Chef Leah obtained her BS in Culinary Nutrition from the prestigious Johnson & Wales University, who is partnering with Tulane in this endeavor. Besides her schooling, her love of food, nutrition and agriculture stem from her past years spent teaching students and the community in the university and non-profit sectors; her work in agriculture through farming and involvement in the Farm to School program; and her experience working in the foodservice industry, in both the restaurant and manufacturing sectors. She is very enthusiastic and dedicated to the program at Tulane, and excited to be part of such a forward-thinking endeavor. To our knowledge, she is the first chef to be formally employed by a medical school.

As program director, Chef Leah spends a lot of time developing and teaching curriculum for medical students, the community and continuing education for the healthcare and foodservice industry. She is working continuously to build community partnerships with local and national organizations and to get students hands-on experience in community outreach, so they too can also understand the rewards and challenges of nutrition intervention.

 Travis