The Foundation for Fresh Produce Appoints First Chief Medical Officer

The Foundation for Fresh Produce has named Jelena Gligorijević its chief medical officer, a new position created to expand the influence of the produce industry within the global health and medical communities, according to a news release.

Gligorijević is a practicing medical doctor and nutrition specialist with over three decades of experience in clinical practice, academic instruction and public health advocacy, with a particular focus on preventive medicine, nutrition therapy and global health promotion. As the founding head of the Department of Nutrition at the University Clinical Center of Serbia — one of the largest medical institutions in Europe — she has personally treated more than 10,000 patients, developed pioneering outpatient nutrition services and helped shape best practices in medical nutrition therapy, the release said.

The Foundation for Fresh Produce said Gligorijević’s expertise and strategic guidance will strengthen the presence and influence of fruits and vegetables as part of the global medical, food system and policy dialogues. Her new role will focus on connecting health systems and communities with the produce sector, emphasizing how crucial fruits and vegetables are to addressing diet-related diseases and disparities in global health outcomes.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jelena Gligorijević to our team as we continue our work to change the trajectory of human health,” said Lauren M. Scott, president of The Foundation for Fresh Produce. “Dr. Gligorijević’s expertise and global perspective is innovative for the produce industry, opening the door for meaningful alliances with the medical community to deliver on a shared goal of improving health through better nutrition.”

Gligorijević’s appointment supports the foundation’s mission to drive fruit and vegetable consumption. Her role will raise and strengthen the clinical and public health case for produce, ensuring that fruits and vegetables are recognized by the medical community as essential to health and disease prevention. This is particularly important for children as they form life-long healthy habits including a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, the release said.

“I am honored to join The Foundation for Fresh Produce as the first chief medical officer,” said Gligorijević. “Fruits and vegetables have the power to prevent disease, extend lives and promote equity. I look forward to working with health care providers, researchers and industry partners to turn the power of nutrition — and particularly produce — into measurable progress in global health.”