CSNM Webinar – Nutrition Management Matters: A School Food Panel Discussion

Description:
This webinar brings together national leadership, research expertise, and on‑the‑ground experience to explore the future of school food systems across Canada. The Executive Director of Farm to Cafeteria Canada, will highlight how farm‑to‑school approaches are transforming student access to healthy, local, and sustainable food through three pillars: local food access, hands‑on food literacy, and community connection. A panelist from the University of Saskatchewan Public Health Research Team will share insights from Canada’s leading school food research and their work developing a National School Food Policy alongside the Coalition for Healthy School Food.

The session will also include reflections from a Nutrition Manager working within a school division, connecting research and national initiatives to real‑world practice. This webinar is not intended to spotlight one district. Instead, it will identify opportunities for collaboration, and outline concrete ways members can engage—whether through advocacy, programming, partnerships, or policy support to help build a stronger, more equitable school food system for all students.

Presenters:

	Jordan Sokmenoglu, CNM Jordan Sokmenoglu is a Manager of Food and Nutrition within a school division, bringing a systems‑level perspective to school food programs and student nutrition. Her work focuses on creating nutritious, inclusive, and culturally appropriate food environments while navigating the practical realities of implementation in K–12 settings. Jordan draws on her professional experience to connect policy, research, and day‑to‑day operations in support of healthier school food systems across Canada.
	Jesse Veenstra, M.Sc. Jesse Veenstra is a public health professional with a strong focus on food security and community building, currently serving as Executive Director of Farm to Cafeteria Canada. She previously worked as National Manager, Farm to School Initiatives with F2CC and spent over a decade leading complex projects within Vancouver Coastal Health and BC’s Provincial Health Services Authority, including Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities initiatives. Jesse holds advanced degrees in nutrition and human health, along with credentials in project management and food security, and has served in leadership roles with the Vancouver Food Policy Council
	Natalia Alaniz Salinas, MSc., MPH., PhD Candidate Natalia Alaniz Salinas is a PhD student in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan and a Research Manager with the Saskatchewan Population Health Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU). Her work focuses on public health nutrition, school food programs, and population health interventions, including evaluating universal school food initiatives and their policy implications across Canada. She brings international experience from public health roles within Chile’s Ministry of Health and holds graduate degrees in Public Health and Community and Population Health Sciences.