College of Public Health Alum Selected as Lexington's First Local Food Coordinator

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 11, 2014) -- Ashton Potter Wright, a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, is serving as Lexington’s first local food coordinator, a new position charged with improving connections between Central Kentucky farmers and consumers.

“The goal is to grow the local agricultural economy while improving the health of local citizens by providing better access to healthy, locally grown foods,” Mayor Jim Gray said.

Councilmember Steve Kay worked to establish the position for three years. “Ashton will fill the gap between producers and consumers, improving connections at all levels, individual and businesses,” he said. “It’s a regional position. The consumers will be concentrated in Lexington, but Ashton will work with farmers and buyers throughout Central Kentucky.”

With the hiring of Wright, Lexington becomes the second city in the state with a Local Food Coordinator. Louisville’s Farm to Table Coordinator served as a model for Lexington. Wright will be part of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, but the pilot position is funded through a combination of agriculture development funds, private grants and $25,000 from the city.

Wright, a Lexington native, holds a doctorate in public health from the University of Kentucky. She has worked on several initiatives to improve access to healthy food at both the state and national level. She recently completed a fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, where she served as the operations manager for First Lady Michele Obama’s Let’s Move! Childcare campaign.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mallory Powell, mallory.powell@uky.edu