Virginie Zoumenou

Dr. Virginie Zoumenou
Professor of Dietetics and Nutrition
Certified Nutrition Specialist, State Extension Nutrition Specialist
UMES 1890 Nutrition and Health Programs Director
UMES Center for Obesity Prevention Serving Preschoolers, their Siblings, and Caregivers (COP-SPSC) Director
UMES Well Connected Communities Program Director
Richard A. Henson Center, Room 2129
Email: vmzoumenou@umes.edu
Phone: 410-651-6212
FAX: 410-651-6207
Website: https://1890umes-nhprogram.com/

Education:
Florida International University, Miami, Florida, Doctorate in Dietetics and Nutrition 
National University of Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire, Doctorate in Biochemistry and Nutrition
National University of Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire, Master of Sciences Tropical Ecology/Genetics
National University of Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire, Bachelors of Sciences in Biological Sciences/ Animal Biology
University of Georgia, Leadership Development Program for the 21st Century: The LEAD 21 Class of 2015-Cetificate
Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Certificate in Fundamentals of Evaluation    

Extension Research:
Mr. Eagle Childhood Obesity Project-Multi level intervention Head Start Preschooler project
Culture of Health Initiative- Well Connected Communities (WCC) -Community Engagement project
Foods Systems and Health Literature Review project 

Honors and Awards:
2019 Outstanding EFNEP Program Leader and Program Leader Exemplar
2015, 1890s Region Excellence in Extension Award by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and NIFA
2015, 1890 Excellence in Extension Award in the area of the Family and Consumer Sciences by the 1890 Association of Extension Administrators
2013 Robert F. Allen Symbol of H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People through Empowerment)
White House President’s Volunteer Service Award (2010-2012).

Professional Affiliations:
Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences (CAFCS) –Incoming President
SERA 47-USDA Extension and Research Group- Strengthening the Southern Region Extension and Research System to Support Local & Regional Foods Needs and Priorities-Vice Chair
American Association of Family Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)
Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) Former Director at Large
International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE)
Member of: American Evaluation Association (AEA)
NC1196 USDA Research Group- Food systems, health, and well-being: understanding complex relationships and dynamics of change (Chair 2017-2019)

Extension/Outreach Projects:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Well Connected Communities (WCC) Culture of Health Initiative in three communities in the Tri-county area of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Childhood Obesity Project focusing on Head Start preschoolers and their caregivers at home and at school through the UMES Center for Obesity Prevention Serving Preschoolers, their Siblings, and Caregivers (COP-SPSC).
1890 Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
1890 Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Program 
1890 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) Program

Areas of Expertise:
Childhood Obesity, Food Systems and Health, Community Engagement Program, Nutrition and Health Program Development, National  and International Nutrition Programs Evaluation.

Strong collaboration with underserved communities, social services, and community based organizations at the local, state, national, and international level. 

Extension Publications:  

Disease Prevention
Zoumenou V; DaSilva L; Gong T. Three Year-Old Head Start Preschoolers Learned and Shared positive behaviors with their caregivers at school and at home. Ann Nutr Metab 2013;63 (suppl.1): pp. 1050.

Zoumenou V, Magnus M, Himburg SP, Lobar S, Johnson P, Pyles DC, Adoueni V. Evaluating the Commitment to Following the Recommended Lifestyle Self-Management among Six Black Groups with Type 2 Diabetes. European Journal of Science and Research (EJSR). 2010; Vol.47 (4):pp.649-661.

Zoumenou V, Himburg SP, Magnus M, Lobar S, Johnson P, Adoueni V. Measure of Commitment to Lifestyle Self-Management among Blacks with Type 2 Diabetes. Reliability and Validity. European Journal of Science and Research (EJSR).2009; Vol.26 (2): pp.176-188.

Braun B ; Anderson E, Zoumenou V, Speirs  K, Finkbeiner N. Grandmothers’ Involvement in Preschool-Aged Children’s Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables: An Exploratory Study. ICAN.2009; Vol. 1, No. 6, 332-337

V. Zoumenou, M. Cecil, S. Lawrence, L. Carley. 2009 Financial assistance and strength of commitment to recommended lifestyle self-management among African-Americans with type 2 diabetes. Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2009 Vol33, issue 3 page 300.

Zoumenou V, Himburg SP, Magnus M, Lobar S, Dixon Z, Johnson P, Pyles C. Perceived Strength of Commitment to Successful Lifestyle Self-Management Among Black Groups W/Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of American Dietetic Association (JADA). 2007; 107(8):S A83 (Abstr.).

Program Evaluation Tools Development
Zoumenou V, Gyawu R, Cecil M, Bennett N. 2015. Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Storytelling Curriculum: Eagle Books Series among African American Children on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. ). EJSR .2015 Volume 136 Issue 3.

Zoumenou V, Ray D, S Mclaughlin. 2015.  Determining the Validity and Reliability of the Preschooler’s Food Preference Survey (PFPS-12). EJSR .2015 Volume 136 Issue 2.

Best Practices for Outreach Program Professionals-contributed to the identification of best practices for interactive webinars that would help outreach program professionals
Zoumenou V, Sigman-Grant M, Coleman G, Malekian F., Zee J., Fountain B, Marsh A.. Identifying Best Practices for Interactive Webinars. Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences. 2015; Vol 107 no2

Zoumenou V, Sigman-Grant M, Coleman G, Malekian F.,  Zee J., Fountain B., Marsh A. Selecting Appropriate Interactive Webinar Software. Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences. 2015: Vol 107 no3

Purcell N; Bowen E; Zoumenou V. Schuster E; Boggess M. Extension Professionals’ Strengths and Needs Related to Nutrition and Health Programs. Journal of Extension 2012 Vol. 50 Number 3 Article Number 3RIB2 http://www.joe.org/joe/2012june/rb2p.shtml[6/25/2012

Additional Publications Related to Outreach Programs
Marsh L, Zoumenou V, Cotton C, Hashem F. Organic farming: knowledge, practices, and views of limited resource farmers and non-farmers on the Delmarva Peninsula. Organic Agriculture 2017 Vol 7: Issue 2, pp 125–132

Zoumenou V. Culturally Appropriate Methods to Promote Nutrition Education among Black African Americans. Professional Papers. Caribbean Association of Home Economics-2017. http://caribbeanhomeeconomist.org/

Zoumenou V,  Bonsi E, Johnson N, Gyawu R. Increasing Minorities Middle School Students Awareness and Knowledge of Nutrition Agriculture and Science JNEB 2015 Vol 45:PS24.

Zoumenou V, Ray D, Gyawu R,  Johnson N. Using Music and Dance to Reinforce Nutrition Education Lessons among Preschoolers JNEB 2015 Vol 45:PS24.

Zoumenou V, Ray D,  Gyawu R. Johnson N. Using Music and Dance to Reinforce Nutrition Education Lessons among Children JNEB 2015 Vol 45:PS25.

Zoumenou V, Jayne S. Gyawu R. Escobar L, Using Magic Tricks to Reinforce Nutrition Education Lessons among Children JNEB 2015 Vol 45:PS25.