Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Jacqueline Clements, Jacqueline Clements, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Jacqueline Clements holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics and a Master’s in Administration and Supervision. She taught Home Economics for eighteen years before transferring to school food service. Jacqueline then worked as a Food Service Director for an additional seventeen years.

Cynthia Ruffin, Cynthia Ruffin, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Cynthia Ruffin began her school nutrition career in Louisiana more than 35 years ago. She received a B.S. in Dietetics from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University. Cynthia has worked at the local school level, with the Louisiana Department of Education, and as the Director of Child Nutrition in St. Charles Parish Public Schools near New Orleans. Some of her career highlights include developing the Louisiana School Lunch Cycle Menus; expanding Breakfast-on-the-Go programs, implementing The Main Course, a culinary training program for food service technicians; and contributing significantly to district recovery after the devastation of Hurricane …

Pat Farris, Pat Farris, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Pat Farris holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Dietetics and a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition from Louisiana State University. She has held numerous positions in the field of nutrition, first working in hospitals, and later consulting in child and adult weight management. In 1980 Pat accepted a position with the Louisiana Department of Education’s child nutrition programs, and learned what school lunch was about for the next fourteen years. Since 1994 she has been with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, where she is currently the Director of School Food Services.

Lou Simoneaux, Lou Simoneaux, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Lou Simoneaux spent twenty years traveling the world with her military family before returning to her home state of Louisiana and beginning a new career in school food service. She spent several years in the Panama Canal Zone and then moved to France. When her husband finally retired they returned to Lou’s hometown of Napoleonville, Louisiana, where she spent the next twenty-nine years providing healthy, nutritious meals to the children of Assumption Parish.

Mary Eleanor Cole, Mary Eleanor Cole, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

After finishing her Master’s at LSU, Mary Eleanor Cole was recruited by Mildred Stringfield to come to East Baton Rough Parish child nutrition programs to work on food and equipment specifications. After a number of years she became director in 1976.

Martha S. Walker, Martha S. Walker, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Martha S. Walker is New Orleans native and a graduate of Southern University. She has managed school feeding programs in East Baton Rough Parish for twenty-five years.

Mary Carter, Mary Carter, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Mary Carter in in her third-fourth year career in child nutrition. She started out as an assistant manager, then became a single-unit manager, multi-unit manager, and is now the supervisor of thirty-four schools’ child nutrition programs.

Cyndi Nobles, Cyndi Nobles, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

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.

Clare Miller, Clare Miller, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Clare Miller spent her career first working for the Louisiana State Department of Education as an Area Supervisor before becoming the Food Service Director for the Diocese of Lafayette. She then went to work for the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, from where she retired.

Annette Dupard, Annette Dupard, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Annette Dupard is a native of Vacherie, Louisiana. She is a graduate of Southern University and a retired Food Service Manager for the East Baton Rouge Parish Child Nutrition Programs.

Kris M. Chustz, Kris M. Chustz, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Kris M. Chustz, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a recently retired school food service professional, having worked as a Manager, Area Supervisor, and Computer Training Coordinator for the Eastern Baton Rouge Parish.

Emma Jo Williamson, Emma Jo Williamson, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Emma Jo Williamson’s first job after college was in social work before making a career change and teaching Home Economics at Plaquemine High School in Iberville Parish for thirteen years. She then decided to go into school food service. She began her new career as an Assistant Director of the parish for two years before assuming the position of Director. Emma Jo is finally retired after twenty-seven years of serving the children of Iberville Parish.

Mary Davis-Palms, Mary Davis-Palms, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Mary Davis-Palms is an Area Supervisor with the East Baton Rough Parish School Nutrition Programs. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Mary has thirty-four years of service in child nutrition.

Nadine Mann, Nadine Mann, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Louisiana native Dr. Nadine Mann is the Director of Operations for the East Baton Rouge Parish Child Nutrition Programs. Nadine holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Louisiana State University and a Doctorate from Texas Woman’s University in Foods and Nutrition Institution Administration. She has been with the district for thirty-one years.

Gail Johnson, Gail Johnson, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Gail Johnson was the longtime director of school food service in East Baton Rough Parish, Louisiana. She was also a very active member of the Advisory Committee for the National School Food Service Management Institute/Institute of Child Nutrition.

Mary T. Wroten, Mary T. Wroten, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Mary Wroten, a native of Mississippi, worked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Child Nutrition Programs for twenty years. Among her many accomplishments while there was to greatly improve the procurement procedures for the district. Mary’s legacy will continue in Dietetics when her daughter graduates in the same field in May 2009.

Sylvia Grabert, Sylvia Grabert, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Sylvia Grabert is a retired Food Service Director for Iberia Parish in Louisiana. Before coming to Iberia Parish, Sylvia founded the first school food service program in St. James Parish. She holds degrees in both Education and Dietetics, and taught school for several years before going into school food service.

Syble T. Jones, Syble T. Jones, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Syble T. Jones is the former Food Service Director for Rapides Parish, Louisiana. When Syble started her career in 1968 she had 27,000 students spread across 54 schools.

Mattie Bradley, Mattie Bradley, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Mattie Bradley was hired as the Food Service Director/Cafeteria Manager for the Weiner School District, Weiner, AR in 1996. She was a local restaurant owner who decided to sell her business and retire. When the local school district found itself in need of a Food Services Director, Ms. Mattie’s reputation as an excellent cook and manager got the attention of the school district and she was immediately offered the position. Working within the guidelines of the Arkansas School Nutrition Program, Mattie and her staff provide wholesome meals, both breakfast and lunch, to over 300 students daily. For many students these …

Frances L. Self, Frances L. Self, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Frances L. Self was asked to “sub” for a few weeks in the cafeteria of Dickson County Tennessee Schools back in 1973. She is still there, and has been Manager for the last thirty-two years. She credits her ability to adapt and her dedication to lifelong learning as keys to her success.

Hester Dye, Hester Dye, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Lifelong Arkansas resident Hester Dye is a very active member of her local, state, and national food service associations, and is a past recipient of the Louise Sublette Award. She is currently the Food Service Director in Brinkley, Arkansas. She credits Ernestine Camp’s mentoring as playing a vital role in the success of her nearly 40-year career in child nutrition.

Phyllis Hodges, Phyllis Hodges, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Phyllis Hodges of Dickson, Tennessee, spent fifteen years as Food Service Director, and was instrumental in founding a local nutrition association in Dickson County. She is a firm believer in training and networking. For the past five years Phyllis has been the Director of Procurement and an Educational Consultant for her state agency.

Marilyn Rylie, Marilyn Rylie, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Marilyn Rylie was born in Ohio and grew up in Wisconsin before settling in Arkansas. She is currently the Food Service Director in Sheridan, Arkansas. Another firm believer in the value of training, she also credits Ms. Ernestine Camp as an invaluable asset to her career development.

Diane E. Duncan, Diane E. Duncan, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Diane E. Duncan was, as a teenager, an original member of the National Youth Advisory Council for the American School Food Service Association. The ASFSA started this group to learn more about the student perspective regarding school food service. This experience led Diane to decide to make the nutrition field her career. After working with the Rice Council, ConAgra Foods, and the Florida Department of Citrus, Diane is currently with McKee Foods.

Rita Hamilton, Rita Hamilton, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Rita Hamilton comes from a family with a history in child nutrition. Hamilton’s mother worked at the food service manager at Hamilton’s elementary school in rural Arkansas. After majoring in Home Economics at the University of Arkansas and working as an Arkansas Home Economics extension agent, Rita went on to serve as a state supervisor in the school nutrition programs at the Arkansas Department of Education.

Sandra Fisher, Sandra Fisher, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Sandra Fisher, a graduate of Penn State and Hood College, has spent her career working in Pennsylvania and Maryland. She started out as a hospital dietitian before getting involved with the development of the NET Program in Pennsylvania. She later spent twenty years in Maryland as a Processing Specialist for the Commodity Program.

Kathy Talley, Kathy Talley, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Kathy Talley spent twenty years teaching Home Economics in West Virginia. Since then she has served for nearly another twenty years in the Nutrition Education and Training position at the West Virginia Department of Education. She is proud that her state was the first in the nation to mandate the School Breakfast Program.

Barbara Smith, Barbara Smith, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Barbara Smith taught Home Economics for six years before becoming Food Service Director in Russellville, Arkansas, for four years. She then worked for the Arkansas Department of Education until her retirement is early 2008.

Josephine Martin - Chapter 1, Josephine Martin, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Josephine Martin has been an area school nutrition consultant, a USDA regional nutritionist in the Southeast, and Georgia’s state child nutrition director. Prior to her retirement from the Georgia Department of Education in 1991, she was an Associate State Superintendent of Schools. She then served as the first Executive Director of the National Food Service Management Institute, The University of Mississippi.

Since retirement from the National Food Service Management in 1996, she has taught courses in food service management at Georgia State University and in child nutrition management at the University of Georgia. She is actively involved as a consultant …

Josephine Martin - Chapter 4, Josephine Martin, Institute Of Child Nutrition. Child Nutrition Archives.

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Josephine Martin has been an area school nutrition consultant, a USDA regional nutritionist in the Southeast, and Georgia’s state child nutrition director. Prior to her retirement from the Georgia Department of Education in 1991, she was an Associate State Superintendent of Schools. She then served as the first Executive Director of the National Food Service Management Institute, The University of Mississippi.

Since retirement from the National Food Service Management in 1996, she has taught courses in food service management at Georgia State University and in child nutrition management at the University of Georgia. She is actively involved as a consultant …