Member Spotlight

Paige Albrecht, Nutrition Supervisor, Forest Lake Area Schools. Read about Paige here.

To read past member spotlights, click here. 

Nominate a Colleague You Admire!

Help recognize the hard work of our colleagues in the school nutrition profession who go above and beyond. The MSNA and SNA Awards programs highlight the outstanding and important work of our members and state affiliates. Members and state associations are eligible for a variety of honors that recognize their achievements in school foodservice, leadership, membership recruitment and professional development. Nominations for 2026 will open fall 2025.

• Employee of the Year Award
• Manager of the Year Award, in honor of Louise Sublette
• Director of the Year Award
• National Industry Member of the Year Award  
• MSNA Hero Award
  
• MSNA Hero Site Award, Team Award

MSNA Members in the News

8/4: MSNA President elect and Food Service Director for St. Michael-Albertville School District, Glen Ritter, spoke about the importance of the Annual Conference with KIMT3 News in this article. Glen also spoke about the new changes to school meals - watch the video here.

8/4: Both Kelsea Desrocher, Food Service Director for Verndale Public Schools, and Glen Ritter, MSNA President elect and Food Service Director for St. Michael-Albertville School District, were interviewed by KIMT3 News during the Annual Conference. Watch the interviews here.

8/3: MSNA President and Nutrition Director for Prior Lake-Savage Schools, Emily Malone, was interviewed during the Annual Conference by KTTC News, speaking on free meals, farm-to-school, and more. Emily also spoke live on the exhibit floor with KTTC, even taste-testing a sample from an exhibitor!

5/16: The nutrition staff of Willmar Public Schools' Lakeland Elementary School was named the 2025 MSNA Hero Site Award recipient. The West Central Tribune as well as Lakeland Media describes how this team earned this honor.

5/14: "I’ve often said that being a teacher is like being the parent in the building, but being the lunch lady is like being the cool aunt—we get to have fun, show kindness, and make sure every student feels welcome." Roseville Area Schools Nutrition Services Coordinator Stacey Gaetz has been named the 2025 School MSNA Lunch Hero Award. The Roseville Reader covers the story here.

5/6: Jennifer Walters, Director of Nutrition at Winona Area Public Schools, was named the 2025 Minnesota Director of the Year. The Post Bulletin and the Winona Post detail her contributions to her district and MSNA.

5/2: On School Lunch Hero Day, a hero at Centennial Middle School in Lino Lakes, Barbi King, was awarded the midwest region Employee of the Year by the School Nutrition Association (SNA). Watch Barbi in action here.

4/9: Darcy Stueber, Director of School Food Service for Mankato Schools and MSNA Public Policy Chair, testified before the Minnesota House Education Finance Committee to advocate for the preservation of dedicated school nutrition funds. Watch Darcy's testimony here.

3/7: MSNA Secretary/Treasurer and School Nutrition Director for Red Wing Public Schools, Jess Peña, was featured on FOX9 News to highlight the importance of school breakfast during National School Breakfast Week.

3/6: Funding for school lunch programs is uncertain as House Republican leaders are considering major spending cuts. Zumbrota-Mazeppa School's Food and Nutrition Director, Brenton Lexvold, was interviewed by KIMT News 3 as well as KTTC News on the impact this would hold for school programs.

3/5: Could the new administration stop free school lunches? Jess Peña, MSNA Secretary/Treasurer and School Nutrition Director for Red Wing Public Schools, was featured on WCCO News' podcast to discuss school meals and implications of funding changes.

Find past news stories here!