Kelly Shomo, Showcased By Influential Women, Connects Culinary Expertise With Student Well-Being

STAUNTON, VA, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A Multifaceted Career In Culinary Arts, Nutrition, Public Health, and Education

Waynesboro, Virginia – Kelly Shomo has built a career around the belief that school nutrition is about far more than providing meals. It is a field that brings together culinary expertise, nutrition education, public health, program administration, and a genuine commitment to student well-being. Today, as School Nutrition Director for Waynesboro Public Schools, Kelly oversees the full operation of district kitchens while ensuring meal programs remain nutritious, compliant, effective, and responsive to the needs of students and their communities.

Kelly’s professional journey reflects a diverse educational and career foundation. She earned a Master of Public Health from American Public University, an A.A.S. in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University, and a BS in Kinesiology and Psychology from Houston Baptist University. She has also completed a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management and holds the Certified Culinarian credential. This combination of culinary, nutrition, health, and behavioral knowledge has provided Kelly with a broad perspective that continues to inform her approach to school nutrition.

Her career in the field began in 2013 after she had worked in fine dining in California while completing her master’s degree. Kelly discovered that school nutrition offered the ideal intersection of her professional interests and expertise. Her first position was as a Supervisor of Nutrition Education and Marketing at a California school district, where she developed student-focused nutrition programs, educational initiatives, and outreach strategies designed to encourage healthy eating habits among K–12 students.

The experience provided an important foundation for the work that followed. Kelly went on to spend eight years with the Virginia Department of Education, working closely under the leadership of Dr. Sandy Curwood. During her time with the department, she advanced through positions focused on training, program improvement, and grants administration. Her work at the state level gave her an opportunity to contribute to initiatives designed to strengthen school nutrition programs while supporting professional development for nutrition professionals across Virginia.

Today, Kelly applies that experience directly within Waynesboro Public Schools. In her role as School Nutrition Director, she oversees district kitchens, menu development, nutrition education initiatives, and compliance with federal and state nutrition regulations. She also manages program applications, reporting, and ongoing monitoring in partnership with state agencies. Through these responsibilities, she works to ensure that students receive high-quality meal services while the district maintains strong operational and regulatory standards.

Kelly’s commitment to the broader school nutrition profession extends beyond her district responsibilities. She serves as the 2026–2027 Public Policy & Legislative Chair for the Virginia School Nutrition Association, reflecting her continued involvement in issues affecting school nutrition professionals and programs. Her experience across district and state-level settings has given her an understanding of how policy, administration, finances, education, and day-to-day operations intersect within the field.

For Kelly, success has always been closely connected to hard work and genuine care for the students and communities she serves. She believes that consistently putting in the effort required, while remaining committed to the purpose behind the work, has enabled her to persevere through challenges and continuously improve the programs under her responsibility. Her approach is grounded in integrity, honesty, dedication, and a commitment to doing what is right.

She also emphasizes the importance of perspective. One of the most valuable pieces of career advice Kelly has received is to remember that, even when school nutrition work becomes chaotic or demanding, students will ultimately be fed, and programs will continue operating because of the dedication and resilience of the professionals involved. Maintaining that perspective has helped her focus on what she can accomplish each day while trusting the teams and systems that support student meal services.

Kelly also encourages young women entering school nutrition to pursue diverse experiences across the profession. She recommends gaining exposure to different responsibilities and seeking opportunities at the local, state, and, when possible, federal levels. In her view, working across these different environments can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the field, strengthen professional expertise, and broaden the perspective needed to make a meaningful contribution.

Among the most significant challenges facing school nutrition today is financial sustainability. Kelly points to the difficulty of operating programs on a break-even, nonprofit basis while facing increasing expenses for food, labor, and supplies. With federal reimbursement rates not always keeping pace with those costs, districts can face financial deficits while still being expected to provide nutritious, high-quality meals. Maintaining financial independence without relying on a school division’s general fund therefore remains an important concern.

Despite these challenges, Kelly remains committed to school nutrition and the students it serves. Looking back on her career, she says that if allowed to start again, she would still choose the field because it unites her professional expertise and passions in service of student health and well-being. Through her leadership, culinary background, public health education, and dedication to the profession, Kelly continues to contribute to a field that plays an important role in supporting students every school day.

Learn More about Kelly N. Shomo:

Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/kelly-shomo or through her website, https://kellynshomo.wixsite.com/mysite

Influential Women

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