Isis Blanco Vera, PepsiCo Foundation Nutritional Health Graduate Fellow
Hometown: Athens, Georgia
School: The University of Georgia
Degree: M.A. in Agriculture and Environmental Education
Placement 1: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
Placement 2: U.S. Agency for International Development
Born and raised in Mexico, Isis Vera moved to the United States with her mother when she was 11. Influenced by a family made up mostly of teachers, education was a high priority throughout her life. Isis received her International Baccalaureate diploma in high school and proceeded to attend the University of Georgia, earning a B.S. in Animal and Dairy Science and a certificate in International Agriculture.
Most recently, Isis completed her Master’s in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication at the University of Georgia. Enhancing her love of travel, Isis participated in several study-abroad experiences during both her undergraduate and graduate career such as her internship as a Research Assistant at Kyushu University in Japan as well as the France: Food Production, Culture and the Environment program she attended. Her study abroad experiences, combined with her curriculum at home such as the International Agriculture Development course, developed her interest in global food security issues. Furthermore, throughout her graduate career, Isis was involved with a hunger relief organization in Athens, Georgia that exposed her to the inequalities existing in her community beyond the university. Her evaluation work with the organization provided her the opportunity to be a speaker at the 2016 Food Waste and Hunger Summit.
As a CHCI Nutrition Graduate Fellow, Isis hopes to better understand her role in helping solve food security issues through the legislative process. Isis wants to gain experience to help solve hunger in underserved communities both at home and abroad through informed, sustainable policy making.