Food Service Director Hired for Mansfield Schools and Region 19.
Mansfield, CT October 13, 2022 – Mansfield Public Schools Superintendent Peter Dart has announced that Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley has been selected as the Food Service Director for Mansfield Public Schools. She will oversee the management of meal services at Mansfield Middle School, Mansfield Elementary School’s two campuses, and Region 19’s Edwin O. Smith High School.
Mrs. Popeleski-Tilley is a chef and Registered Dietitian and has practiced food service management as well as nutrition counseling and education in her career. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Culinary Nutrition, Maraiah was Director of Nutrition Services for TVCCA, Inc. headquartered in Bozrah, CT providing daily meals to 1,500 seniors and children. She also worked as Director of Dining Services at Colebrook Village in Hebron, a senior living community, and as a Women-Infants-Children (WIC) nutritionist and care manager with Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, CT.
A Mansfield resident, Mrs. Popeleski-Tilley was also the first General Manager at CLiCK, and was recognized by Connecticut Magazine for her work with that non-profit licensed kitchen business incubator in Windham. She most recently was Operations Manager for NOJ Marketplace and Kitchen in Willimantic where she transformed fresh, locally grown produce into menu items. Additional food business experience includes marketing work for SYSCO Food Services of CT. A former board member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, Maraiah has long been active in the local foods movement.
“We know our families rely on our school kitchens to provide fresh, healthy food and expand students’ dining experiences as citizens of the world,” says Superintendent Peter Dart. “All of our staff are educators in Mansfield, and Maraiah’s experience is well-suited for our school community. Providing innovative foods is part of our focus on Supporting the Whole Child. We are also pleased to find a director who has entrepreneurial sensibility with a focus on local foods and farms. I am confident Maraiah will combine skilled management with creative thinking in our food service. We’re excited to have her on the team.”