Our blog writers are embarking on a quest to interview nutrition educators working for Cornell Cooperative Extension across New York State.
Each educator has a unique perspective on their work, and how their work has influenced their own life choices. Healthy eating and living is a shared goal of the blog, our writers, these educators, and the nutrition programs they represent. It is our hope that these interviews will inspire, motivate, and celebrate the benefits of healthy choices.
The educator spotlight interviews will appear roughly once a month. Enjoy reading!
Kari Lamkins is a nutrition educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension at Clinton County. She has been working on the job for almost six years. Previously, she was a peer lactation counselor for WIC and worked as a nutrition coordinator for the local food shelf (emergency food pantry).
How did Kari end up working for CCE?
Nutrition has always been her passion. As a teenager, Kari struggled with an eating disorder. She learned a lot about healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, and just food in general. It marked the beginning of her passion for nutrition. Eventually, her love for nutrition and cooking led her to become a nutrition educator with CCE. As a nutrition educator, she is able to work individually with families to help them in ways she was not able to before.
What does Kari like the most about her job?
One thing Kari finds rewarding about her job is the connections she built with the participants. As part of her job, she is able to get to know the community she works with and to help them learn new skills and gain self-confidence. Although sometimes it might be challenging to recruit and retain participants, she still finds the overall experience rewarding. Interacting with different participants helps her expand her horizons, obtain new knowledge and skills, and provides opportunities for her personal growth. She said the job helps her to be more humble and open-minded and overall become a better person.
A picture of Kari as she was preparing an EFNEP recipe.Â
What are Kari's hobbies outside of work?
When Kari is not working, she enjoys painting, gardening, and hiking. One of her biggest hobbies is cooking. She considers herself a foodie and enjoys trying new things. She loves local food and tries to grow her own food. She also raises chickens in her backyard. Her favorite recipe is her grandmother’s homemade mac and cheese. Her favorite ingredients are feta cheese and olive oil. Kari cooks many recipes by memory. She is working on getting them formally written down. We look forward to seeing what she comes up with!
Nutrition Educator: Kari Lamkins
Author: Xiaoyu Duan
