PROFESSOR GRETA DEFEYTER
Greta is a Professor of Developmental Psychology in the Department of Social Work, Education, and Community Wellbeing. She is also the founder and Director of the Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University, where she has spent the past 20 years researching food insecurity, social injustice, and the impact of school feeding and holiday hunger programmes across the UK.
Her work, funded by multiple sources, has led to numerous publications on school breakfast clubs and related food initiatives. Recognized as an expert in her field, Greta was named a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in 2015 for her research with children living in socioeconomically deprived areas. More recently, she received a Food Heroes Award from Sustain—joining a prestigious group of award winners including Jamie Oliver—for her contributions to understanding school breakfast clubs and holiday hunger.
In 2020, The Big Issue named her one of the top 100 change makers for her research and policy impact on childhood food poverty in the UK. Greta has advised the Department for Education on the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) and holds roles on several expert panels, including the British Psychological Society’s Expert Reference Group – From Poverty to Flourishing, the American Psychological Association’s Equity Flattens the Curve Campaign, and as a civic commissioner on the Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission. She is also an executive member of the North East Child Poverty Commission, a member of the Royal Society of Medicine Health and Food Council, and a trustee of Feeding Britain.
As a key advisor for Nutri Troops, Greta leverages her research and expertise to guide and enhance the programme’s impact.
DR JULIE YOUNG
Julie is a Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition at Northumbria University in Newcastle and serves as the Director of Education for the Department of Applied Sciences.
She completed her BSc in Biochemistry and MSc in Human Nutrition and Metabolism at Aberdeen University before moving to Robert Gordon University to earn her PhD. Her doctoral research focused on identifying biomarkers of oxidative stress in models of schizophrenia, incorporating both human trials and cell culture studies.
Julie’s research spans human nutrition intervention projects and extensive public engagement initiatives. Notably, she led a Scottish Government-funded project, “Fat Body Slim: Shape Matters,” which raised nutrition and disease awareness among school children. She has also contributed to a Public Health England-funded evaluation of nutrition awareness in schools, as well as a school-based evaluation project for the Newcastle United Foundation.
At Nutri Troops, Julie applies her expertise to enhance nutrition in schools, clubs, and homes for primary school children.
SARAH CARROLL
Sarah brings nearly 40 years of consulting expertise in the entertainment, technology, and media sectors, having worked with industry giants such as Sony, Microsoft, and major Hollywood studios. In 1988, she co-founded her own market research and consultancy practice, which later merged to form Futuresource Consulting and was successfully sold in June 2017. As Director of Sales and Marketing at Futuresource, Sarah played a key role in establishing its Education Technology arm and led numerous consultancy projects for leading blue-chip clients. After retiring in December 2020, she is now excited to dedicate her time—and a valuable network of contacts—to Nutri Troops, a company she believes is leading the market with a much-needed service.
