CHERISH WANTER

cherishwanter@gmail.com • 502 536 6777 • Portfolio

OBJECTIVE
A community nutrition educator with over six years of experience, pursuing a Master of Public Health in
Nutrition and Dietetics to teach underserved communities sound nutrition principles through a cultural and
holistic approach.

EDUCATION
University of New England | Prerequisites May 2020 - July 2023
Principles of Human Nutrition, Microbiology Lecture & Lab, Organic Chemistry I,
Medical Biochemistry, Intro to Psychology
GPA: 3.80

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Prerequisites Academic Year 2020-2021
Anatomy & Physiology I and II
GPA: 3.61

Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ May 2017

Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources
Minor Environmental Geomatics
GPA: 3.77

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Hill, M., Wanter, C., REACHing the African American and African Immigrant Communities: Expanding
Culturally-specific Services in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program [abstract presentation].
CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference; September 20-22, 2023; New Orleans,
Louisiana.

Villemenay, S., Wanter, C., By Us, For Us: Providing Culturally-specific WIC Services for the African
American/African Immigrant and Native American Communities [abstract presentation]. National Indigenous
and Native American (NINA) WIC Conference; July 25-27, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

EXPERIENCE
Nutrition Program Specialist | Portland, Oregon June 2022 – present
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
▪ Engaged 160 clients in culturally specific nutrition education within one year
▪ Advocate and strategize for improved racial equity in Parent-Child Family Health Programs
▪ Built partnership with an African Coalition of 35 Community-based Organizations and the Oregon State
University (OSU) Extension African Heritage Program
▪ Expanded referral support to 2,000 participants through recurring direct messaging
▪ Supported increase in breastfeeding peer counseling caseload by 150% in 1 year
▪ Coordinated breastfeeding meetings that educated 150 healthcare professionals on implicit bias
▪ Facilitated workshops to improve 20 families' foundational skills in meal planning
▪ Increased agency community outreach through tabling from 0 to 7 events in one year
▪ Improved 151 service providers' ability to support clients receiving WIC through a WIC 101 training
 CHERISH WANTER
cherishwanter@gmail.com • 502 536 6777 • Portfolio

Nutrition Educator | Remote Jul 2022 – Nov 2022

Peace Corps Ethiopia
▪ Designed a nutrition education activities booklet for community educators in the nonprofit organization
Common Vision for Development Association (CVDA)
▪ Generated a nutrition handbook using Ethiopian Dietary Guidelines for CVDA

Nutrition Assistant KSA African American/African Immigrant | Portland, Oregon June 2021 – June 2022
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
▪ Founded a workgroup to improve the Black Community’s access to cultural-specific nutrition education
▪ Provided applicable nutrition education based on families’ concerns and dietary preferences
▪ Recommended referrals for health, social, nutrition, and psychological services

Community Nutrition Educator | Roseburg, Oregon Sep 2020 – July 2021

AmeriCorps Healthy Futures Volunteer at Umpqua Community Veg Education Group (UC-VEG)
▪ Organized adult nutrition education programs: cooking demonstrations, a 13-week course, tabling,
community potlucks, and virtual shopping tours
▪ Coordinated a VeggieRx Program to ensure 74 families access to produce
▪ Taught ten individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions how to select and prepare healthier
plant-based recipes
▪ Celebrated diversity by hosting a virtual fair: dancing, cooking demonstrations, storytelling, and a panel
discussion around life as a minority in the local community

Project Manager | Tambacounda, Senegal Sep 2017 – Mar 2020

Peace Corps Senegal
▪ Instructed nutrition education sessions around childhood and family health: complementary feeding
trainee to 70 mothers and ten health post workers, moringa supplement training to 20 community
leaders, and food sampling in the community
▪ Managed a $10,000 grant for a community garden project that serves 142 women and their families
▪ Led deforestation training with the Senegalese Official Water and Forest Services and 20 community
leaders to promote the use of agroforestry techniques to increase farmers' yield
▪ Delivered technical, logistical, and community relation support to lead staff, volunteers, and trainees
▪ Created and implemented a Men as Partner workshop with 16 male guardians covering childcare,
women's education, child marriage, and reproductive health

CERTIFICATION & TRAININGS

▪ Enrolled in Certified Lactation Counselor Training Jul 2023 - Jul 2024
▪ Certified National Diabetes Prevention Program Life Coach Jun 2023
▪ State WIC Breastfeeding and Nutrition Education Oct - Nov 2022

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
▪ Diversify Dietetics
▪ World Critical Dietetics
▪ Returned Peace Corps Volunteer