The Food Council Nominating Committee selects and appoints nine representatives for one- and two-year long terms as Montgomery County Food Council Board Members.
CEO, Futurity
Jack is the CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company that works with food and agriculture organizations to better understand emerging food trends and consumer attitudes and behaviors so they can position themselves to thrive in an ever more complex world. He is a globally recognized thought leader having delivered more than 300 speeches in 50 countries on the future of food and consumer psychology. Jack previously served as the Chief Communications Officer at Intrexon Corporation, the senior advisor for global food policy at the U.S. Department of State and as an attorney at Crowell & Moring LLP. He received a J.D., an M.S. in Environmental Science, a B.A. in psychology and chemistry and a B.S. in biology from Indiana University.
Vice-Chair
Vice President and General Counsel, Food Marketing Institute (Retired)
George is an attorney who has spent much of his career working on food related issues and non-profit governance. For more than twenty years he was General Counsel for the Food Marketing Institute, the national association for food retailers and wholesalers. In that role he was responsible for all the Institute’s legal affairs, including governance procedures, antitrust compliance, and employment matters as well as managing all of FMI’s regulatory activities. He has appeared before numerous congressional committees and regulatory bodies on a wide variety of issues impacting the food distribution industry. He helped form and served as counsel to the Food Marketing Institute Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that funds education and research on food safety, nutrition and health and wellness education. He also served as counsel to the Safe Quality Food Institute which audits food safety procedures of farms, food processing facilities and retailers around the world and certifies those that are in compliance with the most effective practices. George is a graduate of Senior Leadership Montgomery and a graduate of Queens College and Brooklyn Law School. He and his wife Glenda enjoy traveling, the outdoors and spending time with their five grandchildren.
Treasurer
General Manager, Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-Op
Mike grew up in Arlington, VA and is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Agriculture. He began working in natural foods in Brooklyn, NY at Perelandra Natural Foods, an independently owned market opened in 1976. Brooklyn’s natural food scene provided a wealth of opportunities to meet local and independent vendors and learn about the industry. In August 2012 Mike moved back to the DC area and became the Assistant Store Manager and later Store Manager for the newly opened Dawson’s Market in Rockville. Dawson’s was honored for commitment to environmental leadership and cited for inclusive hiring practices. Mike became General Manager of Takoma Park Silver Spring Food Co-op in August 2018. Mike is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and serves on the board for the Takoma Business Association.
Program Director, Institute for Public Health Innovation
Evelyn has nineteen years of experience as a public health practitioner and researcher and has engaged in a variety of public health efforts ranging from community planning and capacity building to health policy development and advocacy. As a Director at the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI), Evelyn works with a variety of sectors and stakeholders including: executive-level leadership, elected officials, health departments, planning agencies, police departments, funders and community-based organizations to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes aimed at improving the quality of life of the community. Prior to post at IPHI, she has worked at CommonHealth ACTION, CASA Inc. and the Montgomery County Latino Health Initiative. Her professional interests include community development, community engagement, health equity, community organizing and advocacy, food justice and chronic disease prevention. Evelyn earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from American University and a Master of Public Health from the University of South Carolina.
CEO, KCM Consulting LLC
Kathy is the founder and CEO of KCM Consulting L.L.C providing a full range of Human Resources, Benefits, Retirement and Risk Management strategic advice, planning and services to add business value. Kathy has been a Human Resources, Benefits and Retirement professional for 40 years. She received her B.S. Degree in Labor Relations and Personnel from the University of Maryland, completed the Human Resources Executive Program at Stanford University and Georgetown’s Executive Leadership program at McDonough School of Business. Kathy was a board member of the Washington Technical Professional Association for 10 years and served as President of the association and for 5 years served on the Advisory Board of Principal Financial Group. Kathy has worked in private industry, not for profit and employee owned companies. Kathy grew up in South Jersey and during summer breaks from high school and college worked on the family owned strawberry and blueberry farms. Kathy and her family have lived for 40 years in Montgomery County.
Vice President of Community Health, Holy Cross Health, Silver Spring, MD
As the Vice President of Community Health, Kimberley oversees Health Equity and Healthy Behaviors, Senior and Disability Services, and Faith Community Nursing departments of Holy Cross Health. Community Health strives to build healthy communities, through engagement and action, throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The programs and services provided under the guidance of Kimberley take the mission of the health system outside the walls of the two hospitals and goes beyond clinical care to improve the health of the community by focusing on health equity, prevention, and self-management and by developing and supporting strategies that are sustainable through policy, system and environmental changes. Ms. McBride has worked in public health for more than ten years and received her B.S. in community health from Truman State University in Missouri and her MPH in Maternal and Child Health/Community Health from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Ms. McBride resides in Silver Spring with her husband and three daughters.
Chair, Policy Committee; Co-Chair, Racial Equity Committee
Culinary Instructor, Healthier Kitchen
A lawyer turned cooking instructor, Wendy is on a mission to make healthier and delicious home cooking easy and accessible for all: developing recipes, writing a blog and teaching youth and adults healthier home cooking skills in a variety of venues under the name “Healthier Kitchen”. She believes that by cooking for ourselves, we regain control over what goes into our food, so that we can eat ourselves into better health. It’s also a perfect way to remain an integral part of our food system, shopping locally and seasonally, supporting our farmers, avoiding waste and eating wonderfully. Wendy is passionate about food, travel and family, and is happiest when she can combine all three.
Board Secretary; Co-Chair, Racial Equity Committee
Program Manager, Community Action Agency
Aizat works with the Montgomery County Community Action Agency that provides direct services and administers partnerships that reduce poverty and promote low-income families’ self-sufficiency. She has been with the agency for over ten years and monitors nonprofits that serve the County’s vulnerable population. Aizat has a master’s in Psychology from University of Lagos and has worked in the nonprofit industry most of her working life, in the USA, in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. She coordinated the running of the food pantry, as a program Director at LINK of Hampton Roads VA and worked with the Bosnia Refugee population at the National Children’s Home (NCH) Family Center in London-UK. Aizat is an active member of the Islamic Center of Maryland, Social Services committee and the Muslim Community Center that provide resources to those in need.
Board Chair
Director, Maryland Hunger Solutions
Michael joined Maryland Hunger Solutions in July 2013 as Director. In this role, he is helping to lead Maryland’s premier hunger advocacy, education, and outreach organization as it works to end hunger and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income families in Maryland. Michael serves in a leadership role in many statewide coalitions and is a core advisor in the Governor’s Partnership to End Childhood Hunger. For more than three decades, Michael has been a leading advocate for economic and social justice. He worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative and press assistant for the late U.S. Representative Charles Hayes (IL). He also served in numerous positions at the U.S. Department of Labor, culminating as Chief of Staff in the Employment Standards Administration where he coordinated legislative, regulatory, communications, and policy development. Michael also was an international officer and director at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union where he headed the legislative and political department and led the union’s efforts in food policy and worker advocacy. Michael served as a FRAC Board Member for more than a decade, as well as a Board Member for the Consumer Federation of America and Americans for Democratic Action, where he also served as National Director. He received the Community Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capitol Area in 2009, the Secretary of Labor’s Exceptional Achievement Award in 1997 and 1999, and a Special Commendation from the Wage and Hour Division in 1997. Michael has a B.A. in communications arts and sciences from Michigan State University.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Manager, Auxiliary Services, Universities at Shady Grove
Obioma (Obii) oversees Auxiliary Services units at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG); in her role she serves as a liaison between internal departments, and students, and business vendors, to make sure that campus needs within Aux. Services areas are met. Obii is also involved in the food access initiatives at USG, she coordinates the Mobile Market food distribution made possible through the partnership with Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB). Obii’s role allows her the privilege to interact with students, staff and faculty to gain insights that help in improving services offered on campus. Besides work, Obii is also pursuing a doctoral degree in management which she hopes will be a great value to her professional and personal growth. When she is not studying or at work, Obii enjoys outdoor runs, attending bootcamp classes, spending time with family and relaxing with a good fiction book from authors like John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, David Baldacci to name a few.
Co-Chair, Food Education Working Group
Community Health and Wellness, Suburban Hospital
Working for Suburban Hospital’s Community Health and Wellness Department for more than a decade, Eleni oversees many of the hospital’s health promotion and wellness initiatives aimed at improving community well-being. Eleni manages the healthy lifestyle program known as WellWorks, which offers nutrition, safety and fitness classes to people living in Montgomery County. She also coordinates Worksite Wellness initiatives, which help local businesses incorporate healthy lifestyle practices in the workplace. Eleni is also responsible for producing Suburban Hospital’s annual Community Benefit Report, which provides specific insight on the health improvement initiatives that service the community. Eleni holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from McDaniel College and a Masters of Public Health from the George Washington University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking healthy meals for her family and has long been passionate about quality, environmentally sustainable food.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Former Director of Student Wellness Initiatives for Montgomery County Public Schools, Operations Lead for the Montgomery County Food Security Task Force
Marla is currently the Director of Student Wellness Initiatives for Montgomery County Public Schools as well as the Operations Lead for the Montgomery County Food Security Task Force. She has been with Montgomery County Public Schools since 1988 and Director for the Division of Food and Nutrition Services for many years. Marla’s passion has been to creatively think out of the box to support children, families and communities with a focus on food security.She has devoted her career to the elimination of hunger as well as promoting health and wellness among all populations. She is the former chair for Manna, Montgomery County’s food bank.
Co-Chair, Food Education Working Group
Healthy Schools Program Manager, Mid-Atlantic, Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Michelle is passionate about making the healthy choice the easiest choice. She currently serves as the Mid-Atlantic Healthy Schools Program Manager for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (HG). In this role, she works with schools and districts around the region to create healthier environments for students, staff, and communities. Prior to joining HG, Michelle led chronic disease prevention initiatives for local governments, including Healthy Montgomery and the City of Houston. While in Houston, she implemented a Healthy Vending policy for city-owned properties, secured USDA funding to implement SNAP access at all Farmer’s Markets, and served on the Executive Committee of the Houston Food Policy Workgroup. In her spare time, Michelle likes to explore the great outdoors, spend time with family, and cook tasty food.
Co-Chair, Environmental Impact Working Group
Montgomery County Solid Waste Advisory Committee
Kelly is an avid gardener, recycler, and composter who enjoys growing and using local foods while supporting healthy and sustainable food production and distribution practices. Kelly previously worked for the U.S. EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Solid Waste in San Francisco, serving as a liaison to tribal and state governments implementing integrated waste management, recycling, composting, green purchasing, and waste reduction programs throughout the Pacific Southwest. She is currently active in her local elementary school PTA
Wellness Committee and serves on the County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Kelly earned an M.S. in Environmental Science and a J.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington. Kelly also holds a B.S. in Ecology from University of California San Diego. She loves hiking, gardening, learning about local ecology, and adventuring near and far with her family.
Co-Chair, Environmental Impact Working Group; Policy Committee
Montgomery County Sierra Club Executive Committee, Master Gardener
Susan has a Masters in Public Health with an emphasis on Behavioral Sciences. She has directed national and international medical education projects and she has developed and implemented a variety of local environmental programs. She is the Co-Chair of the Food Council Environmental Impact Working Group (EIWG), which worked with stakeholders and the County to create legislation requiring the County Department of Environmental Protection to establish a Strategic Plan for Food Waste Composting and Compost Use. For the past year, the EIWG contributed research and reviewed drafts of the Strategic Plan and this year the EIWG will focus on Plan implementation and the promotion of food waste reduction. Susan is a Master Gardener and Master Composter providing trainings on composting and compost use. Along with her husband, she tends to a 3,000 square foot Farmette, growing organic vegetables, fruits, and native plants. As a County Sierra Club Executive Committee member, she has worked on the development of the County Climate Protection Plan, Energy Efficiency Programs, adoption of the International Green Construction Code, and tree planting programs. Susan manages real estate and is part of a cooperative group that protects 81 acres surrounded by the Shenandoah Park. She loves hiking, photography, vegan cooking, and caring for her family, friends and the natural world.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Associate, Community Science
Elisa currently works as an Associate at Community Science where she supports research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects related to health equity and community and systems change. Elisa has expertise on the social determinants of health, with an emphasis on food policies and community food systems and how these issues affect Latin American and Caribbean communities. Before joining Community Science, Elisa was a Research Coordinator at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, City University of New York. Elisa holds a Ph.D. in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University and a Master’s in Latin American History from the State University of New York at Albany. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico.
Food Access and Recovery Working Group; Co-Chair, Racial Equity Committee
Executive Director, Shepherd’s Table
Manny is currently the Executive Director of Shepherd’s Table, Inc. Prior to Shepherd’s Table, Manny served as Principal of Hidalgo Community-Based Consulting LLC, which assisted local governments, nonprofits and national advocacy organizations with their strategic development needs. In addition, Manny has served in the federal government’s Senior Executive Service as Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity in the US Small Business Administration (SBA). He also served for 9 years as Executive Director of the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), a community-based, economic development organization dedicated to building wealth in low income Latino communities throughout the DC region. In 2009, Manny won the Center for Non-Profit Advancement’s EXCEL Leadership Award, and in 2011 he won the Meyer Foundation’s Exponent Award, which recognizes outstanding executive directors of nonprofits in the DC Metro Area. He has a BA in History from Georgetown University and a MA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University. He lives with his wife and children in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Food Education Working Group
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Maryland (UMD) School of Public Health – Department of Family Science
Dr. Hurtado Choque is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health and Extension Specialist at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UMD focusing on family and community health. Mr. Hurtado focuses his research, scholarship, and outreach in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion interventions at the family and community levels.
Food Education Working Group
In-store Nutritionist, Giant Food
A native Montgomery County resident, Thu is passionate in promoting a nutritious and active lifestyle in the community–helping people realize and understand that being healthy can be simple, sustainable, and delicious. Working as a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist with Giant Food, Thu is able to help consumers make nutritious decisions right at the grocery store and teach nutrition skills in an everyday setting. She received her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland and completed her dietetic internship with Utah State University. Thu enjoys eating crabs all summer long, relaxing at the beach, hiking, buying succulents, and spending quality time with her husband and son.
Food Education Working Group; Food Recovery and Access Working Groups
Certified Food Safety Instructor and Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP)
After 35 years in the computer industry working for IBM and later as a defense contractor, Mr. Lambert turned his efforts to religious and non-profit worlds by earning an Equipping Lay Ministry Certificate from Wesley Theological Seminary and studying at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. Although now retired, he currently serves on several nonprofit Boards of Directors and volunteers at Christ Lutheran Church in Bethesda; for over 5 years, was the project coordinator for the Culinary Arts Initiative of the church’s non-profit, Graceful Growing Together. He has always had an interest in cooking and as a Certified Instructor, Dave teaches the ServSafe® course; as a Registered Proctor, he administers the professional exam for this nationwide food safety course. Mr. Lambert is a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP), an Executive Member of the National Afterschool Association and a member of One World Everybody Eats (OWEE) community cafe association. In addition, Dave is a member of two Montgomery County Food Council working groups: Food Literacy and Food Recovery & Access.
Co-Chair, Food Economy Working Group
Former Senior Director, Global Health Security, DAI (Retired)
Jerry Martin is a One Health specialist, focusing on the interaction of animal, human and environmental health. He currently leads work on addressing global health security risks including antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases and the economic drivers of emerging pandemic threats. He has recruited and supervised staff with diverse technical expertise including medical doctors, veterinarians, epidemiologists, food safety and nutrition specialists. For over 20 years Jerry directed a series of worldwide projects on rural and agricultural income generation with a focus on improving value chains for small and medium scale farmers and food processors. On the local level, Jerry is a dedicated supporter of Share Our Strength, a national and local organization devoted to ending childhood hunger in the United States. A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the 1970s, Jerry is looking forward to applying his volunteer and professional experience to the Montgomery County Food Council
Food Education Working Group, Board Member
Vice President of Community Health, Holy Cross Health, Silver Spring, MD
As the Vice President of Community Health, Kimberley oversees Health Equity and Healthy Behaviors, Senior and Disability Services, and Faith Community Nursing departments of Holy Cross Health. Community Health strives to build healthy communities, through engagement and action, throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The programs and services provided under the guidance of Kimberley take the mission of the health system outside the walls of the two hospitals and goes beyond clinical care to improve the health of the community by focusing on health equity, prevention, and self-management and by developing and supporting strategies that are sustainable through policy, system and environmental changes. Ms. McBride has worked in public health for more than ten years and received her B.S. in community health from Truman State University in Missouri and her MPH in Maternal and Child Health/Community Health from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Ms. McBride resides in Silver Spring with her husband and three daughters.
Environmental Impact Working Group
Founder & Executive Director, Charles Koiner Conservancy for Urban Farming
Kate is the Founder and Executive Director of the Charles Koiner Conservancy for Urban Farming (CKC), which operates at Koiner Farm in downtown Silver Spring. In 2019, CKC permanently protected Koiner Farm under a conservation easement in partnership with the Maryland Environmental Trust. As a former Biology teacher, Kate is passionate about creating engaging outdoor learning opportunities, like the hands-on STEM programs offered at Koiner Farm. Kate has a B.S. in Biology from Susquehanna University and an M.S. in Environmental Biology from American University. She previously worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and co-lead the Green Project Reserve, a set-aside fund of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for innovative water quality protection projects. She is an adjunct Biology professor at Montgomery College and enjoys hiking, building tree houses and hanging out at the farm with her husband, Ricky, and their three young kids.
Food Education Working Group; Policy Committee
Director of Food and Nutrition Programs, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington
Tessa Mork has been working in the food system for 5 years. She is currently the Director of Food and Nutrition Programs for the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington. In this role, she oversees two teaching kitchens and uses culinary and nutrition education as a tool to promote health and build community. She strongly believes in the power of a shared meal and often uses community dinners as a way to improve her programming and to get to know the communities that she works with. Tessa holds a Bachelor of Science from University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. Tessa is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. In her free time, you can find her cooking, meandering through Long Branch Trail, or reading a good book.
Policy Committee
Food Security Consultant
Amanda's interests focus on food security advocacy, strengthening the federal nutrition safety net, and food security community organizing. From October 2017 to July 2020, Amanda was the Food Security Programs Manager for the Montgomery County Food Council, where she worked in partnership with local food assistance providers and County government agencies to carry out the recommendations set out in the County's Five Year Food Security Strategic Plan, as well as formulate and implement the County's initial COVID-19 food security response strategy. Amanda previously worked as a Legislative Associate at national anti-hunger nonprofit MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, where she advocated on Capitol Hill to increase food security initiatives for seniors, veterans and serving military families, and prior to that she worked as a Legal and Strategic Advisor for the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel, and as a corporate attorney at law firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP. Amanda holds a Masters of Law degree from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Law from Cambridge University.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group; Co-Chair, Racial Equity Committee
Program Manager, Community Action Agency
Aizat works with the Montgomery County Community Action Agency that provides direct services and administers partnerships that reduce poverty and promote low-income families’ self-sufficiency. She has been with the agency for over ten years and monitors nonprofits that serve the County’s vulnerable population. Aizat has a master’s in Psychology from University of Lagos and has worked in the nonprofit industry most of her working life, in the USA, in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. She coordinated the running of the food pantry, as a program Director at LINK of Hampton Roads VA and worked with the Bosnia Refugee population at the National Children’s Home (NCH) Family Center in London-UK. Aizat is an active member of the Islamic Center of Maryland, Social Services committee and the Muslim Community Center that provide resources to those in need.
Food Economy Working Group
Owner/Farmer, Passion to Seed Gardening
Tanya Spandhla-Doka was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. Growing up, her parents instilled in her the importance of growing your own produce. It is from this upbringing that she was inspired to develop a passion for farming. Passion to Seed Gardening (PTSG) came about in 2015 as a link to connecting people from various backgrounds in Montgomery County and beyond through unique, healthy, and sustainably grown produce. Apart from farming, Tanya works full-time for an IT company in Rockville. She is also an active member of her church. Tanya is passionate about composting, sustainable farming, recycling non-toxic biodegradable material to reduce wastage, and incorporating the compost back into the soil to enhance soil fertility.
Food Economy Working Group
Food and Beverage Manager, Round House Theater
Hudson was born and raised in New York City and left to attend the University of Michigan. After graduating, he returned to New York City and entered Wall Street. Prior to the 2008 financial crisis, he acquired the Manchester Pub, a bar and grill located in midtown Manhattan. After deciding to take a sabbatical from Wall Street and focusing his time and energy on the Manchester Pub, he entered hospitality and never looked back. He sustained the success of the Manchester Pub until it was closed due to a fire in the fall of 2014. Subsequently, he has opened the Cotton Calf Kitchen in Braselton, Georgia, Pi Pizzeria in Bethesda, Maryland, and Terrain Cafe in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to opening restaurants, he has been involved with turn-around projects, such as Soapstone Market in Washington, DC. Currently, Hudson is reimagining the Food and Beverage Program at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition, he owns and operates Runners and Revenuers, a beverage catering company based in New York City, and is an advisor to TwentyTables, a social enterprise that provides an online marketplace to diner and restaurants to benefit the hungry and food insecure.
Food Education Working Group
Retired Food & Drug Administration
Christine has lived in Montgomery County for over 30 years. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a PhD in Nutrition, she moved to Montgomery County to begin what turned out to be a 20-year career at the Food and Drug Administration. She served as Director of the agency’s Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements. In this capacity, she oversaw a staff of more than 50 scientists who were responsible for research, regulation and enforcement related to nutrition issues and dietary supplements. In 2004 Christine began a two-year FDA assignment to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland where she focused on international approaches for determining dietary supplement safety. Following her retirement from FDA, Christine was named a Scholar at the Institute of Medicine within The National Academies. Her projects included evaluation of the process for setting Dietary Reference Intakes, consensus recommendations for the standards for school lunch, identification of strategies for reducing sodium in the diet, and an evaluation of the recommended intakes for vitamin D and calcium. From 2011-2017 she was a scientific consultant at the National Institutes of Health. Christine currently is a volunteer at the Museum of American History and serves as Chairperson of the American Society for Nutrition’s Committee on Advocacy and Science Policy.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Senior Director of Partners and Programs, Capital Area Food Bank
Susan’s career has focused on local food access and sustainable agriculture over the last 15 years. She has worked on vegetable and dairy farms, ran farmer’s markets and led programmatic teams that created opportunities between sustainable agriculture and affordable food access. Today, she works in partnership with 444 nonprofit organizations across Montgomery & Prince Georges County, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia to decrease food insecurity through a variety of food access interventions, wellness programs and partnerships. Her responsibilities include: strategic planning, fundraising, compliance oversight, Federal Nutrition Programs and public policy. Susan started her career working with American college students living in Cochin, India. She worked with students to build their intercultural competencies including: communication, host family acclimation, and student travel. Over the years Susan has worked for a number of organizations focused on food security and conservation including Community Harvest, Second Harvest Food Bank and American Oceans Campaign. Susan loves the outdoors and takes any chance she gets to go camping and hiking with her family.
Co-Chair, Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Director of Programs and Policy, Manna Food Center
Jenna Umbriac is a registered dietitian who believes that access to nourishing food is a basic human right. She currently serves as Director of Programs and Policies at Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, MD. At Manna, Jenna directs the weekend food assistance program, Smart Sacks, nutrition education programming, and designs policies to ensure Manna is providing a safe and healthful food supplement. She also works to provide regionally produced and nutritious food to Manna’s participants through donor education and partnerships with local farms and farm markets. Prior to her position at Manna, Jenna taught life science to middle schoolers as a Vincention Service Corps volunteer before earning an M.S. in nutrition from Bastyr University and completing her dietetic internship at Virginia Tech. Jenna also holds a B.S. in biology from Loyola University, Maryland.
Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Housing and Community Development Manager, City of Takoma Park, MD
Grayce is the Housing and Community Development Manager for the City of Takoma Park. She is responsible for administering the City’s rental housing and grants programs in addition to the implementation of a variety of housing related projects that benefit city residents. Prior to joining the City of Takoma Park government, Grayce worked for the
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) - the nation’s single largest funder of civil legal aid programs for low-income Americans. At LSC, she served in a program officer capacity to legal aid organizations, evaluating non-profit operations, legal work, board governance, and program performance. In addition, she worked as the Director of New York Programs and Legal Services at Single Stop USA, a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income families build economic stability. Single Stop provides a unique “one-stop” model that combines benefits screening and application assistance with tax preparation, legal assistance and financial counseling. In this position, she worked with community-based organizations and legal providers in the implementation of the model and evaluated its impact on families trying to move out of poverty. Grayce has also served as the Rent Administrator for the District of Columbia Government, carrying out the administration of the rent stabilization program, including the review of complaints and applications, and issuing written decisions arising from administrative petitions. Her experience also includes working as a staff attorney in the state of New Jersey handling housing and public benefits cases.
Co-Chair, Food Recovery and Access Working Group
Program Coordinator, Faith Community Nurse program Holy Cross Hospital
Peruvian native, Lucia Zegarra, has been involved in community development programs from a very young age. From leading youth and environmental groups in Peru to developing and facilitating bilingual support groups for the homeless in Washington, D.C., Lucia has become a strong advocate for peer support as a sustainable complement of formal health care services and prevention of disease. As the Director of Community Health Programs at CHEER, a community-based nonprofit serving Takoma Park and Long Branch, she lead a team of community health workers who support food insecure community members with type 2 diabetes. She also oversaw healthcare enrollment and other community-based initiatives that promote health equity. Lucia holds a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Before moving to the D.C. area and hoping to make a difference in women’s lives, Lucia volunteered to become a certified domestic violence counselor in Los Angeles and later a certified breastfeeding counselor in D.C., using the latter to help minority populations achieve healthier lives. Now, she volunteers at a radio station offering health living resources and advice to a Hispanic audience in the D.C. metro area, Houston, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. In addition, she chairs the Parent Council of the German International School in Washington, D.C.
The Alumni Circle provides Food Council alums with a unique opportunity to continue to make a difference in the Montgomery County food system by staying connected to the Food Council’s efforts and serving as trusted advisors to the organization. Alumni Circle members will also have the opportunity to continue to benefit from the Food Council’s broad and deep network of subject matter experts, food system partners, and stakeholders.
Jenny Brown, Garden Outreach Associate, Audubon Naturalist Society
Jackie DeCarlo, CEO, Manna Food Center
Jim Dempsey
Sharon Feuer Gruber, Food Systems Strategy Consultant
Mark Hodge, Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Shelley Rae Rudick, Vice President, The Taft Organization
Dick Stoner, Owner/Operator, Stoner Family Farms, LLC and Reist Corp Property Services Co.
Bart Yablonsky, Owner, Dawson’s Market
Jun 16
Third Wednesday of each month, 9-10:30am via Zoom.
Jun 22
4th Tuesday of each month, 9:30-11am via Zoom.
Jun 22
In the year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the food security landscape in Montgomery County has changed dramatically.
Jun 24
Jun 28
Every other Monday, 1:00 to 2:00pm. Please register in advance.
July 27th, Oct 26th
The Food Education Working Group (FEdWG) would like to cordially invite you to our Gardening Grant showcase that we will be taking place over the course of four (4) FEdWG meetings in 2021.
Aug 3
The first Tuesday of the month from 9:30AM-11AM via Zoom.