Tamara Sandberg

Moderator: Katey McElrath ’17, Data and Food Coordinator, Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative, University of Pennsylvania

Tamara Sandberg serves as Save the Children’s U.S. Food Security and Nutrition Advisor. Committed to meeting the most urgent needs of children during the COVID-19 pandemic, Save the Children established Sandberg’s position in 2020 after seeing first-hand the sharp increase in children struggling with hunger in rural communities. Tamara is responsible for helping lead the global nonprofit’s emerging work to ensure children across rural America are getting the nutritious meals they need to succeed in school and in life. An anti-hunger advocate since first volunteering at a local soup kitchen while in high school, Sandberg was the director of Feeding Kentucky (formerly the Kentucky Association of Food Banks) for a decade, and is a recipient of the National Association of Secretaries of State medallion in recognition of her work to end hunger. She will discuss hunger through the lenses of the pandemic and racial justice, exploring root causes and potential solutions, with a special emphasis on rural communities and both local and national level solutions.