Morning Keynote Address Mike Hamm Background Mike Hamm is the C.S. Mott Professor for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University. The group has been engaged in such activities as increasing farmers’ markets, increasing conventional growers' movement to organic, and increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables by limited-resource households. The group also is helping limited-resource farmers utilize asset building programs such as the earned income tax credit; is building partnerships with coalitions to promote community based food systems; and is identifying opportunities to link public health, economic development, community development, and community-based food systems. Hamm helped develop and was subsequently appointed to the Michigan Food Policy Council, representing institutions of higher education. He has served on the Community Task force of the Michigan Surgeon General's "Step's Up Campaign" to help Michigan residents adopt a more healthy lifestyle, and he served on the Michigan Department of Community Health's Cardiovascular Health Task Force to develop recommendations for a state plan to help prevent heart disease. Hamm also is credited for increasing the linkages at state and local levels between different sectors to improve the health and sustainability of communities. Prior to joining Michigan State University, Hamm served as chairperson for the Department of Nutritional Sciences for Cook College at Rutgers University, and was Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. Hamm is a member of the Michigan Food Policy Council, the National Resource Council Panel on Undergraduate Agricultural Education, the Editorial Board for the Journal of Agriculture and Human Values. He also is a member of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences; the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society; and the Community Food Security Coalition. Education Ph.D., Nutrition, University of Minnesota B.A., Biology, Northwestern University Lunch Keynote Address Devra Lee Davis Background Designated a National Book Award Finalist for, When Smoke Ran Like Water, 2002, Basic Books, Davis heads up the world's first Center on Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The multidisciplinary center includes experts in medicine, basic research, engineering and public policy, who will develop cutting-edge studies to identify the causes of cancer and propose policies to reduce the risks of the disease. Honored for her research and public policy work by various national and international groups, Davis is an Honorary Professor, London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Expert Advisor to the World Health Organization. Read more about Devra Lee Davis Speakers Molly D. Anderson Consultant, Food Systems Integrity Project Manager, Wallace Center Research Coordinator, Farm & Food Policy Project www.farmandfoodproject.org www.agassessment.org Molly D. Anderson consults on the interface of science and policy for social justice, ecological integrity and community-serving food systems. She is a Project Manager at the Wallace Center, developing indicators of sustainable food systems, and also Research Coordinator with the Farm & Food Policy Project, as well as a Coordinating Lead Author on the North America/Europe section of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development. Molly was employed by Oxfam America as Senior Program Officer, and then Interim Director of the US Regional Office. Prior to Oxfam, Molly was at Tufts University as a professor, administrator, partnership builder, and researcher. She co-founded and directed the Agriculture, Food and Environment Graduate Degree Program, was a Faculty Fellow in the University College of Citizenship & Public Service, and a national Food & Society Policy Fellow. Molly serves on the Governing Board of the Community Food Security Coalition, the Advisory Board of the Wallace Chair in Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, and the North America Steering Committee of Agribusiness Accountability Initiative. She is on the Editorial Boards of Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems and the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. Suzanne Briggs Healthy Eating Program Manager, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Suzanne Briggs is a consultant for Kaiser Permanente Northwest Community Health Initiative, Healthy Eating, Active Living. Her work is all-inclusive, from starting two Kaiser Permanente Farmers Markets to collaborating with Oregon hospitals on sustainable food purchasing programs, and in the Portland Metro region, working with policy makers to integrate food planning into city and county comprehensive plans. Suzanne co-founded the Hollywood Farmers Market, and was the marketing consultant for Oregon Fresh Market Growers Association, introducing member farmers to The Food Alliance Certification Program. During her tenure as President of the Oregon Farmers Market Association, she increased the number of farm markets from 35 to 70, co-authored the Oregon Farmers Market Food Safety Guidelines and designed the Oregon Farmers Market Association website. Suzanne is past chair of the Portland/Multnomah County Food Policy Advisory Council and is currently campaigning for Oregon's Farm to School Bill. Suzanne has created a sense of community throughout her career within global corporations, non-profits and her NE Portland Hollywood neighborhood. Yi-Chin Chen Director of Lifelong Learning and Economic Development, Hyde Square Task Force "Yi-Chin Chen is the Director of Lifelong Learning and Economic Development at Hyde Square Task Force. She designs and manages social service programs in both community-based and school-based settings. She is responsible for the creation and implementation of numerous HSTF programs, including Women Engaged in Physical Activities, and the Health Careers Ambassadors Program. She also serves as the primary liaison in health and economic development collaborations. Yi-Chin represents HSTF on several city and statewide committees, advisory boards, and initiatives on education, youth leadership, and community health, such as Harvard School of Public Health Community Engagement Committee, Children's Hospital Nutrition and Obesity Working Group, Boston Youth Service Network, Boston Food and Fitness Collaborative, and Boston After-School and Beyond Teen Initiative Working Group." She has a Master's Degree in Social Work from Boston University, with a specialization in Macro Social Work focusing on program planning and implementation and community organizing. Her case study on the HSTF Youth Community Organizing Initiative is currently being used as a course reading for Boston University Graduate School of Social Work. Helen E. Costello, MS, RD, LD Consultant, Nutrition Crossroads www.nutritioncrossroads.com Helen is a registered dietitian and a community food security consultant. She has 25 years experience with a breadth of practice in clinical and private nutrition consulting. Over the past 10 years she has focused on community nutrition, food security and linking nutrition to local agriculture. Helen's expertise includes agriculture, food and environmental policy and food security solutions for limited resource populations. She serves on the Advisory Council of the New Hampshire Center for a Food Secure Future, and the Advisory Council for the New Hampshire Food Bank. She most recently served on the New Hampshire Governor's Taskforce on Farm Viability and serves on the steering committee for Lighten' Up New Hampshire: Healthy Eating, Active Living. Helen is the immediate past Chair of the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition practice group of the American Dietetic Association. She has an M.S. in Animal and Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition, Agriculture, Food and Environment Program from Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Cindy Crawford, R.D. National Nutrition Services - Procurement & Supply, Kaiser Permanente http://kpnet.kp.org:81/procurementandsupply/NNS/ Cindy Crawford manages National Computer Applications for National Nutrition Services within the Procurement and Supply organization at Kaiser Permanente. As the Systems Manager for National Nutrition Services in Oakland, CA., she is responsible for menu planning, procurement of foods, computer systems support and automation of patient menus. "Streamlining patient menus to incorporate seasonal produce from local farms, removing trans fat from the patient menus, and providing healthy options in patient menus, vending and cafeterias through the Healthy Picks program is our goal in 2007." As a member of Kaiser Permanente's national Healthy Picks committee, Cindy supports facility nutrition managers implementing the Healthy Picks program in vending, cafeteria, and patient menus. Employed with Kaiser Permanente for the past 15 years, she obtained experience as an Administrative Dietitian, Assistant Director of Patient Services and Systems Manager at Kaiser Permanente's Fontana/Riverside medical centers. Cindy is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and the Food and Culinary Arts professional's group. She has a B.S. in Nutrition from Cal State University, Los Angeles, and completed a coordinated undergraduate program for registered dietitians. Cathy Crumbley, Program Director Lowell Center for Sustainable Production University of Massachusetts Lowell www.sustainableproduction.org Cathy Crumbley, Program Director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, has worked to promote more sustainable practices in industry and globally for the past 20 years. As program director, she manages the development of new projects as well as day-to-day activities of the Lowell Center. Previously, she managed the United Nations Environmental Program at Tufts University, and worked with the Coolidge Center for Environmental Leadership where she organized numerous workshops, conferences, and training programs on environmental issues and sustainable development for mid-career professionals and visiting scholars from throughout the world. She has conducted research, education, training, and communications projects at several firms and nonprofit organizations concerned with environmental and social justice issues. She currently serves on the steering committee for the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC) an emerging coalition that brings together environmental health advocates, recyclers/composters, farmers, rural development advocates, academics, businesses, and others to promote sustainability of biomaterials throughout their lifecycle. Marydale DeBor Vice Presidnet of External Affairs, New Milford Hospital Executive Director, New Milford Hospital Foundation Marydale DeBor is Vice President of External Affairs, New Milford Hospital and Executive Director of the New Milford Hospital Foundation, an acute care hospital in Connecticut, and member of the New York Presbyterian Health Care System. Marydale organizes a community-based initiative, sponsored by the hospital, entitled "Plow to Plate." The initiative is designed to: 1) transform New Milford Hospital's food service to a sustainable foods system, under the guidance of John Tureene/Sustainable Food Systems (working with an internal task force), and 2) provide public education activities, including a series of "sustainable food learning experiences," at a local farm that houses a cooking school, taught by the trio of farmer, chef and physician, culminating in the production of a DVD for distribution through the Connecticut Dept. of Agriculture, New Milford Hospital, and other non-profit organizations. Ms. DeBor is an attorney who began her career with a large international law firm, then formed a philanthropic advisory consulting business with a focus on healthcare philanthropy. She moved from New York City to Cornwall, Connecticut, and greatly prefers dairy cows to skyscrapers and subways. She welcomes any advice on pond eco-culture that conference participants may wish to offer. Rick J. Donahue, M.D. Visiting Scientist in Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health www.hsph.harvard.edu Rick Donahue, Visiting Scientist in Environmental Health at the Harvard School of Public Health is studying methods to reduce the human health impact of climate change through utilizing personal change theory, market-based theory, and public policy solutions to reducing our carbon dioxide footprints. Trained in Maine as a family physician, Dr. Donahue states, "Our patient's health is ultimately dependant on the planets good health. Physician's have both a responsibility and an opportunity to reduce environmental threats to human health especially the potentially catastrophic health risks of global warming caused by fossil fuels." Daniel English Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Cooley Dickinson Hospital Director of Food & Nutrition Services at Cooley Dickinson Hospital worked with CISA to bring local produce and local eggs to the Hospitals patients and staff meals. Signing the Health Care Without Harm pledge sealed our commitment and fueled us with ideas for the future. "When we started buying local produce two years ago I knew we were taking a small risk. However, the produce turned out to create a savings and the cooks were more satisfied with the quality of the product they worked with." Holly Freishtat, MS, CN Food and Society Policy Fellow www.noharm.org email: holly@cultivatehealth.com Holly Freishtat, Food Media Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm, is responsible for creating regional and national media awareness about healthy foods in healthcare. In addition, she is a Food & Society Policy Fellow, where she is developing a "Sustainable Food Procurement Toolkit" for marketing and educating healthcare employees, patients and visitors about local, healthy foods. Previously, as the Agricultural Marketing Director for Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland, Holly created a farm to healthcare pilot project in Washington that provides seasonal foods to hospitals and retirement communities while creating new markets for farmers. She has authored a gardening and cooking nutrition curriculum; created a "harvest of the season program" linking local farms with schools; and coordinated a media campaign for youth to design fruit and vegetable advertisements displayed in the County Metro Buses. She received her MS from Tufts University in Food Policy: Applied Nutrition in Agriculture, Food and the Environment and is a Washington State Certified Nutritionist. Kathleen Frith, M.S. Assistant Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School Kathleen Frith is the Assistant Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, contributing her experience in science and environmental communication to the Center's strategies, mission and programs. Kathleen directs the Center's Healthy Ocean, Healthy Humans, an international campaign in collaboration with aquariums and museums that educates the public about their human health dependence on the marine environment. For this project, she has produced exhibitry, educational curriculum, and an award winning short film. She is currently in production on another film to be shown internationally in museums and aquariums. In addition, Kathleen is the co-director of the Center's Healthy and Sustainable Food program that aims to educate the public on food that is both healthy and sustainable. Prior to joining the Center, Kathleen was the Public Information Officer for the Bermuda Biological Station for Research, a U.S. oceanographic institution in Bermuda, where she was involved in the development of the International Center for Ocean and Human Health. Kathleen is trained in science journalism, with a Master's degree from the Knight School of Science Journalism at Boston University, and a Bachelor's degree in marine biology from the University of California Santa Cruz. Susan Futrell, MFA Communications Manager, Red Tomato www.redtomato.org Susan Futrell is a writer and consultant specializing in communication and marketing in the field of sustainable food, agriculture and business. She has over 25 years experience in the natural and organic food industry. She is currently Communications Manager at Red Tomato, and also serves on the board of Women, Food and Agriculture Network and with the Leopold Center Regional Food Systems Working Group. She holds a B.S. degree in Geography and an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa. Jamie Harvie Health Care Without Harm, ISF Jamie Harvie is a civil engineer, and presently serves as both the Director of HCWH's Healthy Food in Health Care Project, and as Executive Director for the Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF), a not-for-profit organization based in Duluth, Minnesota. For the last two years he has coordinated HCWH's purchasing effort, which has resulted in a strong relationship between HCWH and the country's five largest Group Purchasing Organizations. Jamie also serves on the steering committee for the Green Guide for Healthcare Construction; design, construction, operations and maintenance guidelines for the healthcare industry. He was instrumental in negotiations with major pharmacy chains, which successfully resulted in a national voluntary phase-out of mercury thermometer sales. Mr. Harvie is a nationally recognized mercury expert and has been invited to speak internationally on pollution prevention. Together with his wife Nancy, they attempt to raise two happy, healthy, well adjusted children, Emma and Nathaniel. Martha Herbert, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School Pediatric Neurologist, Massachusetts General Hospital Member, Harvard-MIT-MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. Dr.Herbert directs the TRANSCEND Research Program (Treatment Research And NeuroSCience Evaluation of NeuroDevelopmental Disorders) studying why some autistic brains are unusually large, how parts of the brain are connected and coordinated, how body affects brain function, and how to measure changes in brain function resulting from treatment interventions. She received her medical degree from Columbia University and her PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She received the first Cure Autism Now Innovator Award, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Environmental Health Advisory Board of the Autism Society of America. Dr. Herbert's long-standing interest in food, nutrition and agriculture, is bolstered by owning a farm and increased familiarity with digestive system issues, food allergies and sensitivities common in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. Diane Imrie, MBA, RD Director of Nutrition Services, Fletcher Allen Health Care www.fletcherallen.org/nutrition Diane Imrie is the Director of Nutrition Services at Fletcher Allen Health Care. A Registered Dietitian, with 20 years in the field of nutrition and health care food service, Diane has facilitated the purchase and incorporation of local foods into the menu at Fletcher Allen. Those efforts resulted in Fletcher Allen receiving an honorable mention on the 2006 list of top ten Green Hospitals in America. Diane has spoken on the topic of sustainability at several national teleconferences, and Fletcher Allen has been recognized in many diverse publications, from Food Service Director magazine to the Maine Organic Farmer. Diane is currently co-authoring a cookbook on local food. She holds a Bachelor of Nutrition from McGill University, and a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. Hugh Joseph, PhD Assistant Professor, Adjunct Agriculture, Food and Environment (AFE) Program Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University Hugh Joseph serves as Assistant Professor (adjunct) in the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. In recent years his work has focused on Immigrant Farming, Community Food Assessment, and community food programs, and he continues to provide extensive training and technical assistance to community food programs on multiple topics. He started the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, an immigrant farming initiative, in 1998, and directed it until stepping down last fall. Joseph has spent his career developing community-based food, agriculture, and nutrition and food security initiatives at the local, regional and national levels. He is a founder of the Community Food Security Coalition, the National Immigrant Farming Initiative, New England Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, the Northeast Food System Partnership, the Boston Food and Fitness Initiative, and is active on several local and national coalitions. He co-started USDA's Community Food Projects and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. Joseph holds an MS and PhD in Nutrition from Tufts University. Julia Knott Sales Representative, Oké USA www.okeusa.com Julia Knott is a sales representative for Oké USA, a farmer co-owned fair trade banana company. She reaches out across the country to find new communities where people want to change what it means to eat a banana. Previously, Julia worked as an Organizer & Community Events Coordinator at Equal Exchange, the nation's first fair trade coffee company. A graduate of Seattle University with a major in French and Economics, she had the opportunity to volunteer in Ghana, Senegal, and Mexico. Deeply inspired by her travels, she pursued a career which supported grassroots economic empowerment of communities like the ones that she met in Ghana. She is Fluent in French, an avid cyclist, and loves to cook delicious veggie dinners with her friends. Marie Kulick, MSEL Senior Policy Analyst, Food and Health Program Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Marie Kulick is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and Co-Coordinator of Health Care Without Harm's (HCWH) Purchasing Work Group. Her primary focus is assisting hospitals, health systems and group purchasing organizations interested in buying environmentally preferable products including food that has been sustainably produced. Kulick has developed several HCWH documents to aide healthcare purchasers in choosing sustainably produced food, in addition to authoring Healthy Food, Healthy Hospitals, Healthy Communities, an IATP report (2005) highlighting the successful efforts of health care facilities to improve access to fresh, sustainably produced food. She has a B.A. in communications from McDaniel College and a master of studies in environmental law from Vermont Law School. Kathy Lawrence Consultant in Sustainable Food Systems Kathy Lawrence is an independent consultant in sustainable food systems, policy advocacy and collaborative processes. From 2000-2005, she was Executive Director of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, a network of diverse groups that shape and promote federal food and agriculture policies. In 1995, Kathy founded and directed Just Food, the New York City-based non-profit. Her achievements at Just Food include initiating Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in NYC and The City Farms urban agriculture and food access program. While developing the foundation for Just Food, Kathy coordinated public information, outreach and education for the New York and Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Groups (SAWGs) and worked on citizen advocacy at the United Nations. Kathy serves on the board of her town's farmers' market and indulges her passion for perennial gardening. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Kansas, and a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University. Lenard Lesser, MD Resident Physician, Tufts University Family Medicine Residency at Cambridge Health Alliance Lenard Lesser, MD is a resident physician in the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency at Cambridge Health Alliance in the Boston area. Dr. Lesser has been working to improve the food environment of communities for several years. As the American Medical Student Association's (AMSA) Obesity Policy Coordinator, he coordinated a national "No Soda Day" focusing attention on the negative effects of sugared drinks, and subsequently started AMSA's Healthy Hospitals Campaign to improve food offerings at hospitals. He published the largest study on the prevalence of fast food franchises in hospitals, which was featured in Modern Healthcare, Medscape, and Today's Dietician. While working at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, he helped conduct a study which eventually forced major hospitals in the U.S. to stop frying in hydrogenated oils. He continues his work on nutrition policy working with the National Physicians Alliance and many other coalitions. Dr. Lesser graduated with honors from Cornell University with a B.S. in Nutrition, and completed his medical training at the University of Rochester, receiving a degree with distinction in research. Walker T. Lunn Founding Member and Manager, EnviRelation, LLC www.envirelation.com Walker T. Lunn is the founding Member and Manager of EnviRelation, LLC, a food composting service to hospitality, healthcare and food related businesses. EnviRelation began operations in February 2006 with a goal of being the hospitality industry's first call for environmental sustainability, and is the result of work that Walker began as an undergraduate at Cornell University. In 2002, Walker managed a global research partnership between Conservation International, the Cornell University, Lausanne, the Scottish Hotel School, Hong Kong Polytechnic, Johnson State College, and BaliFocus studying barriers that prevented hotels from participating in environmentally sustainable practices. International response indicated that hotels lack products and services needed to be environmentally friendly. Concurrently, Walker was consulting to the World Bank, in Washington, DC on developing a food composting program for their office cafeterias, and experienced first-hand this lack of service providers. EnviRelation was founded to fill that gap. Walker has a degree in hotel administration, and certification as a PADI Scuba Instructor. He is passionate about ecotourism, and is working toward a career in to facilitate conservation of the natural environment. Alan Meyers, MD, MPH Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center Alan Meyers is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center. He has a special interest in child nutrition, including obesity, undernutrition, and iron deficiency among disadvantaged populations. He serves as staff pediatrician for Nutrition and Fitness for Life, Boston Medical Center's child and adolescent weight management program, and is co-chair of the Obesity Committee, Massachusetts Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics. Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D. L.D.N. Director of Nutrition, Brigham and Women's Hospital Teaching Affiliate, Harvard Medical School Co-Investigator, POUNDS Lost Kathy McManus is Director of Nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston and a Co-Investigator on an NIH funded obesity study, POUNDS Lost. Ms. McManus has participated in numerous research projects, a group leader for the Women's Health Initiative, a co-investigator on an obesity study examining the effects of a moderate fat vs. low fat diet, and her current position as Co-investigator on the POUNDS Lost Study. She has presented her research nationally and internationally, and has authored and co-authored numerous publications and book chapters. Ms McManus is the recipient of the many Distinguished Service Awards, has received the American Dietetic Association's Mary C. Zahasky Scholarship Award, and the Partner's In Excellence Individual and Team Award at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. She serves on a number of leadership committees including the Brigham and Women's Hospital Women's Health Center's Medical Leadership Committee, the Diabetes Advisory Committee, and the Obesity Research Committee. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Association. She holds a B.S. in Nutrition from Simmons College, and an M.S. in Nutrition from Framingham State College. Claire Morenon Program Assistant, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) www.buylocalfood.com Claire Morenon is the Program Assistant for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), a non-profit based in South Deerfield, MA. CISA links farmers and communities to strengthen agriculture and enhance the economy, rural character, environmental quality, and social well-being of western Massachusetts. Claire has worked for CISA since June 2006. Claire facilitates the Women in Agriculture programming and assists in CISA's Local Hero Campaign, Senior FarmShare, Workplace CSA, Farm to School, and Farm Sales to Institutions Programs. Prior to working for CISA, she worked on fruit and vegetable farms in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Claire graduated with a degree in Political Science from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. Barb Mueller, RD, LD, MBA Food and Nutrition Specialist, MedAssets Supply Chain Systems Barb Mueller is the Food and Nutrition Specialist for the eastern region with MedAssets Supply Chain Systems. Prior to MedAssets, Barb worked for Sysco Food Services, Chicago as the Healthcare Program Account Specialist where she managed corporate and local healthcare contract business. She was also an executive dietitian with Aramark and a dietitian consultant. She has experience in sales and account management in the foodservice management software industry, and in sales and management with a Chicago-based food distributor. She is a registered and licensed dietitian with an MBA, and has worked as a clinical dietitian in both acute and long-term care settings. Alison Negrin Executive Chef, John Muir Health System www.johnmuirhealth.com Alison Negrin is Executive Chef for John Muir Health System. She is responsible for writing patient and cafeteria menus for the three John Muir campuses, as well as developing dishes and menus for a variety of catered events hosted by the hospital system. Ms Negrin had been executive chef at noted restaurants such as Chez Panisse, Bridges and Ginger Island. Like many commercial chefs, she migrated to the noncommercial foodservice world in order to have more time for herself and her family, but chose the healthcare segment out of a growing interest in nutritional issues. Additionally, she has facilitated the foundation of the Healthy Food for Hospital Committee which works to encourage purchasing local sustainable foods, minimizing waste and educating employees and patients about these initiatives. Recently, Alison has joined with Lucia Sayre from Physicians for Social Responsibility and other bay area chefs and food service directors to form the Bay Area Hospital Leadership Team. The group meets monthly, sharing best practices, and utilizing group purchasing power to increase sustainable purchasing. Rick North Project Director, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility's Campaign for Safe Food Rick North is the project director for the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility's Campaign For Safe Food, which was initiated in 2003 and addresses concerns with genetically engineered foods. He has written numerous newspaper articles and op-ed pieces, been a spokesman on television and radio, and presented at numerous sustainable food conferences. He has consulted with and presented to several national companies, including Starbucks, Bon Appetit, Horizon Dairy and Chipotle Restaurants and worked with Health Care Without Harm on hospital food issues since 2005. Rick previously worked with the American Cancer Society, completing his service as CEO of the Oregon Division. He was also managing director of the Northwest Earth Institute in Portland. Rick has a B.A. from Mt. Union College in Alliance, Ohio and a M.A. in history from Akron University. Preston Maring, MD Associate Physician-in-Chief, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Dr. Preston Maring is the Associate Physician-in-Chief at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland. He is responsible for tertiary care services planning for Oakland's and Northern California's health plan members. Dr. Maring is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Michigan and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Oakland Medical Center in 1974. Dr. Maring's passion is cooking with the best and freshest ingredients. He established the Friday Fresh Farmers' Market at the Oakland Medical Center in May 2003, featuring growers approved by the California Certified Organic Farmers' Association. There are now 35 markets at Kaiser Permanente facilities in 6 states and the District of Columbia with plans for more. The innovation and spirit of local facility sponsors have resulted in different market models, a pilot inpatient food system change featuring small family farmers, community outreach and a program-wide focus on healthy eating. Dr. Maring has personally supported the development of many of these markets. Karen Purdy-Reilly, RD, LDN Director of Food Services, Brigham and Women's Hospital Karen Purdy-Reilly is the Director of Food Services for Brigham and Women's Hospital, which serves over 1500 patient meals and 4000 cafeteria transactions per day. A registered dietitian with 20 years experience in healthcare food services, Karen is responsible for food purchasing and food service operational decisions. For the past 4 years, Karen has been spearheading the renovation of the department's kitchens to implement full house Room Service. As part of the Room Service model, healthier menu options have been provided to patients, and have received positive patient feedback. Brigham and Women's is a founding member of the Partners Healthcare System. Karen is active in Partners Healthcare Food Service Advisory Committee, a joint effort by the other Partners Healthcare Food Service Departments to collaborate on projects. Karen is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the National Society for Healthcare Foodservice Management (HFM). She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from Framingham State College. Susan Lynn Roberts, JD, MS, RD Director of the Food and Society Policy Fellowship, Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute Drake University Law School Agricultural Law Center www.jeffersoninstitute.org www.law.drake.edu/centers Susan Roberts is the Director of the Food and Society Policy Fellowship funded by WK Kellogg Foundation through the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute. The fellowship works to enhance communication regarding food, food systems, agriculture and health to affect national policy. Ms. Roberts also works on staff at the Drake University Law School Agricultural Law Center analyzing food policy as it relates to food security, sustainable agriculture, and health. Ms Roberts is committed to developing strategies for health, promoting just, sustainable food systems, catalyzing greater health among individuals, environments, and nations. She seeks to integrate professional expertise and education of food, health, food systems, and law through a variety of avenues to affect food systems through policy. Ms. Roberts received her Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics, Food and Nutrition from Iowa State University, a Master of Science degree in Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, and her Juris Doctorate of Law with honors from Drake University School of Law with special certificates in both Food & Agricultural Law and Legislative Practice. Michael Rozyne Founder and Managing Director, Red Tomato www.redtomato.org Michael Rozyne is founder and managing director of Red Tomato, a not-for-profit marketing organization whose mission is connecting farmers and consumers through marketing, trade, and education. Red Tomato holds a passionate belief that a family-farm, locally-based, ecological, fair trade food system is the way to a better tomato. Red Tomato coordinates distribution of produce from several dozen family farmers to supermarkets in greater metropolitan Boston. Before Red Tomato, Michael co-founded and served as director of marketing for Equal Exchange, a fair trade food business that trades directly with small farmer coffee-cocoa-tea cooperatives in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. He has also been head buyer and marketing manager for Northeast Cooperatives in Vermont, and was marketing manager for Estabrook Farm in Maine, a diversified vegetable and greenhouse operation. Maria Simmons Manager of Patient Food Service, Swedish Covenant Hospital Maria L. Simmons is the Manager of Patient Food Service at Swedish Covenant Hospital, and has been involved in Health Care Foodservice for 20 years. She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with membership in the American Dietetic Association and affiliations with the Management and Culinary practice groups. Ms. Simmons has spearheaded Swedish Covenant Hospital's movement toward Tall Grass-Fed Beef and Organic Produce from Goodness Greenness for patients, and has implemented an authentic Korean and Hispanic menu prepared in house from scratch. The result has been great acceptance from patients, as well as local and national recognition for her efforts. Future goals include expanding the line of Organic and Grass Fed menu items, with special focus on developing relationships with local farmers. Swedish Covenant Hospital looks forward to the facilitation of this effort with the Green City Market. John Stoddard Program Assistant, Oregon Center for Environmental Health www.oregon-health.org John Stoddard is the Program Assistant for the Oregon Center for Environmental Health in Portland, Oregon where he works with healthcare systems on incorporating biobased food ware into their food service and composting systems. He has experience working on institutional and municipal food waste collection and composting programs. John has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, LD Consultant, Environmental Nutrition Solutions www.environmentalnutritionsolutions.com Angie is a registered dietitian and a public health and sustainable food systems advocate. With more than 15 years of experience working in public health and community nutrition settings, Angie brings knowledge and expertise in food accessibility, community health planning, local food systems and sustainable living. Her business takes an ecological approach to food and health through the development of sustainable community-based food systems. Angie is the managing editor for the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, member of the American Dietetic Association Sustainable Food System Task Force, past chair of the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association, member of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Regional Food System Working Group, and an advisory member for the Organic Grassfed Beef Cooperative. John Turenne President and Founder Sustainable Food Systems, LLC www.sustainablefoodsystems.com John Turenne is the president of Sustainable Food Systems, a consulting and technical services company whose mission it is to help organizations consider social, ecological and delicious differences in their business through the way they think about food. He is nationally recognized for a culinary career that has encompassed over 25 years in the food industry. John is the former Executive Chef for Aramark Corporation at Yale University where his accomplishments included the original design, development and implementation of the internationally recognized Yale Sustainable Food Project. Recent work has included collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America, Harvard Medical School, The New Hampshire Department of Education, Kaiser Permanente and several public hospitals and school systems as well as the international work of The Sustainable Food Laboratory. He has presented at the National Food Security Coalition Meeting, the Princeton Food, Environment and Ethics Conference, The Annual Meeting for the National Association of Independent Schools, and King Baudouin Foundation in France. Darren Victory Portfolio Executive, Novation www.novationco.com Darren Victory is a Portfolio Executive for Novation, the supply company for VHA and UHC. As a Portfolio Executive, Darren manages multiple food and facility contracts as well as facilitating dialogue with members on specific needs within the supply chain. Prior to joining Novation, Darren was retail director at Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was responsible for all retail and catering operations for 4 hospitals and 2 long term care facilities for the largest health system in Louisiana. He was also responsible for integrating all retail, catering, patients and purchasing operations under one centralized system to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Before joining Willis-Knighton, Darren was a manager in the restaurant business with Morrison's Cafeteria Chain. Darren's passion for the industry is to transform hospital food into a retail customer focused operation. He has been involved in HFM and ASHFSA for several years and is a former Chip Award winner and Spotlight Award winner. He graduated from Henderson State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. David Wallinga, MD, MPA Director, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy www.iatp.org David Wallinga, MD, MPA, is Director of the Food and Health Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Dr. Wallinga applies a systems perspective to the intersection of public health, agriculture, food and the environment. His expertise includes the impacts of food contamination and the means of food production on human health, including impacts on obesity and ecological health, inappropriate use of antibiotics and arsenic in livestock and poultry. Dr. Wallinga has researched and advocated around the impacts of early-life exposures to neurotoxins, including many found in fish and other foods, on brain and nervous system function in children and adults, and on developing brains and other organs in fetuses and children. He has authored "Playing Chicken: Avoiding Arsenic in Your Meat", "Poultry on Antibiotics: Hazards to Human Health", as well as "Putting Children First: Making Pesticide Levels in Food Safer for Infants & Children". He is a co-author of "In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development" and co-developer of the Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit. He received a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School, a Masters degree from Princeton University, and a Bachelors from Dartmouth College. Aliza Wasserman Institutional Outreach Coordinator, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) www.caff.org Aliza Wasserman is Institutional Outreach Coordinator for Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) which helps bring fresh local produce to hospital food systems in California. Working closely with food service institutions and a produce consolidator and distributor, CAFF works to support sustainable, small and family-scale agriculture. With support from Physicians for Social Responsibility and Kaiser Permanente, Aliza provides technical assistance for hospitals and schools to incorporate, evaluate and communicate local, seasonal, nutritious, cost-effective and low-carbon produce. Prior to joining CAFF, Aliza worked in the corporate social responsibility field, exploring the strategic and environmental benefits of local procurement for large companies. Hermine Levey Weston, RN Director of Performance Improvement, Shriners Hospital for Children www.shriners.com/Hospitals/Springfield/ Hermine directs Performance Improvement at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield Massachusetts. Shriners Hospital provides surgical and therapeutic treatment for conditions of the bones, muscles and joints to children from birth to 18 years of age. This care is provided at no charge to the patient's family, insurance company or any governmental agency through the generosity of the Shriners Hospital endowment fund, the Shrine Fraternity and the generosity of the general public. Hermine coordinates quality improvement initiatives, the patient safety program and regulatory compliance. She leads the hospital's Green Team, which performed the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment self assessment. This assessment in the kitchen identified exciting opportunities to increase recycling efforts, reduce solid waste disposal through composting, use of local produce and other environmentally preferred purchases. Educated at the University of Vermont and Springfield Technical Community College, Hermine's interest in composting and local food production dates back to her student years when she worked on dairy farms during summer vacations in the Champlain Valley. She volunteers with organizations in Greater Springfield, including Board membership at Jewish Family Services of Western Massachusetts, the Safe Kids Coalition, and Pioneer Valley Free Health Services Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr. P.H. Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition Chair, Department of Nutrition Harvard School of Public Health www.hsph.harvard.edu Dr. Walter Willett is Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Willett has focused much of his work studying the effects of diet on the occurrence of major diseases. He has applied these methods starting in 1980 in the Nurses' Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Together, these cohorts that include nearly 300,000 men and women with repeated dietary assessments are providing detailed information on long-term health consequences of food choices. Dr. Willett has published articles, and has written the books, Nutritional Epidemiology; Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, and Eat, Drink and Weigh Less co-authored with Mollie Katzen. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the recipient of many national and international awards for his research.     © Copyright FoodMed 2007