About Us

Lauren Ayers retired from teaching in Sacramento City Unified and Vallejo. After reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring at the age of 19, she drove her family crazy by becoming a full blown health nut. Shelves of books and file cabinets full of articles later, she focuses on omega-3s and Vitamin D because they are the most overlooked nutrients for young people's mental and physical health. An Environmental Studies degree is another extension of her interest in health, as well as an organic garden.

James Curiel is a Sociology Professor at College of the Redwoods, Eureka.. Coping with severe anemia at an early age began a lifelong interest in nutrition. Later, James learned how to handle low blood sugar with diet, and as an adult, he uses omega-3s in hemp and flax oil to help with allergies and asthma. Now, as a parent, he and his wife make Smart Drinks for their children that include flax oil.

Fran Gardner is the Administrative Secretary for Food Services at Hayward Unified School District and created the Food Services Website there. She has a degree in Human Development from Cal State Hayward (now East Bay) and a long-standing interest in nutrition, dating back to her childhood as the daughter of an egg farmer. "My father had a science background and an obsession with nutrition, and every meal was a nutrition lesson - whether we wanted it or not," she says. In her 20 years' working for school food service many encouraging changes have occured, including removing sodas and non-nutritious snacks from schools and the expanded use of whole grains and fresh produce in school meals, but feels much more is needed. She is now editing this Website on her own time "as a public service," a way to help bring its vital message to you.

Hasan Hanks is a Biological Science and Physical Education teacher at McClatchy High School in Sacramento. While teaching middle school in 1987, he noticed an increase in hyperactivity, uncooperative behavior, and a decrease in attentiveness in the students after lunch. His research concluded that these problems were mostly a result of the non-nutritional snacks and sugary, caffeinated beverages. That's when Hasan began a campaign to rid the schools of junk food. He joined forces with others to defeat the multimillion dollar Pepsi contract offered to the Sacramento City Unified School District in 2000. He is also a member of the school district's nutritional reform committee and supported students who spoke at Board of Education meetings, and he works for legislation to reform school food programs statewide.

Jeanie Keltner, PhD., is a retired professor of English and American Literature at CSUS, editor-at-large of Because People Matter, Sacramento’s progressive news and views, and co-host of SOAPBOX, on Cable Access (Channel 17, Mondays at 8pm). As a school girl of the 50s she fell for the fake food of that time because of a naive belief in the authority of technology. When she had children, however, she followed Adele Davis into the world of smart and natural nutrition, which she now sees as the cornerstone not only of personal health but also of society’'s well-being. Improving nutrition in the schools is one of her chief concerns.

Michael Kwiker, DO and William Mora, M.D. of Health Associates Medical Group, a nutrient oriented medical office established in 1985. Their general medical practice specializes in family medicine, acupuncture and nutritional therapies.

Carlina Nowrocki, a science, math, and English teacher, has always been interested in nutrition. She raised her son on veggie combination juices. “If kids at better food, we’d have better problem solvers, and they would be more cooperative. Bad food predominates in the US because of fast foods and because people don’t take the time.”

Bob O'Brien retired from a Fiscal/Associate Analyst position with the State of California. A cancer survivor two times over, he is a long time organic gardener, and studies alternative healing methods. Since learning about the importance of omega-3s in nutrition, he eats flax nearly every day with breakfast and adds it to bread. Bob is also a New England Country Dance caller and band leader.

Charity Smith is a senior at Sacramento Charter High School. Arriving home from third grade one day, she saw her father carried on a stretcher to an ambulance because his diabetes had gotten so serious. As a result, her mother began shopping at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and Charity took health courses in high school. A straight-A student and president of the Student Advisory Council (the group which selects the student member of the school board), she also led the Youth Congress to their decision that improving school meals was a top priority. Their cafeteria will begin offering flax-enriched foods this year. Charity represented LEARN in discussions with the Director of Food Services for the school district and came away with his support for our plans. Youth groups and civic groups invite her to speak and she is active in the Police Athletic League (PAL), the Oak Park Neighborhood Association, the Sacramento Mediation Center, and Leadership Camp.