Staff

Cheryl Moder
Director
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
858.609.7961
email

Cheryl Moder is Director of the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, a public/private partnership whose mission is to reduce and prevent childhood obesity in San Diego County by creating healthy environments for all children and families through advocacy, education, policy development, and environmental change. Working with Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP), Ms. Moder is responsible for mobilizing partnerships among multiple domains and coordinating countywide efforts to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. Prior to her work with the Initiative, Ms. Moder served as a consultant to many health and human service organizations in the field of health promotion, communications, grant writing and research as vice president of Moder Research & Communications, Inc. She also worked for Sharp HealthCare providing leadership in tobacco control and prevention.

JuliAnna Arnett
Food Policy Manager
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
858.609.7962
email

JuliAnna Arnett is the Healthy Works^SM Food Policy Manager for the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative (Initiative), a program facilitated by Community Health Improvement Partners. In her position, she oversees the Healthy Works^SM School and Community Gardens Program in the promotion of resident-friendly garden policies in San Diego County cities and school districts and the establishment of five regional garden education and training centers.  In her tenure with the Initiative, Ms. Arnett has served on a number of state and local committees related to gardens, farm to school, farmers' markets, food stamps, and hunger. She is a founding member of the San Diego Food System Work Group and Nutrition in Healthcare Food Service Committee. Ms. Arnett also helps facilitate the San Diego County Farm to School Taskforce. Prior to working with the Initiative, she served two years as an AmeriCorps Volunteer (i.e., domestic Peace Corps) advancing community, city, and state initiatives to eliminate poverty and improve health.

Melanie Cohn
Manager
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
858.609.7963
email

Melanie Cohn has been a Manager at the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative since August 2010. Her position focuses on working with elected officials, local governments and community members to achieve policy and environmental change that positively affects public health. Prior to assuming these duties, Melanie worked on special projects at Price Charities, acting as a grant officer to organizations that applied for funding, performing community outreach, and providing support for educational, social services and community benefit programs. Melanie also worked for a State Assembly Member from 2005 until 2009, serving in all positions from Office Coordinator to Interim District Director. She has extensive knowledge of State and local legislative issues, and spends her free time volunteering for political campaigns. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with minors in Art History and Sociology, from the University of California, San Diego.

Erica Salcuni
Coordinator
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
858.609.7964
email

Erica Salcuni is the Coordinator for the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative.  She joined the team in March 2009, and is responsible for most of the communications directed to partners working with the Initiative throughout San Diego County.  In addition, Erica provides support to all Initiative activities, including the Healthy Works^SM School and Community Gardens Intervention.  Erica's background is in communications.  Prior to assuming this position, she served in the production department at a small academic publisher in Redding, Connecticut.  While attending college, she held a position on the editorial board of one of the university's literary publications, and also served as a copywriter intern for a small advertising agency.  Erica holds her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Connecticut, and whenever possible, engages partners to discuss the connection between mental health and physical health.

Genevieve DePerio Fong
Market Outreach Coordinator
San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
619.409.5888
email

Genevieve DePerio Fong is the Market Outreach Coordinator for the Chula Vista "Cilantro to Stores" program, which will bring local, fresh produce to four corner stores in Western Chula Vista. Genevieve has over 10 years of local political and community relations experience in the San Diego region.  As a recent project manager of the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation, Genevieve managed a public infrastructure project, the redevelopment activities of two redevelopment project areas, and various educational campaigns.  She worked alongside the community and other stakeholders to achieve community buy-in, facilitate community involvement, and increase understanding of particular redevelopment goals.  Previously, Genevieve worked at a large public affairs consulting firm, assisting in public relations for the construction of large public projects of the City of San Diego Water Department and the North County Transit District SPRINTER.  She has successfully planned and executed various special events, including dedications and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.  She has also served as a representative for two City Councilmembers and briefly for the Mayor's Office, providing constituent services and advising on policy and land-use issues.  In the community, Genevieve has volunteered for various political campaigns, sports events with the San Diego Sports Commission, and feeding the homeless downtown.  Ms. Fong holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies and Planning, with a minor in History, from the University of California, San Diego.