Expert Resource Directory

and equitable food systems work and currently serves as the Director of the Wallace Center at Winrock International, based in Arlington, Virginia. Under Dr. Fisk’s leadership, the Wallace Center has emerged as a national force in food systems work utilizing a market-based solutions strategy for linking a larger number of people and communities to “good food”— food that is healthy, green, fair, and affordable. Prior to joining the Wallace Center, Fisk served as founding board chairperson and later as Director for Programs and Development at Michigan Food and Farming Systems, a statewide sustainable food systems organization, where he lead work to mobilize initiatives that progressed values-driven markets for sustainably produced agricultural products.

Pennsylvania. He farms a 90-acre organic hay and vegetable farm and has participated in direct marketing of locally grown farm products for almost 20 years. During the past ten years, Jonathan has taught a number of classes as an adjunct instructor at Temple University and Millersville University on issues of sustainable food crop production, human spatial behavior and social issues of urban growth in the post-industrial city. Jonathan is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture. He served on the Certification Committee of the Pennsylvania Certified Organic. He is an advisor on the Lebanon County Committee of the Farm Service Agency and a member of the Slow Food Convivia: Susquehanna Heartland in south central Pennsylvania. Thomas was a member of the 2003-2005 class of Food and Society Fellows.

her central leadership, PolicyLink has developed into a national voice for access and opportunity for all people — particularly low-income people and communities of color. Bell oversees efforts to develop and advocate for an array of equitable policies, including those focused on improving health and infrastructure. Bell helped create the Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink, an independent, nonprofit resource for communities applying to the federal Promise Neighborhoods program. She has also led PolicyLink in pushing for a national Healthy Food Financing Initiative to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities. She continues to engage in efforts to change policy at the national, state, and local levels and is also a regular speaker, trainer, and media voice on these issues. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Bell was director of the West Coast regional office of Consumers Union, where she focused on changing public policies to promote greater access to health care, financial services, and low-cost auto insurance.

home design during her 25 years as a Washington Post reporter and editor, with a particular expertise in food and food politics. Twice honored with James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards and American Association of University Women Journalism Awards, she recently completed a two-year W. K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Policy Fellowship focused on federal and local food and farm policies. Last year for New York University's Fales Library Food Studies Collection, she designed and conducted an oral history project interviewing people who have changed the way we think about food. She was a member of the 2007-2008 class of Food and Society Fellows.

Environmental Education as well as for the regional Buy Fresh, Buy Local, which strives to connect people, restaurants, and stores with local farmers and processors. The winner of the 2008 Sustainable Agricultural Achievement Award from Practical Farmers of Iowa, Kamyar has been recognized for his influential work in local foods and local communities. Enshayan also teaches environmental education classes at UNI, is program manager for Yards for Kids, and is a city council member for Cedar Falls.

years of experience organizing for economic and social justice.  Over the years she has worked with and held leadership positions within such diverse organizations as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Student/Farmworker Alliance, the Energy Action Coalition, the Brazilian MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra, or Landless Worker’s Movement), and Student Environmental Action Coalition.  Kandace recognizes the important role that leadership development and education play in building social movements, and her varied organizing experiences lend her a number of transferable skills and much knowledge to bring to the table in her current position as Membership Programs Coordinator at Workers Defense Project.  Kandace holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin, and she has co-published works featured in the recent AK Press release “Uses of a Whirlwind” and in “Be the Change: Teacher, Activist, Global Citizen.”  She is a member of the 2011-2013 class of IATP Food and Community Fellows.

Partnership.  Her work with the Partnership marries her passion for food with her strong commitment to social justice.  Pervious to joining the NYCF&F Partnership, Mergl spent numerous years focusing on the application of social research, quality improvement processes, program evaluation, and promoting best practice models in homelessness and child welfare.   Mergl has her MSW with a concentration in Macro-practice and MS in Social Policy (MSSP) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Association of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ). In this capacity, Anderson leads the organization’s efforts in developing a sustainable organic agricultural system, educating people about the meaning of organic practices and helping farmers implement and maintain sustainable operations. Most recently, Anderson and her colleagues have started programs for new farmers. NOFA-NJ is working to identify barriers to achieving a local food system, especially barriers to creating viable farm and food enterprises that serve local markets. She has served as a Food and Society Fellow.

Fitness, where she is committed to creating sustainable systems to ensure the optimal health and quality of life for all and residents. Her strong commitment to social justice and passion for addressing health inequities is why she has remained committed to the creation and continued work of the BCFF. Spiller brings with her over twenty years of experience in program development and training, resource development, health education, health promotion and health care research. Previously Karen was a Program Manager for Jump Up & Go! ®, a multidimensional campaign addressing childhood obesity, conducted through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Karen is a graduate of Western Michigan University and has begun graduate study toward a Master's Degree in Public Health at Boston University.

Program (I CAN) for the past five years. I CAN employs paraprofessional educators in urban and rural counties to teach a series of hands-on nutrition classes to limited resource adults and youth. The program encourages and supports participants in their adoption of desirable behaviors in the areas of nutrition, food safety, food preparation and food resource management. In addition, Kari has developed a variety of innovative educational media, including videos, CD-ROMs and curricula. These materials are used around the country with class participants as well as in training nutrition educators. The majority of these materials are available in Spanish, and many are also available in Navajo. Prior to her employment with the NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, Kari worked in a variety of non-formal education settings in the U.S., Africa and Latin America. She was a member of the 2001-2003 class of Food and Society Policy Fellows.