Lee, a registered dietician, said she is sad to leave the island but she and her husband are moving to Boston.
“My husband and I will be starting a new chapter of our lives in Boston where he will continue to work as a chiropractor, and I will be pursuing a new career in the field of public health while completing my graduate degree at Tufts University,” Lee said.
She said her four years with PSS has been “an amazing journey.”
The biggest challenges she encountered at PSS was introducing healthier meals to students and parents.
“Raised on Saipan, I was all too familiar with the local dietary habits, and the school food program reflected those habits,” she said.
When new styles of menus were introduced with significant reduction of processed foods and white rice, there were negative reactions from the students but with continued nutrition and health promotion activities, she said acceptance of the healthier foods started to increase.
“This could not have happened without the support of the PSS leadership and the administration, partnering health agencies and programs, and the school’s wellness teams. I especially want to praise those teachers who go out of their ways to integrate nutrition and health in their classrooms every day,” Lee said.
The increasing cost of goods, services, utilities, and minimum wage was another challenge, she added.
“PSS has to come up with nutritious and balanced meals with limited budget. This is still a challenge today. But with the help of the food caterers, we were able to come up with meal ideas that were cost efficient yet nutritious,” she said.
“Even though I will dearly miss my home and my wonderful job at PSS, I am looking forward to starting a new phase of my career. I would like to thank all of you for your dedication and your efforts toward improving the health of our students and the community. I could have never done anything without your support,” Lee added.
She will be leaving Saipan at the end of the month but she will continue to provide professional assistance to organizations that need help.
