Mary Jo is a retired Family & Consumer Science teacher of 35 years and FCCLA advisor for 40 and is now the Library Director at Lake Andes Carnegie Public Library and serves as the Chairperson for the Lake Andes Food & Wellness Council. She enjoys reading, quilting, spending time with her grandkids and gardening.

Mary Jo said she got involved with the Food & Wellness Council because she saw a need in her rural community to access physical activity opportunities and affordable healthy food. Community members working together can provide innovations and educational opportunities for the community. The community search for a grocery store, Farmer's Market and the growing community garden are all examples of the community coming together and sharing resources for the greater good.

Fun fact about Mary Jo is she once served Jacki Kennedy Onassis a hotdog while working as a nanny one summer in Long Island, NY! She is also the mother of Suzanne Stluka, former SDSU Extension Food & Families Program Director.