Personal Catalyst: Turning Trauma into Food Advocacy

What if changing what kids eat at school could transform their behavior, boost learning, and even save lives? Studies show that when kids swap junk food for real, nourishing meals, behavior problems drop, focus improves, and learning soars—with one study finding a 100% reduction in suicides among youth simply by changing their diet. Across the country, schools are proving that scratch-cooked, colorful meals made from whole ingredients can fit tight budgets, reduce waste, and make kids excited to eat. By putting nutritious food at the center of education, we can help raise a generation that’s healthier, happier, and ready to learn.

In this episode, Jill Shah, Sam Kass, Kimbal Musk, and I talk about the powerful connection between nutrition and education, showing that healthy school meals can transform not just kids’ diets but their futures.

Jill Shah is the President of the Shah Family Foundation, which drives innovative work at the intersection of education, healthcare, and community in Boston. Her leadership focuses on improving access to healthy school food, supporting neighborhood food equity, and fostering collaboration between schools and healthcare to strengthen children’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Before launching the foundation, Jill was a successful entrepreneur involved in several internet startups, including iXL, RxCentric, and Mercator Software, and later founded Jill’s List, which she sold to MINDBODY in 2013. A graduate of Providence College, she now serves on the boards of the Red Sox Foundation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Museum of Fine Arts, Belmont Hill School, and the Winsor School. Jill’s commitment to community innovation has earned her honors such as the Boston Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Bostonian Award and the Playworks Game Changer Award.

Sam Kass was senior policy advisor for nutrition policy in the Obama Administration and is currently an investor in several food technology start-ups. One of Michelle Obama's longest-serving advisors, Sam was the executive director of her Let's Move initiative and helped create the first major vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and was trained by one of Austria's greatest chefs, Christian Domschitz.

Kimbal Musk is the co-founder of The Kitchen, an American bistro with restaurant locations in Boulder, Denver, Chicago, and soon Austin. Now marking its twentieth anniversary, The Kitchen serves thoughtfully sourced, Seasonal American Shared Plates with global influences. Musk is also the co-founder of Big Green, a philanthropic organization devoted to getting every American growing food. His personal mission is to empower and invest in the next generation who are building a healthier, happier future. The Wall Street Journal has called him a "cheerful crusader for real food," and The Guardian has lauded how he “takes the tech entrepreneur ethos and applies it to food.” Musk has been named a Global Social Entrepreneur by the World Economic Forum. Musk currently sits on the board of Tesla Inc. and formerly served on the board of Chipotle Mexican Grill and SpaceX.

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Full-length episodes can be found here:
How To Improve School Lunches, Grades, And Behavior At No Extra Cost

Why Pizza And Fries Can Be Claimed As Vegetables Through School Lunch Programs

How To Fix Nutrition In Schools