Andrea Matsuoka

Andrea graduated with honors from Williams College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science.  She was an outreach coordinator and counselor for the Rape & Sexual Assault Network, served on the President-appointed Committee on Diversity and Community, worked as a Junior Advisor, and facilitated the student-run Williams Community Building Program.  After an internship at the Institute for Defense & Disarmament Studies, her research on nonproliferation was published in the Arms Control Reporter.

Field placement: Florida Impact

Tallahassee, Florida

Andrea launched and evaluated universal breakfast pilots in four Orange County elementary schools.  Her work confirmed the positive effects of universal breakfast programs on student breakfast consumption, health, and readiness to learn.  Andrea also coordinated the final meetings and a news conference for the Florida Food Security Team, the public-private partnership dedicated to improving food security in Florida through the expansion of eligible participation in the federal nutrition programs.  Finally, Andrea contributed to Florida Impact’s biannual Hunger Report, “Feeding Florida.”

Policy placement: Northeast-Midwest Institute

Washington, D.C.

Andrea conducted outreach to Congressional members and staff within the Northeast-Midwest Senate and Congressional Coalitions and served as a liaison to the anti-hunger, nutrition, and community food security communities.  She also conducted two targeted research projects: the first looked at the viability of Internet-based alternative food distribution systems linking low-income housing assistance recipients with fresh, locally grown produce; the second compared select “Farm Share” nutrition assistance programs in five states, with recommendations for expansion strategies to other states.

Publications