The Almond Board of California’s 2026 Student Ambassadors
Casey Qualls is a graduate student in nutrition & dietetics within an MS/DI program at California State University, Fresno, with experience in medical nutrition therapy, research, and community nutrition.
Her background in dental and healthcare settings, combined with patient-facing roles, has strengthened her communication skills, clinical professionalism, and attention to detail, while reinforcing the importance of preventive, interdisciplinary care. Casey’s interests include gut health, food systems, and food equity, with a focus on how environmental and social factors influence access, quality, and long-term health outcomes.
Outside of academics, Casey enjoys cooking and baking from scratch, spending time outdoors hiking and backpacking, and caring for plants and gardens. These interests reflect Casey’s commitment to practical, sustainable, and individualized approaches to nourishment and health.
Eneida Vega is a third-year Nutrition and Dietetics major at Cal Poly Pomona with aspirations of becoming a Registered Dietitian. She loves creating flavorful meals with simple tweaks to make everyday recipes more nourishing, especially by incorporating almonds. Eneida has completed two years of undergraduate research, enjoys staying active through Pilates, yoga, and hiking, and loves traveling to new places.
Jazmin Abarca is a senior dietetics student at Fresno State. She is an ambitious leader in her community as a business owner of Love Your Space Cleaning, board member of Fresno Women’s Network and Hispanic Business Student Association. When she’s not leading others, she’s having a movie night with her family or de-stressing at the gym.
Julia Wiafe-Jackson is a senior Global Studies student at Drexel University. As an aspiring physician, she is committed to supporting underserved communities through meaningful relationships rooted in righteous intention.
Her interests are in global health, sustainability, and nutrition. Personal and family experiences have strengthened her appreciation for the large role nutrient-dense foods play in preventative health. Julia is actively involved at the Drexel Food Lab, helping to create and promote fun, healthy, and food waste friendly content across its social media platforms, making food education accessible to viewers at home.
She is excited to join the Almond Board of California's Student Ambassador Program where she can continue to learn and promote healthy and sustainable food practices for herself and those around her.
Zoe Vejar is a third-year clinical nutrition student at the University of California, Davis with a passion for food science, product innovation, and understanding the relationships between food & human health.
She holds leadership roles in student organizations focused on community outreach and currently creates approachable nutrition education content for the UC Davis NUT 10 department. With interests in nutrition policy and food systems, Zoe hopes to pursue a career that bridges science and advocacy.
She is excited to join the Almond Board of California’s Student Ambassador Program to promote evidence-based nutrition and sustainable ingredient innovation with almonds!
