Linda Cornish is the founder and president of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), a nonprofit that studies and promotes the public health benefits of seafood consumption.
SeafoodSource: What does your job president of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership entail?
Cornish: My role as president involves building collaborative relationships with our key stakeholders (board, donors, partners, ambassadors, scientific and nutrition advisory council and national leadership council) and furthering our shared mission to help all Americans consume more seafood for improved health.
Seafood plays such an important role in our future food security, and the public health and nutrition sectors are looking to seafood as one of the key nutrition solutions. My day-to-day involves being a cheerleader, relationship builder, connector, educator, student and seafood evangelist.
SeafoodSource: What does it take to be successful in this role?
Cornish: The seafood industry is a complex, fragmented, global and diverse industry. To collaborate with everyone along the supply chain to help more Americans consume more seafood requires great communications skills, creativity, passion, perseverance, systems thinking to connect the dots, flexibility and adaptability. This is one of the most challenging and fun industries to work in, as it is different every day. We need to understand consumer preferences and trends, empower health and nutrition and culinary influencers to help consumers eat more seafood, understand the supply and demand dynamics of seafood and keep up-to-date on fisheries improvement projects and aquaculture developments.
SeafoodSource: What lessons have you learned from previous jobs that you've been able to apply with SNP?
Cornish: Several of my previous jobs provide key lessons that I apply to SNP on a consistent basis. My time as a management consultant for Arthur Andersen equips me with the skills to understand the industry dynamics and develop strategies to help grow seafood consumption. As one of the founders of the Memphis Farmers Market, I saw first-hand the impact that we could make in introducing healthy foods to the local community. I greatly value my time at the Memphis Chamber of Commerce leading and growing membership, which taught me the importance of building strong relationships and community.
SeafoodSource: Since the partnership launched in 2013, what do you see as your major achievements?
Cornish: I am proud of the work that our stakeholders and team have collectively accomplished. We have had amazing support from industry, government, foundations and individuals. Our major accomplishments include moving the needle on seafood consumption through our Phase 1 Public Health Campaign, generating more than six billion positive impressions for seafood and human health, conducting grassroots campaigns in eight U.S. cities, and reaching more than 26,000 registered dietitian nutritionists to empower them to help consumers eat more seafood. Lastly, I am thrilled to see more seafood companies embracing consumer marketing and branding as moving the needle on seafood consumption will take the entire village.
SeafoodSource: What are your goals for SNP in 2019?
Cornish: Our 2019 goals include reaching more health and nutrition influencers to help consumers eat more seafood, increase engagement with our stakeholders and launch a digital pilot campaign to help moms with young kids to eat more seafood and build lifelong seafood consumers. I’m excited to share the results of this pilot in late spring and how we can scale this campaign.
SeafoodSource: What's the hardest part of your job? The most fun?
Cornish: Increasing seafood consumption will take time and effort, and that’s why it is important for us to build the next generation of seafood consumers. So, the hardest part for me is to have patience with the behavior change process for consumers to eat more seafood. If everyone ate seafood twice a week then that would mean 26 pounds of seafood per person per year in the U.S. The most fun I have is meeting so many great business leaders in the industry and learning from everyone every single day.
SeafoodSource: Where is the favorite place your job has taken you?
Cornish: Working at SNP has taken me to some wonderful places. The two that are most memorable for me are Bangkok, Thailand, and Bergen, Norway, and meeting the people and learning about the culture. These are vastly different worlds that have their unique impact on the seafood industry.
SeafoodSource: What are three things people would be surprised to learn about you?
Cornish: Three things that people may not know about me are that I am a pescatarian, or someone that eats seafood as their main source of animal protein. My two Sealyham terriers are turning 15 this year and have been eating salmon kibble since they were puppies. I love to cook and my favorite dish to make is sheet pan fish or shellfish, mixed vegetables, and pesto, and baked in the oven. It’s a one-pan seafood dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.
