About Us
Ellen Briggs, Founder, President, Food Consultant, Author has spent most of her career in sales and marketing in the media, advertising, and natural foods industries. She began her Better Food Choices education as a child. Her mother refused to succumb to the original Wonder Bread and T.V. Dinner trends. Organic gardens were found in her family’s yard, a novelty at the time. Over time, all of this made an impression on Ellen. She followed her mother’s better choices lifestyle when she became mother of Deirdre and Justin. After thirty years of either working or being a stay-at-home mom, Ellen started a food consulting business. She began working directly with mothers and kids, guiding them through grocery stores in search of Better Food Choices kids would eat. The foundation of the Better Food Choices concept, The Kid Kritics Approved Seal and related publications and programs were built on these experiences… for the health of families
Molly Kridel, Executive Vice President. For the past 25 years, Molly Kridel has focused on helping companies improve business operations, enhance profits and develop early warning reporting systems. Currently Molly works with the Family Food Experts and Kid Kritics Approved program to aid in business development and strategy including marketing, sales and finance. In addition she serves on the Board of Directors for the Employers Association of MN and runs her small consumer goods company. Prior to this, Molly was president of one of the top three consulting firms in Minneapolis leading the company through a transformation of staffing to project based work. Before that, she lead the operations for turn-arounds of mergers and acquisitions at Carlson Marketing Group. In addition, Molly has lived on mainland China where she ran finance and operations for a manufacturing software company. Molly has also written a book, The JobTracker, which aids unemployed people on the process of finding new employment. She resides in both MN and CA depending on the season, is married with 4 children, 3 grand children and 1 very funny dog.
Jaimie Vaughn Proctor, MS, RD, LD/N, Manager of Nutrition and Education, is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian devoted to teaching others about the benefits of choosing whole, organic foods for their families. She received her BS in Food Science and Human Nutrition and completed the Combined MS and Dietetic Internship Program at the University of Florida. As an undergraduate, Jaimie started volunteering in a research laboratory and metabolic kitchen for a controlled feeding study. This sparked a fascination with nutrition and nutrient-gene interactions. As part of her Masters Research, she worked with a research team investigating the relationships between specific genetic variants and B vitamin metabolism. This work was published in the Journal of Nutrition and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Jaimie enjoys attending nutrition seminars to keep up with the latest scientific research and recommendations for optimal health. As a proud Air Force pilot’s wife, Jaimie has had the opportunity to experience different cultures, international cuisines, and natural foods around the globe. She loves baking and cooking for her extended family and friends, which makes her a great fit for working with the Family Food Experts. News Flash: Jaimie and her husband are parents of an adorable son!
Carolina Lima Jantac, MS, RD, LD. Manager of Healthy Recipe Moms and Dads, is excited to be a part of an important program for mothers, dads, and kids who need so much guidance. As a Registered Dietitian, she has spent most of her career working in pediatric and adult hospitals as well as long term care centers. She has learned and applied the power of food and choices we make regarding nutrition as the number one impact on health, longevity and quality of life. Her research at University of Florida on Vitamin B was published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism (2007). Carolina brings international flare to our food views as she has a duel citizenship (Brazilian and US). She is a brilliant cook! “I am happily married and have been blessed with two healthy children, Isabela and Daniel. They are great kids and my personal ‘experiment’ as I introduce them to new foods and educate them on healthy eating, raising them to be good examples of good nutritional choices making a difference for life!”
Dr. Heather Manley, who in 2001 received her medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, is a practicing physician whose primary interest is preventative healthcare for families. She has joined the Kid Kritics Approved Ingredients Standards Board and consults on related projects. Dr. Manley is the author of Human Body Detectives, her children’s educational series of story-telling books, ebooks, elementary curriculum and iphone/ipad apps. She also promotes wellness and naturopathic healthcare on her website drheathernd.com. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband and two daughters, and is currently at work on the next Human Body Detectives adventure.
.
