Alexandria City Public Schools Nutrition Director Receives

(Arlington, VA. - May 1, 2025) – The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) has named Dr. Eric Coleman, director of school nutrition for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) in Virginia as the Mid-Atlantic region Director of the Year. The award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of school nutrition directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students.

Coleman is known as a true mentor and leader who cares deeply for his students and staff. He championed the expansion of the Community Eligibility Program to reach more students with free school meals and seeks to continue expanding these efforts in collaboration with the school division’s administration. Coleman also supported development and implementation of Taste-Test Tuesdays, allowing students to experience potential new plant-based menu items.

To increase marketing efforts and community engagement, Coleman encourages staff to consistently use the website and social media to share meal photos, team photos and updates on special events. He works hard to highlight the nutrition team’s dedication to the students and keep families aware of what’s happening in the program. Coleman also encourages families to enjoy a meal with students at school each holiday season.

Coleman stays involved in the daily operations of the nutrition program, getting out in the field to make sure staff are supported in and out of the kitchen. He is willing to jump into any situation, from moving equipment and delivering meals to washing dishes.

After assessing the greatest needs of the program, Coleman identified training and investing in the team as key factors to ensure optimal performance. He added new equipment to help make employee jobs run a little more smoothly and makes a conscious effort to check in with staff each week. He works to gauge how they are coping mentally, physically and emotionally, and to determine if circumstances are impacting their work performance.

Coleman created a training manager position to ensure all team members have adequate growth and professional development opportunities throughout the year, which has helped enhance regulatory compliance, meal preparation, safety and customer service. He initiated an employee stipend program for uniforms, safety gear and to recognize all employees for their hard work and dedication to nourishing students, as he believes proper nutrition directly correlates to academic achievement and performance in the classroom.

To help address food insecurity within the division, Coleman partnered with the ALIVE Food Pantry to enable the distribution of meals over the holiday season. The program provided fresh produce and grab-and-go meals that benefit the ACPS community.

“Eric is not one to shy away from hands-on work and will jump into any situation when help is needed,” said Shannon Gleave, RDN, SNS, School Nutrition Association president. “He prioritizes his students and staff, making sure they are well cared for and treated with respect.”

An active member of his local SNA chapter, Coleman often speaks at industry events and training sessions. He is invested in his staff’s professional development and urges them to take advantage of resources and training offered by SNA. Coleman is also involved with the Virginia SNA Public Policy and Legislative Committee.

The Director of the Year Award was created to recognize school nutrition directors who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to their school meal programs. The directors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the program through student interaction, menu planning and a commitment to serving nutritious, tasty and well-balanced school meals. Through effective oversight of all aspects of food service operations, including budgeting, staffing, training, marketing and community outreach, school nutrition directors ensure the overall success of school meal programs.

Coleman was announced as the Mid-Atlantic region Director of the Year during an online awards ceremony on April 30 in advance of School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated on May 2, 2025, to honor all of America’s dedicated school nutrition professionals. The accomplishments of Coleman and all SNA regional award winners will be profiled on Facebook.com/TrayTalk and TrayTalk.org around School Lunch Hero Day. SNA award winners will also be highlighted in SN Magazine, on schoolnutrition.org and related social media platforms and at SNA’s Annual National Conference in San Antonio, TX in July.

About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.