2026 Division Leadership Candidate Bios

Support the future of our community by casting your vote for the proposed slate of candidates. Each nominee brings passion, experience, and a commitment to our shared mission.

Digital Technology in Nutrition Education and Behavior Change, Secretary

Chloe Lozano, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring leadership in mHealth and AI-driven nutrition research, with experience integrating digital tools into federal programs (e.g., EFNEP). My grant-funded work, service in SNEB DigiTech, and collaborative approach position me to advance strategic initiatives and support innovation within the division.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
The biggest opportunity is advancing the integration of AI and mHealth tools into nutrition education and practice. By fostering collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and technologists, the division can lead development of scalable, evidence-based digital solutions that enhance dietary assessment, personalize interventions, and expand reach within community and clinical settings.

Digital Technology in Nutrition Education and Behavior Change, Secretary

Sanjoy Saha, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring expertise in community nutrition, digital health and nutrition interventions, and child nutrition research. My experience includes developing and evaluating technology-enabled nutrition programs and collaborating across academic and community partners. I am organized, responsive, and committed to supporting transparent communication and effective coordination within the leadership team.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
A key opportunity is leveraging digital tools (e.g., mobile apps, AI, and remote engagement platforms) to expand reach and opportunities in nutrition education. I believe strengthening collaboration, sharing best practices, and supporting evidence-based digital innovation can enhance impact, particularly among underserved populations.

DINE, Chair-Elect

Angeline Jeyakumar, MPhil, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring over 25 years of public health nutrition research, with a rich international experience. This has enabled me to initiate culturally appropriate nutrition interventions to improve health. My strengths in digital learning, food access initiatives, and international collaborations equip me to strengthen the Division’s global engagement.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
I see immense opportunities in digital innovations to strengthen nutrition education. Expanding cross-country knowledge sharing, creating virtual learning platforms, and enabling digital food access, combined with nutrition literacy, will build global capacity, enhance cultural relevance, and support scalable, equity focused approaches that improve nutrition education worldwide.

DINE, Secretary

Melissa L. Jensen, PhD, MSPH

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring diverse research, teaching and advocacy experiences across international settings (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Chile, United States), with a strong commitment to collaboration. I value shared learning and believe building strong professional networks is key to advancing nutrition education and public health impact.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
Implementing strategic actions to increase membership in SNEB and DINE, as well as having more networking opportunities during the SNEB conference.

Food and Nutrition Extension Education, Chair-Elect

Felicia Marable-Williams, M.Ed.

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring experience in nutrition education, family and consumer sciences, program development, and community engagement, along with strong collaboration and leadership skills. My background in Extension work has enhanced my ability to empower various audiences and foster partnerships supporting impactful evidence-based programming.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
The biggest opportunity for the FNEE division this year is to strengthen member engagement by creating more interactive programming, increasing visibility of our impact, and developing targeted recruitment strategies that attract new professionals. Enhancing communication and offering meaningful involvement opportunities will help grow and energize our division.

Higher Education, Chair-Elect

Susan Chen, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I plan to bring the leadership skills that I’ve developed as the current secretary of the Higher Education Division and as the co-chair of the Food Security in Higher Ed subcommittee. These include coordinating internal meetings with the Higher Education Leadership and planning three all-member meetings throughout the year.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
One opportunity is to deepen member engagement by intentionally creating a virtual space for ongoing discussions around challenges impacting Higher Education. This would begin by assessing members’ interest in an online community. This could strengthen connections among members and support collective advocacy to address challenges.

Higher Education, Secretary

David Cavallo, PhD, MPH, RDN

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
As Chair of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning subcommittee for two years, I have deep familiarity with our committee. My experience as Secretary for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Research DPG has also equipped me with the specialized skills necessary to excel in this role.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
Our committee is ready to grow through new webinars, editorials, and resources. We will focus on critical topics like higher education policy and research that supports students and faculty. This ensures our work remains relevant and directly addresses our members’ needs.

Public Health Nutrition, Chair-Elect

Rebecca Maida, MS, RDN, CDN, LD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
As an early-career professional, I bring a passionate voice that serves the interests of students and the ever-progressing field. I have held volunteer leadership positions for the past 8 years in college, in my local community, and in professional organizations.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
PHN is one of the largest divisions in SNEB, and we can lean into our membership by offering more webinars and learning opportunities throughout the year. Combining students, tenured faculty, policy/govt, and community workers, we can facilitate thought-provoking environments and opportunities for our division and SNEB.

Public Health Nutrition, Secretary

Palak Gupta, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I previously served in this role during the 2025–2026 term and also worked as Communications Coordinator for the division. These experiences strengthened my ability to support coordination, communication, and member engagement. I value collaborative leadership and enjoyed working with the division to support initiatives that advance public health nutrition.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
An important opportunity is strengthening collaboration and visibility of the division’s work. By highlighting innovative programs, research, and policy efforts in public health nutrition, we can expand partnerships, support member engagement, and contribute to conversations addressing food security, health equity, and nutrition education.

Public Health Nutrition, Secretary

Whitney Fung Uy, PHD, CPH

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring a holistic perspective through my SNEB involvement across multiple Divisions, along with practical experience that I am eager to share. I would welcome opportunities to engage PHN members in similar initiatives, such as coordinating multi-Division collaborations, hosting webinars, and supporting students through activities like networking and mentorship opportunities.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
As Division Secretary, I am committed to supporting PHN Division leadership and members in advancing existing goals while contributing new ideas to strengthen the Division’s growth. In the coming year, I see a valuable opportunity to identify members’ strengths and interests, fostering a shared vision and developing collaborative goals.

Research, Chair-Elect

Sydeena Isaacs, PhD, RD, LDN

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring experience leading funded research projects, publishing peer-reviewed work, and collaborating across interdisciplinary teams to address rural health equity. My strengths include grant writing, program evaluation, and mentoring students. I also have expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as in translating research into community-based, practice-oriented solutions.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
Increasing member participation and engagement is a key opportunity, particularly by improving awareness and utilization of R3 resources. Establishing dedicated leadership to oversee routine maintenance and updates will ensure resources remain relevant, accessible, and impactful, ultimately strengthening member value and supporting the division’s long-term effectiveness and growth.

Student, Chair-Elect

Syed Mehmood, MBBS, MPH Candidate

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring clinical experience as a medical doctor, leadership skills from managing hospital operations, and practical public health experience through TB surveillance, polio eradication efforts, and USAID supported nutrition programs. Alongside my MPH in Epidemiology, these roles strengthened my evidence based approach and taught me the importance of leading through collaboration.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
The biggest opportunity for the student division is to expand membership, deepen student engagement, and strengthen collaboration with other SNEB divisions. Building on recent initiatives such as the mentorship program, I envision advancing professional development through webinars, networking opportunities, and a virtual research symposium in partnership with student leadership.

Sustainable Food Systems, Chair-Elect

Jasia (Jayne) Seinmetz, PhD, CD, RDN

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
Coming soon.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
Coming soon.

Sustainable Food Systems, Secretary

Sahar Toulabi, PhD

What skills or experiences do you bring that would benefit the leadership team?
I bring experience working in multidisciplinary teams and a systems-level perspective on the food system. My research links food, chemistry, and clinical outcomes using multi-omics approaches. I manage complex projects and communicate clearly with stakeholders and team members. I value fostering a collaborative, accountable, and productive team environment.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for the division in the coming year?
I see a strong opportunity to build on the division’s momentum in advancing sustainable food systems. I would contribute by strengthening collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners, and translating complex science into actionable messages, while highlighting the roles of food quality, dietary diversity, and bioactive compounds in health.