2025 ARCHIVES

Program

Cambridge Healthtech's 2nd Annual

Food as Medicine: Policy & Research

From Research to Reform: Nourishing a Healthier Nation

October 27 - 28, 2025

Founded by GreyGreen Media in 2021, the ninth edition in the series overall, and second annual Food as Medicine: Policy & Research Summit is the dedicated meeting point for policy makers and influencers, leading researchers, healthcare professionals, CBO’s, food brands, retailers, and more to advance the critical discussions in the field. Bringing together those with deep policy and research knowledge, as well as those who are progressing along their journey, this event promises to deliver immediate, actionable takeaways, tangible outcomes, and influential guidance on future plans for all those involved. Built around expert insights, high-quality interactions, and dynamic learning opportunities, this summit will house crucial discussions on how to work and succeed in the current and upcoming climate. This dedicated group of movers and shakers are meeting on October 27-28 in Washington, D.C. … … will you be joining them?

Monday, October 27

7:15 amRegistration Open

8:00 amNetworking Breakfast

9:00 am

Chair's Welcome Remarks

Martin Tull, Chief Impact Officer, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

9:10 am KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:

Food is Medicine in Delaware—Smarter Systems to Harvest Health

Matt Meyer, Governor, State of Delaware

In Delaware, we know two things to be true: our subject matter experts have a thorough understanding of the chronic diseases that plague community members, including diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension; and our family farms produce a range of nutrient-rich food products year-round. Through the Delaware Food is Medicine Committee, we are answering—what it means for the food system to be at the center of preventing, treating, and managing clinical conditions. Learn more about Delaware’s FIM focus, the scope of the new Committee, and what’s next for the First State.

9:30 am KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:

Talk Title to be Announced

Adam Pugh, State Senator, District 41, State of Oklahoma

9:50 am PANEL DISCUSSION AND OPEN Q&A:

Navigating the New Food, Nutrition & Health Landscape

PANEL MODERATOR:

Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

Much has changed over the past few months, and the landscape of food, nutrition, and health has changed. Guidance and knowledge of how to best work in this landscape will continue to emerge, and this is the focus of the keynote panel. Hear from experts and key political minds as we frame the conversation around crucial topics, such as:

Where are we today with food, nutrition, and health in the U.S.?
How are we best set to work with the new administration and set-up of the government?
What are our current and likely future strategies for working in this space?
What bipartisan work is taking place, and how can this positively impact Food as Medicine?
How do we navigate the evolving funding landscape?
What are the changes we are experiencing when conducting research, and how do we adapt to these?
What is your take-home guidance and actionable next steps for the audience?

PANELISTS:

Rick Leach, Executive Director, Food as Medicine Initiative, Arizona State University

Josh Protas, Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer, Meals on Wheels America

Alissa Wassung, Executive Director, Food is Medicine Coalition

10:50 amCoffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

Networking is a core pillar of The Food as Medicine Series. This extended networking break will give everyone the chance to connect with peers from across healthcare at the event.

11:20 am FIRESIDE CHAT:

Nourishing the Next-Generation of Americans

Mickeala Carter, Vice President, Policy & Communication, FoodCorps

William Dwyer, Senior Legislative Assistant, Congresswoman Robin L. Kelly (IL-02)

Miguel Freitas, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Danone North America

Rachel Roller, President, The Dohmen Company Foundation

A look at the current research initiatives with youth food as medicine
How have food as medicine approaches transformed the lives of children?
The future of this work and its potential impact

12:05 pm FIRESIDE CHAT:

Working Together on Food, Nutrition, and Health Initiatives

Taylor LaFave, Chief, Food Policy & Planning, City of Baltimore

Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

Maura Plante, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Living Hungry

Food is Medicine partnerships are transforming the way we think about food, nutrition, and health/ This session will examine the intersection between partnerships and policy, diving into how research, planning, and community engagement not only influence government decisions but also shape the governance structures and coalitions that drive collaboration. Panelists will discuss how partnerships move from planning into implementation, and how partnerships and policy can work together to strengthen health across communities.

12:50 pmNetworking Luncheon

2:00 pm

Building Demand for Food as Medicine: How ACLM is Powering Systems Change

Martin Tull, Chief Impact Officer, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

The Food as Medicine movement is accelerating from pilots to policy. Through large-scale clinician education, health-system partnerships, and data-driven advocacy, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is creating the workforce and evidence base that drives national demand for Food as Medicine solutions.

Chief Impact Officer Martin Tull shares how more than 76,000 clinicians trained in ACLM’s Essentials course, 120+ health systems in the Health Systems Council, and 200+ academic institutions integrating Lifestyle and Food as Medicine curricula are shaping payer policy, proving ROI, and transforming care delivery.

2:30 pmRoundtable Discussions: Considerations and Next Steps for Food as Medicine

Now is the time to get hands-on and work together to move the needle on Food as Medicine. This session will provide the audience with the opportunity to have their voices heard in a tangible way as they partake in working groups around how Food as Medicine should progress.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS:

Considerations and Next Steps for Food as Medicine

Julia Koprak, Director, Incentives, Healthcare & Policy, The Food Trust

Brittney Roy-Morales, Program Director, Health, National Governors Association

Martin Tull, Chief Impact Officer, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

2:30 – 2:35 pm Introduction & Format Explanation

Led by expert moderators, driven by the audience, and documented by members of the event team, this session will provide a structured format through which we will define our thoughts and recommendations on how and where Food as Medicine should be taken.

Moderators will introduce the session and proceed to help guide the discussions around the working group tables

2:35 – 3:15 pm Working Group Discussions

Actively participate in and learn from these discussions with your peers. With representation from across Food as Medicine, this is a unique opportunity to not only shape the future of your work but also the future of the industry.

3:15 – 3:30 pm Feedback, Takeaways & Next Steps

Following the discussions, moderators will provide initial summaries of the thoughts and results from the working groups. The event team will then work on these and start building them into the tangible takeaways off the back of the event.

3:30 pmRefreshment Break with Exhibit Viewing

Networking is a core pillar of The Food as Medicine Series. This extended networking break will give everyone the chance to connect with peers from across healthcare at the event.

4:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION:

Demonstrating ROI and Economic Impact to Scale Food as Medicine

PANEL MODERATOR:

Mandy Katz, Director, Healthy Living, Giant Food

The concept of Food as Medicine is proven but in order to have the maximum impact, scaling needs to happen. Hear from those who are actively scaling their Food as Medicine approaches as they share their insights into crucial topics, such as:

What are the fundamental criteria when building the business case of Food as Medicine approaches?
How do we balance the more community-driven aspects of the industry with the economics required?
What areas of success related to Food as Medicine can we leverage when looking to scale?
How are we demonstrating ROI of Food as Medicine? Is this working? What else needs to be determined and changed here?
When dealing with policy makers and influencers, what other factors are critical whilst demonstrating the value of Food as Medicine?
How do we need to evolve how research studies are conducted in order to deliver a stronger demonstration of ROI?
What is your take home guidance and actionable next steps for the audience?

PANELISTS:

Sarah Fleisch, Senior Director, Policy Research & Development, Instacart

Brandon McFadden, Professor & Tyson Endowed Chair, Food Policy Economics, University of Arkansas

Leslye Wooley, Chief Program Officer, Food & Friends

Sam Zisow-McClean, Director, Programs, Moveable Feast

5:00 pmClose of Day

Tuesday, October 28

7:00 amRegistration Open & Networking Breakfast

8:30 am

Chair's Welcome Remarks

Martin Tull, Chief Impact Officer, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

8:35 am PANEL DISCUSSION:

Transforming the Health of the Nation through Food and Nutrition

PANEL MODERATOR:

Suzy Friedman, Senior Director, Great Plains Policy, World Wildlife Fund

The U.S. is at a crossroads when it comes to food, health, and wellness. At this critical juncture, key decisions are being made that will define the next few years and beyond when it comes to the health of the nation. Hear from thought leaders and key influencers as they share their thoughts on:

How have the recent changes in government impacted our future direction of food, health, and wellness?
What is the current rulebook when looking to improve the health of the population in the context of food and nutrition?
With chronic diseases in particular focus, how are we set to leverage the opportunities that have opened up?
How has the research landscape shifted, and how are we adapting to it?
How do we need to work together across the field to continue to advance Food as Medicine approaches?
What is your take-home guidance and actionable next steps for the audience?

PANELISTS:

Stephanie Goodwin, PhD, MPH, RD, Director, Food and Agriculture Policy, Danone

Kim Prendergast, Vice President, Policy, Community Care Cooperative

Evan Sarris, Deputy Director, Government Relations, Kroger Health

9:35 amCoffee Break with Exhibit Viewing

Networking is a core pillar of The Food as Medicine Series. This extended networking break will give everyone the chance to connect with peers from across healthcare at the event.

10:05 am CASE STUDY:

Implementing Scalable Food as Medicine Programs Responsive to Your Community

Elizabeth Machnica, Director of Health and Well-Being, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

Purnima Mohan, Health & Well-Being Program Manager, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

How integrating BIPOC-led organizations ensures equity, dignity, and fidelity; fosters trust; sustainable habit-building; social capital; and community wealth generation.
Implement actionable strategies and practical tools, including culturally relevant resources to design and implement scalable, community-responsive food-as-medicine initiatives in diverse healthcare settings.
Recognize the critical role of registered dietitian nutritionists in delivering impactful food as medicine programs, from nutrition education to medical nutrition therapy to culturally tailored culinary interventions.

10:35 am CASE STUDY:

Measuring Impact: Community-Based Medically Tailored Meals Intervention in Maryland

Susan Elias, CEO, Moveable Feast

Jana Sharp, Principal & Founder, Sharp Insight

Tommy Zarembka, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Strategic Partnerships, Food & Friends

Moveable Feast and Food & Friends, community-based nonprofits with 35+ years of experience providing medically tailored meals and high-quality nutrition services to individuals living at the intersection of chronic illness and food insecurity, will present newly released findings from a three-year evaluation analyzing healthcare utilization and costs before and after enrollment in their medically-tailored meal programs. These Maryland-specific data add critical evidence demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of Food is Medicine interventions.

11:05 am PANEL DISCUSSION:

What Needs to Happen Next for Food as Medicine?

PANEL MODERATOR:

Kelly Horton, Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Government Relations, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

As the 2nd Annual Food as Medicine Policy & Research Summit comes to a close, this final session will focus on the takeaways from the audience and the key next steps for the field. Expert speakers will wrap up the event by:

How do we need to adapt as an industry to give Food as Medicine approaches the best chance to succeed moving forward?
What are the current gaps within how we are operating and how can we fill them?
Recapping and distilling the key discussion points from the event
Provide the audience with the tangible next steps off the back of the event to ensure the takeaways are as impactful as possible.
Where do we hope to be as an industry by The Food as Medicine Summit 2026?

PANELISTS:

Brian Cresta, Senior Vice President of Market and Business Development, Mom's Meals