Advocating for Nutrition Policies in Schools

Dr. Rhea brings on public health advocate, Jenny Eyer, to share her story of what drove her to focus on nutrition and food availability for kids. Jenny’s primary focus encompasses policy changes around free and reduced breakfast & lunch in schools. Jenny Eyer graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry from Abilene Christian University and earned her MPH with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health. A native Texan, Jenny has spent her entire career focused on improving the lives of children and their families across the state, working to make Texas a great place to live, work, pray, and play. Her work has included passing legislation at the state level that has increased food access for students across the state, partnering with school districts to expand meal programs before and after the school day, and conducting research around physical activity in schools to inform state and local legislation. As the Vice President of Health Strategies, for AHA’s North Texas area, she focuses her time on implementing community-facing programs, advocating for sustainable policy solutions, and ensuring all North Texans have the ability to live longer, healthier lives. She is a member of the LiiNK Advisory Board and a Fellow of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Child Health Leadership Network. Her favorite job, though, is raising her three children with her husband, Jesse, and drinking lots of coffee. Resources mentioned in this episode: Children at Risk USDA Meal Requirements