ABOUT
Erase the
STIGMA
Change the
CULTURE
As a registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, international speaker, and author, I’ve made it my mission to challenge the way we approach food insecurity in the US.
To make progress, we need to erase the stigma surrounding lack of access to food and help more Americans realize that none of us can be free when even one of us struggles with hunger.
My Story
For 15 years, I worked as a registered dietitian while making three catastrophic mistakes.
First, I jumped into nutrition education without asking if my clients had access to nourishing food—or could afford it.
Second, I assumed anyone who needed food stamps (now known as SNAP) was a product of generational poverty. And I thought food stamp participants were lazy and uneducated, more likely to care about cigarettes and drugs than healthy food.
And third, I believed anyone who did not live in poverty had access to a car and grocery store.
It wasn’t until I became a leader in the Community Voice Project, a national anti-hunger program, and president of a large food pantry that I discovered that these strongly misinformed assumptions were clouded by my perceptions, circumstances, and privilege.
Now I work to stamp them out!
The reality is that hunger lives in every zip code. Hidden hunger is an invisible crisis—and one that predominantly affects the working class.
I have given a lot of thought to how I want to spend the rest of my career, and here’s what I know…
Since my “hidden hunger awakening,” I live, learn, and lead with more courage and a better understanding of what it feels like to live with food insecurity.
I lift the hidden voices of hunger.
I speak my truth in an attempt to open eyes, minds, and hearts.
And I spend every day challenging what we think we know about ourselves, about each other, about food access, and about hunger.
Five Ways I’m Fighting
HIDDEN
HUNGER
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Raising national and local food insecurity awareness
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Encouraging access to healthy food everywhere
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Proposing solutions to nutrition problems
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Developing corporate and non-profit capabilities
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Helping communities “own the problem”
let’s connect
Learn More About Working With Me
What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Hunger?
The discussion around food insecurity and hidden hunger has its share of buzzwords.
Here are some of the terms we need to understand.
Hunger
The uneasy or
painful sensation
caused by a lack of
food.
Hidden Hunger
Hunger that stays
invisible for societal
reasons.
Food Insecurity
Inconsistent access
to the food needed
to have an active,
healthy life
Food (Nutrient) Security
Access by all
people, at all times,
to healthy,
nutrient-rich food.
Food Apartheid
Any urban area more
than a mile from a
grocery store, or rural
area more than 10.
The absence of shame or stigma around asking for food help. A place, both literal and figurative, that supports and honors everyone’s right to nourishing food at all times.
How You Can Help Stamp Out Food Insecurity
Book me on your stage or podcast to help spread the word about hidden hunger.
Hire me as your spokesperson or brand ambassador to position your company at the forefront of the fight.
Retain me as a consultant to help you improve nutrition outreach and increase food dignity.
Learn More About Working With Me
Hear from my Fellow Hunger Warriors
About Me
I transform the lives of thousands of people through my work with corporations, non-profit organizations, and universities, and in the keynote speeches and podcast interviews I give.
I’m also the founder of the Food Dignity® Movement, a strategic program for leaders who want to make access to healthy food a priority.
I’m an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Food Insecurity EPIC program and Ambassador of the National Dairy Council.
As the President of the Al Beech West Side Food Pantry, I have helped distribute more than 2 million meals in my community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, improving access to healthy food through effective collaborations.
Each week, I also host the Food Dignity® Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you find your favorite podcast.
Take the Next Steps
Let’s discuss appearing at your conference or on your podcast—or talk about how your brand, organization, or community can help fight hidden hunger.