Casey Coombs

2026 Eldon J Gardner Teacher of the Year Award Nominee

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources | Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences (NDFS)

Casey Coombs, MS, RDN, CD, is a Professional Practice Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, where she teaches in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources MPH program. She also serves as the Faculty Director of the Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC), leading campus-based initiatives that address food insecurity through research, programming, and student-engaged learning. Her professional background includes leadership roles with USU Extension as the SNAP-Ed Assistant Program Director and Policy, Systems and Environment Coordinator, as well as international public health work in Uganda and Ecuador. Casey’s teaching and scholarship center on public health nutrition, food security, social determinants of health, and global health, with a strong emphasis on experiential, equity-centered education that prepares students for real-world impact. Her work has been recognized with multiple teaching excellence awards at the departmental, college and national levels. Casey is originally from New York but has lived in Utah for 15 years with her husband and two children.