On October 25, French-American Aid for Children was proud to present the latest edition of its webinar series about children’s health.
Many of you joined our expert panel for a cutting-edge discussion about the gut microbiome and the importance of nutrition for children’ health and wellbeing. You learned about the impact of the microbiome and diet on digestive health and proper weight maintenance; the effect of food insecurity on mental health; and the role of nutrition in children’s learning and cognition. Throughout this interactive dialogue, our panelists offered practical, cost-effective and age-appropriate recommendations for parents, caregivers, teachers and healthcare providers.
Dr. Juliana Cohen is both an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and in the Department of Nutrition and Public Health at Merrimack College. Her research examines innovative school-based interventions to encourage the selection and consumption of healthier foods. She was previously an ORISE Policy and Science fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. Dr. Cohen holds a doctorate in nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she also received a Master’s in Society, Human Development and Health
Dr. Dale Lee is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Seattle Children’s Hospital at the University of Washington. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Managerial Studies from Rice University, Houston, Texas, an MD degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas. He trained under a dual fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, and earned a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a distinguished member of numerous professional societies and associations. Dr. Lee presently serves as the Medical Director of Clinical Nutrition at Seattle Children’s Hospital and is also Director of the Celiac Disease Program.
Dr. Traci Gardner is Medical Director for The Children’s Village, Dobbs Ferry, NY and serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Division of Immigration Services at The Children’s Village. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Mount Holyoke College and a Doctor of Medicine from New York Medical College. As Director of Community Engagement, she has partnered with the NAACP and other community organizations on topics that impact health disparities in the African-American Community. Dr. Gardner has done presentations and panel discussions on Adolescent Health, Trauma, ACES, Cultural Competency, Race/Implicit Bias and COVID-19. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work.
