Kate McDonald manages the KY Kids Eat Campaign and Coalition. She works to enhance food security for Kentucky’s youngest citizens through statewide food security initiatives that improve, promote, and expand Kentucky’s participation in federal nutrition programs. She develops a needs assessment of federal nutrition programs, determining the campaign’s impact on the federal nutrition programs, and meets with elected officials, policymakers, government agencies and direct service providers to promote the campaign’s efforts.

Kate believes that everyone should have access to healthy food. Before moving to Kentucky, she started the Cooking Matters program at Second Harvest Feeding South Louisiana, and worked to create the food bank’s first nutrition department, nutrition policy, and nutritional rating system. Her work has been highlighted by Share Our Strength, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the American Public Health Association. She is passionate about being part of the community working to end the injustice of hunger and ensuring that all people have the opportunity to develop their full potential. Kate is as graduate of Tulane University and lives in Lexington, Kentucky.