It is said that “sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.” And for Chesha Hodge, the freshly minted Sustainable Food Systems Program Manager with the City of Newark, the “good” is helping to establish sustainable food systems and nutritional practices in a city she has been serving in many capacities for over a decade. Her mission continues to be to facilitate meaningful change. “I always felt that the dietetic “know-how” would be golden if there was a larger focus on preventative measures.” To help her and the city’s partners achieve that goal, Chesha manages a $2M award entitled as the initiative Nourishing Newark alleviating the inequities of the social structures and determinants of health that have systematically resulted in food deserts and food insecurity within parts of the city. “I lend my expertise in dietetics while developing programs, convening stakeholder meetings, and supporting coalitions.”
Born with a commitment to service and an obvious heart to help make a difference in people’s lives, much of Chesha’s career has been focused on giving back. A registered dietitian, she supported the nutrition needs of Long COVID patients in a research capacity within Rutgers University’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s department of Pulmonary Care. At the policy level, she has just ended her term serving on the Legislative Public Policy Committee of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As it relates to encouraging the significance of community empowerment, she is actively involved in her sorority’s alumnae chapter. “I serve as a co-chair of our Physical and Mental Health Committee. Our committee hosts and supports community-centered events that bring awareness to topics that impact the mental and physical wellness of largely impacted yet underserved communities.”
Chesha has always had an interest in nutrition and its related fields. “The career chose me. While at Rutgers University, I completed my undergraduate internship on the dialysis floor. As a Girl Scout Leader in Newark, I integrated healthy taste-testings for the troops, tag-alongs, and parents. Furthermore, as the facilitator of the Nutrition Advisory Council, I supported student voices and bridged communication between them and hard-working food service staff to create a platform for change.” In addition, Chesha has a private practice with a focus she said that “supports the nutritional needs of my clients via culturally relevant nutritional counseling and evidence-based food planning and education.”
A graduate of both Rutgers University and Delaware State University, Chesha holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in public health, and in nutritional sciences as well as a Master of Arts in public administration. She is a born and bred New Jersian, who briefly left its shores in pursuit of higher education in Delaware. But as soon as she was done she headed right back home. “My favorite thing about New Jersey is the diversity in landscape; especially in Essex County. We have mountains, wildlife and cityscape just minutes away from each another. New Jersey is such an amazing state that offers urban living, bustling boardwalks, kayaking and camping sites within its borders and less than 2 hours away from each other.
I’d also be remiss and untrue to my Jersey roots if I didn’t mention my love of dancing and Jersey House Music!”
