JSegal Designs was founded by Jenna Segal in 2013 while she was completing her Masters of Public Health in Nutrition at UC Berkeley.
Jenna received her BA in Ecological Health from McGill University in 2008, where she focused her studies on the interrelationship between human and agricultural health. After working with farmers in Barbados and Ecuador, Jenna moved to California to continue to learn about growing and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables for optimal health. Jenna continued to pursue research in agriculture and nutrition while working on farms in Northern California and Oregon, researching native foods of the Pomo Indians, and working at farm to table restaurants along California’s coast. Prior to beginning her Masters degree at Berkeley’s School of Public Health, Jenna worked with a Bay Area non-profit for nearly three years, helping to increase access of low income families and children to farm fresh produce.
Jenna received a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition from UC Berkeley in 2014. While in the School of Public Health, she founded the Public Health Nutrition concentration’s student group, Cooking up Community, and remained active in many food related initiatives on campus after graduation. During the academic year, she served as a Graduate Student Instructor in the Nutrition Science department, and spent her summers consulting on Farm to School projects in California. Jenna recently began a consulting business and has worked with numerous school food service providers, local non-profits, community members, and government agencies, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Farm to Fork, where she helped to connect consumers, retailers, and school food service providers to farmers throughout the State of California.
In addition, JSegal designs continues to work on small-scale garden and farm projects as well as create jewelry and crafts using driftwood, gold, and recycled materials. She has developed numerous jewelry items, selling through Etsy and at many festivals and art shows. Her jewelry style has developed from using primarily feathers and driftwood, to creating earrings and neckless using gold-filled metals and fine gemstones for everyday wear and weddings.
Currently, Jenna works at the USDA’s Office of Community Food Systems, based at the Food and Nutrition Service’s regional office in Chicago. As the USDA’s Midwest Farm to School Regional Lead, Jenna relies on her experiences with numerous school districts, educational institutions, non-profits and state agencies to develop institutional support for Farm to School activities and share the lessons she has learned with schools, communities, retailers, and farmers throughout the Midwest.
In her free time, Jenna loves to create indoor and outdoor garden projects and bike all over Chicago to explore its many different restaurants and cafes and its unique midwestern cuisine!
