The NEK Council on Aging Welcomes Laura Valcour,  New Director of Nutrition and Wellness

The Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging is pleased to welcome Laura Valcour as Director of Nutrition and Wellness. The new position, reporting to the Executive Director, manages all Council nutrition and wellness programs for Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans counties.

“We are thrilled to bring Laura to our team to share her extensive experience in nutrition and wellness with our communities,” said Meg Burmeister, Executive Director of the NEK Council on Aging. “We are combining the management and supervision of our nutrition and wellness programs since they are so vital to each other. A key role in helping our elder Vermonters to live a healthy and independent lifestyle includes healthy eating and increased mobility. Laura’s experience in the fields of nutrition, health, and wellness will be a key asset to our partnerships with clients, meal sites, area non-profit and community organizations, governmental agencies, and business leaders.”

Laura brings over 20 years of experience as a chef, culinary nutrition educator, farmer’s market manager, and culinary program director. She holds a B.S. in Nutrition from Benedictine University and is a graduate of the Cooking/Hospitality Institute of Chicago (Le Cordon Bleu). She is currently pursuing CHES certification (Certified Health Education Specialist.)

She was the long-term Owner/Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor at Chefs For A Day, Inc. in Willowbrook, IL, where she developed, planned, and coordinated interactive cooking programs for children. Laura also developed cooking programs, aligned with school curriculums, following NSLP and CLOCC guidelines for Pre-K – 12 grades. She was awarded “Those Who Excel Award of Excellence” from the Illinois State Board of Education for contribution in promoting nutrition education for grades K – 8.

She has served as a media spokesperson on TV and as a public speaker in the Chicago area with appearances in American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children and Chicago Parent Magazine . In addition, she served as a Demonstration Chef for corporate wellness programs with Midwestern University, Western Suburban Dietitians’ Association, several area hospitals, and the Right Fit Sport Wellness/Argonne National Laboratory.

In addition, Laura developed recipes and filmed a 16-part video series in collaboration with the Edward-Elmhurst Hospital “Healthy Kitchen” library and created several holistic wellness events, such as “Yogi & The Chef,” “Inflammation Fighters with a Doctor of Physical Therapy,” and “Diet Myths and Truths with a Registered Dietitian.”

Previous to her role at Chefs For A Day, Valcour was the Food and Beverage Director/Culinary Nutrition Educator for the Midtown Athletic Club in Willowbrook, IL and the Burr Ridge (Illinois) Park District Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor/Farmer Market Manager. There she coordinated many community-based nutrition programs for all ages through collaborations with area retailers, farmer’s markets, parks and recreation departments, county public health departments, and area restaurants.

The essential responsibilities of the Director of Nutrition and Wellness are to ensure full compliance with state and federal regulations in relation to contracts with 18 meal provider sites throughout the NEK; develop contracts and monitor agreements between the Council and the meal sites; supervise the contracted Registered Dietitians with client work and meal site meal preparation; data management and reporting; support the volunteer coordination for Wellness activities; and represent the Council statewide to ensure collaborations with key partners.

“During my career path, my mission and joy has been in serving the needs of others. Whether it was in writing grants to expand our farmer’s market, creating online videos for a Healthy Kitchen Library, or in creating and serving meals for our active adult luncheons, I have been given a blessing to share my knowledge and skills," said Laura.

She recently moved from Illinois to Morrisville, Vermont to be closer to her family who originally settled in Hardwick and Craftsbury.