Litchfield School District Nutrition Director

The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) has named Lauren Crowley, SNS, Dining Services Director for Litchfield School District, New Hampshire, the Northeast region Director of the Year. The award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of school nutrition directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students.

Lauren Crowley is a passionate, hardworking leader who always puts her student’s needs first. She took over an underperforming program in 2018 and increased student meal participation by 20 percent, building strong connections with students and listening to their needs and concerns. Crowley relies on student feedback to plan menus, which allows her to provide meals they enjoy, while following nutrition guidelines.

She reinvigorated the nutrition department by enhancing fresh fruit and vegetable offerings and introducing customizable meal options. Students have responded very well to the personalized experience, which not only meets their tastes but also allows them to connect with staff, making the cafeteria a welcoming and engaging place. Crowley recognized the importance of providing healthy, nutritious meals for all students to start their day and expanded the School Breakfast Program district-wide. This initiative has proven very impactful, increasing breakfast participation by nearly 400% while supporting student health and academic success.

Crowley’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness ensures the success of students and staff. She created a department where students are excited to have lunch, leading to the highest retention for support staff in the district. She has significantly expanded training opportunities and supports team bonding to create a healthy work environment and a culture of growth, collaboration, creativity and innovation.

Fostering a strong connection between the schools and community is important to Crowley. She developed a Facebook page to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the innerworkings of her department and to highlight new recipes, student taste tests and staff achievements. The page has a loyal following, which improved public perception and increased community engagement. Crowley partnered with the local Lions Club to hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser to support a local family who lost their home in a fire, further demonstrating her dedication both inside and outside of school.

“Lauren’s people-first mentality has helped build a supportive, collaborative environment for her staff and a welcoming and joyful one for students,” said Shannon Gleave, RDN, SNS, School Nutrition Association President. “She has truly earned this recognition through her hard work and positive impact on students, staff and the community.”

An active SNA member since 2018, Crowley encourages staff to continue their professional growth by attending conferences to absorb the value of training events, conferences and webinars. She serves as Communications Committee Chair for her local SNA chapter, establishing a strong social media presence, and hopes to join the chapter’s executive board. Her dedication to continued learning and growth has strengthened her team and added to the success of the nutrition program.

The Director of the Year Award was created to recognize school nutrition directors who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to their school meal programs. The directors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the program through student interaction, menu planning and a commitment to serving nutritious, tasty and well-balanced school meals. Through effective oversight of all aspects of food service operations, including budgeting, staffing, training, marketing and community outreach, school nutrition directors ensure the overall success of school meal programs.

Crowley was announced as the Northeast Director of the Year during an online awards ceremony on April 30 in advance of School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated on May 2, 2025, to honor all of America’s dedicated school nutrition professionals. The accomplishments of Crowley and all SNA regional award winners will be profiled on Facebook.com/TrayTalk and TrayTalk.org around School Lunch Hero Day. SNA award winners will also be highlighted in SN Magazine, on schoolnutrition.org and related social media platforms and at SNA’s Annual National Conference in San Antonio, TX, in July.

About School Nutrition Association:

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.