Sherene, an acclaimed dietitian and chef, pioneers an equitable and sustainable food system, intertwining plant-based nutrition, inclusive culinary education, and health equity. Collaborating with national entities, she devises innovative programs for accessible and sustainable nutrition education. She served as the Chair for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group, Nutrition Advisor for the Plant Based Foods Association, and currently is on the advisory board for the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative and Padilla’s DE+I Collective. In 2020, she co-founded Food + Planet, an initiative to empower healthcare professionals to transform the food system.

Sherene discusses her holistic approach to sustainable food systems, tracing her journey from leading a community-based teaching kitchen to co-founding Food + Planet. Recognizing a gap in sustainability education, Sherene co-founded Food + Planet, engaging over 8,000 dietitians in workshops, and offering resources like the Blue Foods as Medicine Cookbook and serving as the health partner to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. Their approach encompasses planetary health, nutrition, social-cultural, and economic pillars. Sherene's work showcases how practitioners can impact the dynamic landscape of food as medicine.

Resources Referenced:

Follow Sherene’s work on Instagram: @eatsustainablefoods

Blue Foods as Medicine Cookbook: https://eataquaticfoods.org/cookbook

Seafood Watch: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-basics/sustainable-healthy-fish

Culinary Nutrition Collaborative: https://www.culinarynutritioncollaborative.com/

Diversify Dietetics https://www.diversifydietetics.org/

Teaching Kitchen Collaborative https://teachingkitchens.org/