Purpose
The purpose of Georgia Nutrition and Food Science Foundation is to provide professional learning opportunities, technology assistance, resources, opportunities and support for competitive events in FCCLA and serve as a vehicle for offering industry certification for exemplary NFS programs in Georgia.
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NFS programs that have been in existence for three consecutive years can pursue GaNFS Industry Certification. The program will go through a process of comparing itself to the IC standards by collecting evidence and documentation over a three year period to show a history of program activities. The NFS Director will assist and meet with the program instructor over the course of the IC year. When the program has met approval for a formal site review, the NFS evaluation team will spend approximately one day reviewing program documentation, observing and visiting facilities, and interviewing the teacher, NFS students, FCCLA members, administration, and advisory committee members. At which time the evaluation team and NFS director agree all standards have been met, industry certification recognition will be awarded.
About
​Donna Kurdelmeier
Georgia Nutrition and Food Science Executive Director
Director of Nutrition and Food Science Foundation of Georgia
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Donna Kurdelmeier is currently serving as the Director of Georgia’s Nutrition and Food Science Foundation. She retired from teaching in 2020 after teaching high school Culinary Arts for13 years.. In addition to teaching, she served as the FCCLA adviser. Her programs received the American Culinary Federation Industry Certification 3 times. Donna was awarded North Gwinnett’s Teacher of the Year in 2016. Donna has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics Education and received her Georgia Culinary Endorsement. In addition to teaching, she served on the GATFACS Board as Region 2 representative and served as the GATFACS Awards
Chairman for 4 years.
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Vickie Rundbaken
Program Specialist for FACS, Culinary and Education
Family and Consumer Science Program Specialist, Georgia Department of Education
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Vickie Rundbaken is currently serving as the Program Specialist for Family and Consumer Sciences, Culinary and Education Pathways at the State Department of Education. She retired in 2021 after teaching for 30 years in the area of FACS in both middle and high school and served for seven years as the Georgia FCCLA Executive Director. During her time in Hall County, she taught Early Childhood Education and Nutrition & Food Science pathways for seven years and received the Early Childhood Education Industry Certification.
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Advisory Board Members
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Tracey Brigman
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Georgia
Tracey Brigman is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Georgia. She is also the director of the FACS Education degree program, the Associate Director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and a registered dietitian. She earned her EdD in Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development. Her areas of expertise include food principles, food service management, food preservation, and general nutrition.
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Lara Knapp Storm
Culinary Arts Instructor, North Gwinnett High School
Chef Lara Knapp is in her 8th year of teaching Culinary Arts. Her program received Industry Certification from the American Culinary Federation. . She is also the Adviser for her school’s FCCLA chapter. Chef Storm says what she enjoys most about teaching is the fact that many of her students complete the culinary pathway which allows her to teach them for all 4 high school years. Chef Storm grew up on a 4th generation family dairy farm and found a love for food and farm to table. She attended The Ohio State University and Allied Med, Medical Dietetics and is currently enrolled in the Adult and Career Technical Education Master’s Program at Valdosta State. She has certifications in Med Diet and is a Registered Dietitian as well as a Wellness coach
Leigh Johnson
FACS Teacher
Leigh Johnson has been an educator for 18 years after proudly graduating from The University of Georgia. She taught the Nutrition and Food Science Pathway for 9 of those years. Leigh has served as President for the Georgia Association of Teachers of Family & Consumer Sciences (GATFACS), GATFACS Region 8 Vice President and on several committees within the organization. During her career, Leigh has had the opportunity to teach on the middle and high school levels as well as teaching nutrition classes to families in crisis through a special Department of Family & Children Services program.
Charlotte Joy
Retired Culinary Arts Teacher
In 1992, Charlotte began her teaching career at Redan High School. During her tenure at Redan High School, she realized teachers should emphasize the whole child while focusing on curricular. Through this journey, she became a certified Culinary Arts instructor as well as advising a very successful FCCLA chapter which included 4 straight years of state officers. She was twice named Redan High School Teacher of the Year. In 2015, she transferred to Newton County where she secured the school's first region FCCLA officer. After retiring in 2020, she continued to "give back to the profession" by serving as the Director of the Nutrition and Food Science Foundation during 2020 - 2021 and mentoring teachers across the state. She truly believes in the FACS profession and will continue to support both teachers and students.
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Erika Castaneda
Culinary Arts Teacher
Erika attended The Art Institute of Atlanta and Johnson and Wales Culinary Arts School where she received her Culinary Degree. Erika started her career in culinary as the café general manager at Wrigley. After leaving Wrigley, Erika was the Bistro Manager at Lanier College and Career Academy and then became the Culinary Teacher and Bistro Manager for the past 4 years. Erika’s focus during her teaching/restaurant career was to teach real world skills through kitchen lab experience as well as working in food preparation and service for the school’s on -site school restaurant. Erika recently returned to college to pursue a degree in nursing.
Kelley Toon
Academic Nutrition and Support Manager, Georgia Department of Education
Kelley is the Academic Nutrition Manager for the Georgia Department of Education. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist and received her undergraduate degree from West Chester University in Pennsylvania and masters from the University of Alabama. She's worked with the Dairy Alliance and Cobb County School District. She is passionate about helping blend the cafeteria and curriculum learning experiences through food-based learning opportunities.
Stacie Reiter
RDN, SNS
Stacie Reiter is a Registered Dietitian and school nutrition specialist with 13 years of experience working in the K-12 foodservice industry. Stacie’s career in K-12 includes operational foodservice experience with several years as a public school district foodservice director, and now specializes in menu systems and supply chain processes supporting school districts throughout the Mid-West and South who partner with Sodexo.
Roberta Axom
RN
Health Care Science Teacher
Industry Partners
Roxanne Moore, MS, RDN, PMP
Executive Director, Sodexo, Inc.
Stop Hunger Foundation
Quintina Reddington, RDN, LDN
National Manager for Health and Wellness
Sodexo, Inc.
