2.6.2013 California lost a champion of child nutrition with the passing of Phyllis Bramson on January 23, 2013. As a legislative analyst, the state director of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, and the Director of Nutrition Services for the California Department of Education (CDE), Phyllis’work created positive changes for children throughout California. CFPA was fortunate to have Phyllis join our board of directors in 2012 following her retirement from decades of public service.
Phyllis was a passionate administrator and a tireless advocate for children. Put simply, she got things done. During her tenure as director, California’s WIC program was considered a national leader in participation and administration. At CDE, Phyllis led the Nutrition Services Division through the implementation of dramatic changes that improved the school nutrition environment by limiting the sale and availability of unhealthful foods. These changes have since become a model for national policy. Phyllis was also dedicated to ensuring that low-income students were able to receive free school meals. She was a driving force behind the creation of a statewide system that automatically enrolls children in free school meals if their families receive CalFresh or CalWORKs benefits.
Last fall we co-hosted a retirement party for Phyllis that highlighted the many contributions she made to improving children’s lives through better nutrition. We were honored to acknowledge Phyllis’accomplishments, but we also acknowledged that Phyllis wasn’t really going to retire — she continued to engage CFPA and other stakeholders by advocating new policy solutions to critical child nutrition challenges. Even in her last days, Phyllis continued to teach, to advise, and to advocate. She let us know what still needs to be done. We will look to honor Phyllis in many ways, one of which will be to carry on the important work she started.
Read Phyllis’obituary and learn how you can help honor her memory. link
