
About Nutrition Education for All

Our Mission
At Nutrition Education for All, our mission is to dismantle systemic and financial barriers that perpetuate health inequities, ensuring that every child and family—regardless of race, income, or background—has access to the nutrition education and support they deserve. We are committed to addressing the disproportionate burden of chronic disease in marginalized communities by equipping individuals with the knowledge and resources to make informed food choices. Through one-on-one nutrition counseling, culturally responsive school programs, and inclusive community outreach, we strive to empower underserved populations to overcome the impacts of poverty and systemic disadvantages. By fostering healthier habits and nurturing resilient communities, we aim to create lasting change where everyone can thrive.
Meet the Team

Our Founder and Registered Dietitian
Kelly Springer
Kelly Springer, MS, RD, CDN, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian, author, and passionate advocate for health equity. With over two decades of experience in clinical nutrition, corporate wellness, and education, Kelly has seen firsthand the life-changing power of nutrition. She founded Nutrition Education for All with a bold mission: to ensure that every child, family, and underserved individual—regardless of income or insurance—has access to evidence-based nutrition education. Kelly’s work has been featured on Good Morning America, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, and dozens of media outlets nationwide. She is the founder of Kelly’s Choice LLC, a nutrition consulting company with a nationwide team of dietitians. Through both of her organizations, she’s helped thousands of people prevent and even reverse chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Her leadership at Nutrition Education for All is driven by a deep commitment to social justice and a belief that good nutrition should never be a privilege—it’s a right. Whether she's speaking to policymakers, teaching in schools, or guiding families in need, Kelly’s message is clear: nutrition education saves lives.

Our Executive Director
Shannon Hodson
Shannon Hodson, MA, brings over two decades of experience in public health, education, and social justice to her role as Director of Nutrition Education for All. With a Master’s degree in Sociology and a concentration in Medical Sociology, Shannon's passion for equity and wellness has shaped every step of her career. Her journey began in 2001 as a Program Coordinator for the National Center for Children in Poverty, where she supported national initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of low-income children and families. In the years that followed, she founded her private nutrition company, Shannon Lynn Nutrition, where she secured grants from the I Have a Dream Foundation to deliver health education in underserved communities. Through this work, she taught hundreds of classes via after-school programs, empowering students to make healthier choices that ripple through families and communities. Shannon is also the founder of Kids Unplugged CNY, a nature-based initiative that helps children disconnect from screens and reconnect with creativity, movement, and the outdoors. Her programs promote holistic wellness—both physical and emotional—and emphasize family bonding and resilience. At Nutrition Education for All, Shannon brings her deep-rooted commitment to social justice, health equity, and community empowerment to life. She believes every child and adult—regardless of income, ZIP code, or insurance status—deserves access to the life-changing power of nutrition education.

Our Director of Outreach
Anne Marie Logan
Anne Marie Logan is a graduate of Marymount University. She brings heart, dedication, and a collaborative spirit to everything she does. Anne Marie has always been drawn to creating meaningful experiences- first in her early marketing career with Simon Properties and Westfield, where she helped shape and launch major shopping mall retail campaigns, events, and brand initiatives in the Washington, D.C. area. As her family grew, Anne Marie shifted her focus to raising her four children, a role she considers her most rewarding. For over two decades, she balanced the demands of a busy household with deep community involvement, including leading the Skaneateles Girls Lacrosse boosters and introducing the student-athlete mental health program, Morgans Message, to the local school district. Now, Anne Marie is excited to begin her next chapter with Nutrition Education for All, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing nutritional education and awareness to underserved communities. She looks forward to combining her marketing experience, community leadership, and life-earned perspective to contribute to this mission in meaningful ways.

Our Lead Dietitian
Alexandra Baio
Alexandra Baio, MA, RD, CDN, is a Registered Dietitian committed to making nutrition education clear, accessible, and empowering for people of all ages. She believes deeply in the life changing impact of evidence-based nutrition especially in communities where reliable guidance is hardest to access. A two-time graduate of Syracuse University, Alexandra earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Dietetics in 2023 and her Master of Arts in Nutrition Science in 2025, grounding her work in strong clinical knowledge and a passion for preventive health. In addition to her dietetic training, Alexandra is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). This combination of nutrition and exercise allows her to support individuals, helping them build sustainable habits that honor both their health goals and daily realities. Throughout her academic and early professional career, Alexandra has been involved in community programs, individualized counseling, and health education initiatives that aim to make nutrition more understandable and approachable. Her work is guided by compassion, curiosity, and a commitment to meeting people where they are. As Lead Registered Dietitian at Nutrition Education for All, Alexandra brings a thoughtful, equity-driven perspective to everything she does. She is dedicated to ensuring that every child, family, and community - regardless of background or resources - has access to trustworthy nutrition education. Whether she's teaching in classrooms, supporting families, or shaping program strategy, Alexandra’s work is guided by a clear goal: expanding access to practical, evidence-based nutrition support.
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Our Dietitian
Julia Langer
Julia Langer, MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through nutrition education, helping people understand how food impacts health and quality of life across the lifespan. She is committed to providing culturally relevant, evidence-based guidance that is clear, accessible, and actionable for all communities. She earned her undergraduate degree in Nutrition from Syracuse University, with minors in Exercise Science and Public Communication Studies, and continued her education at Boston University, earning a Master of Science in Nutrition and completing her Dietetic Internship at Boston Medical Center. Her academic and clinical training provided a strong foundation in medical nutrition therapy while reinforcing the importance of community-focused, preventive care. After beginning her professional career as a Clinical Dietitian, Julia chose to center her work on expanding access to food and nutrition education through community-based programming. She has been actively involved in nutrition initiatives since the start of her academic career, including leading nutrition programs within the Syracuse City School District through her work at the Mary Ann Shaw Center (2019–2023) and serving as President of the Syracuse University Nutrition Education Promotion Association (2022–2023). At Nutrition Education For All, Julia brings a community-centered, collaborative approach to her work. She is committed to meeting individuals where they are and engaging in mutual learning with the communities she serves. Through this work, she aims to support lifelong health by providing reliable nutrition education and counseling that fosters lasting understanding and meaningful change.
Our Board of Directors

President
Rachel Veins
Rachel Viens is the current Director of the Healthy Families Division for the Onondaga County Health Department. She oversees home-based clinical and community support to expectant and new parents, offering education on prenatal care, child development, and parenting. Connecting families to community resources, conducting health screenings, and promoting positive parent-child relationships to improve early childhood outcomes. In addition she oversees the Women Infant Children program, the Refugee Immigrant Health Hub, the Perinatal infant community health collaborative, Syracuse Healthy Start and various contracted agencies. Prior to her current role she was responsible for operating the USDA child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program within the Syracuse City School district. In addition, she coordinated the weekend food giveaway program in partnership with Blessings in a Backpack and the FoodBank of CNY which provided supplemental meals for food insecure students over the weekend. She has an active role in the community supporting advocacy efforts surrounding local farming, food justice, policy work, childhood hunger and childhood obesity prevention efforts. Rachel graduated from Syracuse University in 2004 where she also completed her Dietetic internship and later completed the Executive Masters of Public Administration Program at the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Treasurer
Matthew Hughes
Matt Hughes, is Central New York Native and graduate of SUNY Oswego with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. Matt currently serves as a Commercial Lender at Pathfinder Bank, bringing over a decade of financial services experience through credit analysis relationship building, and supporting small to medium-sized businesses through the community the Bank serves. At Nutrition Education for All, Matt brings his financial acumen, community connections and passion for healthy choices to the communities that we live, work and play.

Board Member
Dr. Barb Connor
Dr. Barb Connor has been practicing medicine in Central New York since 1985, most of that time in emergency and urgent care settings. Over the years, she has cared for countless individuals and families facing barriers to healthcare access—people without a primary care provider who relied on the ER for support, patients living with chronic conditions that may have been prevented or improved through better nutrition and education, and individuals without insurance who often didn’t know where to turn. These experiences have shaped my belief that access to nutrition education is a critical part of health and prevention. In 2021, I became board certified in Obesity Medicine, a growing subspecialty focused on addressing one of the most urgent health challenges of our time. The American Board of Obesity Medicine recognizes the rising obesity epidemic, especially among adolescents, and highlights nutrition therapy as a foundational part of care. I am passionate about the mission of Nutrition Education for All and the impact it is already making in our community. I am honored to be part of this work and excited to help expand NEFA’s reach so more individuals and families can benefit from practical, accessible nutrition education.

Vice President
Elizabeth Crockett
Elizabeth G. Crockett, PhD, RD, CDN, is Executive Director at Inclusive Alliance IPA. Liz grew up in Rennselaer County, NY and came to Syracuse to earn an MS in Nutrition at Syracuse University in the early 1980s. She worked as Nutrition Coordinator at the PEACE, Inc. Head Start program until 1988, then returned to SU to earn a PhD. She worked at the Food Bank of Central New York in the 1990s. From 2000 to September 2024 she was the Executive Director at REACH CNY, which provides perinatal home visiting, health education, and other services to individuals and families. Liz is dedicated to community collaboration to improve health and health equity. She lives in Fabius and likes to cook, bake, and sew, when she’s not hiking and riding a tandem bicycle with her husband Pete.

Secretary
Susan Iannotta
Susan is the mother of three adult children and a former teacher who has built a dynamic career as a small business owner. With over seven years of experience running a successful residential cleaning business, she expanded her expertise two and a half years ago by launching an administrative services business dedicated to promoting small businesses and supporting their day-to-day operations. In November 2025, Susan further broadened her offerings by introducing an organizational consulting business, where she helps individuals declutter, downsize, and create peaceful, functional home and work environments. Learn more at www.susansadministrativesolutions.com

Board Member
Meryl Eriksen
Meryl Eriksen is the founder of Pink Pineapple Cooking, a community-based culinary education business focused on helping children, teens, and families build confidence in the kitchen through hands-on cooking and nutrition education. Through her work, she creates accessible, engaging experiences that encourage lifelong healthy habits, curiosity around food, and family connection. Meryl also serves as faculty with the Compassionate Leaders Circle, where she facilitates leadership development experiences centered on purpose, communication, and compassionate workplace culture. Prior to her entrepreneurial work, she spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at the Inns of Aurora, overseeing food and beverage operations, team development, and guest experience initiatives. She is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and the collaborative degree program with the Culinary Institute of America. Meryl is passionate about expanding access to nutrition education and empowering families with practical tools to support healthier lives and stronger communities.
