About the Series
The “Meet the Board” series highlights the dedicated leaders behind the National WIC Association. Each spotlight offers a glimpse into the journeys, passions, and perspectives of our Board members, showcasing the people who help guide our mission to support and strengthen WIC across the country.
Kate Franken, State WIC Director, Minnesota Department of Health | Chair-Emeritus, Executive Committee
With 14 years of experience in WIC and a deep commitment to serving WIC families in communities across the country, Kate Franken has been a strong and thoughtful voice within the WIC. Her leadership on the NWA Board of Directors reflects her dedication to supporting, shaping, and strengthening NWA and WIC.
In the Q&A below, Kate reflects on the experience in WIC, their goals for the board, and why they’re passionate about the future of the program.
Tell us about your journey to the National WIC Association Board. How did you get involved, and what inspired you to get engaged?
I first got involved with the NWA board when I served as the Midwest Region State Director Section representative on the board in 2020. I was really excited to become involved with the board because I'd seen other colleagues serve on the board, and I knew how important that role was to support and strengthen the WIC program.
I volunteered to serve as a Co-chair for the State Director section of the board at the time and really loved being in a leadership role. The more I got involved, the more I really loved getting to know other colleagues and helping shape and support the future of NWA and WIC.
I have grown and learned so much through this experience, especially while serving as NWA Board Chair. I encourage others to explore opportunities for getting involved more with NWA activities and governance.
What’s a goal or initiative you're particularly excited about this year?
Now that we’ve made the full transition to the new Board structure and organization following the 2022 bylaws reforms, I’m really excited about welcoming new voices to the table, especially representatives from the breastfeeding section and Vendor Manager sections.
Transitions like this require intentional commitment and ongoing adjustments to be successful. I’m grateful for how far we’ve come and look forward to seeing what the NWA board does in the future!
What impact do you hope the National WIC Association will have in the next 5 years?
I hope that the National WIC Association continues to ensure full funding for all people seeking WIC services. I also hope NWA supports the WIC workforce as we continue to meet the needs of serving families in communities across our country.
We are facing challenges, including threats to federal funding and limited capacity to fill open WIC workforce positions—and these are the challenges we face in the coming years to ensure WIC is the premier public health nutrition program!
Coming out of the recent NWA Board meeting, what inspired or energized you most, and how do you hope to carry that momentum into the year ahead?
It was just so exciting to see all these WIC experts from across the country coming together to support and strengthen NWA. I’m always impressed by WIC colleagues, and I want NWA membership to know that they should feel confident about the NWA board of directors and how this group is helping support and lead NWA and WIC.
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
I love dogs and have two big, fluffy Golden Retriever dogs in my house. What most people don’t know is that our family also has a 36-year-old Chinese fire-bellied newt named Little Newt! My husband got him when he was in high school, and he’s still alive and well!
Want to learn more about Kate and the rest of the Board?
Explore the full Board of Directors at nwica.org/board and see how members like Kate are helping shape the future of WIC.
We thank Kate for participating in this series and for her ongoing contributions to the WIC community. Visit our website to learn more about the board, and visit our blog to find other “Meet the Board” blog posts. To connect with Kate and learn more about her background and experience, feel free to reach out to her in the NWA Online Community.