Food Education in the Classroom Microcredential

Pamela Ann Koch

Dr. Pamela Koch is the Mary Swartz Rose Associate Professor of Nutrition and Education and the faculty director of the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy in the Health Studies & Applied Educational Psychology Department at Teachers College, Columbia University. Pam conducts research with schools and communities to give people power to demand healthy, just, sustainable food. She translates her research into curricula for school teachers, recommendations for policy makers, and resources for advocates. She has evaluated many school-based programs that improve school meals, create school gardens, conduct cooking sessions, and promote food justice. She teaches courses on sustainability of the food system, social and psychological determinants of food choice, and the process of food and nutrition education, all done through a sustainability and equity lens. She has also taught an online professional development course for educators, Teaching Food and Nutrition for All that has been attended by over 800 educators. Her work contributes to increased access to nutritious, delicious and sustainable food for all. She completed her BS and MS from Rutgers University and her EdD and RDN from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Curt Ellis

Curt Ellis is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and parent who believes food should be a daily source of health, joy, and agency in the lives of kids. Curt is the co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps, a national nonprofit that reaches more than 500,000 students a year with its food education and school nutrition programs. Prior to starting FoodCorps, Curt helped reframe public debate around the Farm Bill with his Peabody-winning documentary, King Corn. A graduate of Yale and a frequent public speaker and source to journalists, Curt has been recognized as a DRK Fellow, a Claneil Emerging Leader, a Kellogg Food and Community Fellow, a New Profit Social Entrepreneur, and an Emerson Collective Dial Fellow. He is a recipient of the Heinz Award, Pearl Award, and GQ Leader Award, and serves on the steering committee of Voices for National Service and the boards of Springboard Collaborative and GreenWave.

Rachel Willis

Rachel Willis is President of FoodCorps, where she serves as the primary internal leader driving impact and spearheading organizational culture. Prior to joining FoodCorps, Rachel founded Elevating Equity, an organization that supports education-based leaders in creating equitable environments. Through Elevating Equity, Rachel led professional development workshops and conducted equity audits for over 6,000 education leaders nationwide. Rachel entered the field of education as a Teach For America corps member and has more than a decade of experience teaching in K-12 schools and universities. Rachel earned numerous accolades, including the 2009 Atlanta Public Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year and the 2010 Milken Educator Award. She served on former Governor Nathan Deal’s Education Advisory Board and as a trustee for the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia. Additionally, she has led leadership development at Teach for America and designed programming for principals at Columbia University Teachers College. Rachel holds a B.A. in Government from Smith College and an M.Ed. in Organization and Leadership from Columbia University.

Julia Arrington

Julia Arrington is an experienced educator and DEIA leader with over 15 years in education, talent management, and community advocacy. Formerly VP of People & Equity at FoodCorps, she led anti-racism and equity initiatives, advancing inclusive policies and practices. Now serving as the inaugural VP of Leadership Development, Julia leads efforts across school nutrition leadership, family engagement, alumni leadership, consulting services, and AmeriCorps recruitment, focusing on community capacity to drive systemic change in support of FoodCorps’ food justice mission. Julia’s expertise spans child development, special education, leadership development, and strategic planning, with a strong foundation in creating equitable, anti-racist environments. She is known for her collaborative leadership, designing programs and systems that foster lasting change and support advocacy for families. Her strategic integration of DEIA initiatives ensures communities have access to growth opportunities and a voice in shaping inclusive systems for children, families, and educators shaping inclusive systems for children, families, and educators.

Haley Hemwall

Haley Hemwall is the Director of Leadership Learning and Design at FoodCorps, where she leads the development of training and professional learning experiences for emerging food educators and school nutrition leaders. Haley is also an educator and leader with over 15 years of experience in New York City public schools. She began her career in early childhood education, teaching in Pre-K and Head Start classrooms before moving into school- and district-level senior leadership roles. Across her work, she has focused on designing inclusive learning environments for Pre-K–12 students, with particular attention to supporting students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and social-emotional development. In addition to her work in school systems, she is a consultant with schools and organizations to design professional learning and support inclusive practices, with a focus on equity, special education, and leadership development. She holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood General and Special Education from Hunter College and has completed certifications with the Crisis Prevention Institute and the International Institute for Restorative Justice.