- February 2022
Nutrition Educator
MSU Extension Service Office of Nutrition Education
Tishomingo County
Years in Position: 13.5 years
Years at MSU: 13.5 years
For more than 13 years, Diane Ham has been educating children and adults in her community about health and healthy lifestyles.
As a nutrition educator with the Extension Office of Nutrition Education, she enjoys helping people learn how nutrition and daily activity promote good health.
“I love what I do,” she said. “I care about my community and the people in it. I want to help people be successful in making healthy lifestyle choices. I have always been interested in health and fitness, and this job is the perfect fit for me.”
She knows her work makes an impact. Her students have told her.
“I had one of the children that I taught years ago come up to me and tell me that they still remember me and what I taught them years ago,” Ham said.
When people think about healthy lifestyles, weight loss is usually the first thing that comes to mind. While some of the programs help individuals lose weight, Ham and her fellow educators offer a wide range of programs.
“We offer so many programs, and they are not just for the people who want to lose weight,” she said. “We have programs for expectant moms and cooking classes, and they are all free. Extension is a great community resource and has so many programs and educational resources that everyone should take advantage of.”
Ham and her husband James have been married for 51 years. They have one son who is engaged to be married this summer. Ham enjoys being active, and some of her favorite exercises include walking and aerobics. Her hobbies include cooking and quilting. But her favorite pastime is shopping with friends.
