2023 CACFP Virtual Summit
August 15-17, 2023 on Zoom
Looking for food program training? Join us each day for workshops on nutrition, program administration, operations, management, and more. *Registration fee includes on-demand sessions, available through August 31, 2023.*
Earn up to 12 hours of Continuing Education!
*Registration includes on-demand viewing through August 31, 2023.*
$149 Standard Registration
$199 Registration After August 3, 2023
Schedule
*all times listed are Eastern*
Tuesday, August 15
11:30 am - 12:00 pm | CACFP Summit Welcome & Introduction to CACFP
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm | Explore New Foods with a Taste Testing Adventure
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm | USDA Policy Updates & Town Hall
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm | Promoting Responsive Feeding Practices in Early Childhood Settings
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Quizapalooza: Are You a Meal Pattern Super Star?
Wednesday, August 16
11:30 am - 12:00 pm | Ask Us Anything About CACFP Head Start
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm | Book & Bake to Build Math, Science and Literacy Foundations
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm | Program Accountability: Internal Controls
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm | Plant-Powered Palates: Showcasing Plant-Forward CACFP Recipes & Menus
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Creditable or Not?
Thursday, August 17
11:30 am - 12:00 pm | Ask Us Anything About CACFP Meal Patterns
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm | Building Healthy Bodies with the Food We Serve
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm | Culinary Knife Skills for Child Nutrition Programs
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm | Resilience is Everything
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Ask Us Anything: No CACFP Questions Unanswered
Watch for email confirmations and event access instructions in early August. Add nca@cacfp.org to your safe email sender list so our communications don't get lost in your spam or junk filters.
Meet Our Speakers
Kate Abernathy, MS, RD, LD, CMP, CCNP; Chief Executive Officer, Providers Choice
Kate’s work focuses on expanding participation of CACFP healthy meals and snacks to children across Minnesota. Providers Choice sponsors over 3,000 homes and 60 centers. Kate’s in-depth nutrition expertise and leadership supports providers with managing special diets, creating resources to simplify the CACFP and overall program support to child care providers.
Sharon Davis, Home Baking Association
Sharon has BS degrees in Home Economics Education and Family & Consumer Sciences Secondary Education, and a teaching licensure from Kansas State University. She’s been employed and consulted in a baking test kitchen, conducted nutrition analysis and developed baking resources for KSU Extension. Sharon is a member of NAEYC, AAFCS, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, Kansas Wheat Commission, Wheat Foods Council, and Home Baking Association.
Dee Hankins, Motivational Speaker
Dee’s mission to instill the power of resilience in students all across the country especially resonates with audiences as Dee approaches storytelling with his life struggles and how he has overcome them. After spending 18 years in foster care and watching his daughter battle brain cancer, Dee knows that life is full of unexpected events, but our resilience can turn those experiences into an incredible life lesson. Dee is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach.
Rhonda Kobylecky, CMP, CCNP, Director of Food Services, Acelero Learning
In addition to her role with a multi-state Head Start organization that serves over 5,000 children, Rhonda consults for Acelero’s sister program, Shine Implement. She enjoys training and sharing her CACFP, SERV Safe and Head Start knowledge with others. Rhonda is currently on NCA’s Board of Directors and received her degree from the College of Southern Nevada.
Shonika Kwarteng, MBA, RD, LD, National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety
Shonika is an EDC training and technical assistance (TA) associate and child nutrition expert with over 20 years of experience. With expertise in Head Start, the CACFP and early childhood nutrition, she is a key member of EDC's National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety team. Kwarteng holds an MBA from Troy University, a BS in Nutrition and Food Science from Auburn University, and completed a Georgia Division of Public Health Dietetic Internship.
.
Lisa Mack, President & CEO, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Lisa works with the Board of Directors to develop and implement the long-term operating plan to ensure the growth and success of the National CACFP Sponsors Association. Central to that plan is managing member relationships, resource and product development, training and conference programming, and partnership development. She has a BBA from Pace University.
Cherese Myree, CFE, Vice President, MH Miles, CPA, PC
Cherese specializes in the USDA Food Programs and governmental compliance. She has over 15 years of experience in the fields of auditing, accounting and consulting with specialized experience in governmental contract auditing and contract compliance. She testifies as an expert witness for the CACFP and SFSP and manages MHMC’s review, consultant and training engagements across the United States.
Alix Pasillas, CMP, CCNP, Executive Director, Food for Kids
Alix joined Food For Kids over 24 years ago as a field monitor and has served as executive director for the last ten years. She has provided guidance that has resulted in the growth of the program throughout Nevada. Alix continues to reinforce the sponsorship’s success with passion and determination for bringing healthy, nutritious meals to children and adults in programs that are a part of CACFP.
Shauna Payne, AAP, Nutrition Manager, Tallatoona CAP
Shauna operates and maintains compliance in the CACFP to ensure the nutritional needs of each child in the Head Start program are met. Tallatoona serves 611 children ages 3-5 with seven Head Start centers in Northwest Georgia. Shauna has an AAS in Culinary Arts, has been in the food-service industry for 20 year, and has cooked professionally and managed departments in a variety of food-service sectors.
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; Nutrition Education Specialist, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Isabel develops nutrition education materials and provides informational webinars on nutrition to support stronger program operations. She has a strong background and passion in working with low-income communities of various cultures, while working on graduate research projects and working in the nonprofit, food banking environment for eight years. Isabel has an MS in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University.
Gabriela Rangel, MS, CMP, CCNP; Director, Child and Family Resources
Gabriela has worked for Child & Family Resources for 12 years, serving in her current role for seven years. She has an MS from Walden University, a BS from the University of Arizona, and a Social Innovation Nonprofit Leadership Certificate from Eller Executive Education. She is currently on the NCA Board of Directors.
Jami Rokala, MS, RDN, LD, CLC, CMP, CCNP; Owner, Headwaters Nutrition Counseling
Jami has worked as a child nutrition professional for the state of ND as a Child Nutrition Specialist as well as the Child Nutrition Manager for Head Starts/Early Head Starts and Migrant and Seasonal Head Starts throughout the state of MN and ND. In her current work she contracts with Head Start agencies as the RDN and has a focus on 0-18 year olds struggling with anxious, avoidant, or selective eating and nutrition concerns.
Annetta Rutland, CMP, CCNP; Strategic Director, Quality Programs; 4C for Children
Annetta has been with her agency for more than 30 years. She works to develop, implement and maintain policies, procedures and standards for professional development programs in identified content area. In addition, she supports the agency’s Team Leaders of Quality Programs to help them make consistent and progressive steps toward organizational and programmatic consistency and sustainability. She is currently on NCA’s Board of Directors.
Alexia Thex, MEd, Director of Policy & Partnerships, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Alexia is charged with expanding NCA’s advocacy on policy matters and advancing the mission and interests of association members and stakeholders while forming mutually long-term, beneficial partnerships with corporations and organizations fitting the mission of NCA. Through her career in development, Alexia has also raised funds for Downtown Houston YMCA, the Holocaust Museum Houston and her children’s schools. She has an MEd in Exercise Physiology from the University of Texas.
Chef Brenda Thompson-Wattles, LD, RDN; Owner, BLT Food & Nutrition
Brenda is a Culinary Chef and Registered Dietitian who consults for child nutrition programs. She studied to become an RD at the University of Idaho and then received her culinary degree at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Texas. Brenda has been a consultant recipe standardizer for the USDA and has published several child nutrition standardized cookbooks. She recently released her “Level Up with Chef Brenda” social media platform, focusing on sharing standardized recipes and culinary tips.
Programming
Tuesday, August 15
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
CACFP Summit Welcome & Introduction to CACFP
We’re talking about CACFP! Learn about the history of the food program and get the meal pattern basics. Hear how the CACFP impacts our nation and share your why. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Lisa Mack, National CACFP Sponsors Association
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Explore New Foods with a Taste Testing Adventure
The CACFP fosters a positive eating environment that encourages healthy eating habits. Children will develop their own unique palates based on the foods they are exposed to while in your care, which may affect their food choices later on as adults. Learn how you can introduce new or challenging foods through various taste testing strategies, promote conversations around meals, and discover other food tasting adventure tips! ~ 1 CEU Specialty 1
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; National CACFP Sponsors Association
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
USDA Policy Updates & Town Hall
Hear from USDA as they present an overview of policy guidance and share a state-of-the-program update for CACFP. The USDA FNS team will also be answering questions as part of this session, based on those questions submitted in advance. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 7
USDA Team Nutrition
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Promoting Responsive Feeding Practices in Early Childhood Settings
Responsive feeding is an attentive way of feeding young children that includes watching for their hunger and satiety cues. This session will define the characteristics of responsive feeding as well as the impact and benefits on children’s physical and social emotional well-being. Participants will be provided with strategies and resources to help them engage in responsive feeding with children. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 1
Shonika Kwarteng, MBA, RD, LD, National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Quizapalooza: Are You a Meal Pattern Super Star?
Think you know the meal pattern like the back of your hand? From food components to required serving sizes to substitutions and variations of the meal pattern by age groups, there is so much more to know beyond the basics. Test your knowledge, or learn something new, as we review a wide range of meal pattern topics through polls and interactive learning! ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; National CACFP Sponsors Association
Wednesday, August 16
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Ask Us Anything About CACFP Head Start
Join us for an unscripted, dynamic, and real conversation focusing on CACFP for Head Start. Bring your questions – you can ask us anything about CACFP for Head Start and we’ll answer as many as we can. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Shauna Payne, AAP Tallatoona CAP
Jami Rokala, MS, RDN, LD, CLC, CMP, CCNP; Headwaters Nutrition Counseling
Rhonda Kobylecky, CCNP, CMP; Acelero Learning
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Book & Bake to Build Math, Science and Literacy Foundations
Embark on a culinary adventure that combines the magic of books with the art of baking. Choose a book featuring veggies, fruits, milk, eggs, or grains and infuse it with whole grain-rich flours and a dash of leavening. The result? A medley of delicious treats that young children will adore. Show children how to experience the joy of creating some of their favorite dishes, and develop foundational skills in math (sequence, volume, time, temperatures), literacy (letter, sound and word associations, following directions), science, wellness, and cultural understanding. Explore best practices for baking with young children, insights on timing and tools for success, and get access to valuable resources. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 2
Sharon Davis, Home Baking Association
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Program Accountability: Internal Controls
You know internal controls are important, but maybe you haven’t set them up or don’t know where to start? Learn why they are necessary for all operators to ensure CACFP compliance. Learn how to develop, document, and evaluate internal control systems and how to identify common program areas where internal controls are essential. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 4
Cherese Myree, CFE, MH Miles Company, CPA, PC
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Plant-Powered Palates: Showcasing Plant-Forward CACFP Recipes & Menus
Are vegetarian menus in high demand at your adult center, child care center or family child care home? Maybe you’re not sure where to start or need more recipe ideas to liven up your current menu. Learn about the difference between a vegetarian and vegan diet, the latest research about plant-based alternatives, ways to identify vegetarian products, share #CACFPCreditable recipe ideas, plus, get a two-week CACFP plant-forward menu for you to try at your site! ~ 1 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; National CACFP Sponsors Association
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Creditable or Not?
Looking for resources on how to determine if something is creditable or not in the CACFP? We can help! We’ll share where to look and what types of nutrition education resources are available free-of-charge, including the guides for Identifying Whole Grain-Rich, determining sugar content in cereals and yogurt, and which milk to serve in the CACFP. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Lisa Mack, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Thursday, August 17
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Ask Us Anything About CACFP Meal Patterns
Join us for an unscripted, dynamic, and real conversation focusing on the CACFP Meal Pattern. Bring your questions – you can ask us anything – and we’ll answer as many as we can. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Kate Abernathy, MS, RDN, LDN, CMP, CCNP, Providers Choice
Alix Pasillas, CMP, CCNP, Food for Kids
Gabriela Rangel, MS, CMP, CCNP, Child & Family Resources
Annetta Rutland, CCNP, CMP, 4C for Children
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Building Healthy Bodies with the Food We Serve
In your career, you play a critical role to ensure that all children have access to healthy foods. Those foods are vital to providing the nutrients kids need as they grow, and into adulthood. Most of us know about macronutrients (carbs, proteins, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) but do you know in which foods they can be found and how they work in the body? Learn what fruits, vegetables, grains, meats/meat alternates and fluid milk contribute so you can put nutrients together for optimal health when building a menu. Get examples and a visual handout showing what food components do for the body. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 1
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; National CACFP Sponsors Association
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Culinary Knife Skills for Child Nutrition Programs
Know the difference between diced, chopped, and cubed when your CACFP recipe calls for it? Learn classic culinary cuts in combination with cuts used in the USDA’s Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) as well as what small, medium, and large slices look like as you prepare your age-appropriate required serving sizes to meet the meal patterns. Get to know the anatomy of a knife, how to hold it, maintain them, and be safe in the kitchen. Get a quick guide with visuals to keep handy wherever you prepare meals. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 2
Chef Brenda Thompson-Wattles, LD, RDN, BLT Food & Nutrition, LLC
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Resilience is Everything
Resilience: The ability to bounce back. It’s what enables students to come out of challenging experiences with a positive attitude about themselves and their future. After 18 years in foster care and watching his daughter battle brain cancer, hear how Dee turned those unexpected events into incredible life lessons. This unforgettable hour will remind you, you are not alone, and move you to continue to make a difference in the lives of those you serve. ~ 1 CEU Specialty 6
Dee Hankins, Motivational Speaker
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Ask Us Anything: No CACFP Questions Unanswered
Nothing’s off limits! Didn’t get the information you were looking for this week? Now’s the time to join us for our speed round of Q&A. We’ll get through as many questions as we can, ask for your feedback, and share what’s coming up next at NCA. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Lisa Mack, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Alexia Thex, MEd, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; National CACFP Sponsors Association
Frequently Asked Questions
