Speaker Biographies

Gayle A. Coleman, M.S., R.D.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Program Leader for Family and Consumer Science programs, including EFNEP and FNP at Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, East Lansing, Michigan, 1998 to present. Responsibilities include:

Overall coordination of Michigan’s EFNEP, including management of the budget, personnel, staff development and marketing, and the program areas of FNP.
Curriculum development and staff training for EFNEP and FNP.
Collaborative work with the Michigan Department of Community Health, including the WIC division, to develop materials and provide staff training.
Management of the MSU Extension component of Project FRESH, including budget development, staff training and material development.

Adjunct Faculty in the department of food science and human nutrition at MSU, 1997 to present.

Associate Program Leader for food, nutrition and health education programs at MSU Extension, East Lansing, Michigan, 1993 to 1998.

Public Health Nutritionist for the Ingham County Health Department, WIC division, Lansing, Michigan, 1993.
Responsibilities included:

Providing nutrition education for WIC participants.

Marketing Coordinator for the Dairy Council of Wisconsin, Westmont, Illinois, 1989 to 1993.
Responsibilities included:

Developing and marketing nutrition education materials that were technically accurate, appropriate for the target audience and appealing.

Nutrition Consultant, 1983 to 1989.
Consultation projects included:

Promoting health professional education programs for the National Dairy Council in Rosemont, Illinois.
Developing cyclic menu plans, providing nutrition education for groups and counseling individuals at Little Friends, Inc., a residential program for mentally-disabled adults, Naperville, Illinois.
Providing nutrition education classes and data analysis for a research project through Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.

Public Health Nutritionist for the DuPage County Health Department, WIC division, Wheaton, Illinois, 1982 to 1983.
Responsibilities included:

Providing nutrition education for WIC participants.
Providing nutrition education support for other health department programs.

Research Nutritionist for the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, a national clinical trial designed to reduce heart disease risk factors in middle-age men, at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1978 to 1981.
Responsibilities included:

Counseling participants to reduce their risk of heart disease.
Data collection.
Developing nutrition education classes for laymen and health professionals.

EDUCATION

Master of Science Degree in clinical nutrition from Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, 1978. Recipient of the Dean’s Award for outstanding graduate student in the department of health sciences.

Bachelor of Science Degree in dietetics form the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1977. Graduated with honors.

AWARDS

Received a 5 A Day award from the Michigan Department of Community Health for my leadership in the Michigan Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (Project FRESH).
Received Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s Recognition for Collaborative Programming Award for conducting a grant-funded needs assessment of Extension agents.
Received the 1992 Top Ten Consumer Education Materials award from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Coalition for Consumer Education for The Aisles Have It curriculum.
Received the first place award from the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business for The Aisles Have It curriculum.

CERTIFICATION

Certified as a Registered Dietitian with the American Dietetic Association, 1979.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

American Dietetic Association
Lansing Dietetic Association
Society for Nutrition Education

PUBLICATIONS (Journal manuscripts)

Gorder, D.D., T.A. Dolecek, G.G. Coleman, J.L. Tillotson, H.D. Brown, K. Lenz-Litzo, G.E. Bartsch, G. Grandits, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 86:744, 1986.
Murphy, A., G. Coleman, P. Hammerschmidt, K. Majewski, A. Slonim, Journal of Extension 37(6), 1999.
Coleman, G., B. Haas, L. Himebauch, Journal of Nutrition Education, 32 (6): 353A, 2000.
Omar, M., G. Coleman, S. Hoerr. (2001-in press). Healthy eating for rural low-income toddlers: Caregivers’ perceptions. Journal of Community Health Nursing.

PUBLICATIONS (Educational materials)

The Menu Planning and Food Score sections of the Progressive Eating Guide for the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), 1980, Co-author.

Gut Reactions bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1990, Primary author.

Cows Make Milk for You and Me bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1990, Primary author.

About Our Teeth and Food bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1990, Primary author.

Breakfast Times bulletin and poster, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1990, Primary author.

Moo-trition Poster Calendar, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1990, Primary author.

The Aisles Have It! Videotape and curriculum, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1991, Co-author.

A Cheese Lover’s Guide to Lower Fat Cheeses revised bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1991, Co-author.

A Healthy World calendar, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1991, primary author.

My Trip to the Supermarket educational packet, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1992, primary author.

Growing Bones Need Milk bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1992, primary author.

The Sports STAR bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1992, primary author.

Delicious Decisions curriculum, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1992, co-author.

Exploring Nutrition calendar, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1992, primary author.

About Better Choices curriculum, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1993, primary author.

Cosmic Cow Snack Code bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1993, primary author.

Cosmic Cow Crossword Puzzle bulletin, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1993, primary author.

The Skeleton Inside You calendar, Dairy Council of Wisconsin, 1993, primary author.

Eating Right is Basic (Third edition) revised curriculum, Michigan State University Extension, 1995, primary author.

A Guide for Feeding Your Baby – birth through 8 months bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1996, primary author.

A Guide for Feeding Your Baby – 6 through 12 months bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1996, primary author.

Great News for Woman and Babies bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1996, co-author.

Staples and Commodity Foods photograph cards, Michigan State University Extension, 1997, primary author.

Snack and Fast Foods photograph cards, Michigan State University Extension, 1997, primary author.

The Food Guide Pyramid Using Low-cost Foods poster, Michigan State University Extension, 1997, primary author.

A Guide to Daily Food Choices bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1997, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Apples revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Broccoli revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Cabbage revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Corn revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Green and Yellow Beans revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Potatoes revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Summer Squash revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

Using, Storing and Preserving Winter Squash revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

More Broccoli, Please revised bulletin, Michigan State University Extension, 1998, primary author.

PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS

Problems of Low Attendance at a MRFIT Clinic Located in an Inner City Area poster, at the MRFIT annual meeting, 1980, co-author.

A Healthy World poster at the Society for Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1992, primary author.

Eating Right is Basic (Third edition) poster at Society for Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1994.

Needs Assessment of Extension Home Economists poster at the Society of Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1996, co-author.

The Learning Tools: Evaluation Results for 300 Participants of Michigan’s EFNEP and FNP poster at Society of Nutrition education annual conference, July 1996, primary author.

Using the Learning Tool to Evaluate Behavior Change in Food and Nutrition Education Programs for Adults with Low Incomes poster at USDA/ESWIC conference, February 1997.
Coordinated and co-presenter of Take a Fresh Look at Project FRESH and What’s New at MSU Extension at Michigan WIC’s annual conference on April 1997 and May 1997.

How We Work Together for Michigan Families presentation at the Michigan Department of Education commodity foods meeting on April 1997.

A Toolbox of Nutrition Education Materials for Use with Emergency Food Customers and Volunteers poster at Society for Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1997, co-author.

Readiness to Increase Intake of Fruits and Vegetables by Limited Income Women, Some Pregnant and Lactating at Society for Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1997, co-author.

Developing materials for adults with limited literacy skills presentation for the Nutritionists and Dietitians in Community Health Services Practice Group, July 1998.

Effectively Promoting 5 A Day through Project FRESH presentation at Society for Nutrition Education annual conference, July 1998.

Off to a Great Start presentation at the Michigan Child and Adult Care Food Program fall conference, November 1998

Learning Tool Time: Evaluating EFNEP and FNP poster at the North Central Urban Extension conference, April 1999.

A Dynamic Duo: MSU Extension and WIC co-presenter at Michigan WIC annual conference, May 1999.

GRANTS FUNDED

Off to a Healthy Early Head Start, March 1, 1999 to February 28, 2001. Funded by the Children, Youth and Families Coalition, $70,000, co-principle investigator.

5 A Day Project Enhancement Plan, November11, 1996 to September 30, 1997. Funded by Michigan Public Health Institute, $14,983, co-principle investigator.

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For Further Information Contact:
Graduate School, USDA
Phone: (202) 314-3459
E-mail: fsis.outreach@usda.gov

Updated June 03, 2002