. People across all life stages should limit their intake of foods and beverages that are high in added sugars and limit overall added sugars intake to achieve a healthy dietary pattern and reduce their risk for diet-related disease. Although population added sugars intake has declined over the last two decades, on average, Americans of all ages, male and female, consume more added sugars than recommended daily. Thus, policies and interventions to reduce added sugars consumption remain a top public health priority in the US. This session will bring together experts in research and policy to examine the evidence for policies targeting added sugars reduction across the food environment.
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH New York City Health + Hospitals
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH, has more than 20 years of experience in public health policy and program development and implementation, research, and communication in government, academic, and private sectors. Currently, she is Senior Director of Research and Evaluation in the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC’s public hospital system. In this role, she designs and leads evaluations of programs to reduce health disparities and advance population health, including the nation’s first randomized, controlled trial of a produce prescription program for children. Roopa also leads the design and implementation of initiatives to improve the food environment across H+H, including the system’s Healthy Beverage Initiative that eliminated the sale of sugary drinks.She has previously worked at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she supported the development and implementation of initiatives to support healthy eating and reduce the burden of chronic and infectious diseases. She also has worked as a communication and strategy consultant for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on their HIV prevention campaigns and has conducted research toward the development of a HIV vaccine in the laboratories of several of the world’s leading HIV researchers.Roopa earned a Doctor of Public Health degree, Master of Public Health degree, and certificates in health communication and vaccine science & policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology with a minor in music performance from Yale University. A native New Yorker, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, elderly but spirited dog, and many plants.
Amaka Anekwe, MS, RDN New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Amaka Anekwe, MS, RDN
Amaka Anekwe serves as Director of Strategic Nutrition Initiatives in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, overseeing a broad food policy portfolio. Amaka has worked for NYC Health Department for 8 years overseeing policy research, development and implementation for a number of policies, including those impacting the restaurant environment, like sodium warnings in chain restaurants and calorie labeling, and policies that address the availability of healthy foods served to New Yorkers who rely on NYC's food programs. Her work also includes research and advocacy around economic support and social justice. Amaka is a registered dietitian and received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MS from Columbia University.
Lindsey Smith Taillie, PhD UNC Chapel Hill
Lindsey Smith Taillie
Dr. Lindsey Smith Taillie is a nutrition epidemiologist whose work focuses on evaluating food policy efforts in the US and globally, and how these influence disparities in diet and obesity. Her work uses a combination of randomized controlled trials and natural experimental studies using large datasets on food purchases and intake to evaluate and inform food policy to prevent obesity.Internationally, current projects focus on evaluating sugary beverage taxes, front-of-package warning labels, and marketing restrictions in a number of Latin American countries, including Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
Brian Elbel, Phd, MPH New York University Langone Health
Brian Elbel
Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH I am Professor of Population Health and Health Policy in the Department of Population Health and Associate Dean, Research Mission Strategy and Administration at NYU Langone Health. I examine how policies and the environment influence health and health behaviors, particularly obesity and chronic disease. I use statistical and econometric methods and diverse data sources, including administrative, sales and other data, to understand health outcomes. Throughout my research, I am motivated to understand how social determinants create differences in outcomes across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and how policy can be leveraged to reduce these differences.I have investigated the role of the food environment and the built environment, including neighborhoods, on childhood obesity; spearheaded evaluations of place-based efforts to improve community health; and examined the health and education of New York City’s public school children during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. I study the impact of several public policies on health, including:• policies mandating calorie labeling in restaurants• policies taxing purchases of sugary beverages• food policies in schools• New York City’s one-time proposal of limiting the size of sugar-sweetened beverages served in restaurants• policies supporting the development of supermarkets in high-need areasI also serve as director of the Section on Health Choice, Policy and Evaluation in the Department of Population Health and on the faculty of NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
April 25, 2023 03:30 pm EDT
Networking Roundtables
Join summit attendees from your geographic region to connect and learn from each other.Tables will be marked by region/states.Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Spanish translation in this roundtable.
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
State Preemption 101: How to Fight a Powerful Industry Tactic
The food and beverage industry use pre-emption—the legal doctrine by which a higher level of government can limit a lower level of government’s ability to act in a particular area—to block progress on food and nutrition policy. Industry lobbying has resulted in at least 14 states curbing local government’s power to regulate certain matters related to food and nutrition. This workshop provides an overview of pre-emption’s impact on public health policy, including sugar reduction efforts, and explores strategies that advocates can use to address pre-emption.
Benjamin Winig, JD, MPA ThinkForward Strategies
Benjamin Winig, JD, MPA
Benjamin D. Winig, JD, MPA, is the Founder of ThinkForward Strategies, a national consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. For over two decades, Ben has provided legal, policy, and strategic advice and counsel to local governments, community-based organizations, think tanks, and philanthropies. He is a skilled facilitator and trainer, and works with individuals and organizations across the country interested in challenging their potential to create positive change. His recent work has focused on dismantling barriers that impede good governance and equitable policymaking. Ben also serves as the Research Lead for the Local Solutions Support Center, where he cultivates and coordinates research exploring the impacts of the abuse of state preemption on people and communities. Previously, Ben served as Vice President of Law & Policy at ChangeLab Solutions and practiced municipal law in California. He graduated from the University of Michigan, with distinction, and earned his law degree and master’s in public affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ted Mermin UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice / Public Good Law Center
Ted Mermin
Ted Mermin is the Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice. The Center files amicus briefs and advises and supports parties in salient public health, consumer protection and economic justice cases around the nation.At Berkeley Law, Ted teaches Consumer Protection Law and Comparative Consumer Protection Law. Outside the law school, he serves as director of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition (CLICC), a partnership of legal service providers dedicated to furthering the rights of vulnerable consumers through state and local policy advocacy. Ted also serves as executive director of the Public Good Law Center, in which guise he has, for the past decade and a half, assisted local, state and federal agencies in the development and defense of innovative policies in public health and consumer law; helped litigate consumer rights and public health cases in appellate and trial courts around the nation, including in the United States Supreme Court; and written and spoken extensively on issues of free speech, preemption, tobacco control, marketing to children, deceptive advertising, and unfair competition.He counts constitutional issues in public health law – including the First Amendment and preemption – as among his favorite things to discuss.
Emily Friedman, Esq. Center for Science in the Public Interest
Emily Friedman, Esq.
Emily Friedman is Legal Affairs Attorney at Center for Science in the Public Interest, where she researches legal issues, develops legislative and other materials supporting advocacy efforts, and provides technical support to policymakers and advocates working on national, state, and local food and nutrition policies.
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
Healthier Grocery Stores: Policy Opportunities to Make Healthy Choices Easier for Shoppers In-Store and Online
Three-quarters of Americans’ calories come from food retailers like grocery stores and supermarkets, creating an incredible opportunity to improve healthy food access. However, the current in-store and online retail food environments make healthy choices difficult for customers. Food and beverage manufacturers pay grocery stores large amounts of money to promote and place their products in prominent store locations, and online retailers disproportionately promote unhealthy items. This session explores how policy can leverage marketing tactics to drive healthier purchases by 1) reviewing the evidence base and legal feasibility of healthy retail marketing strategies, 2) identifying policy opportunities to integrate these strategies, and 3) obtaining input from shoppers that utilize SNAP and grocery leaders on these retail and policy changes.
Jennifer Pomeranz NYU
Jennifer Pomeranz
Professor Jennifer Pomeranz is a public health lawyer who researches policy and legal options to address the food environment, products that cause public harm, and social injustice that lead to health disparities. She is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Global Public Health at New York University. Professor Pomeranz is the lead author of the new textbook, Public Health Law in Practice, published by Oxford University Press in April 2023, the book, Food Law for Public Health, published by Oxford University Press in 2016, and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles. Professor Pomeranz leads the Public Health Policy Research Lab and regularly teaches Public Health Law and Food Policy for Public Health. Ms. Pomeranz earned her Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School and Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Julie Greene, MPH Ahold Delhaize USA
Julie Greene, MPH
Julie’s work is focused on improving public health by fostering a healthy food environment. Working within the food retail sector, she has led the development of innovative tools delivering results once thought impossible by both health advocates & food executives. Starting with the introduction of Guiding Stars in 2006, she has led efforts to shift consumer consumption through science-backed nutrition guidance, retail dietitian engagement, marketing of nutritious products and incentive programs rewarding shoppers for healthier baskets. As a result, Ahold Delhaize retailers exceeded goals for sales of products earning Guiding Stars. With industry leading ESG statistics, supported by financial incentives for leaders who deliver on ambitious public targets, the potential of this work is only beginning to be realized. Her commitment to collaborating with public health researchers focusing on supermarket-based interventions has led to numerous publications that chronicle the effectiveness of Guiding Stars and the valuable product data it offers. From shelf-edge communication to Ecommerce filters and Food-as-Medicine incentives focusing on SNAP-eligible populations, she believes there is no limit to the positive impact we can have on the health of our communities. Julie earned her MPH from Muskie School of Public Service in Portland, Maine where she lives with her family.
Julia Wolfson Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Julia Wolfson
Dr. Wolfson is an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research lies at the intersection of public health policy and health behavior change and centers on health behaviors, environmental factors, policies, programs, and interventions related to diet quality, food insecurity, and diet related disease prevention. Dr. Wolfson's goal is to conduct research that contributes to social and policy changes that support health promoting, equitable, and sustainable food systems.
Sara John, PhD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sara John, PhD
Sara John (she/her/hers) is a Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In her role, she leads organizational efforts to create a healthier retail food environment through research, corporate engagement, and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. Prior to joining CSPI, Dr. John served as the Evaluation Director for SNAP incentive programs reaching more than 20,000 SNAP participants across New England. She also previously worked at the Partnership for a Healthier America, engaging the private sector to create a healthier food system and reduce childhood obesity. She has a PhD in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts Friedman School.
Allison Karpyn, PhD University of Delaware Human Development and Family Sciences/Center for Research in Education and Social Policy
Allison Karpyn
Dr. Allison Karpyn is Co-Director of the University of Delaware at the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP) and Professor in the Department of the Human Development and Family Sciences at the University Delaware. Dr. Karpyn, in her 20 years of practice, has published widely in journals including Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, and Health Affairs on: program evaluation methods; topics related to hunger, obesity, school food, supermarket access, food insecurity, healthy corner stores, stigma; and, strategies to develop and maintain farmer’s markets in low income areas. Dr. Karpyn has hands-on experience working with community-based agencies and institutions, including non-profit organizations and retailers, to implement and study specific approaches to increase access to high-quality food in low-income communities. In Dr. Karpyn has served as a Fulbright Scholar to study food insecurity and hunger in the Bahamas. Allison earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University and her Doctorate in Policy Research Evaluation and Measurement at The University of Pennsylvania .
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
Conversation on Centering Racial Equity in Food System Interventions and Research
In the United States, Black and Indigenous people are disproportionately burdened by the highest rates of food insecurity. The USDA defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This definition is widely utilized at the population level but does not adequately capture the ways in which cultural foodways and practices can affect the way communities nourish themselves. As such, while food insecurity is an adverse outcome mediated by multiple variables, centering racial equity in food system interventions and research examinations is critical to comprehensively mitigating food system inequities and longstanding barriers to health.
According to Race Forward, “Racial Equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone.” It involves changing policies, practices, systems, and structures through measurable metrics in specific subpopulations. To effectively change harmful structures and practices, racial equity must be operationalized in a strategic manner that prioritizes those impacted by the injustice. Join us in a conversation with Jazmon Stewart and Jessica Quinlan to discuss what it means to advance food justice and food sovereignty with racial equity front and center
Ashley Hickson Center for Science in the Public Interest
Ashley Hickson
Ashley Hickson, DrPH, MPH is the Senior Health Equity Advisor at CSPI. She is a public health practitioner and mixed methods researcher with a focus on achieving racial justice, health equity, reducing health disparities, co-creating interventions alongside the subpopulations most adversely affected, and designing sustainable solutions to mitigate challenges to health and well-being. She holds an MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center and dual degrees (BBA/BS) from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Doctorate of Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice concentration from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Jessica Quinlan is the Food Sovereignty Coordinator for the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project(ZYEP), a non-profit organization in Zuni, New Mexico. ZYEP's mission is to provide enrichingand resilience-building activities to Zuni youth, so they will grow into strong and healthy adultswho are connected with Zuni traditions. Jessica is a Registered Dietitian, with a Bachelor’sdegree in Dietetics from Virginia Tech, and a Master’s in Public Health from the University ofArizona. Jessica brings a passion for health equity and 15 years of experience with foodsovereignty programming for Zuni youth.
Jazmon Stewart iThrive
Jazmon Stewart
Jazmon Stewart, founder of iThrive. iThrive is a family operated organization, laser-focused on empowering and supporting Black communities in achieving food and environmental sustainability through education, advocacy, and community engagement. Jazmon is committed to promoting holistic wellness and preserving cultural heritage while addressing systemic inequalities in the food and agriculture industries.
April 25, 2023 05:15 pm EDT
Low-sugar Cooking Demo
Sit back, relax, and enjoy watching CSPI's Chef Kate prepare a delicious meal including a side dish, main course, and fruit dessert—all low in added sugar. The recipes will be available to all attendees in our Summit Resource Library.
Kate Sherwood Center for Science in the Public Interest
Kate Sherwood
Kate Sherwood is the culinary director and executive chef of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC. She is the recipe developer, food stylist and photographer of The Healthy Cook recipe page for CSPI’s monthly publication, Nutrition Action, and is the publication’s culinary editor. Kate is the creative force behind The Good Foods Calendar. Kate has lived in or visited (and, of course, eaten in) more than 30 countries. Her deep understanding of many cuisines inspires the innovative flavors of her dishes. She has taught healthy cooking at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, was the keynote speaker at the Food Bank’s TedX Food event and was featured in the Washington Post. Kate gives healthy cooking lectures and hands-on cooking classes at the destination spa Rancho la Puerta and at George Washington University Medical School. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Kate has worked as a food stylist at The Food Network, Discovery, “The Today Show,” and Martha Stewart.
April 25, 2023 01:00 pm EDT
Plenary Session: OPENING
Welcome: Center for Science in the Public Interest Executive Director Dr. Peter Lurie
Keynote 1: Stacy Dean, MPP, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Keynote 2: Special announcement from Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Commissioner, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Dr. Peter Lurie
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
Colin Schwartz, MPP Center for Science in the Public Interest
Colin Schwartz, MPP
Mr. Colin Schwartz, MPP, is Director, Federal Affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In this role he is the organization’s lead lobbyist on issues ranging from the school meals programs to the Farm Bill and facilitates the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA), the nation’s largest nutrition advocacy coalition. He is often quoted by the media and is published in a number of journal articles on child nutrition policy. Prior to joining CSPI in July 2015, he served as director of government affairs at the Physicians Committee, policy and communications manager for the American Association of People with Disabilities, and manager of Viral Hepatitis Policy and Legislative Affairs at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. Colin earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego, and a Master in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD
Dr. Ashwin Vasan is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Vasan is a primary care physician, epidemiologist and public health expert with nearly 20 years of experience working to improve physical and mental health, social welfare and public policy for marginalized populations here in New York City, nationally and globally. Dr. Vasan began his career in global health, working at Partners in Health and the WHO, and most recently served as the President and CEO of Fountain House, a national mental health nonprofit. He serves as faculty at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he continues to see patients at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Stacy Dean, MPP U.S. Department of Agriculture
Stacy Dean, MPP
Stacy Dean was appointed by President Biden to serve as the Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services where she will work to advance the President’s agenda on increasing nutrition assistance for struggling families and individuals as well as tackling systemic racism and barriers to opportunity that have denied so many the chance to get ahead.Prior to joining President Biden’s Team at USDA, Dean served as the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). She directed CBPP’s food assistance team, which published frequent reports on how federal nutrition programs affect families and communities and developed policies to improve them.In addition to her work on federal nutrition programs, Dean directed CBPP efforts to integrate the delivery of health and human services programs at the state and local levels. Before joining CBPP, she worked as a budget analyst at the Office of Management and Budget.
April 25, 2023 05:15 pm EDT
Low-sugar Cooking Demo
Sit back, relax, and enjoy watching CSPI's Chef Kate prepare a delicious meal including a side dish, main course, and fruit dessert—all low in added sugar. The recipes will be available to all attendees in our Summit Resource Library.
Kate Sherwood Center for Science in the Public Interest
Kate Sherwood
Kate Sherwood is the culinary director and executive chef of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC. She is the recipe developer, food stylist and photographer of The Healthy Cook recipe page for CSPI’s monthly publication, Nutrition Action, and is the publication’s culinary editor. Kate is the creative force behind The Good Foods Calendar. Kate has lived in or visited (and, of course, eaten in) more than 30 countries. Her deep understanding of many cuisines inspires the innovative flavors of her dishes. She has taught healthy cooking at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, was the keynote speaker at the Food Bank’s TedX Food event and was featured in the Washington Post. Kate gives healthy cooking lectures and hands-on cooking classes at the destination spa Rancho la Puerta and at George Washington University Medical School. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Kate has worked as a food stylist at The Food Network, Discovery, “The Today Show,” and Martha Stewart.
April 25, 2023 02:15 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
Changing Norms and Advancing Policy: Sugary Drink Countermarketing and Public Awareness Campaigns
Increasing public awareness about the harms of sugary drinks and beverage industry marketing tactics is critical for successful policy campaigns and changing social norms around sugary drinks. This session will present examples of sugary drink counter marketing and traditional public awareness campaigns including campaign development, implementation, and effectiveness. Workshop attendees will learn what makes messages effective and how campaigns contribute to winning policy victories.
Gail Ogawa Hawaii Department of Health
Gail Ogawa
Gail Ogawa has worked in health education and the development and implementation of programs to improve community health in the private non-profit and public sectors for over 30 years. The majority of her work has been with the Hawaii Department of Health Disease Outbreak Control Division focusing on promoting immunizations across the lifespan. She currently coordinates the communications activities of the Hawaii Department of Health Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division and has worked on campaigns that support policy, system, and environmental change in the areas of asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, physical activity and nutrition, and tobacco cessation and control. Born and raised in Hawaii, Gail is a proud graduate of Oregon State University and enjoys Starbucks, Jazzercise, and spending time with her husband, 3 children, and dog.
Ann Potempa, MPH Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Health
Ann Potempa, MPH
Ann Potempa, MPH, has focused her career on health communication and education for more than 20 years. She leads the chronic disease communications team for the State of Alaska, working to reach priority audiences in effective and meaningful ways. Potempa started and continues to manage the state’s 10-year-old Play Every Day social marketing campaign to help Alaska children grow up at a healthy weight. The campaign reaches Alaska parents of young children to promote increased opportunities for daily physical activity and decreased consumption of added sugar. In 2022, Potempa led the development of the state's new Fresh Start campaign that connects Alaskans with free programs for better health. In the campaign’s first months, it met and exceeded evaluation goals to increase program enrollment.In addition to managing campaigns in Alaska, Potempa provides public health social marketing and health communication consultation to agencies and partners nationally and internationally. She previously was a newspaper journalist for 10 years. Potempa graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with Bachelor of Science degrees in journalism and sociology. She graduated from the University of Alaska—Anchorage with a Master of Public Health degree. Potempa also completed a Knight Journalism Fellowship at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jim Krieger Healthy Food America and University of Washington
Jim Krieger
Jim Krieger, MD, MPH is Executive Director of Healthy Food America and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington Schools Public Health. He previously worked for 25 years at Public Health – Seattle & King County as Chief of Chronic Disease Prevention.He supports policy change to promote healthy eating and health equity through research, provision of technical assistance to policy makers and advocates, and direct advocacy. His work has led to improvements in school nutrition, implementation of the nation’s second menu labeling regulation, adoption of sugary drink taxes, sugary drink counter-marketing campaigns, and increased access to healthy foods for people with low incomes. He has provided technical assistance for adoption, implementation, and evaluation of sugary drink taxes in over forty localities and states in the US. He helped lead the successful campaign to adopt a tax in Seattle and co-chaired its Tax Community Advisory Board from 2018-2019. He has authored reports on centering taxes in equity and best practices in tax design. He has published numerous articles about sweetened beverage taxes in academic journals, including a recent one assessing the equity of tax payments and benefits. If you want more:His work has been funded by NIH, CDC, and private foundations. He has served on Institute of Medicine Committees focused on obesity prevention. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Innovation in Prevention Award. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard, MD at the University of California, San Francisco, and MPH at University of Washington.
Rudy Ruiz Interlex Communications, Inc.
Rudy Ruiz
Rudy Ruiz is CEO of Interlex Communications, one of the nation's leading advocacy marketing agencies since 1995. In his role, Rudy has led messaging and branding strategy as well as multicultural insights for numerous public health campaigns, including initiatives related to: sugary drinks, nutrition and physical activity, smoking and vaping cessation and prevention, immunizations, and COVID. Interlex’s health-related clients include: American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, New York University, the state health departments of Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan and Texas, the local health departments of Houston, San Antonio, San Francisco and Seattle, Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, Coalition for a Healthy CA, United Healthcare, University of Texas, University of Washington, and USDA. Rudy has co-authored several research studies, including two on sugary drinks. He is also an award-winning writer of literary fiction. He earned his BA in Government from Harvard College and his Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
State Preemption 101: How to Fight a Powerful Industry Tactic
The food and beverage industry use pre-emption—the legal doctrine by which a higher level of government can limit a lower level of government’s ability to act in a particular area—to block progress on food and nutrition policy. Industry lobbying has resulted in at least 14 states curbing local government’s power to regulate certain matters related to food and nutrition. This workshop provides an overview of pre-emption’s impact on public health policy, including sugar reduction efforts, and explores strategies that advocates can use to address pre-emption.
Benjamin Winig, JD, MPA ThinkForward Strategies
Benjamin Winig, JD, MPA
Benjamin D. Winig, JD, MPA, is the Founder of ThinkForward Strategies, a national consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. For over two decades, Ben has provided legal, policy, and strategic advice and counsel to local governments, community-based organizations, think tanks, and philanthropies. He is a skilled facilitator and trainer, and works with individuals and organizations across the country interested in challenging their potential to create positive change. His recent work has focused on dismantling barriers that impede good governance and equitable policymaking. Ben also serves as the Research Lead for the Local Solutions Support Center, where he cultivates and coordinates research exploring the impacts of the abuse of state preemption on people and communities. Previously, Ben served as Vice President of Law & Policy at ChangeLab Solutions and practiced municipal law in California. He graduated from the University of Michigan, with distinction, and earned his law degree and master’s in public affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ted Mermin UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice / Public Good Law Center
Ted Mermin
Ted Mermin is the Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice. The Center files amicus briefs and advises and supports parties in salient public health, consumer protection and economic justice cases around the nation.At Berkeley Law, Ted teaches Consumer Protection Law and Comparative Consumer Protection Law. Outside the law school, he serves as director of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition (CLICC), a partnership of legal service providers dedicated to furthering the rights of vulnerable consumers through state and local policy advocacy. Ted also serves as executive director of the Public Good Law Center, in which guise he has, for the past decade and a half, assisted local, state and federal agencies in the development and defense of innovative policies in public health and consumer law; helped litigate consumer rights and public health cases in appellate and trial courts around the nation, including in the United States Supreme Court; and written and spoken extensively on issues of free speech, preemption, tobacco control, marketing to children, deceptive advertising, and unfair competition.He counts constitutional issues in public health law – including the First Amendment and preemption – as among his favorite things to discuss.
Emily Friedman, Esq. Center for Science in the Public Interest
Emily Friedman, Esq.
Emily Friedman is Legal Affairs Attorney at Center for Science in the Public Interest, where she researches legal issues, develops legislative and other materials supporting advocacy efforts, and provides technical support to policymakers and advocates working on national, state, and local food and nutrition policies.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
How Sugar Reduction Strategies Can Double as Sustainability Strategies
This session will look at how we can find and capitalize on opportunities to integrate sustainability into ongoing sugar reduction policy work. Nutrition, health, and the environment can all benefit from our policy strategies in unison. How can advocates be strategic in writing policies that target decreased sugar consumption, improved nutrition, and increased concern for the environment?
Zach Conrad, PhD, MPH William & Mary
Zach Conrad, PhD, MPH
Zach Conrad is a nutritional epidemiologist and food systems scientist at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. His research leverages large datasets and modeling techniques to examine how population-level dietary shifts affect diet quality, environmental sustainability, and affordability. He is the author of nearly 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and his research is currently supported by grants from the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences and The Jeffress Trust. He sits on the editorial board for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Nutrition Journal, and he is the Co-Chair of an NIH working group on metrics and tools to evaluate food system sustainability. Before joining William & Mary, Dr. Conrad was a Postdoctoral Scientist at USDA from 2016-2019 and a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University from 2015-2016. He earned his PhD in nutrition from the Friedman School, his MS in food systems from the Friedman School, his MPH in nutrition from Tufts University’s School of Medicine, and his BA in biology and anthropology from Trent University in Ontario, Canada.
Sara Ribakove, MBA Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sara Ribakove, MBA
Sara Ribakove is the Food and Environment Campaign Manager at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Her work is focused on creating a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable food system. Sara oversees CSPI’s new Food and Environment initiative as well as CSPI’s work on improving the nutritional quality of food for children in restaurants. Prior to joining CSPI, Sara worked for the Food Recovery Network, a non-profit working to reduce hunger and food waste. She received her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Georgetown University, focused on environmentally sustainable business practices and non-market strategy. She earned her B.A. in Public Health from the University of Rochester.
Claudia Malloy CSPI
Claudia Malloy
Claudia Malloy is a nonprofit leader whose career has woven together public policy, communications, advocacy, and movement building. She is a political strategist with a reputation for creating new mobilization approaches and designing strategic campaigns that result in clear policy victories. As the Senior Director of Advocacy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Claudia leads a cross-organizational team working to pass polices and strengthen partnerships to build momentum to improve the food environment with especially underserved populations and in historically disenfranchised communities. Claudia has been instrumental in the execution of landmark policies, including: passing the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill, finalizing President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, pausing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, passing the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, and getting nutrition labeling on restaurant menus. As Associate Vice President at the National Wildlife Federation, Claudia co-founded the Women in Conservation Leadership initiative that seeks to advance and empower women’s leadership in the U.S. conservation community and co-founded Planet Women, a non-profit working to insert more women into important leadership positions and deploying women as a conservation strategy to solve intractable environmental problems that threaten global health, economics, and the natural world. Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Claudia lives in Washington DC with her husband Chris and cats Loki and Maisie.
David Cleveland, Ph.D., M.S. U of California
David Cleveland, Ph.D., M.S.
David A. Cleveland is a food system ecologist who has done research and project work on sustainable agrifood systems with small-scale farmers and gardeners around the world. He earned an M.S. in genetics and a Ph.D. (1980) in agricultural anthropology from the University of Arizona, and is a Research Professor in the Environmental Studies Program, and the Department of Geography, University of California (UC), Santa Barbara. He is a member of the UC Research Consortium on Beverages and Health, the UC Healthy Beverage Initiative, and the UC Healthy Campus Network. His current focus is understanding the potential for creating food systems that support human and environmental health and social equity, including the potential for diet change to improve nutrition, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage, and promote food and environmental justice, in California, the US, and globally. This includes investigating the conflicting roles of food on university and college campuses, where the public good mission of higher education struggles against the dominance of neoliberalism and food for profit.
April 25, 2023 02:25 pm EDT
Evaluating the Evidence for Added Sugars Reduction Policies
Evidence-based dietary guidance is clear. People across all life stages should limit their intake of foods and beverages that are high in added sugars and limit overall added sugars intake to achieve a healthy dietary pattern and reduce their risk for diet-related disease. Although population added sugars intake has declined over the last two decades, on average, Americans of all ages, male and female, consume more added sugars than recommended daily. Thus, policies and interventions to reduce added sugars consumption remain a top public health priority in the US. This session will bring together experts in research and policy to examine the evidence for policies targeting added sugars reduction across the food environment.
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH New York City Health + Hospitals
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH
Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, DrPH, MPH, CPH, has more than 20 years of experience in public health policy and program development and implementation, research, and communication in government, academic, and private sectors. Currently, she is Senior Director of Research and Evaluation in the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC’s public hospital system. In this role, she designs and leads evaluations of programs to reduce health disparities and advance population health, including the nation’s first randomized, controlled trial of a produce prescription program for children. Roopa also leads the design and implementation of initiatives to improve the food environment across H+H, including the system’s Healthy Beverage Initiative that eliminated the sale of sugary drinks.She has previously worked at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she supported the development and implementation of initiatives to support healthy eating and reduce the burden of chronic and infectious diseases. She also has worked as a communication and strategy consultant for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on their HIV prevention campaigns and has conducted research toward the development of a HIV vaccine in the laboratories of several of the world’s leading HIV researchers.Roopa earned a Doctor of Public Health degree, Master of Public Health degree, and certificates in health communication and vaccine science & policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology with a minor in music performance from Yale University. A native New Yorker, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, elderly but spirited dog, and many plants.
Amaka Anekwe, MS, RDN New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Amaka Anekwe, MS, RDN
Amaka Anekwe serves as Director of Strategic Nutrition Initiatives in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, overseeing a broad food policy portfolio. Amaka has worked for NYC Health Department for 8 years overseeing policy research, development and implementation for a number of policies, including those impacting the restaurant environment, like sodium warnings in chain restaurants and calorie labeling, and policies that address the availability of healthy foods served to New Yorkers who rely on NYC's food programs. Her work also includes research and advocacy around economic support and social justice. Amaka is a registered dietitian and received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MS from Columbia University.
Lindsey Smith Taillie, PhD UNC Chapel Hill
Lindsey Smith Taillie
Dr. Lindsey Smith Taillie is a nutrition epidemiologist whose work focuses on evaluating food policy efforts in the US and globally, and how these influence disparities in diet and obesity. Her work uses a combination of randomized controlled trials and natural experimental studies using large datasets on food purchases and intake to evaluate and inform food policy to prevent obesity.Internationally, current projects focus on evaluating sugary beverage taxes, front-of-package warning labels, and marketing restrictions in a number of Latin American countries, including Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
Brian Elbel, Phd, MPH New York University Langone Health
Brian Elbel
Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH I am Professor of Population Health and Health Policy in the Department of Population Health and Associate Dean, Research Mission Strategy and Administration at NYU Langone Health. I examine how policies and the environment influence health and health behaviors, particularly obesity and chronic disease. I use statistical and econometric methods and diverse data sources, including administrative, sales and other data, to understand health outcomes. Throughout my research, I am motivated to understand how social determinants create differences in outcomes across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and how policy can be leveraged to reduce these differences.I have investigated the role of the food environment and the built environment, including neighborhoods, on childhood obesity; spearheaded evaluations of place-based efforts to improve community health; and examined the health and education of New York City’s public school children during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. I study the impact of several public policies on health, including:• policies mandating calorie labeling in restaurants• policies taxing purchases of sugary beverages• food policies in schools• New York City’s one-time proposal of limiting the size of sugar-sweetened beverages served in restaurants• policies supporting the development of supermarkets in high-need areasI also serve as director of the Section on Health Choice, Policy and Evaluation in the Department of Population Health and on the faculty of NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
April 25, 2023 03:30 pm EDT
Networking Roundtables
Join summit attendees from your geographic region to connect and learn from each other.Tables will be marked by region/states.Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Spanish translation in this roundtable
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
Healthier Grocery Stores: Policy Opportunities to Make Healthy Choices Easier for Shoppers In-Store and Online
Three-quarters of Americans’ calories come from food retailers like grocery stores and supermarkets, creating an incredible opportunity to improve healthy food access. However, the current in-store and online retail food environments make healthy choices difficult for customers. Food and beverage manufacturers pay grocery stores large amounts of money to promote and place their products in prominent store locations, and online retailers disproportionately promote unhealthy items. This session explores how policy can leverage marketing tactics to drive healthier purchases by 1) reviewing the evidence base and legal feasibility of healthy retail marketing strategies, 2) identifying policy opportunities to integrate these strategies, and 3) obtaining input from shoppers that utilize SNAP and grocery leaders on these retail and policy changes.
Jennifer Pomeranz NYU
Jennifer Pomeranz
Professor Jennifer Pomeranz is a public health lawyer who researches policy and legal options to address the food environment, products that cause public harm, and social injustice that lead to health disparities. She is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Global Public Health at New York University. Professor Pomeranz is the lead author of the new textbook, Public Health Law in Practice, published by Oxford University Press in April 2023, the book, Food Law for Public Health, published by Oxford University Press in 2016, and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles. Professor Pomeranz leads the Public Health Policy Research Lab and regularly teaches Public Health Law and Food Policy for Public Health. Ms. Pomeranz earned her Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School and Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Julie Greene, MPH Ahold Delhaize USA
Julie Greene, MPH
Julie’s work is focused on improving public health by fostering a healthy food environment. Working within the food retail sector, she has led the development of innovative tools delivering results once thought impossible by both health advocates & food executives. Starting with the introduction of Guiding Stars in 2006, she has led efforts to shift consumer consumption through science-backed nutrition guidance, retail dietitian engagement, marketing of nutritious products and incentive programs rewarding shoppers for healthier baskets. As a result, Ahold Delhaize retailers exceeded goals for sales of products earning Guiding Stars. With industry leading ESG statistics, supported by financial incentives for leaders who deliver on ambitious public targets, the potential of this work is only beginning to be realized. Her commitment to collaborating with public health researchers focusing on supermarket-based interventions has led to numerous publications that chronicle the effectiveness of Guiding Stars and the valuable product data it offers. From shelf-edge communication to Ecommerce filters and Food-as-Medicine incentives focusing on SNAP-eligible populations, she believes there is no limit to the positive impact we can have on the health of our communities. Julie earned her MPH from Muskie School of Public Service in Portland, Maine where she lives with her family.
Julia Wolfson Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Julia Wolfson
Dr. Wolfson is an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research lies at the intersection of public health policy and health behavior change and centers on health behaviors, environmental factors, policies, programs, and interventions related to diet quality, food insecurity, and diet related disease prevention. Dr. Wolfson's goal is to conduct research that contributes to social and policy changes that support health promoting, equitable, and sustainable food systems.
Sara John, PhD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sara John, PhD
Sara John (she/her/hers) is a Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In her role, she leads organizational efforts to create a healthier retail food environment through research, corporate engagement, and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. Prior to joining CSPI, Dr. John served as the Evaluation Director for SNAP incentive programs reaching more than 20,000 SNAP participants across New England. She also previously worked at the Partnership for a Healthier America, engaging the private sector to create a healthier food system and reduce childhood obesity. She has a PhD in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts Friedman School.
Allison Karpyn, PhD University of Delaware Human Development and Family Sciences/Center for Research in Education and Social Policy
Allison Karpyn
Dr. Allison Karpyn is Co-Director of the University of Delaware at the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP) and Professor in the Department of the Human Development and Family Sciences at the University Delaware. Dr. Karpyn, in her 20 years of practice, has published widely in journals including Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, and Health Affairs on: program evaluation methods; topics related to hunger, obesity, school food, supermarket access, food insecurity, healthy corner stores, stigma; and, strategies to develop and maintain farmer’s markets in low income areas. Dr. Karpyn has hands-on experience working with community-based agencies and institutions, including non-profit organizations and retailers, to implement and study specific approaches to increase access to high-quality food in low-income communities. In Dr. Karpyn has served as a Fulbright Scholar to study food insecurity and hunger in the Bahamas. Allison earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University and her Doctorate in Policy Research Evaluation and Measurement at The University of Pennsylvania .
April 25, 2023 04:05 pm EDT
Conversation on Centering Racial Equity in Food System Interventions and Research
In the United States, Black and Indigenous people are disproportionately burdened by the highest rates of food insecurity. The USDA defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This definition is widely utilized at the population level but does not adequately capture the ways in which cultural foodways and practices can affect the way communities nourish themselves. As such, while food insecurity is an adverse outcome mediated by multiple variables, centering racial equity in food system interventions and research examinations is critical to comprehensively mitigating food system inequities and longstanding barriers to health.
According to Race Forward, “Racial Equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone.” It involves changing policies, practices, systems, and structures through measurable metrics in specific subpopulations. To effectively change harmful structures and practices, racial equity must be operationalized in a strategic manner that prioritizes those impacted by the injustice. Join us in a conversation with Jazmon Stewart and Jessica Quinlan to discuss what it means to advance food justice and food sovereignty with racial equity front and center
Ashley Hickson Center for Science in the Public Interest
Ashley Hickson
Ashley Hickson, DrPH, MPH is the Senior Health Equity Advisor at CSPI. She is a public health practitioner and mixed methods researcher with a focus on achieving racial justice, health equity, reducing health disparities, co-creating interventions alongside the subpopulations most adversely affected, and designing sustainable solutions to mitigate challenges to health and well-being. She holds an MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center and dual degrees (BBA/BS) from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Doctorate of Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice concentration from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Jessica Quinlan is the Food Sovereignty Coordinator for the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project(ZYEP), a non-profit organization in Zuni, New Mexico. ZYEP's mission is to provide enrichingand resilience-building activities to Zuni youth, so they will grow into strong and healthy adultswho are connected with Zuni traditions. Jessica is a Registered Dietitian, with a Bachelor’sdegree in Dietetics from Virginia Tech, and a Master’s in Public Health from the University ofArizona. Jessica brings a passion for health equity and 15 years of experience with foodsovereignty programming for Zuni youth.
Jazmon Stewart iThrive
Jazmon Stewart
Jazmon Stewart, founder of iThrive. iThrive is a family operated organization, laser-focused on empowering and supporting Black communities in achieving food and environmental sustainability through education, advocacy, and community engagement. Jazmon is committed to promoting holistic wellness and preserving cultural heritage while addressing systemic inequalities in the food and agriculture industries.
Added Sugar Reduction in Cities Large and Small: NYC's and Berkeley's Progressive Policies, Initiatives and Executive Orders
Progressive food policies can be implemented in locales both large and small. New York City (8 1/2 million residents) and Berkeley, CA (117,000 residents) are both known as leaders and innovators when it comes to introducing and implementing food policy. We'll hear from senior leaders in both locales about their impressive sugar policy initiatives and wins, how they got them passed and implemented, and what they have planned for the future.
Bio for Holly Scheider:Holly Scheider, MPH, has a 30-year commitment to facilitating social justice and health equity. She has been a leader in Bay Area sugary drink tax campaigns, coordinating outreach for Berkeley’s 2014 first-in-the-nation tax and managing Albany’s campaign in 2016. She provided the campaigns with strategy and messaging, community outreach, and voter mobilization. She has been a commissioner on the Berkeley Sugar Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts since it began in May 2015. Holly collaborated with CSPI enact the nation’s first Healthy Checkout ordinance. Her leadership included assessing Berkeley’s readiness, strategy, messaging, recruiting community partners to conduct focus groups and petitions signatures. She has also coordinated tobacco policy and media programs in Contra Costa and Alameda County.She can be reached at scheiderconsulting@gmail.com.
Michael Nutter Michael A Nutter Advisors, LLC
Michael Nutter
MICHAEL A. NUTTER is a former two-term mayor of Philadelphia who previously spent nearly 15 years in the Philadelphia City Council. Since leaving public office in 2016, he has remained active in public policy, government, and civic life. He is the inaugural David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and holds fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. He is a senior advisor and national spokesperson for the What Works Cities program at Bloomberg Philanthropies and a member of the external advisory council for JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities initiative. Mayor Nutter is past President of the United States Conference of Mayors and founder of Cities United. He is on the board of Rubicon Technologies, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Council on Criminal Justice, Heartland Alliance, the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, the Urban Institute and the Advisory Board of the African American Mayor’s Association. Mayor Nutter maintains active involvement in critical areas of education, media, public policy, political campaigns, the corporate community and academic institutions across the country. He holds a B.S. Degree in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kate MacKenzie, MS,RD NYC Mayor's Office of Food Policy
Kate MacKenzie, MS,RD
As Executive Director of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP), Kate advises the Mayor on all issues related to food policy and the City’s food system. Under Mayor Adams, Kate leads the City’s Good Food Purchasing commitments, focused on increasing access to healthy, sustainable foods for the over 238 million meals and snacks served daily by City agencies, from public schools to senior centers. Through this work, MOFP seeks to provide greater transparency into all aspects of food procured by the City of New York. She also ensures the City’s food standards are upheld by agencies. She drives the action to advance Food Forward NYC, the City's first ever 10-year food policy plan, that lays out a comprehensive policy framework to reach a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system by 2031. Kate is a recognized leader, with over two decades of experience fighting for food security and broader anti-poverty solutions in New York City and nationally. She comes to the Mayor’s Office from nearly two decades in non-profit organizations and academia. Kate holds a master's degree in Public Health Nutrition from Columbia University and a bachelor's in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University. She is also a registered dietician.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm
The Role of Faith Based Organizations in Advancing Sugar Reduction Policies
Faith based organizations have natural alignment to build and support public health policies. They have influential power in communities and are a direct channel to large groups of people, especially vulnerable groups, and the underserved. Community participation is key in advocating for and advancing health promoting policies, including sugar reduction policies. This workshop will bring together faith leaders, faith advocates, and community leaders to talk about their work on sugar reduction in their communities.
Robert Pezzolesi Interfaith Public Health Network
Robert Pezzolesi
Robert (Bob) Pezzolesi, MPH, is a public health advocate dedicated to building healthier communities by integrating faith-inspired social change with science-based public health policy and practice. This mission led him to co-found the Interfaith Public Health Network, where he serves as Convener. He was also recently inducted into the Order of Deaconess and Home Missioner of the United Methodist Church, an office with a rich history of service and advocacy in the public good.Bob’s recent work has centered on public health nutrition policy, including legislation to require sugar warning labels in NYC chain restaurants, and policies to limit the advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages targeted to vulnerable populations.He also has extensive experience in alcohol policy advocacy, including leading the Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit (BAAFT) campaign, a successful grassroots effort to remove alcohol advertising from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority system.
AjiFanta Marenah The Gambian Youth Organization
AjiFanta Marenah
AjiFanta Marenah was born in The Gambia and migrated to the U.S as a political asylee when she was twelve years old. She completed her Bachelor’s in Government and Politics and Master’s in International Relations at St. John’s University. As a Black, Muslim, immigrant woman, AjiFanta is determined to use her platform to dismantle oppressive systems and contribute towards building just, inclusive and peaceful societies that respect human rights and dignity. In the name of that cause, she is currently working as the Civic Education & Advocacy Program Manager at Muslim Community Network (MCN) where her role includes organizing the Muslim community around policy issues that impact them and leading MCN’s efforts fighting against islamophobia, racism, and hate crimes and authored the first hate crime report published by a Muslim organization in New York..On the local level, AjiFanta serves on the board of The Gambian Youth Organization (GYO), a community-based nonprofit organization with a mission to advocate for and educate the community about their rights against marginalization and connect them to useful city resources. She was there with the GYO when the tragic fire struck at the Twin Park Towers helping to raise funds, advocate for victim rights and create a post fire community advocacy plan. Through GYO, AjiFanta has also been active in addressing food injustice in the Bronx. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, they opened up their food pantry to serve healthy fruits and vegetables to over 50,000 New Yorkers. AjiFanta has been leading on the advocacy efforts to support The Sweet Truth Act- a NYC Council bill requiring restaurant chains to add high sugar labels on prepackaged food and beverages. Food security in low income and marginalized communities is an important issue to AjiFanta and she plans to continue advocating for healthier and better options for everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status.
James Tate, INHC Beyond W8 Loss Total Wellness Center, LLC
James Tate, INHC
James Tate's personal journey to lose and keep off weight resulted in him establishing Beyond W8 Loss Total Wellness Center LLC, a Holistic wellness center focused on “Total Fat Loss” (Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, Physical) and improving overall health. Tate is a certified member of the AADP (American Association of Drugless Practitioners) and holds globally recognized certifications as a Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Nutrition Therapist, Clinical Weight Loss Practitioner, and Sports & Exercise Nutritional Advisor. Tate has also been certified as a health minister through Wesley Seminary and currently serves as a teacher assistant/mentor in their Heal The Sick certification programs, and is a congregational wellness advocate through Living Compass.Tate is a sought-after nutrition expert and public speaker who has given nutrition lectures, and created wellness programs for government agencies, medical organizations, schools, churches, religious organizations, nonprofits, small businesses, and fortune 500 companies around the world. He has appeared on local and cable news shows. Tate was a key member of the coalition responsible for the passing of The Healthy Kids Meal Bill in Prince George’s County Maryland, Montgomery County Maryland, and Baltimore Maryland. He is the site coordinator for ABC (Association of Black Cardiologist) Community Health Advocates in Maryland. Tate is an award-winning children’s book author and the owner of Wellthy Entertainment, a media company whose aim is to create content that helps children & their families to become “Rich” in many areas of life, including Rich in Love, Rich in Health, Rich in Knowledge, and other “wellthy” areas. Tate is also the creator of the Beyond W8 Loss Youtube channel
Dr. Natalie Mitchem, Ed.D, RDN, M.Div. International Health Commission of the AME Church
Natalie Mitchem, Ed.D., RDN, M.Div.
Dr. Natalie Mitchem serves as the Executive Director of the International Health Commission of the AME church and Pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church. In addition, works as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for a preschool program. Dr. Natalie is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, NCFS Fitness Instructor, and Adult Weight Management and shares the benefits of Lifestyle Medicine to help prevent and fight disease.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Communicating About Disparities from an Equity Lens: CSPI’s Internal Guidance on Reducing Weight Stigma and Racial Bias in the Food and Nutrition Space
Over the past few years, CSPI has developed several internal resources to support our personal and professional group in the field of health equity. Developing a shared language for communicating about health equity is integral in appropriately characterizing our work and discussing various populations in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner. It is important to note that language is ever-changing, and that context may affect what terms and/or information is necessary. In this session, learn about how CSPI’s framework for health equity and racial justice has informed internal guidelines to reduce weight stigma and racial bias in our food and nutrition work.
Ashley Hickson Center for Science in the Public Interest
Ashley Hickson
Ashley Hickson, DrPH, MPH is the Senior Health Equity Advisor at CSPI. She is a public health practitioner and mixed methods researcher with a focus on achieving racial justice, health equity, reducing health disparities, co-creating interventions alongside the subpopulations most adversely affected, and designing sustainable solutions to mitigate challenges to health and well-being. She holds an MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center and dual degrees (BBA/BS) from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Doctorate of Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice concentration from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Alla Hill, PhD, RD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Alla Hill, PhD, RD
Alla Hill (she/her) is a Senior Science Policy Associate within the Science Department at CSPI. In this role, she works closely with program teams to review and develop evidence-based materials and messages to inform strategy. Alla holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a B.S. in Nutrition and Foods with a concentration in Dietetics from Appalachian State University, and is a Registered Dietitian.
Jessi Silverman Center for Science in the Public Interest
Jessi Silverman
Jessi Silverman is a Senior Policy Associate coordinating CSPI's advocacy to improve the food environment in public institutions. She also led the development of CSPI's first internal guidelines to counter weight stigma. Prior to joining CSPI, Jessi was a research assistant at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future while earning her MSPH in Human Nutrition and becoming credentialed as a Registered Dietitian. She also has a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada: A Government Perspective
Mexico, Canada, and the United States are each at different stages in the process of considering, adopting, or implementing front-of-package nutrition labeling systems to help consumers quickly and easily identify packaged foods that are high in sugar, sodium, or saturated fat. In this session, government officials from each of these countries will present on the current status of front-of-package labeling in their nations, highlighting successes and challenges.
Eva Greenthal, MS, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Eva Greenthal
Eva Greenthal (she/her) oversees CSPI's federal food labeling work, leveraging the food label as a powerful public health tool to influence consumer and industry behavior. Eva also conducts research and supports CSPI's science-centered approach to advocacy as a member of the Science Department. Prior to joining CSPI, Eva led a pilot evaluation of the nation’s first hospital-based food pantry and worked on research initiatives related to alcohol literacy and healthy habits for young children. Eva holds a dual MS/MPH degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University.
DR. SIMÓN BARQUERA INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SALUD PÚBLICA
DR. SIMÓN BARQUERA
Simon Barquera is a MD with a PhD fromTufts University in Boston, USA. He is amember of the National Academy ofMedicine, author of more than 364 scientificpublications. He has participated in thedevelopment of policies for its prevention andcontrol, for which he has been recognizedwith the 18 Martinson Lectureship (Universityof Minnesota, 2018), the Soper award forexcellence in health (Pan American HealthOrganization, 2003), the Tufts UniversityNutrition Impact Award (2016) and the "Dr.Gerardo Varela" public Health Merit Award(Government of Mexico, 2020). He currentlyserves as Director of the Center for Researchin Nutrition and Health of the National Instituteof Public Health.Currently he is the president elect of theWorld Obesity Federation.
Stephen Norman Health Products and Food Branch Health Canada / Government of Canada
Stephen Norman
Mr. Stephen Norman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Guelph in 1994. He joined the federal public service in 1995 in the Pesticides Directorate of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. Stephen worked at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in various roles from 2001 to 2018, including as laboratory director, and overseeing national food laboratory operations and surveillance. Stephen joined the Food Directorate in January 2019 as Director of the Bureau of Chemical Safety. He was appointed Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in February 2021 where he currently oversees the management of three divisions responsible for nutrition research, regulations and standards, and premarket assessment.
Robin McKinnon, PhD U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Robin McKinnon, PhD
Robin McKinnon, PhD, MPARobin McKinnon is a Senior Advisor for Nutrition Policy at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Dr. McKinnon works to advance FDA’s nutrition initiatives across CFSAN including FDA’s initiatives outlined in the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Prior to joining FDA, Dr. McKinnon was a Health Policy Specialist at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health and led policy-relevant research activities on diet, obesity and physical activity. Dr. McKinnon has a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the George Washington University and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
What Does an Effective Sugary Drink Tax Look Like? National and Local Perspectives
This panel will discuss what it means to design and evaluate effective sugary drink taxes, including the importance of building consensus on community needs and larger public health outcomes. Like any policy, the structure of the tax, who was involved in the advocacy and design, and where the funds are allocated are a few of the factors that affect how effective a sugary drink tax will be at investing revenue in communities and shifting consumer consumption behaviors. We will hear from individuals and organizations that have developed practices to guide community-centered sugary drink tax work, and from advocates who have passed local sugary drink taxes. Attendees will learn about challenges and successes communities have faced when distributing and utilizing tax revenue, identify elements to consider when designing and advocating for community-centered sugary drink taxes, and key considerations when evaluating the effectiveness of taxes post-implementation.
Eric Batch, MPP American Heart Association
Eric Batch, MPP
Eric is the Vice President of Field Advocacy for the Western Region of the American Heart Association. In this role with the AHA, Eric is responsible for managing the Advocacy Department for the Western States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.Eric leads and represents the AHA at multiple levels of Government and with a variety of coalitions, partners, and alliances. Over the years he has led the AHA through very successful legislative sessions and campaigns. He has played a key role in driving policy around Tobacco Control, Access to Health Care, Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Heart Disease and Stroke. In addition to his work with the American Heart Association, Eric is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California in the Sol Price School of Public Policy.
Xavier Morales, MS, MPH The Praxis Project
Xavier Morales
Xavier Morales, Ph.D., MRP, directs the Praxis Project, a national organization dedicated to supporting communities building power for health, equity, and racial justice. Xavier lives in Berkeley, California, and was a collaborator on the design, passage, and implementation of the nation's first local SSB tax. Xavier continues to serve on the commission that recommends how the City of Berkeley invests funds made possible by the SSB tax back into the community infrastructure that serves Berkeley's most impacted residents. In addition to 20 years of learning from community organizers, Xavier studied community development at Cornell University and environmental sciences at the University of California.
Ayanna Davis, MS Healthy Black Families
Ayanna Davis, MS
As the fifth generation of her family to live in Berkeley and the East Bay, “Mama Ayanna” is passionate about our community’s health and wellbeing. Ayanna comes to HBF as a knowledgeable health and wellness practitioner with a background in radio journalism, activism, organizing leadership, birth justice advocacy, legal research, event and natural wellness program management. She received her Master of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from ACHHS in Oakland. She is an experienced small businessperson, a passionate community leader and activist with a history of educating, empowering and advocating for marginalized peoples and is dedicated to the work of eliminating health inequity. With experience as Internal and External Wellness Manager for Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, Ms. Davis provides leadership through implementation, facilitation and supervision of HBF’s program activities as she works with collaborative partners and consultants; builds relationships with community organizations, key community members and stakeholders; and participates in coalition building.
Karma Smart City of Berkeley Community Health Commission
Karma Smart
Karma Smart began her work focused on educating the Black community in Berkeley about the health impacts of sugary beverages in July of 2016. It was at that time she helped to create and launch the Thirsty for Change program at Healthy Black Families. There she created programs focused on education through Rethink Your Drink presentations, hands on shopping and cooking classes at farmer’s markets and grocery stores tours, as well as training Black mothers as Water Ambassadors to help with the work of educating the wider community about sugary beverages and offering alternatives and healthy options. In addition to that work, she has worked as a Wellness Navigator at Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness in the Bayview area of San Francisco. Where she helped launch and design a training for the Prostate Cancer Initiative known as PCAN in partnership with colleagues from UCSF. As a Community Health Commissioner for the City of Berkeley Karma has donated her time focusing on issues around health equity. In addition she has supported the work being done by a local nonprofit that was able to get a healthy checkout ordinance passed by City of Berkeley leadership. And currently she continues to support that work through bringing awareness to the commission about the efforts to expand on the work started with that ordinance.
Dwayne Wharton Just Strategies
Dwayne Wharton
Dwayne Wharton is a health and equity advocate working to help build healthier communities. He has held leadership positions in several prominent non-profit organizations, including The Food Trust where he helped to advance local, state and federal efforts, promote health equity, and eliminate inequities across multiple determinants of health through policy, systems and environmental efforts. He is an Advisor to the Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program and an American Heart Association Great Rivers Affiliate Board Member. Dwayne is a former Peace Corps volunteer, appointed member of the City of Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on African-American Males where he served as Co-Chair, Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council appointee, board member of the boards of Greater Philadelphia Philanthropy Network, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader. Dwayne Wharton received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History, with minors in African-American and Latin American Studies, from West Chester University, a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Temple University, and was a fellow in Bryn Mawr College’s Non-profit Educational Leadership Institute. Dwayne is a Senior Consultant with the Center for Urban & Racial Equity and the Co-Founder and Principal of Just Strategies, a mission-driven consulting firm dedicated to helping people lead the change they envision for themselves and their communities.
Denisa Livingston, MPH Diné Community Advocacy Alliance (DCAA)
Denisa Livingston, MPH
Denisa Livingston, M.P.H., (Diné, New Mexico, she/her/hers) is an unapologetic food justice organizer, an Indigenous public health systems consultant, and an Ashoka Fellow. Denisa is a student at the University of Oklahoma, College of Law, Indigenous Peoples Law program. Last year, she completed five years as the Slow Food International Indigenous Councilor of the Global North and four years as an advisory board member of the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples international network - Indigenous Terra Madre. She is committed to addressing food apartheid and nutritional trauma in Indigenous communities while addressing the invisibility of Indigenous Peoples by reclaiming Native truth and bringing awareness to the disparities and inequities in Indian Country that have been further illuminated in the pandemic caused by colonization, systemic racism, patriarchal oppression, and perpetual injustices. Denisa has been a legislative speaker and community health advocate for the Diné Community Advocacy Alliance (DCAA). DCAA have been globally recognized for the successful passage of several laws, the first of its kind: Elimination of Tax on Healthy Foods with an emphasis on Indigenous foods, the Healthy Diné Nation Act of 2014 or Unhealthy Foods Tax, and a tax revenue allocation for Community Wellness Projects for all 110 Navajo Chapters. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She is a contributor of Food Sovereignty in the United States: Restoring Cultural Knowledge, Protecting Environments, and Regaining Health and the newly published book Unfinished conversations: On democracy, race, the economy, and a path forward.
April 26, 2023 03:10 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
April 26, 2023 03:20 pm EDT
Collaborative Roundtables
Join fellow summit attendees for a topical discussion on critical shifts needed in the field of sugar reduction, how these can be achieved collaboratively, and identify next steps and follow up actions.Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Spanish translation in this roundtable
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm EDT
Introduction to the First Amendment: How to Spot First Amendment Issues in Your Policy Designs
Non-lawyers (and even lawyers that don’t specialize in the First Amendment) can’t be expected to confidently navigate complex First Amendment concerns with their policy designs. But, an effective advocate needs to know enough to identify when a First Amendment concern may exists so they can avoid common pitfalls and know when to seek out appropriate legal advice. That is the goal of this workshop.
Lisa Mankofsky Center for Science in the Public Interest
Lisa Mankofsky
Lisa Mankofsky leads CSPI’s class action litigation, administrative lawsuits, and negotiations. CSPI’s class action litigation challenges deceptive advertising and labeling practices concerning food and supplements. In order to protect the health and safety of consumers, CSPI also litigates under the Administrative Procedure Act against governmental agencies where the agency has unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed agency action; and/or where the agency acted in an arbitrary and capricious way, abused its discretion, and/or acted unlawfully. The Litigation Department also engages in negotiations with food and dietary supplement manufacturers seeking agreements to correct deceptive advertising and labeling practices. It is often necessary for the Litigation Department to wade through First Amendment issues in connection with its work.Prior to joining CSPI, Lisa worked at three private law firms where she gained decades of experience litigating and advising on a range of complex civil cases in federal and state courts, including cases seeking to prevent unfair or deceptive marketing practices, false advertising, and violations of Consumer Protection Acts. As a long-time partner at Foley & Lardner LLP and later as a Senior Trial Consultant, she worked on consumer protection laws prohibiting deceptive and unconscionable business practices in the areas of food, drug, and product safety, and preventing telemarketing abuse.Lisa earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in Political Science with high honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars.
Sabrina Adler, JD ChangeLab Solutions
Sabrina Adler, JD
Sabrina is vice president of law at ChangeLab Solutions. She works primarily on legal and policy issues related to preemption and good governance, the commercial determinants of health, and healthy children and families. She has coauthored publications and presented on many issues at the intersection of law and public health, including sugary drink policies, food policy, preemption, and health equity. Before joining ChangeLab Solutions, Sabrina assisted legal aid attorneys with child care cases and did policy work on obesity prevention and health as a staff attorney at the Child Care Law Center. In addition, she received a Skadden Foundation Fellowship to found the San Francisco Medical-Legal Partnership, in which she provided direct legal services to low-income pediatric patients and their families. Her practice included advocacy in the areas of housing, health, public benefits, disability, education, and family law. Sabrina graduated from Brown University and Stanford Law School.
Matthew Simon CSPI
Matthew Simon
As CSPI's Deputy Litigation Director, Matt focuses on identifying and bringing consumer class actions challenging food and supplement companies’ deceptive advertising and labeling practices, working with CSPI staff and private lawyers. He also identifies and litigates administrative lawsuits pressuring federal agencies to enact regulatory reforms to protect the health and safety of consumers.Prior to joining CSPI, Matt served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Frank Maas, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of New York. Prior to that, Matt was a Research Fellow at Human Rights Watch. Matt received his law degree from NYU School of Law, where he was admitted to the order of the Coif, and his undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the New York, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania Bars.
Ted Mermin UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice / Public Good Law Center
Ted Mermin
Ted Mermin is the Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice. The Center files amicus briefs and advises and supports parties in salient public health, consumer protection and economic justice cases around the nation.At Berkeley Law, Ted teaches Consumer Protection Law and Comparative Consumer Protection Law. Outside the law school, he serves as director of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition (CLICC), a partnership of legal service providers dedicated to furthering the rights of vulnerable consumers through state and local policy advocacy. Ted also serves as executive director of the Public Good Law Center, in which guise he has, for the past decade and a half, assisted local, state and federal agencies in the development and defense of innovative policies in public health and consumer law; helped litigate consumer rights and public health cases in appellate and trial courts around the nation, including in the United States Supreme Court; and written and spoken extensively on issues of free speech, preemption, tobacco control, marketing to children, deceptive advertising, and unfair competition.He counts constitutional issues in public health law – including the First Amendment and preemption – as among his favorite things to discuss.
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm
Water: Making It Real
What does it take to make water a viable and appealing alternative to sugary drinks? Come hear about new actions around the U.S. Our session speakers, from community-based organizations in New Orleans, Nevada, Philadelphia and Navajo Nation, will describe their efforts to make drinking water safe, available and affordable, and promoted. We’ll weave in drinking water basics if this area is new to you. Each panelist will end with a call to action - next steps, research or advocacy needs, or current policy opportunities – and we’ll save time for Q & A.
Christina Hecht, PhD University of California Nutrition Policy Institute
Christina Hecht, PhD
Christina Hecht is Senior Policy Advisor, University of California Nutrition Policy Institute. Her primary focus is on healthy beverages; she leads NPI’s work in drinking water safety, access and promotion. She is co-investigator in current research on drinking water and active in multiple collaborative projects. She co-ordinates the National Drinking Water Alliance, a network of individuals and organizations across the country working to ensure that all children in the US can drink water in the places where they live, learn and play. She also co-leads the University of California Research Consortium on Beverages and Health, a group of faculty from every UC campus who work in various aspects of sugar science. Christina earned a BA at Stanford University and a PHD at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.
Jessica Dandridge The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans
Jessica Dandridge
As the Executive Director of The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC), Jessica Dandridge has dedicated her life to community advocacy and campaign development for organizations seeking to be socially, economically, and culturally inclusive. As the Executive Director of TWC she focuses on community-led adaptation and mitigation as the core to water justice and climate resiliency strategies. Ms. Dandridge received her B.A at Xavier University of Louisiana in Political Science and her M.A in International Affairs with a concentration in conflict and security at The New School for Public Engagement in New York City. Since starting her career as a youth organizer in 2005, she has worked for, or in collaboration with over two dozen organizations in the Greater New Orleans and nationally. Before starting at the TWC, Ms. Jessica was the Louisiana State Director at the Campaign Election Engagement Project, and a Program Director for Rural Electric Cooperative Democracy Project for the Rockefeller Family Fund. Ms. Dandridge is a trained facilitator from YPQI, has a certificate in Leadership, Activism and Civil Rights from Brown University, and a certificate in Kingian Nonviolence Strategies from the Selma Center of Nonviolence. In her current work, Jessica sits on 9 water and climate committees and coalitions across the state of Louisiana and Federally. Jessica is the Co-Chair of the National Academy of Science Resiliency Roundtable and is a Commissioner for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation.
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby Make the Road Nevada
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby joined the Make the Road Nevada team in 2018. Originally from Michigan, Jen has called Nevada home since 2010 and brings more than 15 years of experience running political and policy campaigns across the nation. A long-time rabble rouser who’s been a part of the movement since her youth, she is passionate about building a world where all people have the resources they need to not just survive but thrive. Jen is the mother of a young daughter, wife of a fellow activist, and guardian of the world's silliest rescue dog and grumpiest desert tortoise. She enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading, and watching musicals.
Mica Root Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Mica Root
Mica Root is the Nutrition and Physical Activity Program Manager for the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH). She joined City of Philadelphia government nine years ago after two decades in community organizing and has found similar needs in both settings. Most of us – whether taxi drivers or city leaders – need support understanding how powerful we can be. Mica’s work at PDPH has included developing a Philadelphia-Beverage-Tax-funded Healthy Schools Initiative, leading early community-engagement efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and initiating City-wide collaborations and changes to expand drinking water access, appeal and equity in Philadelphia schools, rec centers and residences. She received an MPH from Johns Hopkins, where she was a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow. Mica was previously co-founder and Executive Director of Media Mobilizing Project.
Brianna John Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment
Brianna John
Hi, I am Brianna John, a Research Assistant with Brigham and Women's Hospital who works with the organization Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment. I work within their Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality team to assist in implementing research studies, collecting and analyzing data, conducting literature reviews, and contributing to the development of research reports. I am deeply passionate about community health and am committed to improving the health outcomes of underserved populations. I am also in my final semester of the Public Policy Masters program at University of Illinois at Chicago.
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm EDT
Digital Food Marketing to Youth: The Impacts and Solutions
The digital environment is seemingly always changing, and it can be hard to keep up as an advocate. In this session, participants will learn the basics of ongoing digital marketing, how it influences youth, and efforts to limit digital food and beverage marketing to children.
Katie Marx Center for Science in the Public Interest
Katie Marx
Katie is a Policy Associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest working on projects related to restaurant kids' meals and food marketing to kids. She earned a B.A. in Public Health from American University.
Kathryn Montgomery, PhD Center for Digital Democracy
Kathryn Montgomery
Kathryn Montgomery is Professor Emerita in the School of Communication at American University, where she founded and directed the 3-year interdisciplinary PhD program in Communication. She is also Senior Strategist for the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD). Montgomery's research, writing, and testimony have helped frame the national public policy debate on a range of critical media issues. In the 90s, she spearheaded the campaign that led to passage of the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). She is author of two books: Target: Prime Time – Advocacy Groups and the Struggle over Entertainment Television (Oxford University Press, 1989); and Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet (MIT Press, 2007). Montgomery’s current research focuses on major technology, economic, and policy trends shaping the future of digital media in the Big Data era. Her recent work includes numerous reports and articles on digital food marketing, children’s privacy, health wearables, and political microtargeting. She earned a PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.Kathryn Montgomery is Professor Emerita in the School of Communication at American University, where she founded and directed the 3-year interdisciplinary PhD program in Communication. She is also Senior Strategist for the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD). Montgomery's research, writing, and testimony have helped frame the national public policy debate on a range of critical media issues. In the 90s, she spearheaded the campaign that led to passage of the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). She is author of two books: Target: Prime Time – Advocacy Groups and the Struggle over Entertainment Television (Oxford University Press, 1989); and Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet (MIT Press, 2007). Montgomery’s current research focuses on major technology, economic, and policy trends shaping the future of digital media in the Big Data era. Her recent work includes numerous reports and articles on digital food marketing, children’s privacy, health wearables, and political microtargeting. She earned a PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Omni Cassidy, PhD NYU Langone Health/Grossman School of Medicine
Omni Cassidy, PhD
Omni Cassidy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine/Langone Health where she directs the Food, Culture, & Tech Lab. She examines the intersections of food, culture, and technology with a specific focus on how food and beverage companies use advanced digital technologies, such as virtual reality, to market unhealthy products to communities of color. She hopes to eventually leverage advanced digital technologies to develop, improve, and inform novel interventions to address behavior change, shift cultural narratives about food and food sovereignty, and inform policy. Her ultimate goal is to promote food environments that nourish both people and the planet.
Frances Fleming-Milici, PhD Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health
Frances Fleming-Milici
Dr. Fleming’s research focuses on analyzing the amount, type, and nutrition of the food and beverages marketed to children, adolescents, and parents of young children; determining the effects of exposure to food marketing; and examining race/ethnicity differences in rates of exposure and the impact of targeted marketing practices. Her current projects include assessing child-directed food marketing on social media and mobile devices and improving the foods and beverages parents feed their children through parent-targeted interventions and policy change.
April 26, 2023 5:15 pm EDT
Plenary Session: Remarks from Senator Richard Blumenthal
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joins the Summit.
Senator Richard Blumenthal United States Senate
Richard Blumenthal
Originally sworn in on January 5, 2011, Richard Blumenthal is serving his third term as a United States Senator from the State of Connecticut. He attended Harvard College (Editorial Chairman The Harvard Crimson, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude), and Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1970, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1976.In the Senate, Senator Blumenthal has built on his longtime advocacy for consumers by holding companies accountable for the safety of their products. He has pushed GM to fix its cars’ fatal defects, fought to keep dangerous nicotine products out of the hands of children, and worked to make communities safe from hazardous chemicals. He has spearheaded legislation to support veterans by expanding employment opportunities, increasing housing access, holding the VA accountable, and providing health care for those exposed to toxic chemicals during their service. Senator Blumenthal is a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Special Committee on Aging. He also sponsors the Food Labeling Modernization Act (S.2594), a bill that would bring our food labels into the 21st century, and the Stop Subsidizing Childhood Obesity Act (S.2936), a bill that would eliminate tax deductions for junk food marketing targeted to kids
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
April 26, 2023 01:00 pm EDT
Added Sugar Reduction in Cities Large and Small: NYC's and Berkeley's Progressive Policies, Initiatives and Executive Orders
Progressive food policies can be implemented in locales both large and small. New York City (8 1/2 million residents) and Berkeley, CA (117,000 residents) are both known as leaders and innovators when it comes to introducing and implementing food policy. We'll hear from senior leaders in both locales about their impressive sugar policy initiatives and wins, how they got them passed and implemented, and what they have planned for the future.
Bio for Holly Scheider:Holly Scheider, MPH, has a 30-year commitment to facilitating social justice and health equity. She has been a leader in Bay Area sugary drink tax campaigns, coordinating outreach for Berkeley’s 2014 first-in-the-nation tax and managing Albany’s campaign in 2016. She provided the campaigns with strategy and messaging, community outreach, and voter mobilization. She has been a commissioner on the Berkeley Sugar Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts since it began in May 2015. Holly collaborated with CSPI enact the nation’s first Healthy Checkout ordinance. Her leadership included assessing Berkeley’s readiness, strategy, messaging, recruiting community partners to conduct focus groups and petitions signatures. She has also coordinated tobacco policy and media programs in Contra Costa and Alameda County.She can be reached at scheiderconsulting@gmail.com.
Michael Nutter Michael A Nutter Advisors, LLC
Michael Nutter
MICHAEL A. NUTTER is a former two-term mayor of Philadelphia who previously spent nearly 15 years in the Philadelphia City Council. Since leaving public office in 2016, he has remained active in public policy, government, and civic life. He is the inaugural David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and holds fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. He is a senior advisor and national spokesperson for the What Works Cities program at Bloomberg Philanthropies and a member of the external advisory council for JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities initiative. Mayor Nutter is past President of the United States Conference of Mayors and founder of Cities United. He is on the board of Rubicon Technologies, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Council on Criminal Justice, Heartland Alliance, the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, the Urban Institute and the Advisory Board of the African American Mayor’s Association. Mayor Nutter maintains active involvement in critical areas of education, media, public policy, political campaigns, the corporate community and academic institutions across the country. He holds a B.S. Degree in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kate MacKenzie, MS,RD NYC Mayor's Office of Food Policy
Kate MacKenzie, MS,RD
As Executive Director of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP), Kate advises the Mayor on all issues related to food policy and the City’s food system. Under Mayor Adams, Kate leads the City’s Good Food Purchasing commitments, focused on increasing access to healthy, sustainable foods for the over 238 million meals and snacks served daily by City agencies, from public schools to senior centers. Through this work, MOFP seeks to provide greater transparency into all aspects of food procured by the City of New York. She also ensures the City’s food standards are upheld by agencies. She drives the action to advance Food Forward NYC, the City's first ever 10-year food policy plan, that lays out a comprehensive policy framework to reach a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system by 2031. Kate is a recognized leader, with over two decades of experience fighting for food security and broader anti-poverty solutions in New York City and nationally. She comes to the Mayor’s Office from nearly two decades in non-profit organizations and academia. Kate holds a master's degree in Public Health Nutrition from Columbia University and a bachelor's in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University. She is also a registered dietician.
April 26, 2023 5:15 pm EDT
Plenary Session: Remarks from Senator Richard Blumenthal
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joins the Summit.
Senator Richard Blumenthal United States Senate
Richard Blumenthal
Originally sworn in on January 5, 2011, Richard Blumenthal is serving his third term as a United States Senator from the State of Connecticut. He attended Harvard College (Editorial Chairman The Harvard Crimson, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude), and Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1970, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1976.In the Senate, Senator Blumenthal has built on his longtime advocacy for consumers by holding companies accountable for the safety of their products. He has pushed GM to fix its cars’ fatal defects, fought to keep dangerous nicotine products out of the hands of children, and worked to make communities safe from hazardous chemicals. He has spearheaded legislation to support veterans by expanding employment opportunities, increasing housing access, holding the VA accountable, and providing health care for those exposed to toxic chemicals during their service. Senator Blumenthal is a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Special Committee on Aging. He also sponsors the Food Labeling Modernization Act (S.2594), a bill that would bring our food labels into the 21st century, and the Stop Subsidizing Childhood Obesity Act (S.2936), a bill that would eliminate tax deductions for junk food marketing targeted to kids
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
April 26, 2023 03:10 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm EDT
Introduction to the First Amendment: How to Spot First Amendment Issues in Your Policy Designs
Non-lawyers (and even lawyers that don’t specialize in the First Amendment) can’t be expected to confidently navigate complex First Amendment concerns with their policy designs. But, an effective advocate needs to know enough to identify when a First Amendment concern may exists so they can avoid common pitfalls and know when to seek out appropriate legal advice. That is the goal of this workshop.
Lisa Mankofsky Center for Science in the Public Interest
Lisa Mankofsky
Lisa Mankofsky leads CSPI’s class action litigation, administrative lawsuits, and negotiations. CSPI’s class action litigation challenges deceptive advertising and labeling practices concerning food and supplements. In order to protect the health and safety of consumers, CSPI also litigates under the Administrative Procedure Act against governmental agencies where the agency has unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed agency action; and/or where the agency acted in an arbitrary and capricious way, abused its discretion, and/or acted unlawfully. The Litigation Department also engages in negotiations with food and dietary supplement manufacturers seeking agreements to correct deceptive advertising and labeling practices. It is often necessary for the Litigation Department to wade through First Amendment issues in connection with its work.Prior to joining CSPI, Lisa worked at three private law firms where she gained decades of experience litigating and advising on a range of complex civil cases in federal and state courts, including cases seeking to prevent unfair or deceptive marketing practices, false advertising, and violations of Consumer Protection Acts. As a long-time partner at Foley & Lardner LLP and later as a Senior Trial Consultant, she worked on consumer protection laws prohibiting deceptive and unconscionable business practices in the areas of food, drug, and product safety, and preventing telemarketing abuse.Lisa earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in Political Science with high honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars.
Sabrina Adler, JD ChangeLab Solutions
Sabrina Adler, JD
Sabrina is vice president of law at ChangeLab Solutions. She works primarily on legal and policy issues related to preemption and good governance, the commercial determinants of health, and healthy children and families. She has coauthored publications and presented on many issues at the intersection of law and public health, including sugary drink policies, food policy, preemption, and health equity. Before joining ChangeLab Solutions, Sabrina assisted legal aid attorneys with child care cases and did policy work on obesity prevention and health as a staff attorney at the Child Care Law Center. In addition, she received a Skadden Foundation Fellowship to found the San Francisco Medical-Legal Partnership, in which she provided direct legal services to low-income pediatric patients and their families. Her practice included advocacy in the areas of housing, health, public benefits, disability, education, and family law. Sabrina graduated from Brown University and Stanford Law School.
Matthew Simon CSPI
Matthew Simon
As CSPI's Deputy Litigation Director, Matt focuses on identifying and bringing consumer class actions challenging food and supplement companies’ deceptive advertising and labeling practices, working with CSPI staff and private lawyers. He also identifies and litigates administrative lawsuits pressuring federal agencies to enact regulatory reforms to protect the health and safety of consumers.Prior to joining CSPI, Matt served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Frank Maas, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of New York. Prior to that, Matt was a Research Fellow at Human Rights Watch. Matt received his law degree from NYU School of Law, where he was admitted to the order of the Coif, and his undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the New York, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania Bars.
Ted Mermin UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice / Public Good Law Center
Ted Mermin
Ted Mermin is the Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice. The Center files amicus briefs and advises and supports parties in salient public health, consumer protection and economic justice cases around the nation.At Berkeley Law, Ted teaches Consumer Protection Law and Comparative Consumer Protection Law. Outside the law school, he serves as director of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition (CLICC), a partnership of legal service providers dedicated to furthering the rights of vulnerable consumers through state and local policy advocacy. Ted also serves as executive director of the Public Good Law Center, in which guise he has, for the past decade and a half, assisted local, state and federal agencies in the development and defense of innovative policies in public health and consumer law; helped litigate consumer rights and public health cases in appellate and trial courts around the nation, including in the United States Supreme Court; and written and spoken extensively on issues of free speech, preemption, tobacco control, marketing to children, deceptive advertising, and unfair competition.He counts constitutional issues in public health law – including the First Amendment and preemption – as among his favorite things to discuss.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm
The Role of Faith Based Organizations in Advancing Sugar Reduction Policies
Faith based organizations have natural alignment to build and support public health policies. They have influential power in communities and are a direct channel to large groups of people, especially vulnerable groups, and the underserved. Community participation is key in advocating for and advancing health promoting policies, including sugar reduction policies. This workshop will bring together faith leaders, faith advocates, and community leaders to talk about their work on sugar reduction in their communities.
Robert Pezzolesi Interfaith Public Health Network
Robert Pezzolesi
Robert (Bob) Pezzolesi, MPH, is a public health advocate dedicated to building healthier communities by integrating faith-inspired social change with science-based public health policy and practice. This mission led him to co-found the Interfaith Public Health Network, where he serves as Convener. He was also recently inducted into the Order of Deaconess and Home Missioner of the United Methodist Church, an office with a rich history of service and advocacy in the public good.Bob’s recent work has centered on public health nutrition policy, including legislation to require sugar warning labels in NYC chain restaurants, and policies to limit the advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages targeted to vulnerable populations.He also has extensive experience in alcohol policy advocacy, including leading the Building Alcohol Ad-Free Transit (BAAFT) campaign, a successful grassroots effort to remove alcohol advertising from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority system.
AjiFanta Marenah The Gambian Youth Organization
AjiFanta Marenah
AjiFanta Marenah was born in The Gambia and migrated to the U.S as a political asylee when she was twelve years old. She completed her Bachelor’s in Government and Politics and Master’s in International Relations at St. John’s University. As a Black, Muslim, immigrant woman, AjiFanta is determined to use her platform to dismantle oppressive systems and contribute towards building just, inclusive and peaceful societies that respect human rights and dignity. In the name of that cause, she is currently working as the Civic Education & Advocacy Program Manager at Muslim Community Network (MCN) where her role includes organizing the Muslim community around policy issues that impact them and leading MCN’s efforts fighting against islamophobia, racism, and hate crimes and authored the first hate crime report published by a Muslim organization in New York..On the local level, AjiFanta serves on the board of The Gambian Youth Organization (GYO), a community-based nonprofit organization with a mission to advocate for and educate the community about their rights against marginalization and connect them to useful city resources. She was there with the GYO when the tragic fire struck at the Twin Park Towers helping to raise funds, advocate for victim rights and create a post fire community advocacy plan. Through GYO, AjiFanta has also been active in addressing food injustice in the Bronx. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, they opened up their food pantry to serve healthy fruits and vegetables to over 50,000 New Yorkers. AjiFanta has been leading on the advocacy efforts to support The Sweet Truth Act- a NYC Council bill requiring restaurant chains to add high sugar labels on prepackaged food and beverages. Food security in low income and marginalized communities is an important issue to AjiFanta and she plans to continue advocating for healthier and better options for everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status.
James Tate, INHC Beyond W8 Loss Total Wellness Center, LLC
James Tate, INHC
James Tate's personal journey to lose and keep off weight resulted in him establishing Beyond W8 Loss Total Wellness Center LLC, a Holistic wellness center focused on “Total Fat Loss” (Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, Physical) and improving overall health. Tate is a certified member of the AADP (American Association of Drugless Practitioners) and holds globally recognized certifications as a Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Nutrition Therapist, Clinical Weight Loss Practitioner, and Sports & Exercise Nutritional Advisor. Tate has also been certified as a health minister through Wesley Seminary and currently serves as a teacher assistant/mentor in their Heal The Sick certification programs, and is a congregational wellness advocate through Living Compass.Tate is a sought-after nutrition expert and public speaker who has given nutrition lectures, and created wellness programs for government agencies, medical organizations, schools, churches, religious organizations, nonprofits, small businesses, and fortune 500 companies around the world. He has appeared on local and cable news shows. Tate was a key member of the coalition responsible for the passing of The Healthy Kids Meal Bill in Prince George’s County Maryland, Montgomery County Maryland, and Baltimore Maryland. He is the site coordinator for ABC (Association of Black Cardiologist) Community Health Advocates in Maryland. Tate is an award-winning children’s book author and the owner of Wellthy Entertainment, a media company whose aim is to create content that helps children & their families to become “Rich” in many areas of life, including Rich in Love, Rich in Health, Rich in Knowledge, and other “wellthy” areas. Tate is also the creator of the Beyond W8 Loss Youtube channel
Dr. Natalie Mitchem, Ed.D, RDN, M.Div. International Health Commission of the AME Church
Natalie Mitchem, Ed.D., RDN, M.Div.
Dr. Natalie Mitchem serves as the Executive Director of the International Health Commission of the AME church and Pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church. In addition, works as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for a preschool program. Dr. Natalie is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, NCFS Fitness Instructor, and Adult Weight Management and shares the benefits of Lifestyle Medicine to help prevent and fight disease.
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm
Water: Making It Real
What does it take to make water a viable and appealing alternative to sugary drinks? Come hear about new actions around the U.S. Our session speakers, from community-based organizations in New Orleans, Nevada, Philadelphia and Navajo Nation, will describe their efforts to make drinking water safe, available and affordable, and promoted. We’ll weave in drinking water basics if this area is new to you. Each panelist will end with a call to action - next steps, research or advocacy needs, or current policy opportunities – and we’ll save time for Q & A.
Christina Hecht, PhD University of California Nutrition Policy Institute
Christina Hecht, PhD
Christina Hecht is Senior Policy Advisor, University of California Nutrition Policy Institute. Her primary focus is on healthy beverages; she leads NPI’s work in drinking water safety, access and promotion. She is co-investigator in current research on drinking water and active in multiple collaborative projects. She co-ordinates the National Drinking Water Alliance, a network of individuals and organizations across the country working to ensure that all children in the US can drink water in the places where they live, learn and play. She also co-leads the University of California Research Consortium on Beverages and Health, a group of faculty from every UC campus who work in various aspects of sugar science. Christina earned a BA at Stanford University and a PHD at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.
Jessica Dandridge The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans
Jessica Dandridge
As the Executive Director of The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC), Jessica Dandridge has dedicated her life to community advocacy and campaign development for organizations seeking to be socially, economically, and culturally inclusive. As the Executive Director of TWC she focuses on community-led adaptation and mitigation as the core to water justice and climate resiliency strategies. Ms. Dandridge received her B.A at Xavier University of Louisiana in Political Science and her M.A in International Affairs with a concentration in conflict and security at The New School for Public Engagement in New York City. Since starting her career as a youth organizer in 2005, she has worked for, or in collaboration with over two dozen organizations in the Greater New Orleans and nationally. Before starting at the TWC, Ms. Jessica was the Louisiana State Director at the Campaign Election Engagement Project, and a Program Director for Rural Electric Cooperative Democracy Project for the Rockefeller Family Fund. Ms. Dandridge is a trained facilitator from YPQI, has a certificate in Leadership, Activism and Civil Rights from Brown University, and a certificate in Kingian Nonviolence Strategies from the Selma Center of Nonviolence. In her current work, Jessica sits on 9 water and climate committees and coalitions across the state of Louisiana and Federally. Jessica is the Co-Chair of the National Academy of Science Resiliency Roundtable and is a Commissioner for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation.
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby Make the Road Nevada
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby
Jen Fleischmann Willoughby joined the Make the Road Nevada team in 2018. Originally from Michigan, Jen has called Nevada home since 2010 and brings more than 15 years of experience running political and policy campaigns across the nation. A long-time rabble rouser who’s been a part of the movement since her youth, she is passionate about building a world where all people have the resources they need to not just survive but thrive. Jen is the mother of a young daughter, wife of a fellow activist, and guardian of the world's silliest rescue dog and grumpiest desert tortoise. She enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading, and watching musicals.
Mica Root Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Mica Root
Mica Root is the Nutrition and Physical Activity Program Manager for the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH). She joined City of Philadelphia government nine years ago after two decades in community organizing and has found similar needs in both settings. Most of us – whether taxi drivers or city leaders – need support understanding how powerful we can be. Mica’s work at PDPH has included developing a Philadelphia-Beverage-Tax-funded Healthy Schools Initiative, leading early community-engagement efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and initiating City-wide collaborations and changes to expand drinking water access, appeal and equity in Philadelphia schools, rec centers and residences. She received an MPH from Johns Hopkins, where she was a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow. Mica was previously co-founder and Executive Director of Media Mobilizing Project.
Brianna John Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment
Brianna John
Hi, I am Brianna John, a Research Assistant with Brigham and Women's Hospital who works with the organization Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment. I work within their Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality team to assist in implementing research studies, collecting and analyzing data, conducting literature reviews, and contributing to the development of research reports. I am deeply passionate about community health and am committed to improving the health outcomes of underserved populations. I am also in my final semester of the Public Policy Masters program at University of Illinois at Chicago.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Communicating About Disparities from an Equity Lens: CSPI’s Internal Guidance on Reducing Weight Stigma and Racial Bias in the Food and Nutrition Space
Over the past few years, CSPI has developed several internal resources to support our personal and professional group in the field of health equity. Developing a shared language for communicating about health equity is integral in appropriately characterizing our work and discussing various populations in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner. It is important to note that language is ever-changing, and that context may affect what terms and/or information is necessary. In this session, learn about how CSPI’s framework for health equity and racial justice has informed internal guidelines to reduce weight stigma and racial bias in our food and nutrition work.
Ashley Hickson Center for Science in the Public Interest
Ashley Hickson
Ashley Hickson, DrPH, MPH is the Senior Health Equity Advisor at CSPI. She is a public health practitioner and mixed methods researcher with a focus on achieving racial justice, health equity, reducing health disparities, co-creating interventions alongside the subpopulations most adversely affected, and designing sustainable solutions to mitigate challenges to health and well-being. She holds an MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center and dual degrees (BBA/BS) from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Doctorate of Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice concentration from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Alla Hill, PhD, RD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Alla Hill, PhD, RD
Alla Hill (she/her) is a Senior Science Policy Associate within the Science Department at CSPI. In this role, she works closely with program teams to review and develop evidence-based materials and messages to inform strategy. Alla holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a B.S. in Nutrition and Foods with a concentration in Dietetics from Appalachian State University, and is a Registered Dietitian.
Jessi Silverman Center for Science in the Public Interest
Jessi Silverman
Jessi Silverman is a Senior Policy Associate coordinating CSPI's advocacy to improve the food environment in public institutions. She also led the development of CSPI's first internal guidelines to counter weight stigma. Prior to joining CSPI, Jessi was a research assistant at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future while earning her MSPH in Human Nutrition and becoming credentialed as a Registered Dietitian. She also has a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University.
April 26, 2023 03:20 pm EDT
Collaborative Roundtables
Join fellow summit attendees for a topical discussion on critical shifts needed in the field of sugar reduction, how these can be achieved collaboratively, and identify next steps and follow up actions.Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Spanish translation in this roundtable
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada: A Government Perspective
Mexico, Canada, and the United States are each at different stages in the process of considering, adopting, or implementing front-of-package nutrition labeling systems to help consumers quickly and easily identify packaged foods that are high in sugar, sodium, or saturated fat. In this session, government officials from each of these countries will present on the current status of front-of-package labeling in their nations, highlighting successes and challenges.
Eva Greenthal, MS, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Eva Greenthal
Eva Greenthal (she/her) oversees CSPI's federal food labeling work, leveraging the food label as a powerful public health tool to influence consumer and industry behavior. Eva also conducts research and supports CSPI's science-centered approach to advocacy as a member of the Science Department. Prior to joining CSPI, Eva led a pilot evaluation of the nation’s first hospital-based food pantry and worked on research initiatives related to alcohol literacy and healthy habits for young children. Eva holds a dual MS/MPH degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University.
DR. SIMÓN BARQUERA INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SALUD PÚBLICA
DR. SIMÓN BARQUERA
Simon Barquera is a MD with a PhD fromTufts University in Boston, USA. He is amember of the National Academy ofMedicine, author of more than 364 scientificpublications. He has participated in thedevelopment of policies for its prevention andcontrol, for which he has been recognizedwith the 18 Martinson Lectureship (Universityof Minnesota, 2018), the Soper award forexcellence in health (Pan American HealthOrganization, 2003), the Tufts UniversityNutrition Impact Award (2016) and the "Dr.Gerardo Varela" public Health Merit Award(Government of Mexico, 2020). He currentlyserves as Director of the Center for Researchin Nutrition and Health of the National Instituteof Public Health.Currently he is the president elect of theWorld Obesity Federation.
Stephen Norman Health Products and Food Branch Health Canada / Government of Canada
Stephen Norman
Mr. Stephen Norman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Guelph in 1994. He joined the federal public service in 1995 in the Pesticides Directorate of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. Stephen worked at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in various roles from 2001 to 2018, including as laboratory director, and overseeing national food laboratory operations and surveillance. Stephen joined the Food Directorate in January 2019 as Director of the Bureau of Chemical Safety. He was appointed Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in February 2021 where he currently oversees the management of three divisions responsible for nutrition research, regulations and standards, and premarket assessment.
Robin McKinnon, PhD U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Robin McKinnon, PhD
Robin McKinnon, PhD, MPARobin McKinnon is a Senior Advisor for Nutrition Policy at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Dr. McKinnon works to advance FDA’s nutrition initiatives across CFSAN including FDA’s initiatives outlined in the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Prior to joining FDA, Dr. McKinnon was a Health Policy Specialist at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health and led policy-relevant research activities on diet, obesity and physical activity. Dr. McKinnon has a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the George Washington University and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University.
April 26, 2023 04:10 pm EDT
Digital Food Marketing to Youth: The Impacts and Solutions
The digital environment is seemingly always changing, and it can be hard to keep up as an advocate. In this session, participants will learn the basics of ongoing digital marketing, how it influences youth, and efforts to limit digital food and beverage marketing to children.
Katie Marx Center for Science in the Public Interest
Katie Marx
Katie is a Policy Associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest working on projects related to restaurant kids' meals and food marketing to kids. She earned a B.A. in Public Health from American University.
Kathryn Montgomery, PhD Center for Digital Democracy
Kathryn Montgomery
Kathryn Montgomery is Professor Emerita in the School of Communication at American University, where she founded and directed the 3-year interdisciplinary PhD program in Communication. She is also Senior Strategist for the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD). Montgomery's research, writing, and testimony have helped frame the national public policy debate on a range of critical media issues. In the 90s, she spearheaded the campaign that led to passage of the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). She is author of two books: Target: Prime Time – Advocacy Groups and the Struggle over Entertainment Television (Oxford University Press, 1989); and Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet (MIT Press, 2007). Montgomery’s current research focuses on major technology, economic, and policy trends shaping the future of digital media in the Big Data era. Her recent work includes numerous reports and articles on digital food marketing, children’s privacy, health wearables, and political microtargeting. She earned a PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.Kathryn Montgomery is Professor Emerita in the School of Communication at American University, where she founded and directed the 3-year interdisciplinary PhD program in Communication. She is also Senior Strategist for the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD). Montgomery's research, writing, and testimony have helped frame the national public policy debate on a range of critical media issues. In the 90s, she spearheaded the campaign that led to passage of the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). She is author of two books: Target: Prime Time – Advocacy Groups and the Struggle over Entertainment Television (Oxford University Press, 1989); and Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet (MIT Press, 2007). Montgomery’s current research focuses on major technology, economic, and policy trends shaping the future of digital media in the Big Data era. Her recent work includes numerous reports and articles on digital food marketing, children’s privacy, health wearables, and political microtargeting. She earned a PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Omni Cassidy, PhD NYU Langone Health/Grossman School of Medicine
Omni Cassidy, PhD
Omni Cassidy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine/Langone Health where she directs the Food, Culture, & Tech Lab. She examines the intersections of food, culture, and technology with a specific focus on how food and beverage companies use advanced digital technologies, such as virtual reality, to market unhealthy products to communities of color. She hopes to eventually leverage advanced digital technologies to develop, improve, and inform novel interventions to address behavior change, shift cultural narratives about food and food sovereignty, and inform policy. Her ultimate goal is to promote food environments that nourish both people and the planet.
Frances Fleming-Milici, PhD Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health
Frances Fleming-Milici
Dr. Fleming’s research focuses on analyzing the amount, type, and nutrition of the food and beverages marketed to children, adolescents, and parents of young children; determining the effects of exposure to food marketing; and examining race/ethnicity differences in rates of exposure and the impact of targeted marketing practices. Her current projects include assessing child-directed food marketing on social media and mobile devices and improving the foods and beverages parents feed their children through parent-targeted interventions and policy change.
April 26, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
What Does an Effective Sugary Drink Tax Look Like? National and Local Perspectives
This panel will discuss what it means to design and evaluate effective sugary drink taxes, including the importance of building consensus on community needs and larger public health outcomes. Like any policy, the structure of the tax, who was involved in the advocacy and design, and where the funds are allocated are a few of the factors that affect how effective a sugary drink tax will be at investing revenue in communities and shifting consumer consumption behaviors. We will hear from individuals and organizations that have developed practices to guide community-centered sugary drink tax work, and from advocates who have passed local sugary drink taxes. Attendees will learn about challenges and successes communities have faced when distributing and utilizing tax revenue, identify elements to consider when designing and advocating for community-centered sugary drink taxes, and key considerations when evaluating the effectiveness of taxes post-implementation.
Eric Batch, MPP American Heart Association
Eric Batch, MPP
Eric is the Vice President of Field Advocacy for the Western Region of the American Heart Association. In this role with the AHA, Eric is responsible for managing the Advocacy Department for the Western States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.Eric leads and represents the AHA at multiple levels of Government and with a variety of coalitions, partners, and alliances. Over the years he has led the AHA through very successful legislative sessions and campaigns. He has played a key role in driving policy around Tobacco Control, Access to Health Care, Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Heart Disease and Stroke. In addition to his work with the American Heart Association, Eric is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California in the Sol Price School of Public Policy.
Xavier Morales, MS, MPH The Praxis Project
Xavier Morales
Xavier Morales, Ph.D., MRP, directs the Praxis Project, a national organization dedicated to supporting communities building power for health, equity, and racial justice. Xavier lives in Berkeley, California, and was a collaborator on the design, passage, and implementation of the nation's first local SSB tax. Xavier continues to serve on the commission that recommends how the City of Berkeley invests funds made possible by the SSB tax back into the community infrastructure that serves Berkeley's most impacted residents. In addition to 20 years of learning from community organizers, Xavier studied community development at Cornell University and environmental sciences at the University of California.
Ayanna Davis, MS Healthy Black Families
Ayanna Davis, MS
As the fifth generation of her family to live in Berkeley and the East Bay, “Mama Ayanna” is passionate about our community’s health and wellbeing. Ayanna comes to HBF as a knowledgeable health and wellness practitioner with a background in radio journalism, activism, organizing leadership, birth justice advocacy, legal research, event and natural wellness program management. She received her Master of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from ACHHS in Oakland. She is an experienced small businessperson, a passionate community leader and activist with a history of educating, empowering and advocating for marginalized peoples and is dedicated to the work of eliminating health inequity. With experience as Internal and External Wellness Manager for Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, Ms. Davis provides leadership through implementation, facilitation and supervision of HBF’s program activities as she works with collaborative partners and consultants; builds relationships with community organizations, key community members and stakeholders; and participates in coalition building.
Karma Smart City of Berkeley Community Health Commission
Karma Smart
Karma Smart began her work focused on educating the Black community in Berkeley about the health impacts of sugary beverages in July of 2016. It was at that time she helped to create and launch the Thirsty for Change program at Healthy Black Families. There she created programs focused on education through Rethink Your Drink presentations, hands on shopping and cooking classes at farmer’s markets and grocery stores tours, as well as training Black mothers as Water Ambassadors to help with the work of educating the wider community about sugary beverages and offering alternatives and healthy options. In addition to that work, she has worked as a Wellness Navigator at Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness in the Bayview area of San Francisco. Where she helped launch and design a training for the Prostate Cancer Initiative known as PCAN in partnership with colleagues from UCSF. As a Community Health Commissioner for the City of Berkeley Karma has donated her time focusing on issues around health equity. In addition she has supported the work being done by a local nonprofit that was able to get a healthy checkout ordinance passed by City of Berkeley leadership. And currently she continues to support that work through bringing awareness to the commission about the efforts to expand on the work started with that ordinance.
Dwayne Wharton Just Strategies
Dwayne Wharton
Dwayne Wharton is a health and equity advocate working to help build healthier communities. He has held leadership positions in several prominent non-profit organizations, including The Food Trust where he helped to advance local, state and federal efforts, promote health equity, and eliminate inequities across multiple determinants of health through policy, systems and environmental efforts. He is an Advisor to the Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program and an American Heart Association Great Rivers Affiliate Board Member. Dwayne is a former Peace Corps volunteer, appointed member of the City of Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on African-American Males where he served as Co-Chair, Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council appointee, board member of the boards of Greater Philadelphia Philanthropy Network, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader. Dwayne Wharton received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History, with minors in African-American and Latin American Studies, from West Chester University, a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Temple University, and was a fellow in Bryn Mawr College’s Non-profit Educational Leadership Institute. Dwayne is a Senior Consultant with the Center for Urban & Racial Equity and the Co-Founder and Principal of Just Strategies, a mission-driven consulting firm dedicated to helping people lead the change they envision for themselves and their communities.
Denisa Livingston, MPH Diné Community Advocacy Alliance (DCAA)
Denisa Livingston, MPH
Denisa Livingston, M.P.H., (Diné, New Mexico, she/her/hers) is an unapologetic food justice organizer, an Indigenous public health systems consultant, and an Ashoka Fellow. Denisa is a student at the University of Oklahoma, College of Law, Indigenous Peoples Law program. Last year, she completed five years as the Slow Food International Indigenous Councilor of the Global North and four years as an advisory board member of the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples international network - Indigenous Terra Madre. She is committed to addressing food apartheid and nutritional trauma in Indigenous communities while addressing the invisibility of Indigenous Peoples by reclaiming Native truth and bringing awareness to the disparities and inequities in Indian Country that have been further illuminated in the pandemic caused by colonization, systemic racism, patriarchal oppression, and perpetual injustices. Denisa has been a legislative speaker and community health advocate for the Diné Community Advocacy Alliance (DCAA). DCAA have been globally recognized for the successful passage of several laws, the first of its kind: Elimination of Tax on Healthy Foods with an emphasis on Indigenous foods, the Healthy Diné Nation Act of 2014 or Unhealthy Foods Tax, and a tax revenue allocation for Community Wellness Projects for all 110 Navajo Chapters. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She is a contributor of Food Sovereignty in the United States: Restoring Cultural Knowledge, Protecting Environments, and Regaining Health and the newly published book Unfinished conversations: On democracy, race, the economy, and a path forward.
International Spotlight: Policies and Interventions to Reduce Ultra-Processed Product Consumption in the Americas
Countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region have made substantial advances in passing and implementing policies to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed products. By broadening the food policy narrative to include environmental implications, and access to real food, advocates have successfully gained broader support by policy makers. However, industry continues to block and water down the policies. This panel will present a regional perspective and reflect on the progress, continued challenges and lessons learned.
Mylena Gualdrón FIAN Colombia
Mylena Gualdrón
Mylena Gualdrón is a registered nutritionist, specialist in social development planning and analysis of public policies. She has a master's degree in food and nutrition security. Her professional experience has been focused on interventions in the field of public nutrition carried out by State entities such as the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF, acronym in Spanish) and the National University of Colombia. She is currently a nutrition researcher at FIAN Colombia, an organization that works in defense of human rights part of FIAN International. FIAN has consultative status before the United Nations and specializes in defending and promoting the human right to adequate food and nutrition (DHANA, acronym in Spanish) and its related rights. As part of her role in FIAN Colombia, Mylena accompanies research, mobilization, and social advocacy processes related to the DHANA Academic Network, which have played a key role in achieving initiatives such as front-of-package warning labeling policies and a healthy tax on ultra-processed food and beverage products.
Luciana Castronuovo, PhD FIC Argentina
Luciana Castronuovo
PhD in Social Sciences (University of Buenos Aires-Argentina) and BA in Sociology (Universidad del Salvador-Argentina). She has been a doctoral fellow of the Argentinean National Research Council CONICET (2008-2013) and has been involved in several research projects funded by the National Research Council. She has also worked at the state level in the area of monitoring and evaluation of social programs. She has worked as a professor of research methodology for the last twenty years in undergraduate and graduate courses in different Universities in Argentina. Since 2013 she has been a project coordinator at the Interamerican Heart Foundation Argentina (FIC Argentina) and is currently the coordinator of the research area of the organization. Among her main activities is the development of research projects related to the promotion of healthy eating and tobacco control policies. She is the author of several scientific articles published in national and international journals. She has led projects funded by several organizations: International Development Research Centre- IDRC Canada; Ministry of Health of Argentina; Global Health Advocacy Incubator-GHAI. She has been the Principal Investigator of several projects focused on front of package labeling including both research and advocacy projects. FIC Argentina was one of the mail organizations involved in the promotion of the Front of Package Labeling law in Argentina and was the only organization that provided independent scientific evidence to the debate in the country. Argentina has one of the most comprehensive regulations regarding front of package labeling including not only package regulations but also school environments and advertising regulations.
Rachel Morrison Global Health Advocacy Incubator
Rachel Morrison
Rachel is a development specialist with over 20 years of experience working on public health programmes. She is currently the Senior Advisor for the Caribbean at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator. In her role she provides strategic guidance to Food Policy Program grantees based in the Caribbean and facilitates targeted technical assistance as well as capacity strengthening. Rachel is particularly proud of her work supporting grassroots organizations, community groups and vulnerable populations, who are most affected by the lack of access to healthy and nutritious foods and the long-term impact of living with an NCD. She is strongly opposed to any form of discrimination and is very proud of being native of a country that persons dream of visiting. Rachel holds a Master of Law in Development.
Giorgia Castilho Russo IDEC - (Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor)
Giorgia Castilho Russo
IDEC technical consultant. Nutritionist from the Faculty of Public Health/USP. Specialist in Obesity and public food policies. President Management committee of the law on organics in school meals in São Paulo. Nutritionist of the Child and Adolescent Committee of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology. Experience as manager of the PNAE (National School Feeding Program), former member of the CAE (school feeding council), CRN (regional council of nutritionist), CAISAN (Intersecretarial Committee for food and nutrition security) and CONSEA (Council food and nutrition security).
April 27, 2023 02:00 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Standing Up to Big Soda on Campus: Innovative Campaigns to Eliminate University Pouring Rights Contracts
Pouring rights contracts give a beverage company, primarily The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, exclusive rights to sell and market beverages at venues and institutions, including college campuses. Universities enter into these contracts at the expense of human and planetary health, negating their duty to serve the public good. This session will feature advocates and researchers who are working to improve university beverage environments by ending and reforming pouring rights contracts.
Chris Palmedo CUNY School of Public Health
Chris Palmedo
Chris Palmedo is a clinical professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. His research and teaching is focused on health communication, social marketing and countermarketing. He is especially concerned with the marketing of sugary beverages to children and young adults. Dr. Palmedo is co-director of the CUNY SPH MS degree program in Health Communication for Social Change, and is the co-author of a textbook for college students on personal health with a focus on upstream determinants of health.
Jennifer Falbe University of California, Davis
Jennifer Falbe
Jennifer Falbe is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Human Development in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis. Dr. Falbe’s research focuses on policy and environmental interventions to prevent diet-related diseases and reduce health disparities. Dr. Falbe led an evaluation of the nation’s first soda tax in Berkeley, California. Her work has also focused on community-based policy development, healthy retail policies, testing warning labels for products high in added sugar, and multi-sector community interventions. Dr. Falbe employs quantitative and qualitative methods; experimental and observational designs; and community engagement.
Dante Gonzales Uprooted & Rising
Dante Gonzales
Dante Gonzales is currently based in North Orange County, CA, a guest on Acjachemen [Ah-Ha-Sheman] and Tongva lands. Inspired by their Mexican and Southern Louisianan cultures, food sovereignty is a core to Dante’s heart and praxis. Dante believes food heals, grounds us, and fuels the revolution. Through the context of their position, Dante is currently working with community partners in SELA (Southeast LA) around land-use and organizing with students across the country against Big Soda, and working with students and Indigenous peoples across the UCs in protection of sacred spaces.
Laura Schmidt School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco
Laura Schmidt
Laura A. Schmidt, PhD, is a Professor of Health Policy in the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. She holds a joint appointment in the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. She received her PhD training in sociology at UC Berkeley and while there, also completed doctoral coursework in public health. Dr. Schmidt seeks to understand how changing lifestyles are contributing to rising rates of chronic disease across the globe and what to do about it. Her work explores the growing pressures of globalizing economies, rising inequality, and the marketization of products that undermine our health. She works directly with policymakers to craft and implement evidence-based policies that reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods and other commercial products that harm human and planetary health.
April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Low-Calorie Sweetener Policy Considerations and Implications
Implementation of sugar reduction efforts (e.g., SSB taxes, front-of-pack labeling) may lead to an increase in use and consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS), some of which are linked to health harms, like aspartame, or haven’t been sufficiently tested for safety, like monk fruit extract.This raises important questions for advocates, scientists, and policymakers, such as: is it better to have lowered sugar content with LCS as replacements, or are the LCS replacements similarly or more worrisome for our health than higher sugar content? This session will feature speakers familiar with the implications of sugar reduction efforts on LCS use and expertise in food additive policy.
Thomas Galligan, PhD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Thomas Galligan, PhD
Thomas Galligan (he/him/his), as CSPI’s Principal Scientist for Food Additives and Supplements, is working to improve regulation of food chemicals and dietary supplements and get unsafe chemicals and ineffective supplements out of our food supply. Before joining CSPI, he was a Toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group where he led efforts to promote the use of safer chemicals in personal care products, foods, and other consumer goods and to educate consumers about the chemicals in the products they consume every day. Prior to that, Thomas worked as a Postdoctoral Associate and Instructor at Virginia Tech. He earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences with emphasis on toxicology, endocrinology, and environmental health from the Medical University of South Carolina. Thomas also earned a BS in Dairy Science from Virginia Tech.
Allison Sylvetsky, PhD The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
Allison Sylvetsky
Dr. Sylvetsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and is Director of the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition program at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Dr. Sylvetsky joined the GW faculty in 2014, prior to which, she was a post-doctoral fellow in the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch of NIDDK in the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She received a doctorate in Nutrition and Health Science from Emory University. Dr. Sylvetsky's research focuses broadly on obesity and diabetes in youth. Her primary research interests are in studying the consumption and health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages and low-calorie (artificial) sweeteners, with a key focus on their consumption during childhood.
Melanie Benesh Environmental Working Group
Melanie Benesh
Melanie Benesh provides legislative and regulatory analysis of federal food, cosmetics, and toxic chemical law and advocates for more health protective regulations from the FDA and EPA. She co-teaches a public interest advocacy and toxic chemicals law at Georgetown University Law Center.
Jim Krieger Healthy Food America and University of Washington
Jim Krieger
Jim Krieger, MD, MPH is Executive Director of Healthy Food America and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington Schools Public Health. He previously worked for 25 years at Public Health – Seattle & King County as Chief of Chronic Disease Prevention.He supports policy change to promote healthy eating and health equity through research, provision of technical assistance to policy makers and advocates, and direct advocacy. His work has led to improvements in school nutrition, implementation of the nation’s second menu labeling regulation, adoption of sugary drink taxes, sugary drink counter-marketing campaigns, and increased access to healthy foods for people with low incomes. He has provided technical assistance for adoption, implementation, and evaluation of sugary drink taxes in over forty localities and states in the US. He helped lead the successful campaign to adopt a tax in Seattle and co-chaired its Tax Community Advisory Board from 2018-2019. He has authored reports on centering taxes in equity and best practices in tax design. He has published numerous articles about sweetened beverage taxes in academic journals, including a recent one assessing the equity of tax payments and benefits. If you want more:His work has been funded by NIH, CDC, and private foundations. He has served on Institute of Medicine Committees focused on obesity prevention. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Innovation in Prevention Award. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard, MD at the University of California, San Francisco, and MPH at University of Washington.
Natalia Rebolledo Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Nutrition-Related Chronic Diseases (CIAPEC), Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile
Natalia Rebolledo
Postdoctoral researcher in charge of the Diet Unit at the Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Nutrition-Related Chronic Diseases (CIAPEC), INTA, University of Chile. She is a Dietitian with a Master's in Pediatric Clinical Nutrition from the University of Chile and a Ph.D. in Nutrition with a minor in Epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill. Her research is focused on evaluating the changes in sweetener intake after the Chilean Law on Food Labeling and Advertising. Her current postdoctoral grant studies the association between sucralose intake and metabolic outcomes in Chilean infants, preschoolers, and adolescents.
Jenny is Head of Nutrition at the Jamie Oliver Group and is particularly passionate about improving the food environment through policy change. She is on The Global Food Security Programme’s Strategy Advisory Board, Bite Back 2030’s Impact Advisory Board and works across a number of consultancy projects with health organisations including The Food Foundation, Impact on Urban Health and Sustain. Jenny was previously Campaign Manager at Action on Sugar and developed Healthy Weight Partnership (child weight management) programmes across the UK and North America. She has an MSc in Nutrition from Kings College London and is registered with the Association for Nutrition.
April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Added Sugars & How We Can Subtract Them from School Meals
School meals provided through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program must meet nutrition standards for calories, total fat, sodium, and trans fat, yet there is currently no limit on added sugars. Meanwhile, school meals and products remain far too sugary, particularly school breakfast, and school-age children consume well above the recommended limit of added sugars (less than 10 percent of calories from added sugars). Hear from experts about the latest research and policy opportunities to address the issue.
Kristy Anderson, MPP American Heart Association
Kristy Anderson, MPP
Kristy Anderson, MPP, is the Director of Federal Government Relations at the American Heart Association and leads federal advocacy for nutrition, physical activity, wellness, and built environment. At the Association, Anderson works with federal policymakers to identify opportunities to promote cardiovascular health through measures aimed at primary prevention. Ms. Anderson has more than twenty years of experience in public health in both the non-profit sector and on Capitol Hill. Prior to working for the American Heart Association, Anderson was the Senior Federal Policy Analyst with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity, where she worked with federal policymakers and grantees across the country to identify and promote the most promising strategies to prevent childhood obesity. Anderson spent several years as the Health Legislative Analyst at the RAND Corporation in the Office of Congressional Relations, and began her health policy career in the office of United States Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), where she worked on health and disability issues, primarily focusing on constituent outreach and legislative duties.Ms. Anderson received her Master of Public Policy with a concentration in Global Medical and Health Policy at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government. She received a B.A. with a double major in Political Science and International Relations from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Additionally, Ms. Anderson is a member of the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society, which recognizes international scholars.
Karen Ehrens, RD, LRD Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Karen Ehrens, RD, LRD
Karen Ehrens is a registered dietitian and Director of Legislative and Government Affairs for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her experience includes administration of child nutrition programs at the state level, instructor of courses for school foodservice personnel, and coordinating North Dakota’s healthy state coalition and statewide anti-hunger coalition. She has provided testimony before the city commission, state legislature and the US Congress on proposed legislation impacting health and nutrition. She has gained hands-on understanding of programs, policy and people as a volunteer, serving and delivering meals to seniors, and as a board member of a farmers market and a local food development collaborative. Karen and her husband, a foodservice director, teach cooking classes focusing on fresh and local foods. Karen holds a Certificate in Public Health from the University of Minnesota and obtained undergraduate degrees from ND State University and Minot State University. She recently re-located to the DC area.
Laura Stadler, MS, RDN NYC Department of Health
Laura Stadler, MS, RDN
Laura Stadler is the Senior Manager for Food Standards in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention at the NYC Health Department. In this capacity Laura oversees revisions to the NYC Food Standards and provides technical assistance to support NYC Agencies and voluntary partners with implementation of the City’s Food Standards. Prior to joining the NYC Health Department, Laura has ten years of experience applying the NYC Food Standards to meals purchased and served at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. Laura obtained her master’s degree in nutrition from NYU and is a registered dietitian.
Elizabeth Gearan Westat
Elizabeth Gearan
Elizabeth (Liz) Gearan is a Senior Study Director at Westat. She has nearly 20 years of experience conducting evaluations of federal nutrition assistance programs, with a focus on the school meal programs. Liz has expertise in assessing the nutritional quality of program menus and dietary intakes of various population groups from infants and toddlers through older adults. Prior to joining Westat, she was a Principal Researcher at Mathematica where she led numerous evaluations of the school meal programs for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Liz was the deputy project director on the FNS-sponsored School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, which was the first national, comprehensive assessment of the school meal programs after key reforms were made to the programs, including updated nutrition standards. For this study, she led analyses that examined the nutritional quality of school meals and students’ diets, including assessing levels of added sugars. Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion from Simmons College.
Samuel Hahn Center for Science in the Public Interest
Samuel Hahn
Sam Hahn is a Policy Coordinator at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, where his focus is on school nutrition standards, school milk, and Smart Snacks. He also supports CSPI’s regulatory efforts and policy work at the federal, state, and local levels. Before joining CSPI, Sam worked at the Chef Ann Foundation and ScratchWorks, supporting efforts to increase scratch cooking in schools. Sam works remotely from his home in Boulder, Colorado.
April 27, 2023 03:20 pm
Collaborative Roundtable Report-out
A summary of collaborative roundtable discussions on critical shifts needed for sugar reduction, strategies, and recommendations for next steps will set the framework for our future work together.
Anupama Joshi, MS Center for Science in the Public Interest
Anupama Joshi, MS
Anupama is an accomplished nonprofit leader driving evidence-based policies, programs, and funding in the nutrition, public health, agriculture, and environmental sectors. As Vice President for Programs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Anupama leads national, state, and local policy advocacy; legislative campaigns; and regulatory affairs to support equitable access to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Previously, Anupama was executive director of the Blue Sky Funders Forum (a working group of the Environmental Grantmakers Association). Anupama co-founded and served as executive director of the National Farm to School Network for more than a decade where she advocated for policies and funding to support local food procurement, school gardens, and experiential education in schools and early care sites. She holds an MS in nutrition from M.S. University in Baroda, India, and spent the first part of her career on related projects in India, Thailand, and Malaysia. Anupama serves on the board of directors of the Food Recovery Network, Farmers Market Coalition, Triangle Land Conservancy and is an advisor to the Outdoor Alliance for Kids. She is co-author of Food Justice (MIT Press, 2010). Anupama is a mom, enjoys exploring the world, cooking for friends and family, and lives in Cary, North Carolina.
April 27, 2023 04:00 pm
Plenary Session: CLOSING
Keynote - Dr. Robert M. Califf, Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Video from Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Closing remarks from Dr. Peter Lurie
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
Robert M. Califf, MD U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Robert M. Califf, MD
Dr. Robert M. Califf was confirmed earlier this year as the 25th Commissioner of Food and Drugs. As Commissioner, Dr. Califf oversees the full breadth of the FDA portfolio and execution of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other applicable laws. This includes assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices; the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation; and the regulation of tobacco products.Dr. Califf has had a long and distinguished career as a physician, researcher, and leader in the fields of science and medicine. He is a nationally recognized expert in cardiovascular medicine, health outcomes research, health care quality, and clinical research, and a leader in the growing field of translational research, which is key to ensuring that advances in science translate into medical care. This is Dr. Califf’s second stint as Commissioner. He also served in 2016 as the 22nd Commissioner. Before assuming the position at that time, he served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco. Prior to rejoining the FDA in 2022, Dr. Califf was head of medical strategy and Senior Advisor at Alphabet Inc., contributing to strategy and policy for its health subsidiaries Verily Life Sciences and Google Health. He joined Alphabet in 2019, after serving as a professor of medicine and vice chancellor for clinical and translational research at Duke University. He also served as director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute and was the founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute. Dr. Califf is a graduate of Duke University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and a fellowship in cardiology at Duke
Sarah Sorscher Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sarah Sorscher
Sarah Sorscher is an experienced advocate with a passion for public health who fights for a safer, healthier, more transparent food system by promoting consumer safeguards with Congress, federal agencies, and state and local governments. As Director of Regulatory Affairs, she manages CSPI's policy work related to food safety and labeling, allergens, food additives, dietary supplements, and other consumer products. Her work includes serving on federal advisory committees, testifying before Congress and federal agencies, offering technical advice to policymakers, and providing commentary to the media on consumer and food safety issues. Prior to joining CSPI, Sarah worked on health and safety issues at Public Citizen and served as a law clerk for the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. She holds a J.D. from the Harvard Law School, an M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health, and a B.A. from Amherst College.
April 27, 2023 01:00 pm
International Spotlight: Policies and Interventions to Reduce Ultra-Processed Product Consumption in the Americas
Countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region have made substantial advances in passing and implementing policies to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed products. By broadening the food policy narrative to include environmental implications, and access to real food, advocates have successfully gained broader support by policy makers. However, industry continues to block and water down the policies. This panel will present a regional perspective and reflect on the progress, continued challenges and lessons learned.
Mylena Gualdrón FIAN Colombia
Mylena Gualdrón
Mylena Gualdrón is a registered nutritionist, specialist in social development planning and analysis of public policies. She has a master's degree in food and nutrition security. Her professional experience has been focused on interventions in the field of public nutrition carried out by State entities such as the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF, acronym in Spanish) and the National University of Colombia. She is currently a nutrition researcher at FIAN Colombia, an organization that works in defense of human rights part of FIAN International. FIAN has consultative status before the United Nations and specializes in defending and promoting the human right to adequate food and nutrition (DHANA, acronym in Spanish) and its related rights. As part of her role in FIAN Colombia, Mylena accompanies research, mobilization, and social advocacy processes related to the DHANA Academic Network, which have played a key role in achieving initiatives such as front-of-package warning labeling policies and a healthy tax on ultra-processed food and beverage products.
Luciana Castronuovo, PhD FIC Argentina
Luciana Castronuovo
PhD in Social Sciences (University of Buenos Aires-Argentina) and BA in Sociology (Universidad del Salvador-Argentina). She has been a doctoral fellow of the Argentinean National Research Council CONICET (2008-2013) and has been involved in several research projects funded by the National Research Council. She has also worked at the state level in the area of monitoring and evaluation of social programs. She has worked as a professor of research methodology for the last twenty years in undergraduate and graduate courses in different Universities in Argentina. Since 2013 she has been a project coordinator at the Interamerican Heart Foundation Argentina (FIC Argentina) and is currently the coordinator of the research area of the organization. Among her main activities is the development of research projects related to the promotion of healthy eating and tobacco control policies. She is the author of several scientific articles published in national and international journals. She has led projects funded by several organizations: International Development Research Centre- IDRC Canada; Ministry of Health of Argentina; Global Health Advocacy Incubator-GHAI. She has been the Principal Investigator of several projects focused on front of package labeling including both research and advocacy projects. FIC Argentina was one of the mail organizations involved in the promotion of the Front of Package Labeling law in Argentina and was the only organization that provided independent scientific evidence to the debate in the country. Argentina has one of the most comprehensive regulations regarding front of package labeling including not only package regulations but also school environments and advertising regulations.
Rachel Morrison Global Health Advocacy Incubator
Rachel Morrison
Rachel is a development specialist with over 20 years of experience working on public health programmes. She is currently the Senior Advisor for the Caribbean at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator. In her role she provides strategic guidance to Food Policy Program grantees based in the Caribbean and facilitates targeted technical assistance as well as capacity strengthening. Rachel is particularly proud of her work supporting grassroots organizations, community groups and vulnerable populations, who are most affected by the lack of access to healthy and nutritious foods and the long-term impact of living with an NCD. She is strongly opposed to any form of discrimination and is very proud of being native of a country that persons dream of visiting. Rachel holds a Master of Law in Development.
Giorgia Castilho Russo IDEC - (Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor)
Giorgia Castilho Russo
IDEC technical consultant. Nutritionist from the Faculty of Public Health/USP. Specialist in Obesity and public food policies. President Management committee of the law on organics in school meals in São Paulo. Nutritionist of the Child and Adolescent Committee of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology. Experience as manager of the PNAE (National School Feeding Program), former member of the CAE (school feeding council), CRN (regional council of nutritionist), CAISAN (Intersecretarial Committee for food and nutrition security) and CONSEA (Council food and nutrition security).
April 27, 2023 03:20 pm
Collaborative Roundtable Report-out
A summary of collaborative roundtable discussions on critical shifts needed for sugar reduction, strategies, and recommendations for next steps will set the framework for our future work together.
Anupama Joshi, MS Center for Science in the Public Interest
Anupama Joshi, MS
Anupama is an accomplished nonprofit leader driving evidence-based policies, programs, and funding in the nutrition, public health, agriculture, and environmental sectors. As Vice President for Programs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Anupama leads national, state, and local policy advocacy; legislative campaigns; and regulatory affairs to support equitable access to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Previously, Anupama was executive director of the Blue Sky Funders Forum (a working group of the Environmental Grantmakers Association). Anupama co-founded and served as executive director of the National Farm to School Network for more than a decade where she advocated for policies and funding to support local food procurement, school gardens, and experiential education in schools and early care sites. She holds an MS in nutrition from M.S. University in Baroda, India, and spent the first part of her career on related projects in India, Thailand, and Malaysia. Anupama serves on the board of directors of the Food Recovery Network, Farmers Market Coalition, Triangle Land Conservancy and is an advisor to the Outdoor Alliance for Kids. She is co-author of Food Justice (MIT Press, 2010). Anupama is a mom, enjoys exploring the world, cooking for friends and family, and lives in Cary, North Carolina.
April 27, 2023 04:00 pm
Plenary Session: CLOSING
Keynote - Dr. Robert M. Califf, Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Video from Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Closing remarks from Dr. Peter Lurie
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH Center for Science in the Public Interest
Peter Lurie, MD, MPH
Peter Lurie is the President and Executive Director of CSPI. He has overall responsibility for CSPI’s operations in both program (national, state, and local policy and advocacy; legislative and regulatory affairs; agricultural biotechnology; and Litigation) and business (marketing; development; human resources; finance; customer service; and information systems). He also oversees CSPI’s science and communications activities and is the Executive Editor of Nutrition Action. He works closely with CSPI’s Board of Directors and represents CSPI before the public, funders, and the press.Previously, Lurie was the Associate Commissioner for Public Health Strategy and Analysis at the Food and Drug Administration, where he worked on antimicrobial resistance, transparency, caffeinated beverages, arsenic in rice, fish consumption by pregnant and nursing women, expanded access to investigational drugs, and prescription drug abuse. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, where he addressed drug and device issues, coauthored the organization’s Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications, and led efforts to reduce worker exposure to hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Earlier, as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, he studied needle exchange programs, ethical aspects of mother-to-infant HIV transmission studies, and other HIV policy issues domestically and abroad.
Robert M. Califf, MD U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Robert M. Califf, MD
Dr. Robert M. Califf was confirmed earlier this year as the 25th Commissioner of Food and Drugs. As Commissioner, Dr. Califf oversees the full breadth of the FDA portfolio and execution of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other applicable laws. This includes assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices; the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation; and the regulation of tobacco products.Dr. Califf has had a long and distinguished career as a physician, researcher, and leader in the fields of science and medicine. He is a nationally recognized expert in cardiovascular medicine, health outcomes research, health care quality, and clinical research, and a leader in the growing field of translational research, which is key to ensuring that advances in science translate into medical care. This is Dr. Califf’s second stint as Commissioner. He also served in 2016 as the 22nd Commissioner. Before assuming the position at that time, he served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco. Prior to rejoining the FDA in 2022, Dr. Califf was head of medical strategy and Senior Advisor at Alphabet Inc., contributing to strategy and policy for its health subsidiaries Verily Life Sciences and Google Health. He joined Alphabet in 2019, after serving as a professor of medicine and vice chancellor for clinical and translational research at Duke University. He also served as director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute and was the founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute. Dr. Califf is a graduate of Duke University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and a fellowship in cardiology at Duke
Sarah Sorscher Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sarah Sorscher
Sarah Sorscher is an experienced advocate with a passion for public health who fights for a safer, healthier, more transparent food system by promoting consumer safeguards with Congress, federal agencies, and state and local governments. As Director of Regulatory Affairs, she manages CSPI's policy work related to food safety and labeling, allergens, food additives, dietary supplements, and other consumer products. Her work includes serving on federal advisory committees, testifying before Congress and federal agencies, offering technical advice to policymakers, and providing commentary to the media on consumer and food safety issues. Prior to joining CSPI, Sarah worked on health and safety issues at Public Citizen and served as a law clerk for the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. She holds a J.D. from the Harvard Law School, an M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health, and a B.A. from Amherst College.
April 27, 2023 02:00 pm EDT
Break with Yoga and Stretching Video
Join instructor Whitney Hosein and release your tension through a short session of yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises.
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April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Standing Up to Big Soda on Campus: Innovative Campaigns to Eliminate University Pouring Rights Contracts
Pouring rights contracts give a beverage company, primarily The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, exclusive rights to sell and market beverages at venues and institutions, including college campuses. Universities enter into these contracts at the expense of human and planetary health, negating their duty to serve the public good. This session will feature advocates and researchers who are working to improve university beverage environments by ending and reforming pouring rights contracts.
Chris Palmedo CUNY School of Public Health
Chris Palmedo
Chris Palmedo is a clinical professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. His research and teaching is focused on health communication, social marketing and countermarketing. He is especially concerned with the marketing of sugary beverages to children and young adults. Dr. Palmedo is co-director of the CUNY SPH MS degree program in Health Communication for Social Change, and is the co-author of a textbook for college students on personal health with a focus on upstream determinants of health.
Jennifer Falbe University of California, Davis
Jennifer Falbe
Jennifer Falbe is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Human Development in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis. Dr. Falbe’s research focuses on policy and environmental interventions to prevent diet-related diseases and reduce health disparities. Dr. Falbe led an evaluation of the nation’s first soda tax in Berkeley, California. Her work has also focused on community-based policy development, healthy retail policies, testing warning labels for products high in added sugar, and multi-sector community interventions. Dr. Falbe employs quantitative and qualitative methods; experimental and observational designs; and community engagement.
Dante Gonzales Uprooted & Rising
Dante Gonzales
Dante Gonzales is currently based in North Orange County, CA, a guest on Acjachemen [Ah-Ha-Sheman] and Tongva lands. Inspired by their Mexican and Southern Louisianan cultures, food sovereignty is a core to Dante’s heart and praxis. Dante believes food heals, grounds us, and fuels the revolution. Through the context of their position, Dante is currently working with community partners in SELA (Southeast LA) around land-use and organizing with students across the country against Big Soda, and working with students and Indigenous peoples across the UCs in protection of sacred spaces.
Laura Schmidt School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco
Laura Schmidt
Laura A. Schmidt, PhD, is a Professor of Health Policy in the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. She holds a joint appointment in the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. She received her PhD training in sociology at UC Berkeley and while there, also completed doctoral coursework in public health. Dr. Schmidt seeks to understand how changing lifestyles are contributing to rising rates of chronic disease across the globe and what to do about it. Her work explores the growing pressures of globalizing economies, rising inequality, and the marketization of products that undermine our health. She works directly with policymakers to craft and implement evidence-based policies that reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods and other commercial products that harm human and planetary health.
April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Low-Calorie Sweetener Policy Considerations and Implications
Implementation of sugar reduction efforts (e.g., SSB taxes, front-of-pack labeling) may lead to an increase in use and consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS), some of which are linked to health harms, like aspartame, or haven’t been sufficiently tested for safety, like monk fruit extract.This raises important questions for advocates, scientists, and policymakers, such as: is it better to have lowered sugar content with LCS as replacements, or are the LCS replacements similarly or more worrisome for our health than higher sugar content? This session will feature speakers familiar with the implications of sugar reduction efforts on LCS use and expertise in food additive policy.
Thomas Galligan, PhD Center for Science in the Public Interest
Thomas Galligan, PhD
Thomas Galligan (he/him/his), as CSPI’s Principal Scientist for Food Additives and Supplements, is working to improve regulation of food chemicals and dietary supplements and get unsafe chemicals and ineffective supplements out of our food supply. Before joining CSPI, he was a Toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group where he led efforts to promote the use of safer chemicals in personal care products, foods, and other consumer goods and to educate consumers about the chemicals in the products they consume every day. Prior to that, Thomas worked as a Postdoctoral Associate and Instructor at Virginia Tech. He earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences with emphasis on toxicology, endocrinology, and environmental health from the Medical University of South Carolina. Thomas also earned a BS in Dairy Science from Virginia Tech.
Allison Sylvetsky, PhD The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
Allison Sylvetsky
Dr. Sylvetsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and is Director of the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition program at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Dr. Sylvetsky joined the GW faculty in 2014, prior to which, she was a post-doctoral fellow in the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch of NIDDK in the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She received a doctorate in Nutrition and Health Science from Emory University. Dr. Sylvetsky's research focuses broadly on obesity and diabetes in youth. Her primary research interests are in studying the consumption and health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages and low-calorie (artificial) sweeteners, with a key focus on their consumption during childhood.
Melanie Benesh Environmental Working Group
Melanie Benesh
Melanie Benesh provides legislative and regulatory analysis of federal food, cosmetics, and toxic chemical law and advocates for more health protective regulations from the FDA and EPA. She co-teaches a public interest advocacy and toxic chemicals law at Georgetown University Law Center.
Jim Krieger Healthy Food America and University of Washington
Jim Krieger
Jim Krieger, MD, MPH is Executive Director of Healthy Food America and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington Schools Public Health. He previously worked for 25 years at Public Health – Seattle & King County as Chief of Chronic Disease Prevention.He supports policy change to promote healthy eating and health equity through research, provision of technical assistance to policy makers and advocates, and direct advocacy. His work has led to improvements in school nutrition, implementation of the nation’s second menu labeling regulation, adoption of sugary drink taxes, sugary drink counter-marketing campaigns, and increased access to healthy foods for people with low incomes. He has provided technical assistance for adoption, implementation, and evaluation of sugary drink taxes in over forty localities and states in the US. He helped lead the successful campaign to adopt a tax in Seattle and co-chaired its Tax Community Advisory Board from 2018-2019. He has authored reports on centering taxes in equity and best practices in tax design. He has published numerous articles about sweetened beverage taxes in academic journals, including a recent one assessing the equity of tax payments and benefits. If you want more:His work has been funded by NIH, CDC, and private foundations. He has served on Institute of Medicine Committees focused on obesity prevention. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Innovation in Prevention Award. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard, MD at the University of California, San Francisco, and MPH at University of Washington.
Natalia Rebolledo Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Nutrition-Related Chronic Diseases (CIAPEC), Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile
Natalia Rebolledo
Postdoctoral researcher in charge of the Diet Unit at the Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Nutrition-Related Chronic Diseases (CIAPEC), INTA, University of Chile. She is a Dietitian with a Master's in Pediatric Clinical Nutrition from the University of Chile and a Ph.D. in Nutrition with a minor in Epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill. Her research is focused on evaluating the changes in sweetener intake after the Chilean Law on Food Labeling and Advertising. Her current postdoctoral grant studies the association between sucralose intake and metabolic outcomes in Chilean infants, preschoolers, and adolescents.
Jenny is Head of Nutrition at the Jamie Oliver Group and is particularly passionate about improving the food environment through policy change. She is on The Global Food Security Programme’s Strategy Advisory Board, Bite Back 2030’s Impact Advisory Board and works across a number of consultancy projects with health organisations including The Food Foundation, Impact on Urban Health and Sustain. Jenny was previously Campaign Manager at Action on Sugar and developed Healthy Weight Partnership (child weight management) programmes across the UK and North America. She has an MSc in Nutrition from Kings College London and is registered with the Association for Nutrition.
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April 27, 2023 02:10 pm EDT
Added Sugars & How We Can Subtract Them from School Meals
School meals provided through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program must meet nutrition standards for calories, total fat, sodium, and trans fat, yet there is currently no limit on added sugars. Meanwhile, school meals and products remain far too sugary, particularly school breakfast, and school-age children consume well above the recommended limit of added sugars (less than 10 percent of calories from added sugars). Hear from experts about the latest research and policy opportunities to address the issue.
Kristy Anderson, MPP American Heart Association
Kristy Anderson, MPP
Kristy Anderson, MPP, is the Director of Federal Government Relations at the American Heart Association and leads federal advocacy for nutrition, physical activity, wellness, and built environment. At the Association, Anderson works with federal policymakers to identify opportunities to promote cardiovascular health through measures aimed at primary prevention. Ms. Anderson has more than twenty years of experience in public health in both the non-profit sector and on Capitol Hill. Prior to working for the American Heart Association, Anderson was the Senior Federal Policy Analyst with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity, where she worked with federal policymakers and grantees across the country to identify and promote the most promising strategies to prevent childhood obesity. Anderson spent several years as the Health Legislative Analyst at the RAND Corporation in the Office of Congressional Relations, and began her health policy career in the office of United States Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), where she worked on health and disability issues, primarily focusing on constituent outreach and legislative duties.Ms. Anderson received her Master of Public Policy with a concentration in Global Medical and Health Policy at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government. She received a B.A. with a double major in Political Science and International Relations from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Additionally, Ms. Anderson is a member of the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society, which recognizes international scholars.
Karen Ehrens, RD, LRD Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Karen Ehrens, RD, LRD
Karen Ehrens is a registered dietitian and Director of Legislative and Government Affairs for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her experience includes administration of child nutrition programs at the state level, instructor of courses for school foodservice personnel, and coordinating North Dakota’s healthy state coalition and statewide anti-hunger coalition. She has provided testimony before the city commission, state legislature and the US Congress on proposed legislation impacting health and nutrition. She has gained hands-on understanding of programs, policy and people as a volunteer, serving and delivering meals to seniors, and as a board member of a farmers market and a local food development collaborative. Karen and her husband, a foodservice director, teach cooking classes focusing on fresh and local foods. Karen holds a Certificate in Public Health from the University of Minnesota and obtained undergraduate degrees from ND State University and Minot State University. She recently re-located to the DC area.
Laura Stadler, MS, RDN NYC Department of Health
Laura Stadler, MS, RDN
Laura Stadler is the Senior Manager for Food Standards in the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention at the NYC Health Department. In this capacity Laura oversees revisions to the NYC Food Standards and provides technical assistance to support NYC Agencies and voluntary partners with implementation of the City’s Food Standards. Prior to joining the NYC Health Department, Laura has ten years of experience applying the NYC Food Standards to meals purchased and served at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. Laura obtained her master’s degree in nutrition from NYU and is a registered dietitian.
Elizabeth Gearan Westat
Elizabeth Gearan
Elizabeth (Liz) Gearan is a Senior Study Director at Westat. She has nearly 20 years of experience conducting evaluations of federal nutrition assistance programs, with a focus on the school meal programs. Liz has expertise in assessing the nutritional quality of program menus and dietary intakes of various population groups from infants and toddlers through older adults. Prior to joining Westat, she was a Principal Researcher at Mathematica where she led numerous evaluations of the school meal programs for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Liz was the deputy project director on the FNS-sponsored School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, which was the first national, comprehensive assessment of the school meal programs after key reforms were made to the programs, including updated nutrition standards. For this study, she led analyses that examined the nutritional quality of school meals and students’ diets, including assessing levels of added sugars. Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion from Simmons College.
Samuel Hahn Center for Science in the Public Interest
Samuel Hahn
Sam Hahn is a Policy Coordinator at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, where his focus is on school nutrition standards, school milk, and Smart Snacks. He also supports CSPI’s regulatory efforts and policy work at the federal, state, and local levels. Before joining CSPI, Sam worked at the Chef Ann Foundation and ScratchWorks, supporting efforts to increase scratch cooking in schools. Sam works remotely from his home in Boulder, Colorado.
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Tuesday, April 25
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM Welcome and Introduction
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Plenary
2:15 PM - 2:25 PM Break
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM Workshop Sessions
3:25 PM - 3:30 PM Break
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Roundtable Discussions
4:00 PM - 4:05 PM Break
4:05 PM - 5:05 PM Workshop Sessions
5:05 PM Day Ends
Wednesday, April 26
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Plenary
2:00 PM - 2:10 PM Break
2:10 PM - 3:10 PM Workshop Sessions
3:10 PM - 3:20 PM Break
3:20 PM - 4:05 PM Roundtable Discussions
4:05 PM - 4:10 PM Break
4:10 PM - 5:10 PM Workshop Sessions
5:10 PM Day Ends
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Evening Event
Thursday, April 27
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Plenary
2:00 PM - 2:10 PM Break
2:10 PM - 3:10 PM Workshop Sessions
3:10 PM - 3:20 PM Break
3:20 PM - 3:50 PM Plenary Session
3:50 PM - 3:55 PM Break
3:55 PM - 4:55 PM Closing Plenary
4:55 PM - 5:10 PM Closing Remarks
5:10 PM Summit Ends
Summit Topics Will Include
Sugary Drink Taxes
How to Fight Preemption
Evidence for Added Sugar Reduction Policies
University Pouring Rights Contracts
Digital Food Marketing
Centering and Meaningfully Engaging Impacted Communities
Communicating About Disparities from an Equity Lens
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling
Water as a Viable and Appealing Alternative to Sugary Drinks
The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Advancing Sugar Reduction Policies
The Summit is hosted by Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 that works through advocacy, policy, education, and litigation to improve Americans diet and food supply.
CSPI has led efforts to:
Add trans-fat and added sugars content to the Nutrition Facts panel
Add major allergens to food labels
Pass the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act to remove soda and junk foods from schools and improve school meals
Add menu labeling to chain restaurant menus, supermarkets, and theaters
Pass the law to secure the original Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods in the 1990s
Yes, and we strongly recommend that you do. You will be provided with login details and can login before the Summit begins to ensure you are familiar navigating the online platform and have full access. If you find you need technical assistance, you should send an email to sugarsummit2023@getvfairs.io.
CSPI is pleased to organize a virtual Hill lobby day following the closing of the Summit. On Friday, April 28, participants will have the option to virtually “visit” their Congressional members’ offices to address the need to implement policies designed to reduce sugar and sugary drink consumption. Participation will require only 1-2 hours of your time.
Prior to our lobby day, we will prepare you to make the virtual visits and speak to your Congressional members. You do not need to have ever lobbied before! CSPI will organize the visits throughout the day on Friday, April 28 and at least one CSPI staffer will accompany you in the visit. Depending on the congressional office, your visit may also be combined with other people in your state or district.
Please note you can join a Hill visit even if you are not able to lobby (i.e., asking for support of legislation). For instance, many people who work in state government may not be able to lobby but can do policymaker education instead, in which case you are able to educate the Hill staffer about the issue—the impact of excess sugar and sugary drink consumption—but someone else in the meeting can do the lobbying (i.e., the “ask” to support legislation, etc).
People from your networks and organization—including those not attending the summit—are welcome to join the Lobby Day. If you're interested in learning more, please contact Colin Schwartz.
Speaker Name
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Dr. Olasumbo Adelakun
Dr. Olasumbo Adelakun is an Adjunct Professor at St. Bonaventure University teaching Global Leadership, an independent consultant and author. She has served as an assistant editor for various academic books and book chapters. Having lived on three continents, her penchant for improving the life experiences of others is reflected in her work as an educator, commitment to studying challenging human conditions, and helping to create opportunities to provide a voice and hope for change.
Dr. Delores V. Mullings
Dr. Delores V. Mullings rests on the shoulders of her African ancestor who have paved the way enabling her to be the first among many firsts. She is the first Black person, and only Black woman and mother to be hired in the School of Social Work and appointed to a senior administrative position at Memorial University. Her scholarship explores, mothering and parenting using critical pedagogies, including, anti-Black racism, Africentric theory and critical race theory.
Janthima Arimare
Janthima Arimare graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University in Thailand. After receiving her P.R. in Canada, Janthima proactively signed up for ESL classes and was quickly introduced to the HIPPY Program by her friend from class. As a mother of one son, Janthima felt motivated to start her job search. Currently, Janthima is working at the Gardens at Qualicum Beach, a long-term care centre, as a housekeeper, while she is also participating in the Health Career Access Program.
Renée E. Mazinegiizhigo-kwe Bédard
Renée E. Mazinegiizhigo-kwe Bédard is of Anishinaabeg/Kanienʼkehá꞉ka/French Canadian ancestry and a member of Okikendawt Mnisiing (Dokis First Nation). She holds a Ph.D. from Trent University in Indigenous Studies. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at Western University, Faculty of Education. Her research area of publication includes work related to Anishinaabeg mothering, maternal philosophy and cultural traditions.
Dr. Erin M. Sorrell
Dr. Erin M. Sorrell is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and a member of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University.
Dr. Sorrell works with partners across the U.S. government, international organizations, and ministries around the world to identify elements required to support health systems strengthening and laboratory capacity building for disease detection, reporting, risk assessment, and response. She is also interested in operational and implementation research questions related to sustainable health systems strengthening, with an emphasis on the prevention, management, and control of infectious diseases in humanitarian situations, and particularly countries and regions affected by conflict.
Dr. Sorrell co-directs the Biohazardous Threat Agents & Emerging Infectious Diseases M.S. Program. Erin received her undergraduate degree in animal science from Cornell University and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in animal science and molecular virology from the University of Maryland.
Dr. Zaje Harrell
Zaje A. T. Harrell, Ph.D. is a psychologist with a passion for integrating theory and praxis. She holds a joint doctorate in Psychology and Women’s Studies with expertise in mental health and community change. Dr. Harrell is the principal of Conscious Endeavor, LLC. Her work has spanned academic publications, public policy, and social change thought partnerships. She is a married mother of three residing in the greater Baltimore Maryland area. Her interests include writing and yoga.
Subhita Nair
Subhita Nair is a HIPPY Home Visitor from the Regina Immigrant Women's Centre.Subhita is a mother of children, holding a MBA degree in Finance while previously worked in Banking and Financial Services in India and Malaysia. Subhita currently volunteers at Greentech Resources in Regina and spends her free time knitting and crotcheting. As an avid lover of travelling, Subhita also speaks English, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil.
Debbie Bell
Debbie Bell is the founding Executive Director of HIPPY Canada. Debbie’s Masters Degree in Adult Education is combined with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of adult education and community development in socially excluded communities throughout North America.
As the founding Director of Simon Fraser University’s Community Education program, Debbie concentrated her work on the development of innovative strategies to create access to education for low literacy communities.
She has continued this work as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mothers Matter Centre, bringing the HIPPY program to more than 20 communities across the country in an effort to equip low-income and socially isolated parents to help their children succeed in school and life.
Dr. Andrea O'Reilly
Andrea O’Reilly, PhD, is full professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at York University, founder/editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Motherhood Initiative and publisher of Demeter Press. She is coeditor/editor of twenty plus books including Feminist Parenting: Perspectives from African and Beyond (2020), Mothers, Mothering, and COVID-19: Dispatches from a Pandemic (2021), Maternal Theory, The 2nd Edition (2021), and Monstrous Mothers; Troubling Tropes (2021).
She is editor of the Encyclopedia on Motherhood (2010) and co-editor of the Routledge Companion to Motherhood (2019). She is author of Toni Morrison and Motherhood: A Politics of the Heart (2004); Rocking the Cradle: Thoughts on Motherhood, Feminism, and the Possibility of Empowered Mothering (2006); and Matricentric Feminism: Theory, Activism, and Practice, The 2nd Edition (2021).
She is twice the recipient of York University’s “Professor of the Year Award” for teaching excellence and is the 2019 recipient of the Status of Women and Equity Award of Distinction from OCUFA (Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations).
Dr. Perlita R. Dicochea
Perlita R. Dicochea is a Communications/Events Associate for CCSRE and Program Coordinator for CCSRE's Mellon Arts Fellowship and Public Writing Fellowship. Previous to her position at CCSRE, she co-curated an exhibition on the life and times of Afro-mestiza healer, entrepreneur, and Mexican and Anglo-American era landowner Juana Briones at the Los Alto History Museum and taught Ethnic Studies at the high school and college levels.
Having earned her Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies at U.C. Berkeley with an affiliated discipline in Environmental Economics & Policy, she spent some time in academia as a professor in the fields of Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, Border Studies, Chicanx/Latinx Studies, and Environmental Racism & Justice.
Dicochea's chapter in Mothers, Mothering, and COVID-19: Dispatches from a Pandemic (Demeter Press, 2021) is titled ""A Single-Parent Multigenerational Family Testimony: Living Under COVID-19 and Other Orders in Silicon Valley."" She is Chair of the Diversity Advisory Committee at Los Altos History Museum and a Commissioner for the Santa Clara County Historic Heritage Commission. Perlita is mother to a 14-year-old chihuahua and two children, ages 5 and 6. You can learn more and connect here.
Dr. Margo Hilbrecht
Dr. Margo Hilbrecht is the Executive Director at the Vanier Institute of the Family. A family scholar, Margo completed her PhD at the University of Waterloo. Her research has focused on parents’ time use, employment, gender, and quality of life. She has worked in the not-for-profit sector for organizations including the former Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being, the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, and Greo, which specializes in knowledge translation and exchange focused on reducing harm from gambling.
Michelle Elliot
Michelle Eliot is an award-winning journalist and the host of CBC British Columbia’s weekday call-in show, BC Today, where she engages in conversation with listeners on the day’s top stories and on issues important to British Columbians.
Stacy Pascal
Stacy Pascal is from the Lil'wat Nation of BC and participates as one of the Home Visitor's of The HIPPY and SMART Program at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society .
