Kate Farms Appoints Physician and Registered Dietitian Christina J. Valentine to Chief Medical Officer Post

Santa Barbara, CA – November 8, 2023 – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kate Farms Brett Matthews announced today the company has named Dr. Christina J. Valentine as its new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Valentine is responsible for developing the vision and strategy for the Science and Clinical division, in alignment with Kate Farms’ overall business strategy.

Christina J. Valentine MD, MS, RDN, FAAP, FASPEN is a board-certified physician in Pediatrics and Neonatology, a registered dietitian, and a scientist focused on nutrition interventions to improve lifelong health and create health economic value by optimizing food as medicine. She is a Professor and Neonatologist at Banner University Medical Center at the University of Arizona in both the Pediatrics and Nutrition Sciences Departments and has been practicing clinically for more than 20 years. Dr. Valentine most recently served as Chief Medical Officer, Medical Affairs at Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition.

“Our Chief Medical Officer is a critically important role at Kate Farms, requiring a combination of medical nutrition, clinical research and commercial expertise,” said Matthews. “Dr. Valentine not only delivers all three but adds her unique lens on healthcare economics and the ways in which nutrition directly impacts health for both adult and pediatric populations. She shares the foundational values at the heart of Kate Farms. She is a tremendous ally to those either battling or treating chronic illness.”

Dr. Valentine’s most recent work studying the specific omega 3 fatty acid- Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at an optimal concentration in pregnant women resulted in a reduced probability of preterm birth, fewer babies born at high risk and potentially billions of dollars in savings. Her current work targets adequate fatty acids, amino acids, and micronutrition in adults and pediatrics to improve the microbiome and body health with subsequent impacts on physical well-being, cognition, mood, behavior, and healthcare costs.

Dr. Valentine earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition at Ball State University in Muncie, IN and a graduate degree in Nutrition at The University of Florida. She attended Baylor College of Medicine and did her internship and pediatric residency at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX. She did her Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship at Nationwide Children’s/The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Dr. Valentine’s manuscripts can be viewed on her PubMed link here.

About Kate Farms

Kate Farms was founded when a little girl named Kate Laver was failing to thrive because she couldn't tolerate any of the available tube feeding formulas. Her determined parents, Richard and Michelle, had the transformative idea to develop a better formula using high quality, organic, plant-based ingredients without the common allergens and ingredients often found in traditional formulas. Today, Kate is thriving, and Kate Farms is now the #1 recommended plant-based brand*. Kate Farms offers medical formulas for children and adults, to be used as the sole source or as supplemental nutrition, for oral or tube feeding. They are available nationally and eligible for insurance coverage with Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. Kate Farms formulas are made for tolerance with easily digested organic pea protein, fiber, and phytonutrients, and without common allergens or artificial sweeteners or flavors. Kate Farms can be accessed in more than 800 US hospitals, including the top children's hospitals; availability is increasing daily.

For more information, visit www.katefarms.com or follow the company on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

*Independent Plant-based Formula Survey