2018 Program Development Team Members. Not all team members were present for the photo.
Land-Grant University System SNAP-Ed Program Development Team
Report of Accomplishments and Action Items
Annual Work Meeting – April 10-12, 2018, Alexandria, VA
The Land-Grant University SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) met in Alexandria, Virginia to review progress, refine strategic plan implementation, and develop key action steps for the upcoming year. This 15-person team represents all Extension regions and is comprised of family and consumer science program leaders and other university administrators, SNAP-Ed program coordinators, an office manager from the Land-Grant University (LGU) System, and a federal partner from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture. The team conducts bimonthly conference calls, subcommittee work, and an annual face-to-face meeting to improve the consistency and effectiveness of Extension SNAP-Ed programming to address national health and nutrition-related problems facing low-income populations in the context of Extension’s broader low-income nutrition education portfolio.
Highlights of the last year and work meeting plans for upcoming year include:
- Evaluation and Reporting. The most recent LGU SNAP-Ed Report, Executive Summary, and two-page Infographic, based on FY 2015 data, was shared with state agency partners at the National SNAP Directors’ Meeting. Plans were made to assemble an updated report using 2018 data to show the effects of Extension’s implementation of SNAP-Ed across the nation. The PDT also plans to submit a proposal on Extension SNAP-Ed programming for the next National SNAP Directors’ meeting.
- Collaboration for Shared Understanding. The PDT manned a display at the National SNAP Directors’ meeting. One PDT member served as a liaison to the Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA) evaluation team to ensure that PDT efforts aligned with partner implementing agencies. Toolkit resources are in final development for Extension SNAP-Ed coordinators to support state agency relationships, leverage partner relationships, and internally communicate the Extension SNAP-Ed mission and outreach. Multiple resources are planned for dissemination in next few months.
- Communication. The PDT prepared Monday Minute submissions for Extension directors and administrators and reported on regional SNAP-Ed coordinator calls to keep LGUs informed of SNAP-Ed developments and PDT contributions. They also partnered with the eXtension.org Community Nutrition Education Community of Practice to post yearly stakeholder reports, SNAP-Ed PDT documents, and LGU successes. PDT Co-Chair, Laura Stephenson, shared highlights of PDT efforts with FCS leaders and ECOP leadership. She and other team members worked with ECOP leadership to provide data and success examples in response to legislative inquiries regarding SNAP-Ed’s reach and effectiveness. This year, the PDT will hold monthly calls and increase communications with colleagues, Extension leadership, and partners given the current level of interest and activity surrounding SNAP-Ed.
- Professional Development and Cross Training. PDT members provided leadership and dissemination support for on-line PSE training and development through collaboration with Regional Nutrition Education Centers of Excellence (RNECE). Technical assistance training for SNAP-Ed coordinators and specific training for new coordinators are planned for the current year via web-based technology. Another focus of PDT efforts will be the updating and further development of core competencies for staff across multiple areas of responsibility in support of nutrition education for limited resource individuals.
- Educating Policy Makers. PDT members provided collective Extension SNAP-Ed data upon request of ECOP leadership. Resources are in final stages of development to explain legislative processes for bill reauthorization to aid in understanding the federal nutrition education program and funding pathway. These resources will be disseminated in April.
- Strategic Planning. The PDT strategic plan focused efforts on: 1. Strengthening LGU and state agency relationships; 2. Keeping abreast of the current policy climate; 3. Enhancing internal communication among LGUs; and 4. Building shared expertise across LGUs. This strategic plan continues to guide PDT activities and deliverables. Specific deliverables and initial timelines and actions steps for each focus area were finalized for the current year.
Throughout the year, the PDT purposefully promoted the strength and capacity of Extension outreach efforts to efficiently and effectively develop, deliver, and evaluate multi-level educational approaches to positively impact the health and well-being of limited resource individuals. Additionally, PDT members focused on mentoring colleagues, building and sustaining critical partnerships with other implementing agencies, and promoting the importance of a nationwide system of nutrition education and evaluation expertise through the LGU System.
Members of the LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team for 2018-2019
North Central Region
Pat Bebo, Asst. Director, Family & Consumer Sciences Extension, The Ohio State University (term ended; will serve 1 year as ad hoc representative)
Candance (Candy) Gabel, State Coordinator – Director, Nutrition and Health Ed., University of Missouri (new)
Christine Hradek, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Coordinator, Iowa State University
Megan Ness Ditterick, EFNEP/FNP Coordinator, North Dakota State University
Northeast Region
Patsy Ezell, Assistant Director FCS, University of Maryland
Lisa Sullivan-Werner, FNP and EFNEP Leader, University of Massachusetts
Elise Gurgevich, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Coordinator, Penn State University (new)
Southern Region
Karla Shelnutt, Associate Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist, University of Florida
Michelle Vineyard, Extension Specialist TNCEP, University of Tennessee (retired mid-year)
Renda Nelson, Better Living for Texans State Program Director, Texas A&M University
Ivy Murphy, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, North Carolina A&T University (served partial year); 1890 representative
Andrea Morris, Health and Nutrition Specialist/Program Manager EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, Alabama A&M University (new); 1890 representative
Western Region
Donna Sauter, ICAN Director (SNAP-Ed & EFNEP), New Mexico State University
Sally Bowman, Program Leader SNAP-Ed & EFNEP, Oregon State University
Executive Committee
Laura Stephenson, Assistant Dean, Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Tennessee Extension
Jill Thorngren, Dean, College of Education and Human Sciences, South Dakota State University
Sandra Jensen, Office Manager SNAP-Ed through the LGU System, South Dakota State University
Helen Chipman, National Program Leader Food & Nutrition Education, NIFA/USDA
To download a copy of the highlights of the meetings, visit 2018 PDT Committee Meeting Highlights.