In the early 1960’s, Jeanne was an Alabama extension specialist at Auburn Univ. She was selected to lead a federal pilot project in Alabama designed to reach young homemakers in low-income rural areas in five pilot counties. This was the birth of EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program) in 1964. Priester was hired as a federal extension National Program Leader. One of her duties was to help states to replicate the EFNEP model. EFNEP reached 380,000 4-H and community youth in 2003. Jeanne was involved with the creation of the 1972 Mulligan Stew 4-H nutrition TV series funded by EFNEP that reached millions of youth.
Priester helped design Team Nutrition with USDA Food and Nutrition Service in 1995 to support child nutrition through nutrition education for children and caregivers and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. As liaison to Extension Homemakers, she was an advocate of partnerships between Homemakers and 4-H. She also served on the Journal of Extension board. The annual Priester Health Conference and Priester Health award remain ongoing tributes to her and her work. Jeanne is a 53-year member of AAFCS and received the DSA Award in 1993. She lives in the DC area and is an active volunteer at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Newseum, Library of Congress, Reagan Washington National Airport, and in her church.
