Nutrition Policy Institute

Article

Recruiting participants for study on toddlers who drink cow's milk—receive free milk for one year and up to $275 by participating

November 21, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Do you have a toddler who is currently drinking cow’s milk? Do you live in California? You are invited to participate in a 1-year study regarding child milk intake. The purpose of this study is to see how the type of milk—whole fat vs low-fat 1%—consumed between the ages of 2-3 years old affects the health,…

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Article

New study finds deimplementing Universal Free School Meals adversely affects students and school food authorities

November 17, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Monica D Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner

The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program play a crucial role in ensuring access to nutritious meals for children in the US. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal waivers allowed all schools to offer Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) from 2020 to 2022, but when these waivers expired,…

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Article

NPI job opening: Assistant Project Scientist

November 4, 2025

The Nutrition Policy Institute is seeking to hire a post-doctoral researcher as an Assistant Project Scientist to work on studies related to youth cardiometabolic health, school physical activity and nutrition programs (recess, PE, school meals), and nutrition and physical activity policy implementation…

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Article

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers to present at the American Public Health Association’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo

October 30, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The American Public Health Association hosts an Annual Meeting and Expo, bringing together over 12,000 public health professionals from around the world to collaborate, share research findings, and expand the field. The event will take place in Washington, D.C., from November 2 to 5, 2025. This year’s…

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Article

New research brief highlights barriers and opportunities for serving minimally processed foods in California schools

October 29, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Lorrene D Ritchie, Monica D Zuercher, Wendi Gosliner

A new Child Nourish Lab research brief examines how often California schools serve scratch-cooked, quick-preparation, and convenience foods. School meals provide a major source of daily nutrition for children and have become healthier since the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010…

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Article

NPI welcomes UC Berkeley graduate student Char Potes as UC Bonnie Reiss Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow

October 28, 2025

By Danielle Lee, Kassandra A Bacon

Char Potes joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California in September 2025 as our 2025-2026 UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow. Potes is a graduate student at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, where he is interested in nutrition,…

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Article

Student and school characteristics influence the impact of SNAP-Ed interventions

October 27, 2025

By Summer J Cortez

The Nutrition Policy Institute's latest peer-reviewed publication, "Student and school characteristics modify the impact of SNAP-Ed on student dietary and physical activity outcomes," was published in the journal Public Health Nutrition. This study examines how CalFresh Healthy Living, California’s SNAP-Ed…

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Article

Nutrition Policy to Present at annual CalFresh Forum on expanding food access and supporting California families

October 24, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The annual CalFresh Forum brings together people from across California to discuss ways to strengthen CalFresh, known nationally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and expand food access. Nutrition Policy Institute’s policy team, Christina Hecht and Ken Hecht, guided a breakout session on…

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Article

Nutrition Policy Institute launches new logo as part of a UCANR rebrand

October 23, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee

The Nutrition Policy Institute is proud to officially launch its new logo as part of the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources organization-wide rebrand. This modern, unified design strengthens UC ANR’s identity across its programs and institutes. NPI’s new logo was designed to…

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Article

NPI presents at 34th Annual CACFP Conference

October 13, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will attend and present at the 34th Annual CACFP Conference, Oct. 20-22, 2025 in Monterey, Calif. The conference brings together over 400 stakeholders and community members of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. NPI's longtime CACFP researcher, Lorrene…

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Article

Qualitative study explored California families’ experiences with pandemic safety net expansions and retractions

October 10, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Wendi Gosliner

During the COVID-19 pandemic, US social safety net programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, Pandemic-EBT, and the Child Tax Credit, were temporarily expanded or created to combat rising food, housing, and economic insecurity among families. A recent study…

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Article

Hannah Thompson speaks with ABC 10 about California bill that would require healthy restaurant kids’ meals

October 2, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Hannah Thompson, director of the University of California's Nutrition Policy Institute, spoke with ABC 10 reporter Jackson Ellison about a new California bill that would require a healthy meal on kids’ menus at chain restaurants. California Senate Bill 764 would mandate chain restaurants, with 20 or more…

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Article

New study examines predictors of diet quality and weight status in early childhood

October 1, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Lorrene D Ritchie

Socioeconomic status strongly influences children's nutrition and health, as low-income families often face barriers in meeting basic needs. To help address these challenges and reduce health disparities, safety net programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Special…

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Article

Nutrition Policy Institute welcomes Hannah R. Thompson as new director

September 25, 2025

By Danielle Lee

Hannah R. Thompson began her role as the new director of the Nutrition Policy Institute beginning September 1, 2025. Thompson has served as NPI’s senior epidemiologist since 2020 while also working as an assistant research professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. She…

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Article

Parents and staff are highly supportive of freshly prepared school meals but raise concerns about food waste

September 22, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, KC Fiedler, Lorrene D Ritchie

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explored the perceptions of elementary school parents and staff in a large, urban California school district that recently introduced more freshly-prepared school lunches. Based on interviews and focus groups conducted from May…

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Article

Combining school environment changes with SNAP-Ed lessons improves student diets

September 11, 2025

By Summer J Cortez, Reka Vasicsek, Amanda M Linares, Miranda W Brown

The Nutrition Policy Institute is excited to share our latest peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Community Health, “Dietary Effects of School-Based SNAP-Ed Education with and without Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Strategies.” This study examines how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…

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Article

New WIC study finds social support encourages program participation

September 10, 2025

By Jean Aquino, Danielle Lee, KC Fiedler, Lorrene D Ritchie

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC, provides nutritious food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and health care referrals to pregnant and postpartum women and families with young children with low income. WIC participation improves…

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Article

Benefits of School Meals for All policies highlighted in California School Boards Association’s California Schools magazine

September 8, 2025

By Danielle Lee, Wendi Gosliner

Nutrition Policy Institute School Meals for All research was featured in a guest article in the summer issue of the California School Boards Association’s quarterly magazine, California Schools. The article highlights California’s School Meals for All policy, also known as universal school meals,…

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Article

Study finds universal free school meal policies boost participation and reduce barriers across US schools

September 8, 2025

By Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Danielle Lee, Wendi Gosliner

A new study examining the impact of federal and state Universal Free School Meal policies highlights how expanding access to school meals can help address food insecurity, reduce barriers to meal participation such as stigma and paperwork, and improve children’s diet quality, health, and academic outcomes…

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Article

2025 LEAP Awards recognize excellence in healthy eating and active living across California

September 3, 2025

By Carolyn D Rider, Summer J Cortez

The Nutrition Policy Institute’s CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation team, in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, is thrilled to announce recognition of 123 schools, 85 out-of-school time programs, and 106 early care and education programs across California as recipients of the 2025…

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Research for healthy food, people and places

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone.

NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.

Read more about our vision and mission, and learn about our impact.

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Office Locations

Nutrition Policy Institute

University of California Office of the President
1111 Franklin St.
Oakland, CA 94607
United States

Personnel

Brianna Aguayo Villalon

Student Communications Fellow

STDT 3 ANR

Kassandra A Bacon

Project Policy Analyst III

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Ramsha Baig

Research Data Analyst 3

RSCH DATA ANL 3

Sibani Michael Bose

Chief Business Officer

ADMIN OFCR 4

Miranda W Brown

Academic Coordinator

ACADEMIC COORD III-FY

Summer J Cortez

CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation Unit Manager, NPI

PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Patricia A Crawford

Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist - Emeritus

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Celeste Felix

RSCH DATA ANL 3

KC Fiedler

Project Policy Analyst III

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Caitlin D French

Assistant Project Scientist

ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Amy Garfinkel

STDT 4 ANR

Wendi Gosliner

Project scientist

PROJ SCIENTIST-FY NON REP

Christina E Hecht

UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Academic Coordinator

ACADEMIC COORD III-FY NEX

Kenneth Hecht

UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute Coordinator

PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Sridharshi C Hewawitharana

Research Data Analyst

RSCH DATA ANL 3

Janice Kao

Senior Program Evaluator

PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Danielle Lee

Director of Communications & Research Engagement

PROJECT POLICY ANL 4

Meirong M Liao

Procurement Officer

ADMIN OFCR 2 CX

Amanda M Linares

Senior Program Evaluator

ACADEMIC COORD II-FY

John E Miller

SURVEY WORKER

Julia Nguyen

ADMIN OFCR 2 CX

Dania Orta-Aleman

Assistant Project Scientist

ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Richard Pulvera

Research Data Analyst

RSCH DATA ANL 3

Suzanne M Rauzon

Director of Community Health, Emeritus

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Carolyn D Rider

Senior Program Evaluator

ACADEMIC COORD II-FY

Lorrene D Ritchie

Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist - Emeritus

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Samantha Sam-Chen

Project Policy Analyst

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Molly Shea

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Ron Strochlic

Academic Coordinator

ACADEMIC COORD II-FY NEX

Evan Talmage

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Hannah R Thompson

Director, Nutrition Policy Institute

ASSOC SPECIALIST COOP EXT

Reka Vasicsek

Project Policy Analyst

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Nicole Vital

SRA 2 NEX

SRA 3

Karen L Webb

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Ryan Williams

PROJECT POLICY ANL 3

Gail M Woodward-Lopez

NON-SENATE ACAD EMERITUS(WOS)

Monica D Zuercher

Assistant Project Scientist

ASST PROJ SCIENTIST-FY

Mission Statement

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) conducts research for healthy food, people and places. NPI envisions a world in which healthy food, beverages and opportunities for physical activity are accessible, affordable, equitable and sustainable for everyone. NPI's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities.