June 2024 Nutrition Notes

June 2024 Nutrition Notes

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A Message from our Executive Director

As you may have heard, the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition recently rebranded to the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact. 

The Center’s mission has grown significantly over the last 50 years. While improving nutrition is at the heart of who we are, our focus has organically expanded and shifted to include other key areas of public health nutrition, opening us up to more opportunities than I could have ever imagined.  

Since joining as executive director in 2009 and transitioning to an all-remote model in 2021, we have blossomed into a dynamic team of around 60 researchers and professionals that have established a national and international reputation for measurement and program evaluation excellence. Dedicated to conducting rigorous research that improves nutrition security and health equity for all, the Center has become the go-to resource for assessing the impact of innovative nutrition and broader health-related programs.  

Adding “health impact” to our name reflects our evolution throughout the years and allows us to better communicate the broad scope of work we have engaged in and explore other topics across the health continuum. 

Though our name and logo have changed, we are still the organization offering the measurement and evaluation services you know and trust. Our team remains committed to responding to the ever-changing needs of communities and continuing to identify new ways to help bridge the gap between nutrition and health. We will continue honoring Gretchen Swanson’s original vision and legacy from the 1970s and build upon it as we evolve and adapt into new project areas.    

As we embark on this new chapter, I am filled with enthusiasm and purpose. The new brand captures so much of what the Center is at its core: nimble, adaptable and committed to our vision of health equity for all. We are poised as an organization that is ready to explore what’s next and I am excited to continue expanding the Center’s reach and explore more of where and how nutrition and social determinants of health intersect. This means delving deeper into topics like health equity, sustainability, climate change and physical activity and how those areas affect the public at large. I also look forward to continuing to help foundations, philanthropists and other funders implement intentional strategic planning that amplifies their impact and provides vital information on their return on investment. 

Thank you all for your continued support for the Center and for celebrating this milestone with us. As you explore our new website, I would love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.