Arizona Center for Rural Leadership

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Note: This website refers to constituents of Project CENTRL as members. Constituents of Project CENTRL include the Board of Directors, as well as non-voting individuals and organizations. Constituents / Non-voting individuals and organizations may be Alumni, Program Participants, Donors, Sponsors, Partners, and Volunteers.

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Ashley Schimke

Blue Watermelon Project, Inc.

Member profile details

PERSONAL INFO

Class

Class 29

First Name

Ashley

Last Name

Schimke

Occupation

Registered Dietitian & Nutritionist

COMPANY INFO

Company Name

Blue Watermelon Project, Inc.

Title

Interim Executive Director

Company Website

https://www.bluewatermelonproject.org/

Company Logo

MAILING ADDRESS

City

Gilbert

State

Arizona

County

Maricopa County

OTHER INFO

Photo

Recognition

Project CENTRL Board of Directors
Alumni
CENTRL Alumni Committee

Bio

Born and raised in Arizona and studied business and nutrition at Arizona State University. She spent nearly 13 years with the Arizona Department of Education’s Health and Nutrition Services Division, where she helped pioneer statewide efforts to connect schools with local food producers, expand food education, and establish edible school gardens. These initiatives helped students build positive relationships with whole foods and encouraged healthier eating habits. A career highlight was supporting Arizona schools in purchasing nearly $2 million in Arizona-grown fresh fruits and vegetables during the 2018–2019 school year through the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Produce Program.

Her work later focused on helping school nutrition professionals rebuild and strengthen meal programs following the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on scratch cooking, whole foods, and culturally inclusive meals. She also supported food and farm businesses across California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Regional Food Business Centers initiative.

Today, Ashley works with a food education nonprofit dedicated to helping students understand where their food comes from while advancing scratch cooking and local food sourcing in school meals.

Board Position

Board Member

CAC Position

CAC Vice-Chair

4341 E Broadway Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85040
602-827-8227

Arizona Center for Rural Leadership is a Public Private Partnership with The University of Arizona.

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