MEET THE JUDGES
Stacy Sagowitz
President and Owner
Food Safety Systems
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Stacy started her business in 2001, after a successful career with Land O Lakes, Food Sales West, and also as a Director with Haywood USD. Stacy is a recipient of the 2014 National Industry Member of the Year, by the School Nutrition Association. She was honored for her commitment, dedication and service to the association and its membership. She holds a MBA from San Francisco State University. She earned her B.S. degree in dietetcs at State University of New York College at Oneonta and completed her internship to be a registered dietitian at
Post Graduate Dietetic Internship Program - Milwaukee Public Schools.
Sarah Minkow
Instructor of Nutrition
California State University, Long Beach
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Sarah works as the Nutrition Education Specialist for GrowingGreat, a nonprofit organization that provides nutrition and garden education programs in elementary schools in Los Angeles. Sarah develops curriculum for GrowingGreat’s nutrition program, which aligns with California Common Core Standards, and is creating a nutrition-focused cooking program for high school students. Sarah earned her B.A. in Psychology and Health Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is currently completing her dietetic internship and master’s degree at California State University, Long Beach. Her master’s thesis examines cooking attitudes, knowledge, and proficiency in relation to diet quality and health among college students. Sarah hopes to become a Registered Dietitian specializing in Nutrition Education.
Brian Newlin
Visual Artist, Animator, Author
Parent & Volunteer at Glendale USD
Brian Newlin, a Massachusetts native, has spent over 20 years working in the visual arts industry. After attending Ringling College of Art in Florida, Brian was an animator for commercials, television series, and video games. He worked for 12 years at Dreamworks Animation on such films as the Shrek and Madagascar series, Peabody and Sherman, and Megamind. After moving to the Glendale in 2015, Brian has focused on writing and directing, and is currently completing his first series of independent animated shorts. He is also a children's book author working with Amazon on several new projects. Brian is a regular volunteer and, most recently, a noon duty employee at his son's school, Glenoaks Elementary. Brian enjoys hiking, art, and eating donuts.
Rita Fuentes
Parent, Peer Educator, Volunteer
at Lawndale Elementary School District
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Rita Fuentes is a parent of four children, 2 boys and 2 girls from 2 years to 7 years old. The three oldest attend Mark Twain Elementary School in the Lawndale Elementary School District where Rita has volunteered with the preschool program since 2012. In 2014, she started working as a Peer Educator for the school district, leading workshops that empower parents to make healthier food and beverage choices for their families. Rita is Zumba certified and regularly hosts free workout classes for Lawndale residents, and helps maintain all eight of the school gardens in Lawndale. In addition to her responsibilities as a parent, employee, and volunteer, Rita is also a student at El Camino Community College in Torrance pursuing a major in Forensics.