MIT Press
Transforming School Food Politics Around the World
I contributed two chapters to this volume published by MIT Press and edited by Jennifer Gaddis and Sarah A. Robert, Ph.D.
"The Center for Ecoliteracy’s Approach to School Food Systems Change in the United States"
"Local and National Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in the United States"
Co-authored with Jennifer LeBarre, Margaret Read, and Courtney Smith.
WRITING, STORYTELLING
Video Credit: Center for Ecoliteracy
Farm to School Short Film
I produced this bilingual short film showcasing the Pajaro Valley Unified School District and the power of youth leadership in the farm to school movement. This film premiered at the 2023 Watsonville Film Festival and was co-produced with Esperanza Community Farms and directed by Inspira Studios.
FILM PRODUCTION, STORYTELLING
Photo Credit: Center for Ecoliteracy
School Meals for All Campaign
I co-led communications for California’s successful School Meals for All campaign as the Outreach and Communications Manager for the Center for Ecoliteracy, a co-sponsor of the Free School Meals for All Act of 2021. In July 2021, California became the first state in the nation to adopt universal school meals, permanently providing free breakfast and lunch to all K–12 public school students.
New York Times: What to Know About California’s Free School Lunch Program (Quoted)
Associated Press: California Launches Largest Free School Lunch Program in US
Policy, ADVOCACY, WRITING, COALITION BUILDING, SOCIAL MEDIA
The U.S. Needs Universal School Meals—Now
I published my first article in Womanly Magazine in October 2020. The issue is all about food, nutrition, and access in our communities. I wrote about school meals: the women serving them, the schools providing safe access amid the pandemic, and the policies we need to fight the rising rates of food insecurity among children.
Policy, ADVOCACY, WRITING
Video Credit: Wolf Den
San Francisco Unified School District Health and Safety Videos
As the school district prepared to welcome students back on campus, I worked with school nurses and district leadership to craft key messages for PreK-5 students and families to understand health and safety protocols. I wrote the script and provided creative direction, gathered feedback from students and families, and partnered with Wolf Den to create a positive, educational video that was produced in 8 languages.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT, CRISIS-RESPONSE, HEALTH INFORMATION DESIGN, design for ACCESSIBILITY, CREATIVE DIRECTION
COVID-19 Response Efforts for SFUSD Nutrition
I led communications at the San Francisco Unified School District on safe and equitable food access during the COVID-19 crisis. The program is the largest food distributor in the city and served millions of meals to children during the pandemic.
In March 2020, I led the planning and execution of communications to ensure students could continue to receive school meals on day one of school closures. This work continued throughout the pandemic with daily digital communications as well as printed materials to reach the diverse families the District serves.
The website, sfusd.edu/schoolfood, is a key resource for both families and the community to stay up-to-date on the latest information about grab-and-go meal sites. Additionally, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were essential to promote the availability of free meals and to respond to families seeking help with food assistance programs.
I was a design and communications team of one for this work, reporting to the Executive Director. Read more about this work in the blog “Meet a Changemaker: San Francisco Unified School District’s Anne Moertel” by the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation. Our work was also highlighted by Google.
Policy, COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING, WRITING, CRISIS-RESPONSE, SOCIAL MEDIA, INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE, design for ACCESSIBILITY
Providing Health Services During School Closures
Healthy Schools Campaign provided this resource to support the continuous delivery of school-based health services during school closures at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. I designed social media graphics and a guide that could be easily navigated online and in print. View the guide.
DIGITal LAYOUT, social graphics
Video Credit: HardPin Media
Rewriting the Recipe for School Food
As Healthy Schools Campaign’s work expanded to be national in scope, the organization was struggling to communicate the shift to existing stakeholders and potential funders. I crafted a storytelling campaign with a series of videos highlighting individuals and the organization’s impact. I pitched the concept to senior leadership, hired and managed videographers and photographers, and provided concept, storyboard and onsite direction for shoots. Visit healthyschoolscampaign.org/story.
VIDEO, ART DIRECTION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, STORYTELLING
Guide to Expanding Medicaid-Funded School Health Services
This guide was created by Healthy Schools Campaign and Trust for America’s Health to provide states and school districts with the resources they need to understand and use a recent policy change to help more students. I designed this document to be easily navigated online and in print. View the guide.
DIGITal LAYOUT
HealthySchoolsCampaign.org
As Healthy Schools Campaign’s programs expanded to reach more audiences, a new and responsive website was needed to support the programs online. I led the design and development process with senior leadership and writing staff to create a valuable resource for partners, funders, and most significantly, program participants. Visit healthyschoolscampaign.org.
RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN, information architecture, BRAND IDENTITY, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Here + Healthy
The Here + Healthy campaign was created by Healthy Schools Campaign and Attendance Works to raise awareness about the health-related causes of chronic absenteeism. I developed a new brand identity to set the campaign apart from the two organization’s brands, and a set of social media graphics for partners to share. View the social media toolkit, a Call to Action document, and presentation template.
BRAND IDENTITY, SOCIAL GRAPHICS, digital layout
Partnerships for Research in Child Health
Partnerships for Research in Child Health is an initiative from the Stanford University School of Medicine that supports water access and nutrition education in schools. The site was created to be a resource for schools, parents and research partners. The design is simple and flexible so research staff are able to update and maintain the site. Visit researchinchildhealth.org.
responsive web design, brand identity, project management
Children’s Oncology Group
The Children's Oncology Group provides families with resources on treatment for children with cancer. In my research, I noted that parents were highlighting and adding notes and post-its to existing resources, so I designed the Family Handbook and New Diagnosis Guide with minimal design elements and maximum margin space. These are excerpts from extensive handbooks that I formatted in 3 languages and for print, digital, and eBook access. View the handbook.
human-centered design, design research, print design, digital layout
SpaceToGrowChicago.org
Space to Grow transforms schoolyards across Chicago from blacktop to vibrant play spaces built with green infrastructure. I led the brand identity and website design process across two partner organizations; Healthy Schools Campaign and Openlands; and worked with key stakeholders, writers, and a web developer. The site provides resources for schools, community members and funders. Visit spacetogrowchicago.org.
RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN, BRAND IDENTITY, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Illustrations by Jesse Hora
Space to Grow Schoolyard Signage
Each Space to Grow schoolyard has signage for K–5 students to learn about the various green infrastructure elements throughout the space. The signage was designed with children’s height and reading level in mind, with the shape chosen to be friendly for play spaces. A curriculum was then developed to use the signage as part of each lesson plan. I art directed this project in partnership with an illustrator. View the signage.