School Nutrition Association Appoints 2026-2027 President

Ashley Powell, child nutrition director for Auburn City Schools in Alabama, has taken over for Stephanie Dillard as the president of the School Nutrition Association for 2026-2027.

Powell is part of a 60-member child nutrition team serving one of Alabama’s fastest-growing districts, with nearly 9,500 students at 14 sites, plus two schools under construction. Last year, her team served about 300,000 breakfasts and 840,000 lunches. This past May, the district began offering free school breakfasts to all students under the Alabama School Breakfast Grant.

The district also offers menu choices for students including freshly made grab-and-go entree salad and sandwich boxes. Powell also has worked to add more locally grown foods into the mix. In addition to local produce, her team uses Alabama beef in their chili, spaghetti and burritos, and plans to offer acai bowls featuring locally sourced honey this fall.

Besides her full-time role and multiyear SNA involvement, Powell has serve on the Alabama School Nutrition Association nominating and scholarship committee, and eventually as state president for school year 2018-19. She was the ASNA Director of the Year in 2017.

Powell has a bachelor’s in dietetics, a master’s in health promotion and a PhD in adult education from Auburn University.

As president of SNA, she will serve 50,000 members and represent school nutrition professionals nationwide.