In loving reminiscence of Kara Behlke Ungerman, NPB’s Vice President of Diet, Well being and Wellness Transformation. January 18, 1983 – August 4, 2023.
Kara’s absence is deeply felt by way of all people who had the privilege to paintings along her. She handed rapidly on August 4, simply after bringing a ravishing child boy into this international. Our heartfelt condolences move out to her circle of relatives, particularly her husband and new child son.
A Beacon in Diet and Wellness
Kara’s skilled adventure is person who has impressed and touched many. Serving because the vp of vitamin, well being and wellness transformation at NPB, Kara’s visionary management used to be pivotal and uniquely mixed agriculture, meals, well being and vitamin.
As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she advanced a well being and wellness platform to construct accept as true with in and upload price to the beef trade. She used to be the power in the back of many a hit projects, all the time riding leading edge development in analysis and behaviour trade.
“Let’s put well being on the middle of what we do to lend a hand create a sustainable trade for manufacturers and companions to thrive — a beef trade that may face up to the take a look at of time and make stronger trade collaboration on a valence factor.”
– Kara Behlke Ungerman
Construction a Well being and Wellness Competency for Red meat
Kara spent 3 years growing a long-term well being and wellness technique for the beef trade. Realizing that folks’s consuming conduct and attitudes are converting, Kara’s manner used to be designed to verify beef performs a task in a nutritious diet and way of life alternatives.
Calling: To lend a hand the beef trade be a part of the method to feed and nourish the arena for fitter other folks and a happier planet.
Venture: To enhance analysis and schooling at the vital position of consuming contemporary beef in happier, fitter lives. She inspired trade and spouse collaboration to compound efforts for a better excellent and a larger affect.
Function: Be proactive and certain; to generate proof with rigor that advances science and transforms other folks’s perceptions about beef.
The use of Red meat Checkoff budget, she invested in 3 core pillars to create a bedrock for the well being and wellness competency at NPB that still serves as a springboard for trade collaboration.
Human Diet Analysis
Guided by way of a manufacturer job power and mavens, Kara crafted a analysis roadmap to champion nutritious consuming international. This information is helping NPB allocate assets successfully and collaborate successfully. The focal point is highlighting beef as a flexible and sustainable protein selection for all. A few of the tasks, Kara used to be exploring beef’s cognitive advantages and its position within the USDA Thrifty Meals Plan [
watch the webinar]. She used to be making strides in positioning beef prominently at the world vitamin map.
Client Outreach
Kara labored to ascertain a robust well being and wellness identification and lend a hand beef take keep watch over of our personal tale. As a substitute of repeatedly protecting our stance, her steering used to be to forge forward proactively, connecting analysis to related subjects for shoppers. The Unusually Red meat initiative, guided by way of an NPB board operating workforce, interprets well being and wellness analysis into enticing content material that demanding situations current ideals about beef. The general technique blueprint is these days rolling out preliminary tasks. Via constant efforts, the function is to shift perceptions, achieve wider audiences and place beef as a best protein selection.
Well being Skilled Engagement
To ignite significant trade, Kara envisioned amplifying beef’s challenge thru focused advocacy. Her plan used to be to pinpoint commonplace pursuits and values throughout people, companies and sectors. The use of Red meat & Companions as a catalyst, she used to be encouraging well being execs to peer beef’s wellness doable in a brand new means. Via ongoing dialogues on present subjects, she used to be fostering neighborhood and advocacy. This unified manner streamlines efforts and paves the way in which for impactful, proactive adjustments.
Reminiscences from Red meat Manufacturers
Whilst her skilled accolades are many, to these people at NPB, she used to be greater than only a colleague. In those tricky instances, beef manufacturers mirror on their time together with her and the lasting legacy she leaves in the back of.
“The primary phrase that involves thoughts once I recall to mind Kara is ‘passionate.’ From the instant she addressed the Board, it used to be obtrusive that she could be a useful asset to the Nationwide Red meat Board and all beef manufacturers. I had the privilege of participating together with her at the ‘Smartly Being Running Team’ and ‘Red meat and Companions.’ Kara constantly showcased thorough preparation, regularly sudden me with the intensity of analysis she dropped at each and every undertaking. I all the time seized any alternative to paintings along her.
Past her hobby for paintings, Kara used to be surely a fantastic individual and buddy. We regularly exchanged tales about our mutual love for Disney, circle of relatives farming, our non-public households and the stories of motherhood. I nonetheless have a liked photograph on my telephone from when she shared her engagement information with me. We regularly presented prayers for each and every different. My profound sorrow lies within the realization that she received’t be capable to percentage her long run joys with me and the numerous others her existence touched.”
Deb Ballance, beef manufacturer from North Carolina and NPB board member
“Once I first met Kara, I used to be struck by way of how open, inviting and authentic she used to be. It used to be unimaginable to not like her. Then, I noticed her take the degree. Gazing her command a room together with her wit, intelligence and vivacity made me so proud to have her on my staff. Her wisdom and fervour drew other folks in, and her enthusiasm and evident love for other folks saved their consideration. Phrases are insufficient to explain the loss felt by way of such a lot of who knew Kara. She has left a fantastic legacy.”
– Jan Archer, beef manufacturer from North Carolina and NPB previous president
“I so liked Kara’s imaginative and prescient for the way forward for beef and the option to get there. She no longer best had a fantastic skill to create technique and imaginative and prescient herself, however she additionally introduced in remarkable individuals who shared her enthusiasm for the paintings on behalf of beef manufacturers. She offered her staff to beef manufacturers with satisfaction, making sure those companies knew simply how venerated she used to be to paintings on a daily basis on behalf of The united states’s beef manufacturers.
As we transfer on with out Kara, her exhausting paintings, making plans, technique, and imaginative and prescient make sure that we aren’t a boat and not using a rudder, drifting clear of our objective. We’ve got a charted direction, a plan, a imaginative and prescient, and a method that can information the ones people left in the back of to advertise tasty, nutritious beef to The united states. On the other hand, all of us would have most popular to have her on the helm. Thanks, Kara. I will be able to pass over you dearly.”
Charlotte Rommereim, beef manufacturer from South Dakota, registered dietitian nutritionist
Photographs of Kara
As we mourn, allow us to additionally consider the colourful spirit of Kara Behlke Ungerman, cherishing her recollections and celebrating the immense affect she had at the intersection the place beef meets vitamin and wellness, and extra importantly, on each and every of our lives.
