TAMBRA RAYE STEVENSON, MPH, MA | Founder and CEO, Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture (WANDA)

Featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, and the Voice of America, Tambra is the visionary force behind Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture (WANDA). Her mission is to cultivate a generation of empowered Black women and girls who drive transformation in the food system, fostering healthier communities through education, advocacy, and groundbreaking innovation. She champions generational Black health as the new wealth, standing at the forefront of nutritional heritage of the African diaspora out of a profound understanding of the symbiotic relationship between food and health. Her personal reconnection with her Fulani roots in Nigeria and seeing her family struggle with preventable diseases ignited this endeavor. Her commitment is further embodied in NATIVSOL Kitchen, a pan-African nutrition initiative that provides indispensable educational resources.

She is a fifth-generation Oklahoman with deep agricultural and nutritional roots and is a powerhouse in the global nutrition and agriculture sectors. Her journey began as a card-carrying member of the Future Farmers of America, a testament to her deep-seated connection with agriculture from a young age.

Tambra’s advocacy for an inclusive and equitable food system extends beyond her immediate initiatives. With a resume adorned with remarkable accolades like the Science Defender by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Women's Environmental Leadership Fellow by the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, Changemaker by Clean Eating Magazine, Black Women Changemaker in Food by Dine Diaspora, Changemaker in the Food System by Washington City Paper, Nutrition Hero by Food and Nutrition Magazine, and the Community Hero Award by NBC4. These honors reflect her exceptional influence and dedication to food justice and health advocacy.

Her professional journey weaves through esteemed roles in the public sector. Beginning with her public service career at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an Emerging Leader, she later transitioned to public affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency, then to establish a pioneering women’s policy office under D.C. Mayor Fenty focusing on women’s economic and health empowerment.

Tambra’s voice has echoed on prestigious platforms, from the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, the World Food Prize Borlaug International Dialogues, the Food Tank Summit, and the U.S. Botanic Gardens to global institutions like Uppsala University in Sweden and the African Union in Ethiopia. She's also left an indelible mark with her insightful TEDx talk on Black women reclaiming food as medicine, fortifying her position as a thought leader in the industry.

Endowed with prestigious accolades like National Geographic Traveler of the Year and the pioneering title of North American Regional Representative to the African Nutrition Society, Tambra's influence in the realm of health and food policy is undeniable. She holds significant appointments to reputable boards, including the USDA's National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board in Washington, co-chairing the nutrition and health working group at the D.C. Food Policy Council, and co-chairing the nutrition security working group at Tufts University's Food and Nutrition Innovation Council, the National Produce Prescription Collaborative, and the Milken Institute's Food as Medicine Advisory Board. She serves on the boards of the National Food Museum, Oldways Preservation Trust's African Heritage and Health Program, and Les Dames d'Escoffier International Washington DC Regional Chapter. These roles exemplify her relentless push for expanded access to nutritious food and health services.

She is the co-chair of the Health Committee for the NAACP DC Branch, the nation's most expansive branch, and has led critical policy and program initiatives leading to legislative wins and addressing urgent issues from the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health, youth tobacco, and nutrition inequity. Her innovative "Health is the New Wealth" campaign embodies her leadership, connecting over 500 members with local minority food and health enterprises. Her impact has resulted in her receiving the Wm. Montague Cobb award for health and food justice advocacy at the NAACP National Convention.

During her leadership tenure, Tambra established the WANDA Academy, successfully obtained a design patent for the WANDA doll, authored an illuminating children’s book series under the WANDA banner, introduced WANDA scholarships, and initiated Food as Medicine fellowships tailored for HBCU women. Furthermore, she spearheaded the WANDA’s Food Shero awards program to honor and support Black women in the food sector across Africa and the diaspora. D.C. Mayor Bowser proclaimed WANDA Week kicked off with a Sisterhood Supper Juneteenth Celebration dedicated to honoring Black women’s culinary, nutritional, and agricultural contributions.

Esteemed academic institutions like Johns Hopkins and George Washington University have collaborated with Tambra, producing groundbreaking studies that spotlight challenges such as the pernicious effects of food apartheid. Boasting an illustrious academic background, Tambra has qualifications from Oklahoma State University, the American University School of Communication, and Tufts University School of Medicine, further solidifying her authority in her field.

As a staunch advocate for health equity, Tambra authored the Black Health Bill of Rights adopted by the Council of Black Health, which is currently in publication. She has been instrumental in championing a Food Bill of Rights, emphasizing food as an integral facet of democracy. Her vision and advocacy earned her an invitation to the historic second White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, manifesting her stature as a revered voice at the crossroads of nutrition, health equity, and sustainability.

An alumnus of Oklahoma State University, Tambra's academic prowess shines through with a B.S. in Human Nutrition. Furthering her studies, she secured an MA in Media, Technology, and Democracy from American University, an MPH in Health Communication from Tufts University School of Medicine, and various certificates from esteemed institutions such as NYU-World Health Organization. Currently, as a Ph.D. candidate at the American University School of Communication, her research delves into Black women's online community interactions to enhance their health, mirroring concerns raised in the US Surgeon General's report on American loneliness. She is a communication researcher for the $15 million NSF-funded Wasted Food Research Network led by American University. In 2018 she co-authored research examining caregivers navigating food deserts to feed children in Washington, DC, and published it in the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with Johns Hopkins University and George Washington University.

Tambra Raye Stevenson's life mission, bolstered by her unparalleled expertise and unwavering passion, positions her as an indispensable asset for Black state legislators and the global community. Her dedication to nurturing a healthier future for generations to come resonates deeply, making her a paragon of excellence in the health and food policy arena.

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