Create Better Health is Utah’s SNAP-Education program. The goal of this program is to help people cook healthy meals on a budget, buy and prepare whole foods, understand food labels, practice safety in the kitchen, and much more. Create Better Health is designed to increase the knowledge, skill set, and overall well-being of those it serves.
Program Information
- Heidi LeBlanc, Director
- Lea Palmer, Assistant Director
- Celina Wille, Spanish Language Program Director
- Maria Jose Velasco Burgos, Spanish Language Program Co-Director
- Ryan Benally, Tribal Program Director
- Darlene Christensen | Youth Education
- Kristi Strongo | Adult Education
- Maria Jose Velasco Burgos | Adult Spanish, Online Spanish
- Jared Hawkins | Create Family Meals
- Melanie Jewkes | Online English
- Emma Parkhurst | Create Healthy Gardens
- Cindy Nelson | Physical Activity
- Habiba Nur | Refugee Education
Trophy icon Award icon AWARDS Trophy icon Award icon
2025
Excellence in Teamwork Award for Expanding Outreach to SNAP-Ed Spanish Speaking Audiences
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
2024
Mary W. Wells Memorial Diversity for Create Better Health Refugee Adaptations
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
1st Place Western Region Winner and 3rd Place National Winner
SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Education Award for Captain Create Better Health- SNAP-Ed Youth Programming
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
1st Place Western Region Winner and 2nd Place National Winner
2023
Utah Best of State for Nutrition Education
Create Better Health Program
Marketing Package Award for Eat Fresh, Buy Local SNAP-Ed Social Marketing Campaign, 2nd Place National, 1st Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
Excellence in Teamwork Award for Create Healthy Gardens: A SNAP-Ed and Master Gardener Collaboration, 3rd Place National, 1st Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
SNAP-Ed/ EFNEP Educational Program Award for Mejore su salud (Create Better Health en español) Curriculum, 1st Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
2022
Utah Best of State for Nutrition Education
Create Better Health Program
Educational Program Award for Create Better Health Online Course, 1st place Regional, 1st Place National
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
Communication Award: Television/Video for Captain Create YouTube Channel, 1st Place Regional, 1st Place National
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
Community Partnership Award for Farmers Feeding Utah, 2nd Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
2021
Utah Best of State for Nutrition Education
Create Better Health Program
Merit Award for Eat Fresh, Buy Local
Education Advertising Awards (EduADAWARDS)
Common Good Award for Farmers Feeding Utah
Envision Utah
Service Recognition for Farmers Feeding Utah and Create Better Health (SNAP-Ed)
Senator Mike Lee
SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Educational Program for Create Better Health Curriculum, 3rd Place National, 1st Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
Peer Recognition Award for Heid LeBlanc, Create Better Health Program Director
Utah Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (UEAFCS)
Distinguished Service Utah for Heidi LeBlanc, Director
Epsilon Sigma Phi (Utah Chapter)
Distinguished Service National for Heidi LeBlanc, Director
Epsilon Sigma Phi (National)
2020
SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Educational Program Award for Create Better Health Nutrition Curriculum for Adults
3rd Place National, 1st Place Western Region
National Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Educational Program Award for Create Better Health Nutrition Curriculum for Adults, 1st Place
Utah Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (UEAFCS)
Best Great Educational Material (GEM) Award for Create Better Health: A practical approach to improving cooking skills and food security among SNAP-Ed participants
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)
2019
Marketing Package Award for Create an Active Winter, 1st Place Western Region
National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
SNAP-Ed/EFNEP Educational Program Award for Create an Active Winter, 1st Place Regional
National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS)
Marketing Package Award for Create an Active Winter, 1st Place State
Utah Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (UEAFCS)
Marketing/Public Relations Team Award for Create an Active Winter, 1st Place State
Utah Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (UEAFCS)
PUBLICATIONS
Christensen, D., Bingeman, B., Savoie Roskos, M. R., LeBlanc, H., & Coombs, C. (2021). Food, Fun and Reading: Pilot Study of Updated and Expanded Preschool Curriculum. Journal of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 83-87. https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/journal/2021-jneafcs/Food%20Fun%20and%20Reading.pdf
Durward, C. M., Savoie-Roskos, M., Atoloye, A., Isabella, P., Jewkes, M. D., Ralls, B., Riggs, K., & LeBlanc, H. (2019). Double Up Food Bucks Participation is Associated with Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Food Security Among Low-Income Adults. Journal of nutrition education and behavior, 51(3), 342–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2018.08.011
Gunnell, S., Christensen, N. K., Jewkes, M. D., LeBlanc, H., & Christofferson, D. (2015). Providing nutrition education to recently resettled refugees: piloting a collaborative model and evaluation methods. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 17(2), 482–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0056-1
Jewkes, M., Coombs, C., Savoie Roskos, M., & LeBlanc, H. (2021). Needs Assessment Results for Online Adult SNAP-Ed Courses. Journal of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 41-44. https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/journal/2021-jneafcs/Needs%20Assessment%20Results%20for%20Online%20Adult%20SNAP-Ed%20Courses.pdf
Nur, H., Atoloye, A., Wengreen, H., Savoie Roskos, M., Archuleta, M., LeBlanc, H., Scott, P., Wille, C., & Jewkes, M. (2023).
Culturally Adapted Nutrition Education for Somali Refugees Improves Nutrition-Related Behavior. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 55(7), 66-67. DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2023.05.147
Nur, H. A., Atoloye, A. T., Wengreen, H., Archuleta, M., Savoie-Roskos, M. R., Wille, C., & Jewkes, M. (2021). A Scoping Review and Assessing the Evidence for Nutrition Education Delivery Strategies for Refugees in High-Income Countries. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 12(6), 2508–2524. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab080
If you have updates to this page, please contact Kristin Hoch at kristin.hoch@usu.edu.