Jill M. Riggs, MBA

Jill is a current SNA Regional Director and a Past President of the Indiana School Nutrition Association. Jill has been the Director of Food Service for Penn Harris Madison Schools in Mishawaka, Ind., for 20 years. Her midsize district encompasses farmland, subdivisions and city for a unique combination of students.

Jill’s passion is training and learning. Her goal with SNA is helping the Mideast region grow and share professional development opportunities for our members.

Before joining school foodservice, she worked in all aspects of university food service at Notre Dame University. She also held the position of Department Head for Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism at Davenport University.

Jill believes the strength in school food service lies in the people we attract and train to carry out the mission of providing quality food. She also loves to work with students on nutrition choices and cooking whole foods.

Jill has three children whom she visits frequently in Ohio and Michigan. In her free time, she loves to travel, hike and bake gluten-free breads and pastries. She also collects cookbooks and enjoys trying new international recipes.

Areas of Business Responsible For: All foodservice operations for our school district, including all financial, nutritional and human resource functions for my department.

What Do You Bring to the Role: My educational background with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, as well as an MBA in accounting provide me with a multifaceted background in food management. My past experience working in senior management for a university and directing a college-level program of food management has helped me see solutions outside of just food service. I have been in my current position for 22 years and gained much experience.

Education: Central Michigan University (BS) Indiana University (MBA)

Other Memberships or Affiliations: Audubon Society, National Wildlife Society

What You Do in Your Free Time:Volunteering with Cultivate (a local food rescue), experimenting with and baking gluten-free bread and desserts, collecting cookbooks and making new international dishes, traveling, hiking and experiencing new cuisines