Champions of Change
Garrett Berdan is an independent nutrition and culinary educator and consultant specializing in school district child nutrition programs. Most recently Garrett was nutrition educator and chef with the Oregon Dairy Council, where he developed and marketed nutrition education materials and programs, developed a DASH eating plan website, and lent culinary expertise to the Oregon Dairy Products Commission. His career path also includes work as a company nutritionist for New Seasons Market in Portland, Oregon, and as a production assistant on the Food Network program Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello. Garrett has been a temporary instructor for the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, adjunct nutrition instructor for the International Culinary School at the Art Institute or Portland, and a guest speaker for various dietetic and public health organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Garrett obtained his degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at Washington State University in 2002, and completed the Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in 2005. He is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the Food and Culinary Professionals Practice Group of the ADA, and the School Nutrition Association. Garrett is currently the President Elect of the Oregon Dietetic Association and was awarded the ADA’s Emerging Dietetic Leader award for Oregon in 2010. Garrett grew up in the middle of an apple orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. Garrett and his wife Lynette live in sunny Bend, Oregon where they enjoy year-round recreation in the Cascade Mountains.