EVENTS

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

• I want to assist WIC programs to be successful. To work with other board members to make changes to the WIC program go smoothly. To make sure that WIC program concerns are heard and addressed.
  

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

• I was a WIC Coordinator for 4 years for the Tri-County WIC Program and I was promoted to Executive Director of the agency in 2022. We have both small and large, rural and urban WIC sites so I’m am aware of strengths and challenge of different type of programs. We have 32 staff in our WIC and Peer Counselor programs. I been on many boards and held officer positions. I work with our board directly as part of my position responsibilities.

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

•  I have always been passionate about nutrition and loved having the opportunity to work in the public sector at WIC with well over 29 years of demonstrated leadership experience in nutrition and dietetic practice. As a WIC Coordinator I am committed to ensuring my WIC Program provides the highest quality of nutrition services to the participants, overall improving health outcomes of the most vulnerable populations in the poorest communities. I strongly believe in the WIC Programs mission and for the past two years I have served on the Metro WIC Association Board as the treasurer. I would love to serve on the NYS WIC Association Board because I can advocate for WIC participants and improve upon services provided.  Being on both boards would allow me to address issues at both the local and state level.
  

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

•  I have well over 29 years of experience working for the WIC Program both as a Nutrition Supervisor at Jamaica Hospital WIC Program and as a WIC Coordinator at Catholic Charities of Long Island.  I pursued my Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and food Science at Hunter College and my Master’s in Nutrition Education at Queens College. Upon acceptance into Queen College’s Dietetic Internship Program I pursued my dream of becoming a Registered Dietitian.  I always had a passion to counsel parents of children with special needs and worked both in WIC and Early intervention for many years teaching families healthy eating habits and encouraging them to adopt a healthier lifestyle. 

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

•  I have had the opportunity to serve on the Board and on various committees for the WIC Association of NYS and have witnessed firsthand the work that the board and committee members do to improve the NYS WIC Program.  From this experience, I have a good understanding of the commitment, time, and effort it takes to be on the Board of Directors. As past chair, I am also dedicated to working with the current chair to assist her in the transitioning to this new role. 

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

•  I have been a WIC Program Director for almost 20 years with varied experience within the WIC Program which gives me a thorough understanding or program policies. I have good communication skills which allow me to communicate effectively with board members, state, regional office and local agency WIC staff. I have gained a great deal of knowledge in advocating for the WIC Program on a local and national level which I feel will be a priority for the WIC Association in the upcoming years.  

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

• I became involved as a Board Member in December 2016 and feel that my involvement on the board has helped shape myself professionally while developing more of a passion for the WIC Program. I enjoy becoming immersed into all things WIC. I would love to continue on the board and serve as a liaison between the WIC Association of NYS and the Central Region.

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

•  I have been serving WIC families for nearly eight years as both a Qualified Nutritionist and Site Manager in Northern New York, part of the Central Region. I work directly with our WIC families daily and love the interaction with participants. I serve as a local agency expert helping to train and support staff in the use of NYWIC.  I am always looking to expand my professional development and knowledge in community partnerships and WIC and had the opportunity to join the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors in December of 2016. I currently participate in the Nutrition and Breastfeeding Committee, Marketing and Membership Committee and recently joined the Outreach Ad-Hoc Committee. I also currently serve as a Co-Chair of the Consumer/Vendor Committee. 

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

• Advocacy for women and children: Serving as a board member for the WIC association allows me to actively contribute to the well-being and empowerment of women and children. It provides an opportunity to be part of an organization that focuses on promoting the health and nutrition of women and children, advocating for their rights, and supporting their overall development.
• Expertise and experience: Being a board member will allow me to share my expertise and experience in areas such as public health, nutrition, social services, or policy development. By utilizing my knowledge and skills, I can contribute to the decision-making process, strategic planning, and implementation of initiatives to improve the lives of women and children.
• Networking and collaboration: Being a board member often involves working closely with other professionals, community leaders, and stakeholders. This can lead to valuable networking opportunities and collaborations with individuals who share a common interest in women's and children's well-being. Such connections can enhance my personal and professional growth and foster positive change within the organization.
• Leadership and impact: Serving on the board allows me to play a leadership role and have a direct impact on the direction and activities of the association. By participating in decision-making, setting goals, and implementing initiatives, I can help shape policies and programs that address the specific needs of women and children, ultimately making a difference in their lives.
• Personal fulfillment: For me, being involved in a cause that I am passionate about can provide a sense of personal fulfillment. Serving on the board of the NYS WIC association allows me to contribute to a greater purpose and work towards creating positive change in the lives of women and children, which can be deeply rewarding on a personal level.

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors. 

•  I am currently the director of the largest WIC VMA in NYS with 28 years of experience in all aspects regarding WIC vendor issues. I have a master’s degree in public administration and currently manage a 3-million-dollar VMA budget. Starting in October of this year, I will become the Statewide VMA director with responsibility for vendor operations and management of all NYS WIC approved supermarkets, grocery stores, commissaries, and pharmacies. As a current NYS WIC Association board member, I have served on the executive committee as treasurer for 5 years and have a great understanding of the finance procedures and reporting requirements necessary to fulfill our financial obligations.  

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

• Well-nourished moms and babies strengthen individual lives, families and communities. I believe we all have a basic human right to the nutrition and health care we need to thrive. Personally, I am forever grateful for the breastfeeding and parenting support I received when I moved to a new community soon after the birth of my second child, in stark contrast to the lack of community support available to me with my first baby.
• Like many, I am troubled that WIC, the long and consistently proven leading public health nutrition program, is significantly underused. I would be honored to continue serving with and learning from WIC Association of NYS members and allies and contribute to the best of my ability to maximize participation in WIC.

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

•  I have used my MSW as an anti-hunger advocate for 25 years working with communities in NJ and NYS to expand their capacity to provide their members access to affordable and nutritious food through USDA nutrition assistance programs. In 2003 I joined Hunger Solutions New York, which has four decades of experience with outreach and advocacy around USDA programs, including SNAP and Child Nutrition Programs, and have served as a resource for organizations, agencies, and advocates to increase awareness of, support for, and participation in federal child nutrition programs, including the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), SNAP, and WIC. Since 2018, my role has focused on WIC, building and maintaining collaborations with related statewide, regional, and local partners to increase awareness of, support for and participation in WIC. I also monitor barriers to participation, identify public policy and legislative initiatives, both administratively and legislatively, and advocate to protect the integrity and expand the reach of WIC. Most recently I led the statewide needs assessment work for the NYSWIC 2021-2026 targeted statewide outreach project.
•  From 2018-2020 we were under NYSDOH contract for WIC Help New York, a pilot project which included targeted outreach for WIC in 20 underserved counties, as well as statewide outreach to protect and strengthen this crucial program for current and future participants.
• My overall nutrition assistance program experience includes statewide and regional outreach, statistical analysis of state and county participation, technical assistance around program regulation updates, and to a lesser extent, contract management and conference planning.
• I have been honored to serve on the WIC Association of NYS board of directors since 2018, participating in the Legislative, Marketing and Membership, and Ad Hoc 2020 Public Health Emergency Communications committees. I currently serve as chair of the Legislative Committee and have co-managed and created content for the Association’s developing Facebook and Instagram social media pages since summer 2020.

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

•  My desire to be a member comes from my passion for nutrition and my overall pursuit for a healthier lifestyle. I believe that if I become a board member I will be able to fuel this passion into the supporting of our nutrition and breastfeeding services as well as the aspect of promoting physical activity and overall wellbeing for our participants. As a board member my voice would be heard  at a higher level where it can actually make a difference to make changes in public policies as it affects our WIC Program. 

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.  

•  I am  a Registered Dietitian and have  been an experienced manager in the WIC Program for over 16 years. I am a member of the New York State Dietetic Association and was a member of the Policy Committee advocating the bill to the State Senate and Assembly that supports legislation to license the profession of dietetics and nutrition.  Throughout my years in WIC, I have worked on several intervention programs to help our participants  enhanced their takeaway and benefits from the program that in turns equipped them with the ability to increase control over, and to improve their health. Some of the interventions included using proven nutrition curriculum to reduce obesity in our ages 2-4 participants. Another intervention included forming support groups for prenatal and breastfeeding women encouraging initiation and duration of breastfeeding past 3 months after the infant's birth. 

1.    Why do you want to be a Board Member for the WIC Association of NYS? 

• I feel I would be a good member of the WIC association of NYS because I have not only been working at WIC but I have been able to receive WIC for my child. I enjoy helping other families find necessary agencies/ referrals so that their children can have the best life possible.  

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors. 

• I have worked for WIC for three years and I also have been receiving WIC as a participant. I have had  WIC with my oldest son who is now seven and my youngest who is one.  I find it very rewarding to be able to complete an appointment  and to be able to explain how WIC works (card/appointments/how to use it in the store/barcode scanner ). I feel that this has helped me become a stronger employee because I am able to help families when questions arise.

1.    Why do you want to be a Board   Member for the WIC Association of NYS?

• I am able to provide great insight by sharing my experience being employed at WIC from learning the enrollment and eligibility process to understanding how each food package is tailored to different participants. My experience as a cashier at a super market provided knowledge to understand food packages and the everyday challenges participants faced while doing their grocery shopping to also sharing my experiences from being a WIC participant and how I also faced my own challenges as a mother who breastfed an infant with a milk protein allergy; I was faced with the challenge of having to supplement some feedings with a hypoallergic formula which was incredibly difficult to find during the formula shortage period. I want to be a board member for the WIC Association of NYS to provide support and to advocate for WIC families.

2.    Please describe your qualifications to become a member of the WIC Association of NYS Board of Directors.    

· PCNA oriented 

· Great organization skills

· Highly motivated to educate

· Entry level: Microsoft word

· Ability to run social media accounts due  to experience in marketing and advertising 

· Ability to work flexible schedules