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Kitty Oppliger

Community Nutrition and Health
12200B Airport Rd
Jackson, CA 95642
koppliger@ucanr.edu Create VCard

Also in:
Central Sierra Cooperative Extension

Links

Biography

Kitty has a background in public health, ecology, sustainable food systems and faith-based health practices. She has worked on a variety of research projects investigating rural food access, sustainable diets, and healthy aging. As a Community Nutrition and Health Advisor in Northern California, she leads an applied research and extension program focused on nutrition security, science literacy, Indigenous food sovereignty, and the interaction of spiritual and emotional domains of health with nutrition.

Kitty is also a certified yoga instructor focusing on accessible movement practices for those with injuries and disabilities. She is a passionate gardener and forager, and most importantly a lifelong learner.
 
Current projects:
Principal Investigator, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Central Sierra
Principal Investigator, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Placer and Nevada Counties
Principal Investigator, Culturally Competent Curricula for Diverse Health and Food Systems
Principal Investigator, Assessing Barriers and Capacity in Charitable Food Distributions to Address Food Insecurity and Food Waste
Co-Investigator, Sacramento Farmer's Market Access Project
Co-Investigator, Needs Assessment of the Use of Generative AI in UC ANR

 

Education

MPH Community Nutrition, University of Michigan. 2023
BS Biology, Michigan Technological University. 2021

Discipline

Public Health

Specialty

Sustainable food systems, food access, disability and nutrition, Tribal health and foodways

Files

Bibliography

Peer Reviewed

  • Jones AD, Hoey L, Leung CW, Slotnick MJ, Hao W, Oppliger K, Bryan A, Giardini S, Kim HY, Mangan S, McQuaid H, Reid M, Soster K. Greenhouse gas emission menu icons decrease service of all menu items in residential dining halls at a large, Midwestern public U.S. university. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2025 Sep 15:S2212-2672(25)00729-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2025.09.008. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40962026.

  • Oppliger, K; Conklin, A; Blair, Sammy; Price, Roberta; Dehlia, Nahanee (2024). Promoting Slhánay? Swálwen (Indigenous Women's Heart Health): Findings From Sharing Circles With Squamish Nation. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S1499-4046(24)00077-0

Non-Peer Reviewed

  • Oppliger, K. (March 2025). Nutrition Policy Institute and UCCE Advisors Provide Feedback for New Dietary Guidelines. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (April 2025). Just Eat it! Making the most of your groceries and garden by using what you have. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (May 2025). Just Eat it! Making the most of your groceries and garden by using what you have. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (June 2025). Staying Healthy in the Heat. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (July 2025). Nutrition in the News. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (August 2025). What is Community Engaged Research?. UCCE Central Sierra eNews.

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 Feb 20). Why a Food Hub? [Report for Tuolumne Me-Wuk Food Distribution Program]. Internal.

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 Sept 1). Gathering Knowledge: Findings from Sharing Circles. [Report for Chicken Ranch Tribal Council]. Internal.

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 February 13). Nutrition Policy Institute and UCCE Advisors Provide Feedback for New Dietary Guidelines. UCANR Healthy Central Sierra Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/healthy-central-sierra/article/nutrition-policy-institute-and-ucce-advisors-provide-feedback

  • Oppliger, K. (2025, February 5). The Principles of Indigenous Food Sovereignty. UCANR Food Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/food-blog/article/principles-indigenous-food-sovereignty.

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 March 13). Just Eat It! Making the most of your garden and groceries by using more of what you have. UCANR Healthy Central Sierra Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/healthy-central-sierra/article/just-eat-it-making-most-your-garden-and-groceries-using-more. 

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 Aug 28). What is Community Engaged Research?. UCANR Healthy Central Sierra Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/healthy-central-sierra/article/what-community-engaged-research. 

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 Jun 18). Nutrition in the News. UCANR Healthy Central Sierra Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/healthy-central-sierra/article/nutrition-news. 

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 April 24). Staying Healthy in the Heat. UCANR Healthy Central Sierra Blog. Retrieved from https://ucanr.edu/blog/healthy-central-sierra/article/staying-healthy-heat. 

  • Erickson, A, Hooper, A, Oppliger, K, Wayne, L. (2025 June 22) Cultivating Resilience: Preventing Burnout in Food Systems Work. [Workshop Abstract]. Resistance and Resilience Food Systems Conference, Portland OR. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LZGF2kmV1nNu3SYwD9RkGMp2HpFE7_Jr/view

  • Oppliger, K. (2025 April 30). We Are all Boots on the Ground: [Poster Abstract]. National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference, Omaha NE.

  • Duncan C, Lau C, McKeague M, Oppliger K, Thompson E, Wong S. (2025 July 8). Outdoor Food Foraging & Cooking Improv. [Workshop Abstract]. Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior International Conference. Indianapolis IN.

  • Oppliger K, Hooper A, Erickson A, Wayne L. (2025 June 23) ReStoryation: Seeding Change through Collective Storytelling . [Workshop Abstract]. Resistance and Resilience Food Systems Conference, Portland OR. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LZGF2kmV1nNu3SYwD9RkGMp2HpFE7_Jr/view

  • Oppliger K, Giron A, Lujan B. (2025 Jan 23). Incorporating School Gardens and Farm to School Programs into School Wellness Policy. [Report to El Dorado County Farm to School Coalition]. Internal.



  • Cooke N, Oppliger K, Padilla C. (2025 Sept 12). Growing Healthy Habits: CFHL UCCE & ATCAA Partner to Transform Nutrition Education in Amador Head Starts. CalFresh Healthy Living Program, University of California.

  • Cooke N, Oppliger K, Padilla C. (2025 Sept 12). Youth Extenders Sustain Healthy Living in Calaveras County. CalFresh Healthy Living Program, University of California.

  • Cooke N, Oppliger K, Padilla C. (2025 Sep 12). Reinvigorating In-Person Programming with Infant Child Enrichment Services. CalFresh Healthy Living Program, University of California.

  • Cooke N, Oppliger K, Padilla C. CalFresh Healthy Living, UC, FFY 2024 Annual Report, UCCE Central Sierra. CalFresh Healthy Living Program, University of California. Retrieved from https://uccalfresh.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk2286/files/inline-files/FFY24%20County%20Profile%20Central%20Sierra%20Cluster.pdf

  • Oppliger, K (2024). Community Nutrition and Health Needs and Assets: Central Sierra, Placer/Nevada counties 2024. https://ucanr.edu/?facultyid=51530

  • Bauer K; Oppliger K, et al. (2024). Feeding MI Families: Michigan Families’ Lived Experience of Food Access and Food Assistance. https://www.feedingmifamilies.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/feeding-mi-families-book-june-2024.pdf 

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