By Cynthia Whitty

Lisa Beaudin has been Ashland’s Director of Nutrition Services for the schools for 17 years this summer. In January, she announced her retirement at the end of the school year. Superintendent Jim Adams said in a press release, “The Ashland Public Schools has been fortunate to have Lisa Beaudin as our director of nutrition services. From day one, she has always put the health and well-being of our students at the forefront of all nutrition decisions. As Lisa likes to say, ‘We have the best restaurant in Ashland,’ and I agree. I wish her much happiness in her retirement.”

Beaudin not only sourced and served quality food, she sought to teach the importance of an all-around healthy lifestyle. In addition, she often reached out well beyond the schools on her own time, to Ashland community groups, leading discussions at the library’s Documentary Film Series “Food and Health” and involving members of Ashland Community Gardens in planting at the middle school and at Stone Park an Asian pear tree guild/permaculture design in cooperation with Wellesley College Botanical Gardens. 

In this interview, she describes her background and job, her accomplishments, and her plans for her retirement later this year.

Whitty: What prepared you for your job in Ashland?

I had been working in financial services for a decade and decided to make a career change. Becoming a chef had always been my dream, but first I had to have a ‘sensible’ career. I did that, then chose my true passion—food!

I was blessed to meet Julia Child in March of 1991, and she guided me to a program at Boston University she co-founded with Jacques Pepin. I was one of 12 students that entered the program that fall. It was as amazing as you can imagine, being taught by the masters in my profession. I worked in a variety of places in and around Boston for a decade, and enjoyed it immensely. During that time I was also learning more about food as medicine and lifestyle cuisine. I moved to Sturbridge and accepted a job in higher education, managing dining services. I quickly realized students had no idea what real food was, much less how important it was to good health. I decided to get into K-12 education so I could help transform what school food was at that point.

In addition, I completed a certificate program at Framingham State in Excellence in Child Nutrition Programs to ensure I learned all facets of the National School Lunch program and the complexities of K-12 nutrition. I also wanted to work on staff wellness, so I became certified as a Health Coach. That training was life-changing for me, and I was able to work on lifestyle changes to benefit the health and wellbeing of adults as well as children.

Whitty: What has your job entailed?

More than I ever imagined, and in a good way! Not only did we transform school meals ahead of government mandates and Jamie Oliver [a popular British chef], but we worked with the community to educate adults as well. I say “we” because my amazing staff is behind everything that has been accomplished during my tenure here. I could not have accomplished any of it without them. From cohosting a food film series at the Ashland Public Library’s Documentary Film Series to running the Family Dinner Project, we aspired to educate all of Ashland about the power of a whole foods diet. 

Our Safe Routes to School program was another fun project that involved the community, from walk-to-school Wednesdays to teaching pedestrian safety to our children at the Warren school. Everyone from the Town Manager to Sparky from the Fire Department joined us! Collaborating with the Ashland Recreation Center (ARC), the YMCA, the Lions, and others has helped us reach and support families who needed assistance. All of this contributes to a healthy lifestyle, because food is just one form of nourishment.

Whitty: What are some highlights from your career here?

One of my first goals when I arrived was to implement professional development for my staff. Giving them the knowledge and tools to do a great job. I wanted to always keep it fresh and exciting for them. It took me six years of hounding, but I eventually got Chef Ming Tsai to come and do a training for my staff. We had such a great workshop, both for him and for us as he learned what school food really can be and he was amazed! After the class he asked what else he could do to help, and we came to plan a cooking demo open to the whole community! With his help we were able to raise funds to help us put in a point-of-sales system in all of our schools.

We also got some fun grants to introduce students to new foods, and for a few years collaborated with one of our vendors to do regular “Try It” days with great prizes to encourage students to eat new menu items. All the prizes required physical activity, like soccer balls, skate boards, and even a few bicycles! The school administrators were very involved as well, which really made it fun for the students. From Dr. Hoffman walking through the Middle School Cafeteria with his school lunch each day to Principal Carney riding a bike from his office to the cafeteria, all students witnessed great modeling of our motto “Building a Brighter Tomorrow out of a Healthier Today.”

Whitty: What have you enjoyed most?

Watching my staff grow as passionate as I am about nurturing our students. Of course the students are why we do what we do. Knowing that we are the foundation of educating the whole child is very important. Ashland is very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people feeding our future. 

When the pandemic hit and everyone went home, Nutrition Services kept working feeding our families, handing out meals and USDA food boxes. We haven’t skipped a beat. I know that all of our work has made a difference in the lives of our students, be it just keeping them fed so they can concentrate in class or helping them understand that the food choices they make can shape their overall health. I am proud to say we have Ashland graduates who have kept in touch that are now nutrition professionals themselves!

Whitty: What have some of the challenges been?

Certainly these past couple of years, there have been supply chain issues. Our menus have been boring and not what we want to serve because, instead of focusing on creativity, we have to focus on what we can get, and it needs to be a fast serve. Since meals are now free to all students, our participation rates have gone up 30 percent, but in some cases we have to serve them in the same amount of time we were serving many fewer students. We need additional staff but are having a hard time finding the right people. It’s hard work, but very rewarding for the right person.

Whitty: What’s next for you, personally and professionally?

I will be doing some consulting work, as since the word of my retirement is out, my phone has been ringing a lot. I look forward to more creativity—getting back to pottery and multimedia art forms. I see more dinner parties, when it is safe to do so! My focus will be on friends, family, and my volunteer work in my home community of Sturbridge. The people I’ve collaborated with in Ashland inspired me to organize a farmers market, and this summer will be our 5th season! Come visit me on Sundays on the Sturbridge Common 9 to 1!

Ashland is an amazing community, and I feel blessed to have been a part of it!