Connecting agriculture & public health to support families’ well-being
Ahlishia Shipley, Ph.D., CFLE
By Ahlishia Shipley, Ph.D., CFLE
Capacity Program Leader, Office of Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Owner, AJS Relationship Strategies, LLC
My role with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, crosses NIFA’s two main functions: national program leadership and federal grant administration.
Working with land-grant universities and other partners, I lead, develop, and implement efforts in research, education, and extension that empower all families and communities to achieve optimal well-being. I provide leadership for NIFA’s Family and Community Health portfolio and other initiatives that support underserved communities and producers to sustain a resilient, diverse, capable workforce in food, agriculture and natural resources, and human sciences. The work NIFA supports lies at the nexus of public health and agriculture, which is an ideal position to impact global health by facilitating the exchange of ideas and partnerships to support creative funding opportunities.
Applying the systems lens taught through Family Science — looking at individuals, families, and communities in the context of broader societal systems — is one of my main approaches to decision-making, program development, and relationship-building. As someone trained in Family Science and in human development, I also feel a responsibility to elevate the human and social dimensions of food and agriculture, because people are at the heart of a productive and resilient food system.
Many of today’s social issues can be traced at least in part to family, so it’s important to be proactive and make investments now for families in the future. I feel proud when I can contribute to positive outcomes, whether leading a program and peer-review process that elevates innovative projects, fostering networks that spark new ideas and partnerships, or asking the right questions to get to the best solutions. Family researchers and practitioners play such an important role in advocating for families and for policies that meaningfully support families’ health and well-being.