Chef Jessica Williams graduated in 2002 from Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in Providence, RI with a BA in Culinary Nutrition, N4 Program. During her scholastic years, she was one of ten JWU students chosen to work at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL from September – November, 2009. While working in the “world’s happiest place on earth,” Chef Jessica had the privilege of opening the Millennium Catering kitchen in Epcot Center, with responsibilities including recipe research and development, volumes of food preparation, high values of food production, and the execution of high profile events throughout the Disney theme parks.

In 2000, Chef Jessica Williams began a volunteer position with the non-profit organization Kids First. Kids First brings health and nutrition full circle by providing quality nutrition education within government policies, school system regulations, families and all child care providers. As a volunteer, Chef Jessica became the first Johnson & Wales University Internship student in 2002, opening the doors of the Kids First organization to all future JWU students. After graduating from JWU, Kids First hired Chef Jessica as an independent Culinary Nutrition Educator. Throughout her tenure, she was able to develop and execute over one thousand nutrition, food safety, and wellness programs designed to improve the nutritional and physical well being of all Rhode Island communities.

Based on a desire to also help her own community of Fall River, MA, Chef Jessica Williams became an employee of the UMass Amherst Nutrition Education Program of South coast, MA in 2003. In this part-time role, she provided nutrition education to students from low-income families in schools throughout Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton. Over these five years, Chef Jessica developed lesson plans based on the USDA “MyPyramid” and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, teaching materials, and recipes for local farmers markets, schools and family health events. Through her hard work and determination, she was promoted from part-time employee to Nutrition Educator I, and finally Lead Nutrition Educator II in 2007. The Nutrition Educator II position gave Chef Jessica the added responsibility of developing and delegating school program scheduling for all UMass Amherst Nutrition Education Program staff members in over thirty schools in all three school districts. Additionally, she established strong partnerships with several local agencies including the first series of “Nutrition in the Community Garden” cooking class for youth through the Peace Works Boys & Girls Club in New Bedford, and an eight week farm to table “Let’s Get Cooking!” class through the May Institute in Fall River to assist low-income families in learning how to cook farm fresh local vegetables and fruit recipes inexpensively.
Chef Jessica Williams continues to support her local community by applying her skills to even more community grants and organizations such as Children in Balance “Heat Club” through Tufts University, the Fall River Healthy City Partnership Initiative, and Citizens for Citizens, Fall River. Chef Jessica has also worked with the Diabetes Association in Fall River to create a series of culinary nutrition and food safety workshops for “Families Preventing Diabetes!”



In 2008, Chef Jessica Williams was hired by the Community Development Recreation Center as the Fall River Fitness Challenge Lead Culinary Nutrition Educator to provide over five hundred participants with low cost recipes, nutritional education, supermarket tours, and menu planning to maintain a healthy lifestyle on a reasonable budget. In the past two years, these participants have lost over seven thousand pounds!

In July 2009, Chef Jessica Williams decided to venture out on her own and become a full-time culinary nutrition educator independent contractor. Today, Chef Jessica continues to work with Kids First as their Key Culinary Nutrition Professional, as well with the May Institute and local fitness centers.
Today, Chef Jessica has the amazing opportunity to work with families and individuals in their homes preparing healthy meals and snacks, imparting important cooking skills and knowledge of nutrition, and teaching them how to create a low cost nutritionally balanced shopping list to use regularly at the local grocery store.
Chef Jessica continues to work with the CD Recreation Center on the 2011 Fall River Fitness Challenge as the Executive Culinary Nutrition Educator.

Other Achievements:

Books & Play Scripts:
· “The Eat Healthy to Be Healthy Food Safety Show!”– Written, produced, directed and custom design
· “The Two Bite Club!”(FNS of USDA) – helped in material editing and creative ideas

Internet: You Tube
· Fall River Healthy City Initative 2009

Herald News Tips and Recipe Blog
http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/healthyandwhole/

· Fall River Fitness Challenge Kickoff Event

Newspaper:
· Herald News