Each month, we’ll be introducing you to one of our stellar team members so you can get to know the humans behind Action for Healthy Kids.

Meet Brean Witmer, Program Manager.

1. Favorite place to visit in your city/town: The beach! Growing up in Portland, Maine, I always took being right on the rocky coast for granted. After leaving Maine and living throughout the northeast for college, grad school and the first 5+ years of my career, I missed it so much. Now that we’re back in Portland, my family and I take every chance we can get to be by the water. I completely believe that spending time by the ocean is good for the soul!
2. Go-to healthy dinner to make: One that we whip up almost weekly is lentils (braised in red wine and water), with a combination of sautéed veggies and chicken sausage. It’s super filling and makes for some great leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
3. What staple is always in your fridge? Yogurt – in particular, the Trader Joe’s coconut kind. So good!
4. Favorite activities to do with your family or partner: We love traveling and exploring new cities and small towns. It can be bigger vacation-type trips, or little day trips to nearby spots we haven’t been to before. My husband and I have a 7 month old daughter now so even the day trips require much more planning and packing than they used to! But getting to explore new places with her is hands down my favorite thing to do.
5. What do you do to wind down? I love to run, followed by enjoying some yummy food and drink – moderation is everything, right?!
6. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up? I was always back and forth between wanting to be a pediatrician and wanting to be a social worker. Either way, I knew I wanted to do something everyday that would help promote the health and safety of kids.
7. Favorite way(s) to get physical activity: Running – although I’ve recently gotten into spinning in hopes of finding something that’s a bit more winter-friendly.
8. If you could learn any new skill overnight, what would you choose? Skiing! I may be the only person born and raised in Maine that can’t ski. I wish I could but I’ve never just been able to pick it up!
9. What motivates you in your decisions? Learning from others – it’s so easy to forget that our personal life journey isn’t the only one experienced or enjoyed by others in our communities and networks, so I always try to be cognizant of and learn from others’ paths.
10. Describe one of the most rewarding moments you’ve experienced: Becoming a mom. Having the giggles (and even the 3am screams) of a 7 month old fill our home has been more joyful and rewarding  than I could have imagined.