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NIFA’s Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series

Join USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for its Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series. The series features speakers across a range of backgrounds and disciplines as they lead discussions about NIFA relevant approaches to advancing food and nutrition security through research, education, and extension.

Background

As explained on our Food and Nutrition Security Topic Page, NIFA recognizes nutrition as a cost-effective approach to address many of the societal, environmental, and economic issues faced across the globe today. NIFA works to ensure a safe, nutritious, and secure food supply while also developing, delivering, and disseminating evidence-based nutrition education and promotion to prevent chronic diseases, improve health, and prioritize nutrition security. NIFA partners with the Land-Grant University System and government, private, and non-profit organizations to support science. Our agency also invests in developing nutrition scientists across all stages of professional development to use an integrated approach to prioritizing nutrition security and ensuring sustainable agricultural systems through research, education, and extension. NIFA invests more than $129 million in research, education, extension, and innovation to advance USDA’s goal to tackle food and nutrition insecurity. Launched in June 2021, NIFA uses our NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series to shine light on our integrated approach through research, education, and extension to advance food and nutrition security. We are also using this series to learn from external stakeholders’ working this area and hear from our webinar attendees how we can further our efforts to tackle food and nutrition insecurity. We invite anyone interested in learning more about NIFA’s efforts in food and nutrition security to register for upcoming webinars, or view past recordings.

Future webinars

Details for future webinars will be shared here.

Past Webinars

NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series: Promoting Indigenous Food Sovereignty

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 8th, 2023, at 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm ET

Moderators:

  • Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, National Science Liaison – Food Safety and Nutrition and NIFA Nutrition Security Team Co-Chair
  • Shelly-Bright Manga, Pathways Intern

Panelists:

  • Heather Dawn Thompson,  JD, Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, USDA
  • Erin Riley, MS, National Program Leader, Division of Community and Education, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, NIFA, USDA
  • Janyce Woodard, MSE, National Program Leader, Division of Community and Education, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, NIFA, USDA
  • Suzanne Stluka, PhD, RDN, Deputy Director, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, NIFA, USDA  
  • Natalie Christopherson, Tribal Affairs Technical Advisor, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA 
     

Details: Event Details

NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series: Promoting Youth Voice

Date & Time: Monday, November 6th, 2023, at 3:30 to 4:30 pm ET

Moderators:

  • Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, Senior Technical Advisor on Nutrition Security on joint detail between NIFA and USDA Food and Nutrition Service
  • Shannon Horrillo, PhD, Division Director of Nutrition, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, NIFA, USDA 
  • Shelly-Bright Manga, Pathways Intern

Panelists:

  • Maurice Smith, Jr., PhD, National Program Leader, Institute of Youth, Children, and Communities, NIFA, USDA 
  • Suzanne Stluka, PhD, RDN, Deputy Director, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, NIFA, USDA   
  • Andrea Maisonet-Sanchez, USDA Agricultural Research Service Northern Crops Science Laboratory Student Intern, National 4-H College Liaison 
  • Kate McHale, Cornell University, National 4-H College Liaison  
     

Details: Event Details

NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series: An Overview of NIFA’s Local and Regional Food Systems Relevant Funding Opportunities

Date & Time: Tuesday, October 3rd, at 11:30 am to 1:00 pm ET

Moderators:

  • Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, National Science Liaison – Food Safety and Nutrition and NIFA Nutrition Security Team Co-Chair 
  • Shelly-Bright Manga, Pathways Intern 

Panelists:

  • Sarah Rocker, PhD, National Program Leader, Division of Family and Consumer Sciences, Institute of Youth, Children and Families 
  • Charlotte Tuttle, PhD, NIFA National Program Leader, Division of Agricultural Systems, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability 
  • Amy Ganguli, PhD, National Program Leader, Division of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and the Environment 
  • Mallory Koenings, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader, Division of Nutrition, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition  
  • Lydia Kaume, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader, Division of Nutrition, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition 
  • Jodi Williams, PhD, National Program Leader, Division of Food Safety, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition  
  • Vance Owens, PhD, National Program Leader, Division of Plant Systems, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability 
     

Details: Event Details

 

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NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar: An Overview of NIFA’s Food Loss and Waste Relevant Funding Opportunities

Date & Time: Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 1:00 to 2:30 pm ET

Moderators:

  • Suzanne Stluka, PhD, NIFA Deputy Director, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition
  • Rebekah Hanson, MS, NIFA Program Specialist, Division Agricultural Systems, Institute Food Production and Sustainability
  • Taylor Reed, MS, NIFA Program Specialist, Division of Plant Systems Protection, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability

Panelists:

  • Jean Buzby, PhD, USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison
  • Vicki Finkenstadt, PhD, NIFA National Program Leader, Division of Bioenergy, Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment
  • Charlotte Tuttle, PhD, NIFA National Program Leader, Division of Agricultural Systems, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability
  • Lydia Kaume, PhD, RDN, NIFA National Program Leader, Division of Nutrition, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition
  • Helen Chipman, PhD, RDN NIFA National Program Leader, Division of Nutrition, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition
  • Ashley Mueller, PhD, National Program Leader, Division of Consumer and Family Services, Institute of Youth, Family and Community
     

Details: Event Details

Relevant Programs per Institute:

 

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National 4-H Conference Nutrition Security Roundtable Team Youth Perspectives on Tackling Food and Nutrition Insecurity

Date & Time: August 23rd 2022 at 5:00 PM to 6PM ET

Panelists:

  • Kate McHale, N4HC College Liaison, New York (Moderator)
  • Abby Frizzell, Arkansas
  • Madeline Hall, Connecticut
  • Krysten Hood, Florida
  • Mindy Moradi, Oregon
  • Sara Newsome, Ohio
  • Logan Pickhinke, Iowa
  • Carrington Robertson, Alabama
  • Claire Turpel, Massachusetts
  • Anita Van, Minnesota

Additional National 4H Conference Nutrition Security Team Members

  • Tamiyah Davis, Missouri
  • Leah Szczepanski, Georgia
  • Allyson Aves, Illinois
  • Kacie Clark, Arkansas

NIFA 4-H and Youth Development Staff:

  • Shannon Horrillo, PhD, Division Director for Youth and 4-H
  • Jeff Sallee, PhD, Acting Division Director of Family and Consumer Services
  • Annie Ceccarini, National Program Leader in the Division of Youth and 4-H
  • Maurice Smith, Jr, PhD, National Program Leader in the Division of Community and Education
  • Bonita Williams, PhD, National Program Leader in the Division of Youth and 4-H
  • Christopher Petty, MS, Program Specialist in the Division of Youth, and 4-H
  • Keesha Corbin, MPH, Program Specialist in the Division of Youth, and 4-H
  • Andrea Wikiera, Program Specialist in the Division of Youth and 4-H

Details: Event Details

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EFNEP: A Model of Cooperation and Collaboration, Resulting in Improved Nutritional Health and Wellbeing of Families with Limited Financial Resources

Date & Time: July 18th 2022  2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

Panelists

  • Dr. Helen Chipman, NIFA National Program Leader for Food and Nutrition Education, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Division of Nutrition
  • Dr. Carinthia Cherry, NIFA National EFNEP Coordinator, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Division of Nutrition
  • Ms. Shewana McSwain, MS, EFNEP Nutrition Outreach Coordinator, North Carolina A&T University
  • Ms. Catalina Aragón, MS, Public Health Nutrition Specialist, Washington State University

Details: Event Details

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NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar Series - An App And A Carrot: An Overview Of The Evolution And Impacts Of VeggieBook

Date & Time: June 7th, 2022 at 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm ET      

Panelists:

  • Dr. Susan Evans, Research Scientist, University of Southern California
  • Dr. Peter Clarke, Professor Emeritus of Communication, University of Southern California

Details: Read more details

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Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program: Overview, Impacts & Opportunities

Date: April 26, 2022

Speakers: Mallory Koenings, Amy Yaroch, Holly A. Parker, Hilary Seligman, & Carmen Byker Shanks

Breakout Room Facilitators: Adrienne Udarbe & Ian Finch

Details: See event details

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Internships: Perspectives from NIFA Nutrition Security Team Members

Date: March 29, 2022

Speakers:  Ryan Kornegay, Giselle Caceres; Prali Chitnis; Jodi Williams; “Steve” Shoushan Zeng

Details: See event details

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Honoring and Celebrating Black History Month: The Role of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Other Allied Health Professionals

Date: February 23, 2022

Speakers: Lydia Kaume, Sara Bleich, Elizabeth Campbell, Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt, Judith Camele Anglin, Angie Tagtow, Alison Brown, Deirdra Chester, Cheryl Jackson-Lewis

Details: See event details

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Prioritizing Nutrition Security: Cooperative Extension's National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being

Date: January 25, 2022

Speakers: Suzanne Stluka, Dawn Burton, Mike Gutter, Latoya O’Neal, Roger Rennekamp, and Erin Yelland

Details: See event details

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Strengthening Intersections between Climate Change, Food Systems, and Nutrition Security: NIFA's Aims & Activities

Date: October 20, 2021

Speakers: Keesha Corbin (moderator), Robert Godfrey, Kevin Kephart, Emma Moran, Amy Ganguli, Lydia Kaume, and Megan O’Rourke.

Details: See event details

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Prioritizing Nutrition Security: Emerging Approaches in Research and Practice

Date: September 27, 2021

Panelists:

Webinar Materials:

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Prioritizing Nutrition Security: NIFA Elevates Youth and Families

Date: August 31, 2021

Panelists: 

  • Cassandra Huey, PhD, Program Specialist in the Division of Community and Education and NIFA Nutrition Security Team Executive Coordinator
  • Brent Elrod, MS, Acting Director of the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences (at the time of the presentation)
  • Keith Harris, PhD, National Program Leader in the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Keesha Corbin, MPH, Program Specialist in the Division of Youth and 4-H
  • Crystal Kyle, PhD, Biological Science Specialist in the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Christopher Petty, MS, Program Specialist in the Division of Youth and 4-H
  • Jeff Sallee, PhD, National Program Leader in the Division of Youth and 4-H
  • Jessica Turner, PhD, Biological Science Specialist in the Institute of Youth, Families and Community
  • Sydney Turner, BA, Program Specialist in the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Bonita Williams, PhD, National Program Leader in the Division of Youth and 4-H

Webinar Materials:

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Prioritizing Nutrition Security: NIFA’s Role in Cultivating Future Farmers and Ranchers

Date: July 28, 2021

Panelists: 

  • Cassandra Huey, PhD, Program Specialist in the Division of Community and Education and Executive Coordinator NIFA Nutrition Security Team
  • Desiree Rucker, Program Specialist in the Division of Agricultural Systems
  •  Sara Cross, Mudbone Grown, LLC

Webinar Materials:

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NIFA Nutrition Security: An Overview of Current Activities & Aims

Date: June 24, 2021

Panelists: 

  • Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, National Science Liaison – Nutrition and Food Safety and NIFA Nutrition Security Team Co-Lead
  • Carrie Castille, PhD, Director
  • Helen Chipman, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader in the Division of Nutrition
  • Mallory Koenings, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader in the Division of Nutrition
  • Lydia Kaume, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader in the Division of Nutrition
  • Lisa Jahns, PhD, RDN, National Program Leader in the Division of Nutrition
  • Giselle Caceres, MPH Candidate, NIFA Intern

Webinar Materials:

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Sheila Fleischhacker
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