Maria Amerman

School Nutrition Foundation Member Award-LAC 2026

Years in School Nutrition: 9 years

Students Served: 10,000

School Nutrition Association returning attendee scholarship

“I love being part of a career that is nourishing so many students! We are public health career, not a foodservice one.”

Bringing It Back to My District

There is a lot of noise and misinformation about school meals—what’s “healthy,” what schools “should” be doing, and what people think our programs are capable of. As school nutrition professionals, it’s important that we speak clearly and confidently about what we know to be true. By sharing our expertise and the real impact of our programs, we can help shape policies and conversations that truly support students and the work happening in our schools.

The Impact of This Scholarship

Often in school nutrition it can feel like changes (regulations, product sourcing challenges, and staffing issues) are happening to us. LAC feels like the moment when we have our hand on the scale. LAC provides the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process upstream and advocate for policy that support our programs. It’s powerful to see how those conversations can eventually ripple down to the food that lands on students’ plates. The energy among school nutrition professionals at LAC is truly inspiring and reinforces the important impact of our work.