Meet Danielle Nierenberg, Friedman School alumnus & president of Food Tank
Breaking Silos and Creating Connections: Danielle’s Career in Global Food System Advocacy
Danielle Nierenberg arrived on the campus of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University with a bachelor’s in environmental science, two years of Peace Corps volunteer experience, and big ambitions for the future.
As an environmental awareness educator with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic, she witnessed firsthand the undeniable links between environmental health, people’s health, and community livelihoods. Her desire for a graduate program that could bridge these worlds led her to the master’s program.
“Tufts was a real standout for me because it was so interdisciplinary,” she says. The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts offers a unique blend of hard science (understanding the biology and ecology of farming) and skills to communicate that science effectively in the real world.
For Danielle, the graduate program offered more than a degree. At the Friedman School, she was encouraged to make connections, identify the patterns, and place them into context within the big picture of global food.
“What Friedman taught me in many ways is to work at breaking down those silos. Nutritionists don’t talk to farmers. Farmers don’t talk to the private sector. I learned the value of figuring out ways to break down those silos, because that’s what the Friedman School was doing in offering exposure to the various disciplines. It is such a multifaceted program.”
Coming from a small town (Defiance, Missouri), Danielle also appreciated the personalized attention and supportive environment she felt she would receive. Her instincts were right.
“One of my professors encouraged me to take an internship in D.C., which led to an environmental think tank seeing something I wrote for the organization and asking me to apply.” The think tank? Globally focused environmental research organization the Worldwatch Institute, where Danielle would go on to work for many years.
“That was the kind of dream job to live in D.C. and be at that intersection of environmental and agricultural policy. The Friedman School gave me the fuel to get there. It’s those connections I couldn’t make anywhere else.”
Ready to Make an Impact?
This is the power of a far-reaching academic network and mentors who are deeply invested in their students’ success. The Friedman School actively creates pathways and opens doors for students.
In Danielle’s case, her path led her to co-found Food Tank, the world’s fastest growing global nonprofit with the mission to positively transform how we produce and consume food. As the president of Food Tank, Danielle helps shape global conversations around sustainable agriculture, climate change, and food justice. Her organization’s work is, unsurprisingly, deeply interdisciplinary—just like her education at the Friedman School.
Danielle has visited over 70 countries to conduct research into farming practices, and her insights have appeared in more than 20,000 global media outlets—including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, BBC, Le Monde, and Reuters. A 2020 Julia Child award recipient, she speaks at over 100 events annually.
“Tufts shaped so much of my life. Without those experiences, I wouldn’t have the confidence to do some of what I do now.”
Danielle recently returned to Tufts to give the Commencement speech, encouraging students to take advantage of the opportunities before them, to listen, to be themselves, and to take risks. Whatever path Friedman School students take after graduating, she’s confident they’ll have a good foundation to make an impact.
“I think we need people who are working at the intersection of agriculture, food, environment, and nutrition more than ever before. Whether they’re scientists or advocates or communicators, people who really understand these issues can bring depth to them and be able to talk about them in ways that others can really understand. We see so much interest in these issues right now, but not always the science behind it. So you need those truth tellers … who can figure out what’s really happening,” she says.
At the Friedman School, Danielle gained the confidence, knowledge, and network to be just that.
