School Nutrition Innovation Conference
Meet the Speakers

Nicholas Barber
Director of Food Distribution, New York Office of General Services

Nick Barber is the Director of Food Distribution with the Office of General Services (OGS) for the State of New York. He has been in his role with the state since July of 2022. Previous to his state service, he had over 20 years’ experience in restaurants, colleges, nursing homes, hospitals and K-12. Nick oversees the warehousing and distribution of USDA Foods for The National School Lunch Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Summer Food Service Program and Special Milk Program. He received his bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College in Business Administration. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, coaching baseball and spending quality time with his family and two golden retrievers.

Ruth Conner, SNS
Director of Child Nutrition, Buffalo Public Schools

Ruth Conner joined the Child Nutrition Team of the Buffalo Public Schools in 1998 as a Cook Manager. Ruth has an associate degree in Dietetics. In 2017 she earned her bachelor's degree in business management and the title School Nutrition Specialist. From Manger, Assistant Supervisor, Supervisor, and her current role as the Director of Buffalo Public Schools Child Nutrition, Ruth has developed a passion for Child Nutrition and commitment to the children of her community. Working with people in a positive culture is a consistent goal and vital for the success of any program. She has a love for bringing people together, working through conflict, and creating the best possible solutions.

Marianne Dayton, SNS
Senior Director of K-12 Sales - Northeast, Affinity Group

Marianne is a Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America In Hyde Park, NY with a Degree in Culinary Arts. She continued her education to earn a degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. After 14 years cooking and managing B & I accounts on Long Island and in NYC, along with a few years as a personal Chef, Marianne joined the Food Broker Industry. She has been working in the Metro NY, NJ, and EPA markets with Affinity Group for the past 17years. Marianne has been in the K 12 segment for 14 years and is currently the Senior Director of K 12 Sales for Affinity in the Northeast. She earned her SNS certification in 2012.

Kate Dorr, RD, MBA
Director of Shared Food Services, Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES

Kate Dorr is the Director of Shared Food Services for Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES. Kate is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist having completed her Dietetic Internship at Cornell University, and her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Vermont. She also has her Masters in Business Administration from SUNY POLY. Kate has been in School Nutrition since 2009! She currently lives in Clinton, NY with her husband and 4 children.

Patrick Kenneally
Senior School Food Operations Specialist, Chef Ann Foundation

Patrick Kenneally is a Senior School Food Operations Specialist with the Chef Ann Foundation and works in their School Food Operations division. In this role Patrick supports partner school districts in five key program areas of school operations: food, finance, facilities, human resources, and marketing. Previously, Patrick served as a School Lunch Director in NY and was awarded both a NY Ag & Markets Farm to School Partnership Award and the Ann B Gennings Award for advocacy efforts.

Caitlin Lazarski, MS, RD, SNS
Director of School Nutrition, Pine Bush Central School District

Caitlin Lazarski is the Director of School Nutrition for Pine Bush Central School District. She is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Delaware. Caitlin has over 13 years of experience in school nutrition. She currently lives in Newburgh, NY with her husband, 13 year old son, 10 year old daughter, and 14 year old boxer Athena.

Diana McCarthy
Director of K12 Northeast Sales, Wild Mike's Ultimate Pizza

Diana McCarthy is the Director of K12 Northeast Sales for Wild Mike’s Ultimate Pizza, with 25 years of experience in the K12 segment. Her career includes roles as a broker and as Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast. Diana leverages her expertise and industry knowledge as Chair of the Membership Committee for the New York School Nutrition Association (NYSNA).

Bryan McCoy
School Lunch Director, Broome-Tioga BOCES

Bryan McCoy has worked in food service for 25 + years. He is a School Lunch Director for Broome-Tioga BOCES where he is responsible for 6 school districts with 22 kitchens and around 175 employees. Bryan is also the School Lunch Advisory Committee representative for area “D.”

Kayla McDaniel, MS, NDTR
Director of Food & Nutrition, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools

Julie Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS, FAND
Registered Dietitian, Broome-Tioga BOCES

Julie is a Registered Dietitian, School Nutrition Expert, and Consultant with a longstanding commitment to improving child nutrition in schools. Since 2009, she has led the Rock on Cafe™ School Meals Program, a service of the Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in Binghamton, NY. Through this program, Julie works closely with food service directors to ensure school meal programs meet federal standards while also fostering media outreach and building partnerships through grants and community engagement. Under her leadership this program has received national recognition from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for advancing healthier school meals.

Julie holds a Bachelor's degree in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and completed her Dietetic Internship at Syracuse University. She went on to earn a Master of Public Health from the University at Albany, expanding her impact into broader community health initiatives. She is also, a recent graduate of the Cornell University LeadNY Class 18/19. Julie is also an active volunteer on the Farm to School Committee for the New York School Nutrition Association and is a Past President of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A frequent speaker at both state and national conferences, Julie is passionate about inspiring others to create healthy school environments where students can thrive—both in and out of the classroom.

Donna Rice
School Lunch Director, Baldwinsville Central School District

Kayla Snyder, MA
CACFP Outreach & Engagement Specialist, Hunger Solutions New York

Kayla Snyder, CACFP Outreach and Engagement Specialist at Hunger Solutions New York, leads statewide and targeted CACFP outreach efforts, along with additional program work to help expand access and awareness of CACFP. Kayla is a resource to providers, organizations, and schools representing various modalities of childcare, offering technical assistance, program updates, and more. Kayla has over a decade of experience in human services, advocating for and serving New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Social and Public Policy and a graduate certificate in Public Administration from SUNY Empire.

Kimberly Vumbaco, MBA

Director, Child Nutrition Program Administration at New York State Education Department

Kimberly Vumbaco is the Director of Child Nutrition Programs at the New York State Education Department. With over 25 years of dedicated service in the Office of Child Nutrition, she acts as a liaison with state and federal agencies and organizations, providing consultative and technical assistance on programs, policies, and related legislation. Kimberly proudly leads a team of 65 professionals to deliver comprehensive oversight and support to school and summer food service operators statewide with the goal to increase food security and reduce hunger while supporting American agriculture and inspiring public confidence. Kimberly holds degrees in Hotel and Restaurant Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.