In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Samueli Family Philanthropies President, Lindsey Spindle. During the talk, Ms. Spindle discusses her story and drivers, food insecurity, food deserts, her work in the "truth" campaign, food as medicine, the connection to AUHSD's Magnolia Agriscience Community Center/Biotechnology Pathway/iLab, and advice to students.
With a career singularly motivated by achieving social impact, Ms. Spindle brings a depth and breadth of experience spanning philanthropy, business, not-for-profits, impact investing, entertainment, brand management, government relations, and communications.
The common thread in Spindle’s career is her dedication to shaping organizations and campaigns that improve people’s lives, particularly women and children. She was the first-ever Chief Communications and Brand Officer of Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit focused on ending childhood hunger in America through its groundbreaking No Kid Hungry campaign. Under her leadership, The No Kid Hungry campaign won PR Week’s prestigious Non-Profit Campaign of the Year in 2015, increased participation in federal meal programs by several million children year over year, and helped elevate childhood hunger to being a top 10 issue the public identified as “solvable.”
Before focusing on domestic hunger eradication, Ms. Spindle spent nearly 20 years in health care communications, policy, and government relations working for some of the nation’s most respected commercial and non-profit organizations. These include Georgetown University, Brookings, Avalere Health, and Porter Novelli. Throughout her career, Spindle has shaped major national campaigns such as the groundbreaking ‘truth’ campaign that curbed youth smoking by 30% in one year; increased patient safety through reduced medical errors; and secured bipartisan Congressional funding for improving health care safety and quality.
