Ally is a former Child Nutrition Director with prior experience working in school nutrition research and technical assistance programming. She has over a decade of experience in school nutrition operations, personnel management, program development, clean-label menu planning, and all things farm-to-school. She launched her school food career with a one-year FoodCorps service term, during which she was quickly nicknamed “fresh fruit and vegetable girl” by kitchen and warehouse staff.

Ally lives in Arkansas and is originally from rural Washington State, where she grew up on her family's orchard, an experience that helped develop her love for seasonal foods and cooking. Ally is a Registered Dietitian and provides technical assistance to USDA Healthy Meals Incentive: Project SCALES (Supporting Community Agriculture & Local Education Systems) grantees developing partner-focused local procurement programs that serve more locally grown foods to local students in rural communities. As someone who comes from a farming family in a rural community, this work hits close to home. She has a special place in her heart for hardworking rural food service directors and districts and is continually inspired by school nutrition leaders who find unique solutions to meet their community’s needs.