Dr. Shreela Sharma and Tara McNerney will present on the evidence-based model Brighter Bites uses for improving health outcomes among early childhood and elementary school students and their families. They will provide a deep dive into the data Brighter Bites uses to measure the impact of its program and discuss the program’s success shown through the Dr. Sharma’s recently published research. Dr. Sharma is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston, Texas and co-founder of Brighter Bites. She has a PhD in epidemiology and is a trained dietitian and physical therapist. Her research interests are in nutrition and physical activity-based interventions to address obesity via school, family, and community-based approaches. Ms. McNerney is the program director for Brighter Bites in Washington, D.C. where she oversees the implementation and expansion of the Brighter Bites program in the DC metro region. She has a master’s degree in strategic leadership toward sustainability with a focus in sustainable food systems and significant experience working with schools to implement student wellness programs.