About SproutCNP
Leaders in Child Nutrition Solutions
At SproutCNP, we believe in building stronger child nutrition programs by bringing together the best of both worlds—industry and child nutrition professionals.
With deep expertise and a shared mission, our team is committed to empowering those who nourish children.
OUR MISSION is to support child nutrition professionals and industry partners in creating sustainable, healthy meal programs that make a real difference in children’s lives. Through comprehensive training, research, and strategic partnerships, we aim to address the unique challenges faced by school nutrition programs and industry stakeholders alike.
OUR TEAM
Experts Dedicated to Your Success
When you partner with SproutCNP, you’re supported by an entire team of experts. Our team includes chefs, registered dietitians, PhD-level researchers, and child nutrition specialists with decades of experience. Each of us is committed to helping child nutrition programs and industry partners achieve lasting success.
MEET THE TEAM
Chef Cyndie Story Ph.D., RDN, SNS
Co-Founder
As a co-founder of SproutCNP, Chef Cyndie leads the team in creating engaging online education for beginners to master levels. With over 30 years in school nutrition and foodservice management, she is well-connected at the local, state, and USDA levels and with several foodservice companies. Her deep connections enable her to listen to child nutrition partners about their wants and needs, from frontline staff to industry partners. Out of these conversations emerged the need and desire for accessible, interesting, practical online training. This feedback led to the creation of SproutCNP, a testament to her commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of child nutrition partners. When she’s not teaching the next generation of school nutrition professionals, she travels the world and cooks for her family and friends.
Chef Brenda Wattles RDN
Co-Founder
As a co-founder of SproutCNP, Chef Brenda leads the SproutCNP team in vision, sales, and relationship-building. As a culinary chef and registered dietitian, Chef Brenda has been in child nutrition since 2008, working at the kitchen, district, and state levels. She has worked directly with USDA in training and standardizing recipes. Before she worked in school nutrition, she worked in technology, writing specifications and ensuring quality control. Along with being a self-proclaimed recipe standardization nerd, she loves simplifying complicated processes common in child nutrition. She loves to see ideas come to life and support people to grow in their confidence to achieve their goals. SproutCNP came out of her work as a state administrative reviewer, where she saw firsthand the challenges and opportunities in child nutrition. She approaches life authentically and is committed to listening and learning from others.
Ursula Saqui Ph.D.
Market Researcher
Give Dr. Ursula a desired outcome, and she’ll create the strategy and KPIs to achieve it. With a background in academia and psychotherapy, she has been working in school nutrition since 2009, providing research, assessments, and training evaluations, while also conducting market research consulting in the non-profit space and across multiple industries. She has co-facilitated and written several projects with organizations such as the Urban School Food Alliance and the Institute of Child Nutrition. Her focus as a team member of SproutCNP is helping child nutrition partners understand the market, how their products fit into school nutrition, and if their marketing strategies are connecting with their intended audience.
Beverly Girard Ph.D., MBA, MS, RD, SNS
Director & Procurement Specialist
Dr. Beverly comes to SproutCNP with decades of experience as the director of one of the largest districts in Florida. Because of her expertise in school nutrition operations and procurement, she is often requested to be a keynote speaker and writer of technical papers and manuals, including the Institute of Child Nutrition’s Facility Design and Equipment Purchasing manual.
As SproutCNP’s Director and Procurement Specialist, she creates educational content for directors and advises industry partners on procurement challenges.
Helen Smith BS, SNS
Director & Procurement Specialist
With over 20 years of school nutrition program experience, Helen is a key team member in developing content in operations and procurement. She has presented and trained professionals for over 10 years for various organizations, including the Institute of Child Nutrition..
Chef Lindsey Schoenfeld MS, RDN
Lead Dietitian & Chef
Working as an operations supervisor, menu planner, nutritionist, and director has given Chef Lindsey the understanding of how to make the kitchen less challenging and more efficient while providing the healthiest meals to children. As a Lead Chef for SproutCNP, Chef Lindsey offers valuable expertise in creating online content for school nutrition professionals and standardized recipes. Her knowledge of nutrition and meal pattern requirements is also a benefit to industry partners who want an understanding of how their products fit on school menus.
Chef Vahista Ussery MS, MBA RDN
Lead Dietitian & Chef
Chef V has been on the front lines and behind the scenes of school nutrition for years, which helps her create hands-on and practical training content. She believes that child nutrition professionals have the unique opportunity to influence children’s eating behaviors that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Chef V is a Lead Chef on the SproutCNP team, developing training content and resources for child nutrition professionals and providing consultations to industry partners.
Chef Andy Montero
Executive Chef
With over 30 years in the independent restaurant sector, Chef Andy’s strengths include culinary techniques, kitchen flow, and work efficiencies. He is known for his easy-to-understand and engaging trainings that focus on nutritious and high quality meals. You’ll see Chef Andy in many of the SproutCNP trainings and come away with skills and recipes to implement in your own program.
Why Choose SproutCNP?
What sets SproutCNP apart is our unique blend of knowledge from both school nutrition programs and for-profit organizations. We know the demands of USDA compliance, meal planning, and supply chain logistics, as well as the strategies needed for effective product placement and marketing. Our team’s diverse expertise allows us to build a bridge between child nutrition and industry, making sure both sides achieve their goals.
Ready to Work with the Experts?
Whether you’re a child nutrition professional or an industry partner, we’d love to help you reach your goals. Contact us to learn more about our services and discover how we can make a difference together.