Live Healthy Live Well

Holly N. Bandy, Extension Educator, M.Ed, CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist), Ohio State University Extension, Stark County. Her specializations include health and wellness, prevention education, and community health. She is passionate about health and wellness and helping people understand and experience how it can positively impact one’s physical and emotional well-being. In Holly’s free time, she enjoys spending time with her four children and husband, exercising, crafting, cooking, and going on adventures.

Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Ross County. Her specialization is health and wellness. She enjoys working with diabetic groups, workplaces, youth wellness programs, and extending community programs by working with other agencies. She is married and has a grown daughter who is a teacher. In her free time she enjoys attending her local farmers market, Ohio State Buckeye sports, and reading.

Alisha Barton, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Miami County. Alisha’s specialization is nutrition and family wellness, and she focuses her teaching  on strengthening families through healthy cooking, managing household finances and relationship skills. She enjoys teaching youth independent living skills such as cooking and encouraging them to try/prepare new foods. Alisha is married with four daughters.  She enjoys traveling with her own family, and doing home projects.

Amanda Bohlen, Extension Educator, M.Ed., Ohio State University Extension, Washington County. Her specialization is nutrition, health and food safety. Her teaching efforts focus on diabetes education, worksite wellness and healthy eating. Her passion lies with cooking and teaching others that good food doesn’t have to taste bland. Amanda is married and has three children and enjoys having them help in the kitchen. In her spare time she bakes and decorates cakes.

Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County. Her specialization is health and wellness. She focuses on workplace wellness, youth wellness and food safety. She enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and son.

Jami Dellifield, Extension Educator, M.A., Ohio State University Extension, Hardin County. She loves to teach and encourage others to try something new! She is a Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor and the co-author of the nationally award winning 4-H project book, “Your Thoughts Matter: Navigating Mental Health”. Her favorite hobbies are traveling with her family, dancing, laughing until her belly hurts, and reading a good book.

Lorrissa Dunfee, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Belmont County.  Her specialization is health and wellness. Lorrissa focuses her teaching on physical & mental health, successful aging, family wellness and healthy relationships.  She is passionate about helping others to live their best life.  Lorrissa loves spending time with friends and her teenage daughter traveling, playing games, or doing pretty much anything involving water. She is a huge buckeye fan and is an OSU football season ticket holder.

Shari Gallup, Extension Educator and Certified Health and Wellness Coach, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Licking County. Shari specializes in health and wellness and has been making a difference in lives of ordinary people for over 20 years in the areas of diabetes and using food to fight disease. Shari is a passionate and mindful speaker who is creative in her writing, teaching and research approach and enjoys motivating and educating others while having fun.

Laura Halladay, Extension Educator, N.D.T.R., Ohio State University Extension, Greene County. Her specializations include nutrition, health, and wellness. She enjoys working with audiences of all ages, sharing her passion for nutrition and health throughout the community. Laura grew up near Buffalo, NY, before spending the beginning of her career in the NYC metropolitan area prior to becoming a Buckeye State transplant in mid 2011. She is an avid sports fan and enjoys exploring the outdoors with her rescue dog, especially hiking and kayaking.

Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Perry County. Her programming focuses on individual and community health and wellness. She is passionate about exercise and incorporating movement in to our daily lives. She also helps people gain the knowledge and skills to make better financial decisions. She is married and has 2 sons and 1 daughter. Spending time with her family, running, travelling, boating, and gardening are some of her favorite ways to spend her free-time.

Margaret Jenkins, Extension Educator and Assistant Professor, M.Ed., Ohio State University Extension, Clermont County. Margaret’s specializations are are health and wellness, financial wellness and youth and children. She is a champion of local partnerships that offer programming to address the work of the family in contemporary society.

Christine Kendle, Extension Educator, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., Ohio State University Extension, Tuscarawas County. Prior to coming to Extension, Chris worked extensively in the areas of child and public health nutrition. She is also the mother of two busy girls, so creating healthy, child friendly meals is a passion. She also enjoys teaching about food preservation and food safety as it relates to both the food service operators and the consumer.

Ryan Kline, Extension Educator, M.A., Ohio State University Extension, Ross County. Ryan’s specializations are financial wellness, youth development, mental health and wellness. He divides his time between 4-H and Family and Consumer Sciences allowing him to teach throughout the life span. In his career, Ryan has worked in public education, Appalachian community development, business development, and youth development programming. When not working, Ryan enjoys working in the garden, reading, exploring other amazing Appalachian communities, and on occasion raising feeder lambs.

Jennifer Little, Extension Educator, M.S., R.D., L.D., Ohio State University Extension, Hancock County. Her areas of specialization include nutrition, health/wellness and aging. Jennifer spent several years working in long term care and public health settings, and she enjoys helping people gain the knowledge and skills to reach their potential and live their best lives at every age and stage.  She also likes connecting organizations with resources that allow them to better assist the individuals and communities they serve. Jennifer has lived in NW Ohio for over 20 years with her husband, and they have 2 grown, married children, living in Columbus and Michigan.  

Jenny Lobb, Extension Educator, M.P.H., R.D., L.D., Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County. Her specialization is in health, wellness and nutrition. Jenny enjoys working with individuals and communities to “make the healthy choice the easy choice” where people live, work, worship and play. Jenny is married and enjoys exploring the Central Ohio Metro Parks with her husband, son and two rescue dogs.

Jessica Lowe, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County. Her specialization is nutrition, health, and wellness. She enjoys teaching classes to all ages and working with individuals in the community. In her free time, Jessica can be found in her garden, taking walks around the neighborhood, or knitting.

Emily Marrison, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Coshocton County. Her specialization is food safety and nutrition. She also focuses her programming on financial literacy and family communication and enjoys supporting the efforts of women in agriculture. Emily is married and the mother of two children whom she co-parents.

Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, M.A., C.F.L.E. (Certified Family Life Educator), Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County. Patrice specializes in mind-body wellness and loves spending time with family, treasuring the four seasons of Northwest Ohio and appreciating the abundance of her local community.

Daniel Remley, Field Specialist in Food Nutrition and Wellness, M.P.H, Ph.D. Dr. Remley specializes in developing nutrition education programs using health behavior theory and coordinates evaluation for OSU Extension’s Dining with Diabetes program. He is married, has three active children, and enjoys hiking and kayaking.

Heather Reister, Extension Educator, M.A., Ohio State University Extension, Butler County. Her specializations are early childhood education and parenting. Her passion is working with families, teachers, and administrators to create safe and equitable environments for all children. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time outdoors and experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes she tests on her family.

Melissa J. Rupp, Extension Educator, M.Ed, Ohio State University Extension, Fulton County. Her specialization is Family Resource Management focusing on financial well-being, homebuyer education, and food safety. Her passion is working with families and communities for engaging quality of life, with a special interest in rural communities and families.  Melissa and her husband live on their family farm where they raise row crops and cattle.  They are the proud parents of two daughters, one married (to the best son in law ever). She enjoys spending time with family, animals, cooking, quilting and kayaking. 

Katie Schlagheck, Extension Educator, C.F.L.E. (Certified Family Life Educator), Ohio State University Extension, Ottawa and Sandusky counties. Her interests focus on the well-being of families and relationships through the range of Family and Consumer Sciences topic areas. She specifically is interested in the risk and resilience of children and families, parenting, prevention science, and program evaluation. Born and raised in Washington State, Katie now lives in Northern Ohio with her husband and three young children.

Laura Stanton, Extension Educator, M.S., M.A., Ohio State University Extension, Warren County. Her specialization areas are family life education, diversity, and wellness. She and her husband have two teenagers and a menagerie of family pets. In her free time, Laura enjoys reading and exploring the great outdoors.

Beth Stefura, Extension Educator, M.Ed, RD, LD., Ohio State University Extension, Mahoning County. Her specialization is nutrition, health and food safety. Her efforts focus on working with groups and communities to educate and empower people to create healthier lifestyles by increasing their knowledge of nutrition and food safety. As a self-proclaimed foodie, she enjoys shopping at farmers’ markets, cooking and exploring new food venues with her husband and two children.

Megan Taylor, Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Union County. Megan enjoys teaching both adults in children. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, baking, canning, hiking and spending time with friends and family.

Kathy Tutt, Extension Educator, M.S., Ohio State University Extension, Clark County. Her specializations are family life, food safety and wellness. Kathy enjoys working with families throughout the life span to help them achieve the highest quality of life. Kathy’s other main interest is her family; she is mom/stepmom to five children.

Susan Zies, Extension Educator and Assistant Professor, M.Ed., Ohio State University Extension, Wood County. Her specialization is nutrition, health and wellness. Her teaching efforts focus on diabetes education, childhood obesity and wellness. She enjoys running, has completed four marathons and enjoys spending time with her husband and high school age son.

Former Authors

Pat Brinkman, Associate Professor Emeritus, M.A., Ohio State University Extension. Pat’s specializations were nutrition and health. She now lives in central Ohio and enjoys spending time with her two grown children and grandchildren.

Donna Green, Retired Extension Educator, M.A., Ohio State University Extension, Erie County. Donna’s specializations were nutrition and financial resource management. Donna is the mother of two adult children and an elected official (school board).

Linnette Mizer Goard, Associate Professor Emeritus, M.S., CFCS, Ohio State University Extension. Former Field Specialist in Food Safety, Selection and Management. She is married and has a daughter and a son.

Cindy Shuster, Associate Professor Emeritus, M.S., CFLE, Ohio State University Extension. Her specialization was family life. She is married and has a grown son.

Michelle Treber, Retired Extension Educator, M.A., L.D., Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County. Her specialization was health and nutrition and wellness. She is married and has a blended family of four daughters and one son, a granddaughter and grandson who live in Wales, and twin granddaughters in North Carolina.