Guam

This oral history interview was conducted with Ignacio Santos, Dina Lorenzo, Jesse Rosario, and DeAnndra Chargualaf from the Guam Department of Education, who were visiting NFSMI for training, on November 29, 2012. In this interview they discuss the challenges and benefits of child nutrition programs on Guam.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1064/thumbnail.jp

Debbie Chatagnier

After working in hospital dietetics for twenty years in facilities in Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi, Debbie Chatagnier has been the child nutrition administrator for Gulfport City Schools for the last fifteen years.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1034/thumbnail.jp

Alberta Frost

Alberta Frost has worked for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service since 1967. She started out working in the Food Stamp Program for several years before moving into child nutrition programs. She has in fact worked in all of the FNS programs at some point or another, including food distribution, child nutrition, and the WIC Program.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1049/thumbnail.jp

Cyndi Nobles

A native of Baton Rouge, by way of New Orleans, Cyndi Nobles has spent her career in food service. After spending five years working for a food service management company, Cyndi has been with the Louisiana State Department of Education child nutrition programs for the last thirty years.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1026/thumbnail.jp

Jo Dawson

A lifelong Alaskan, Jo Dawson attended fifteen different schools growing up, as her family followed he father’s career as a state trooper. Having worked as the National School Lunch Program Coordinator, the Child and Adult Care Food Program Coordinator, and the USDA Foods Coordinator, she now is the Alaska State Director for nutrition programs.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1012/thumbnail.jp

Theresa Stretch

Theresa Stretch is a native of the State of Illinois. After working as a food service director in both rural and metropolitan districts in Illinois, Theresa accepted a position as an Education and Training Specialist at the Institute of Child Nutrition, where she has been for the past twenty years. Theresa will retire on March 31, 2020.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1115/thumbnail.jp

Earnestine Camp

Earnestine Camp has been actively involved with school food service programs for over sixty years since she began teaching Home Economics at Yellville-Summit High School in Yellville, Arkansas, in 1942. In addition to teaching, she directed the school lunch program there from 1943 to 1951. She was an Area Supervisor in the School Food Service Section of the Arkansas Department of Education from 1953 – 1987. She served as Southwest Regional Director for the American School Food Service Association. Ms. Camp coordinated membership for the Arkansas School Food Service Association from 1986 – 1999. Since 1999 she has been active with the Association’s Foundation Program. The Arkansas School Food Service Association established the Earnestine Camp Manager’s Award and Ms. Camp has also been named a life member of both the American School Food Service Association and the Arkansas School Food Service Association. Sadly, Ms. Camp passed away on December 6, 2012.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1142/thumbnail.jp

Marcia Smith

Marcia Smith was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Florida when she was two years old. Ms. Smith graduated from Florida State University with a degree in food nutrition specializing in school lunch administration. She later earned masters and Ph.D. degrees from Webber College and Kennedy Western University. She started her career in school foodservice in Polk County, Florida, working with Helen Walker, School Food Service Director and President of the American School Foodservice Association (ASFSA) at that time. “Within the first two weeks of being on the job, I was going to Chicago to the national conference where she was national president,” Ms. Smith said. Ms. Smith became the School Food Service Director for Polk County, Florida, when Helen Walker retired, and has served in that position for over 21 years for a total of over 31 years in the profession. She served as president of ASFSA in 2001.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1136/thumbnail.jp

Joan Williams

Joan Williams has many years of experience in school nutrition and education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in education from Georgia Southern College, a Master’s in education from Georgia College, and an Education Specialist degree from the University of Georgia. After teaching home economics for seven years, Joan served for 27 years as the school nutrition director for Carroll County Schools, a 15,000-student district in Georgia. Joan helped build an effective team that received many awards for increased participation and innovation. She received the USDA Best Practices Award for the Southeast Region twice, was recognized by the state of Georgia for high employee retention, and mentored future leaders within her program and region. Joan has been actively involved with the School Nutrition Association in various capacities at the state and national levels including serving as a trainer, conference presenter, board member, and state president. Joan is a consultant trainer for the Institute of Child Nutrition.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1148/thumbnail.jp

Linda Erwin

Linda Erwin, an Arkansas native, began her career as an elementary and then a home economics teacher. She later moved to Tennessee and taught adult vocational home economics classes. She eventually went to work for Shirley Watkins, the school nutrition director for Memphis City Schools, who introduced her to child nutrition. Erwin eventually moved to Georgia where she continued her career, becoming a food service director, and became very active in the Georgia School Food Service Association. She retired after twenty-eight years in the Georgia child nutrition programs.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/icn_ohistories/1151/thumbnail.jp