Alonso Alonso
Assistant Director
El Monte City School District
A School Food Leadership Program
The Kindred Fellowship for School Nutrition Leaders is a nine-month leadership program designed to equip school nutrition professionals and emerging school food leaders in transforming their fields. Built on our 15 years of expertise in school food systems, the fellowship will provide leaders with evidence-based, community-centered tools they can bring to their own schools. The name Kindred is a nod to the Octavia E. Butler novel, honoring the book’s essential themes of legacy, community, and influence—elements that define this powerful network of change agents.
The Kindred Fellowship is open to school nutrition professionals and others aspiring to careers in this field. Applications for the 2027 cohort are now closed. Share your contact information below and we’ll email you when the application for the 2028 cohort is live.
Kindred Fellowship Curriculum
As a Kindred fellow, you’ll learn how to drive change in school nutrition through community-centered, evidence-based practices.
The fellowship includes a fully-paid in-person orientation in Philadelphia, PA (October 16-18, 2026); monthly, 75-minute virtual learning sessions; pre-reading and reflection activities; an in-person advocacy gathering in Washington, DC (June 2027); and a culminating comprehensive project in your home institution. Throughout the year, you’ll sharpen your skills in these areas:
Leadership development
Grow as a communicator, collaborator, and project manager in service of your goals
Data and analysis
Understand the quantitative and qualitative tools that will help you make a measurable difference
Storytelling for change
Reach more people through powerful personal narratives
Policy and advocacy
Leverage your experience to shape local, state, and federal policies
2026-2027 Kindred Fellows
= FoodCorps Alumni
Anna Severns
Nutrition & Compliance Senior Manager
Healthy Bites Collective
Becca Boone
Farm to School Lead
Aurora Public Schools
Caitlynne Palmieri
Garden and Food Justice Manager
Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County
Cassidee Jones
Community Education Manager
Farm Fresh RI
Corrie Allen
Director of Dining Services
Chartwells K12
Dain Holland
Culinary and Farm Director
The STEAD School
Dr. Camille Lewis
Jefferson County Extension Director/4-H Agent
University of Florida
Dr. Derricka B.Thomas
Director of Child Nutrition & Wellness
Simpson County School District
Ellen McKnight Hill
Executive Director, Child Nutrition Program
East Baton Rouge Parish School System
Ilene Agustin
Director of School Nutrition
Colorado Charter School Institute
Johanna Bishop
Nutrition Education Specialist
Greeley-Evans School District 6
Kathleen Enterline
Floating Food Service Manager
CASD
Kelsey Lloyd
Nutrition Manager
SodexoMagic
Kenneth Varner
Senior Community Engagement Manager
Healthy Schools Campaign
Kneilah Flowers
Nutrition Coordinator
Institute of Community Service
Mariapia Watzig
Nutrition Wellness Coordinator
Centennial School District
Markitta L. Jones
Nutrition Director
Institute of Community Service, Inc./Project Head Start
Martha Ramkellawan
Food Service Director
Greenwich Public School
Megan Salyer
Nutrition Specialist
Fairfax County Public Schools
Melisa McCullough
Food Service Director
Calhoun County Youth Center
Natasha Carper
Food Service Director
Pine River Area Schools
Olivia Flores
Nutrition and Farm to School Specialist
Rio School District
Sean Shatto
Chicago Good Food Purchasing Implementation Manager
Chicago Food Policy Action Council
Sophie Scott
Sustainable Seafood Program Manager
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Sylvia Ng
Director of School Food Institute & The Lunch Box
Chef Ann Foundation
Taylor Frederick
Culinary Programs Director
Nourish Colorado
Tiffany M. Page-Cooper
Program Director
Youth Educational Services at Langston Hughes Community, Business & Resource Center
Vicki Montgomery
Food Services Manager
Oregon Youth Authority
Fellowship Benefits
Participation in the Kindred Fellowship is free. The cohort of up to 30 fellows receive:
- A fully-paid in-person orientation to kickoff the fellowship
- Nine months of leadership training through monthly virtual sessions
- Personalized coaching and feedback
- Guided work plans toward the culminating project
- Connection with values-aligned participants
- Monthly digital advocacy engagement
- A fully-paid convening in Washington, DC, providing hands-on engagement in policy advocacy at the program’s conclusion (June 2027)
Key Dates
Questions about the Kindred Fellowship? Contact us at apply@foodcorps.org.