The White House named Debra Eschmeyer, co-founder of FoodCorps, as the new executive director of the Let’s Move! initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama against childhood obesity. She also will be senior nutrition advisor at the White House. FoodCorps is part of the AmeriCorps public-service program and specializes in nutrition work at schools. Activities include gardens, cooking lessons and hands-on nutrition projects. Eschmeyer was raised on a dairy farm in Ohio.
“From classrooms and gardens to kitchens and farms, Deb has made learning about nutrition fun and accessible for kids across the country,” said the First Lady in a statement of welcome. Eschmeyer succeeds Sam Kass, who moved to New York in December. Politico described Eschmeyer as “a leading nutrition and local food advocate” and says the administration “appears to be doubling down on its nutrition policy agenda with its new pick for de facto food policy czar.