ABOUT US
The BEN Initiative is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (est. 2022) based in and serving northwest New Mexico communities. We recognize that health in rural and tribal communities is complex and requires an approach that is both trauma-informed and comprehensive. We believe that perinatal experiences, built environment and nutritional access are all deeply interconnected and greatly impact maternal and child health outcomes.
The BEN Initiative serves as a fiscal sponsor to individual farmers and grassroots organizers/initiatives working in the areas of Birth, Environment and Nutrition (BEN), whose projects uplift our mission to improve early childhood outcomes.
The BEN Initiative serves as a fiscal sponsor to individual farmers and grassroots organizers/initiatives working in the areas of Birth, Environment and Nutrition (BEN), whose projects uplift our mission to improve early childhood outcomes.
OUR MISSION & VISIONOur mission is to improve early childhood outcomes through empowered perinatal care, safe and abundant environments and ancestral nutrition.
We envision communities where families have personalized perinatal care and autonomous birth; where children are raised in environments that they know are safe and abundant with resources and cultural teachings; and where traditional and locally grown foods are celebrated and accessible by all. |
|
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Danya Carroll, MPH, PhDDr. Danya Carroll, PhD, MPH, is Diné and White Mountain Apache from Arizona. She has a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Arizona, a Master of Public Health in Community Health Education from the Colorado School of Public Health and a PhD in Indigenous Health from the University of North Dakota. Dr. Carroll has worked in various capacities including within the Tribal, nonprofit and research sectors in the US. Her public health work and practice has evolved around building culturally relevant land-based models and practices that enhance Indigenous food systems. She has led programming for Indigenous youth and families including school gardening and nutrition programs and her work on the Navajo Nation delivering and refining the Healthy Navajo Stores Initiative and Fruit & Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) programs. She has vast experience in program evaluation and grant development & implementation with Indigenous communities. Her research areas of interest include Indigenous food sovereignty & health policy, platforming strengths-based approaches, Native nation rebuilding and the linkages between Indigenous health, Land and sovereignty. She is currently a Postdoctoral Associate at Western University in Ontario, Canada. Currently, her research focuses on supporting the protection and mobilization of Indigenous traditional ecological health knowledges in Canada and the US.
|
Marie Johnson, MSMarie is a natural-born leader with a dedicated career in school nutrition, starting after she graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Hospitality Management in 1993 and a M.S in Counseling in 1997. Her core values include teaching children to eat healthily by providing nutritious meals and exposing them to the power of growing food, building dynamic, self-sufficient teams that strive for excellence, and delivering high-quality outcomes in every endeavor.
Marie has more than 32+ years of experience in the school nutrition profession, having worked in Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico. As a two term past president of the New Mexico School Nutrition Association, Marie aimed to elevate the school nutrition profession and made a significant impact by championing the passage of SB4 , "Healthy School Meals for All" that became a state law in July 2023. Marie currently serves at the Student Nutrition Program Supervisor at Farmington Municipal School District. |
Rebekah RoanhorseRebekah Roanhorse is Red Bottom clan, born for Bigwater clan. Her maternal grandfather is Near the Water, and her paternal grandfather's clan is Coyote Pass. She is a wife, mother of 5 and founder of Walking the Holistic Way. After years of working in the natural health industry, Rebekah continues to witness a different approach to healing emotionally, physically and spiritually. Her hope is to reclaim and share more ancestral knowledge on herbal medicine and create a lasting legacy for our future generations. Rebekah brings a wealth of experience into her role as a board member, as an Indigenous herbalist, home birth practitioner, homeschool parent and spouse.
|
Contact Us
Please complete the form below and a member of our team will get back with you shortly.
|
|
