The New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College has released its inaugural class of New York City’s 40 under 40 who are working to transform the food system. The New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College honorees include policymakers, educators, community advocates, farmers and innovators who are making significant strides to create healthier, more sustainable food environments, and who use food to promote community and economic development.
New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College’s 40 under 40 inaugural class reflects the Center’s broad perspective around food policy: food policies are not simply regulations imposed by governmental bodies; we believe that food policy impacts millions of New Yorkers every day, at home and at work and in our community. Food policy is not just about what we eat, it impacts our relationships, social equity, the environment, and even employment.
The Class of 2016 Rising Stars in New York City Food Policy are:
Name: Alyson Abrami
Birthday: 08/12/1977
Grew up in: Huntington, New York
Job Title: Director, Food and Nutrition Programs, Children’s Aid Society
One word you would use to describe our food system: Hopeful
Food policy hero: Margo Wootan
Your breakfast this morning: Oatmeal with local apples and cinnamon
Favorite foodie hangout: The farmers’ market
Social media must follow: Civil Eats [@CivilEats]
Name: Yemi Amu
Birthday: 9/19/1980
Grew up in: Lagos, Nigeria
Job Title: Co-Founder Oko Farms LLC, Farm Manager at Moore Street Farm
One word you would use to describe our food system: Progressing
Food policy hero: Marion Nestle
Your breakfast this morning: 2 soft boiled eggs
Favorite foodie hangout: Farmers’ markets
Social media must follow: @kitchenbutterfly @afrolems
Name: Kate Barney
Birthday: 4/19/1983
Grew up in: Atlanta
Job Title: Fare Resources, Operations Director, Northeast
One word you would use to describe our food system: Pivoting
Food policy hero: Too many to list! Joel Kimmons’ work inspires and informs my work with Fare Resources.
Your breakfast this morning: Chicken bone (feet actually) and horseradish broth, coffee (Parlor Coffee Santa Clara from Colombia) with coconut oil and cinnamon, Meat Hook spicy Italian sausage with greens, nutritional yeast and lemon. I take breakfast very seriously.
Favorite foodie hangout: Seasonal suppers at the badass Crown Heights-based caterer The Pixie and The Scout and Eatsy lunch at our client and friend Etsy.com’s headquarters.
Social media must follow: Stephen Satterfield @isawstephen (Food Writing Fellow for Civil Eats and founder of Whetstone Magazine) and @heyokreal for an inspirational pick-me-up.
Name: Sabrina Baronberg
Birthday: 11/25/1978
Grew up in: Denver, Colorado
Job Title: Senior Director, Food and Nutrition Programs
One word you would use to describe our food system: Reactive
Food policy hero: Tom Frieden
Your breakfast this morning: Sadly my 8 month old daughter’s leftovers—some combination of bananas, yogurt, and oatmeal.
Favorite foodie hangout: The farmers’ market of course!
Social media must follow: https://www.theperennialplate.com/
Name: Alex Beauchamp
Birthday: 12/29/1983
Grew up in: Lubbock, Texas
Job Title: Northeast Regional Director, Food & Water Watch
One word you would use to describe our food system: Brittle
Food policy hero: Karen Washington
Your breakfast this morning: Yogurt
Favorite foodie hangout: Rucola in Boerum Hill is the best restaurant in New York City
Social media must follow: @tomphilpott and @foodandwater (of course).
Name: Ellie Berens
Birthday: 12/20/1983
Grew up in: Oyster Bay, NY
Job Title: Development and Outreach Manager, Wellness in the Schools
One word you would use to describe our food system: Evolving
Food policy hero: Michelle Obama
Your breakfast this morning: Spinach and Kale Smoothie with lots of ginger
Favorite foodie hangout: Pearl Oyster Bar
Social media must follow: Food 52 [@Food52]
Name: Bianca Bockman
Birthday: 10/03/1980
Grew up in: Hoboken, NJ
Job Title: Community Healthy Food Advocate at the Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation (NEBHDCo)
One word you would use to describe our food system: Exploitative
Food policy hero: Cooperation Jackson in Mississippi. Through both engaging in and challenging government, they’ve been building Black political power in part through food and food policy projects like coops and land trusts.
Your breakfast this morning: Homemade Egg and Cheese and Avocado on Whole Wheat Toast.
Favorite foodie hangout: Bed-Stuy Fresh and Local – an organic grocery, prepared foods counter, and juice bar that recently converted to being a worker-owned coop through NEBHDCo’s Cooperative Business Project.
Social media must follow: I must say, I don’t do much social media (does that make me old?), but I do appreciate Just Food’s Facebook posts when they come through my newsfeed.
Photo credit Jordan Matter
Name: Leanne Brown
Birthday: 1/12/1985
Grew up in: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Job Title: Author of Good and Cheap
One word you would use to describe our food system: Unfair (but I would add that it is transitioning as well so I don’t think it’s hopeless)
Food policy hero: Karen Washington
Your breakfast this morning: A bowl of yogurt and a mango. Mango season has me eating them like crazy!
Favorite foodie hangout: The table in my little backyard with delicious food I’ve made myself! But for incredible diversity of crazy stuff to try Smorgasburg is always a fun time.
Social media must follow: Dave Itzkoff [@ditzkoff] on twitter. He is spit-take funny.
Name: Dan Carr
Birthday: 8/29/1981
Grew up in: Broomfield, CO
Job Title: Q Farms Farm Manager Sharon, CT. Beavertides Bee Farm Owner, Falls Village, CT
One word you would use to describe our food system: Evolving
Food policy hero: Craig Haney the Growing Farmer’s Initiative Director at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture.
Your breakfast this morning: Two Q Farms eggs fried on low heat, a handful of Claytonia (Miner’s Lettuce) from my friend Zach Wolf, and a piece of toast with butter and Q Farms fall honey.
Favorite foodie hangout: Plantin’ Seeds Farm Kitchen Canaan CT (near the Massachusetts border)
Social media must follow: Randy Oliver’s blog Scientificbeekeeping.com
Name: Jeni Clapp
Birthday: 6/5/1980
Grew up in: Jersey shore
Job Title: Director of Healthy Eating Initiatives, NYC Health Department
One word you would use to describe our food system: Complicated
Food policy hero: Mike Jacobson
Your breakfast this morning: Smoothie with avocado, dates, and peanut butter…and coffee
Favorite foodie hangout: Double windsor in south slope is my neighborhood go to
Social media must follow: POLITICO’s Morning Agriculture daily emails are a must read
Name: Challey Comer
Birthday: 10/20/1981
Grew up in: Liverpool, NY
Job Title: Chief of Staff, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
One word you would use to describe our food system: Expanding
Food policy hero: Richard Ball, Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture & Markets and owner of a 200-acre vegetable farm in Upstate New York.
Your breakfast this morning: I am an avid consumer of dairy products. Yogurt from Maple Hill Creamery (maplehillcreamery.com). It’s been exciting to watch their operation expand. Maple Hill Creamery is now working with 40 dairies in my home region of Central New York.
Favorite foodie hangout: The pick-up location for my 607 CSA share (the607csa.com).
Social media must follow: Spring is a great time of year on Instagram. My account (@challeycomer) and feed are filled with baby farm animals, flowering trees and foraged foods. Some favorites are @lucky_dog_farm @windfallfarms @mollyoliverflowers @wayside_cider @sawkillfarm @chaseholmfarm
Photo credit: Reeve Jolliffe
Name: Taisy Conk
Birthday: 5/9/1985
Grew up in: Upper Manhattan/Washington Heights
Job Title: Director of Community Food Action at New Settlement Apartments
One word you would use to describe our food system: Capitalist
Food policy hero: The organizing members of the Central Brooklyn Food Coop.
Your breakfast this morning: Espresso with milk first thing, and kefir strawberry yogurt in a thermos on the 4 train.
Favorite foodie hangout: Corbin Hill farm share distribution at the New Settlement Community Center – hands down. I always have fun chatting with our shareholders and staff about food and family.
Social media must follow: @museumofcityny @bambambaklava on IG, @NextCityOrg @neiltyson @marionnestle @CASAbronx on Twitter
Name: Molly Culver
Birthday: 4/13/1981
Grew up in: Guilford, CT
Job Title: Farm Manager, The Youth Farm/Owner, Chief Creative, Molly Oliver Flowers
One word you would use to describe our food system: Inefficient/Racist
Food policy hero: Karen Washington
Your breakfast this morning: Bread Alone’s Cranberry Walnut toast with Peanut Butter and Nutella, then leftover homemade pizza (I always have 2 breakfasts)
Favorite foodie hangout: 61 Local Public House in Cobble Hill
Social media must follow: @theyouthfarm
Name: Sarita Daftary
Birthday: 6/6/1981
Grew up in: New Fairfield, Connecticut
Job Title: Food Dignity Project Consultant and former Project Director at East New York Farms!; currently Program Director for the Green Light District at El Puente
One word you would use to describe our food system: Inequitable
Food policy hero: The hundreds of gardeners all over NYC who started gardening guerilla-style in vacant lots in the 1970s, whose work led to the creation of the Greenthumb program.
Your breakfast this morning: Toast with crunchy peanut butter, honey, and sliced apples
Favorite foodie hangout: the East New York Farmers Market!
Social media must follow: The Color of Food [@browngirlfarmin]
Name: Meserete Davis
Birthday: 6/13/1980
Grew up in: Brooklyn, NY
Job Title: Food & Menu Management Research & Development Supervisor, NYC SchoolFood
One word you would use to describe our food system: Evolving
Food policy hero: I currently do not have a food policy hero
Your breakfast this morning: Ackee & saltfish, boiled dumplings, boiled plantain and green tea with mint
Favorite foodie hangout: Schmorgasburg, A Brooklyn Flea Food Market
Social media must follow: FOODYDIY and FULLYRAWKRISTINA on Instagram
Name: David D DeVaughn
Birthday: 11/18/1984
Grew up in: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Job Title: Senior Manager, Policy & Community Partnerships at City Harvest
One word you would use to describe our food system: Preferential
Food policy hero: Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Conference organizers
Your breakfast this morning: Oatmeal with fruits and nuts
Favorite foodie hangout: Jeepney
Social media must follow: @PolicyLink
Name: Leah Kabran Eden
Birthday: 11/15/1981
Grew up in: Maryland
Job Title: Policy Fellow at United Way of New York City
One word you would use to describe our food system: Resilient
Food policy hero: Dan Barber and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Your breakfast this morning: Scrambled egg with toast from Maison Kayser and a cup of Counter Culture coffee
Favorite foodie hangout: Shelsky’s of Brooklyn
Social media must follow: @FPAction, @Heritage_Radio and @chuckabbott1
Name: Curt Ellis
Birthday: 12/15/1979
Grew up in: Portland, Oregon
Job Title: Co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps
One word you would use to describe our food system: Unjust.
Food policy hero: Deb Eschmeyer, co-founder of FoodCorps and Executive Director of the First Lady’s signature childhood obesity initiative, Let’s Move
Your breakfast this morning: Yogurt and marionberries
Favorite foodie hangout: My neighborhood farmers’ market
Social media must follow: @foodcorps on Instagram and Twitter
Photo credit: SONY DSC
Name: Ashley Fitch
Birthday: 3/16/1983
Grew up in: Washington, DC
Job Title: Senior Project Manager – Mount Sinai Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP), Former Director of the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program at Wholesome Wave
One word you would use to describe our food system: Complex
Food policy hero: Farmers
Your breakfast this morning: Fried egg with arugula and shaved parmesan
Favorite foodie hangout: Queens
Social media must follow: divebarny on Instagram for craft beers and single malts
Name: Ben Flanner
Birthday: 12/25/1980
Grew up in: Wisconsin, close to Milwaukee
Job Title: CEO / Director of Agriculture – Brooklyn Grange
One word you would use to describe our food system: Complex
Food policy hero: Marion Nestle
Your breakfast this morning: Milk with granola and apples, toast with honey and butter
Favorite foodie hangout: Brooklyn Grange
Social media must follow: @camporossofarm
Name: Colleen Flynn
Birthday: 11/18/1977
Grew up in: All over the place. I was born in Isfahan, Iran and call Colorado home
Job Title: Director of Programs at Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC)
One word you would use to describe our food system: Fragmented
Food policy hero: Tanya Fields, Founder and Executive Director of The BLK ProjeK
Your breakfast this morning: Soft boiled egg, kale and smoked salmon
Favorite foodie hangout: Home cooked meals with family and friends
Social media must follow: East New York Farms! [@ENYFARMS]
Name: Roy Frias
Birthday: 7/24/1990
Grew up in: East New York, Brooklyn, New York
Job Title: Youth Program Director, East New York Farms!
One word you would use to describe our food system: Partitioned
Food policy heroes: Sarita Daftary-Steel & Anim Steel
Your breakfast this morning: Oatmeal, and a fruit smoothie
Favorite foodie hangout: East New York Farms’ Farmer’s Market (shameless plug)
Social media must follow: N/A
Name: Rachna Govani
Birthday: 7/4/1985
Grew up in: New Jersey
Job Title: Co-founder/CEO Foodstand
One word you would use to describe our food system: Extractive
Food policy hero: SO MANY, but Karen Washington.
Your breakfast this morning: Overnight chia pudding with cocoa and honey.
Favorite foodie hangout: Union Square Greenmarket
Social media must follow: Obviously @thefoodstand =) but also @civileats
Name: Daniel Gross
Birthday: 37-years-old
Grew up in: Los Angeles
Job Title: Founder and Executive Director, Brandworkers
One word you would use to describe our food system: Changeable
Food policy hero: Rank & file food worker
Your breakfast this morning: Coffee and a banana
Favorite foodie hangout: Brandworkers member potlucks
Social media must follow: Food Chain Workers Alliance [@foodchainworker]
Name: Molly Hartman
Birthday: 12/29/1985
Grew up in: Los Angeles, California
Job Title: Senior Advisor for Food Policy, Office of the Mayor
One word you would use to describe our food system: Complex!
Food policy hero: My heroes are people who are making real change in a very practical way. People who are growing, distributing, and providing food to people who need it.
Your breakfast this morning: Coffee. I’m not a big breakfast person.
Favorite foodie hangout: I like to get to the Grand Army Plaza greenmarket every Saturday if I can. And locally I like Alice’s Arbor in Clinton Hill. Good food and drinks!
Social media must follow: You should definitely follow my office @nycfood!
Name: Ben Kallos
Birthday: 2/5/1981
Grew up in: Upper East Side, NYC
Job Title: Member of the NYC City Council from District 5
One word you would use to describe our food system: Improving
Food policy hero: State Senator Liz Krueger and Jamie Oliver
Your breakfast this morning: Greek Yogurt and Fruit with Milk from Local NY dairy farms
Favorite foodie hangout: Fairway on the Upper East Side, the variety of salad toppings is fantastic
Social media must follow: @GrowNYC @American_Heart @MomsRising
Name: Jessie Kerr-Vanderslice
Birthday: 11/9/1984
Grew up in: Rhode Island (smallest state, biggest heart)
Job Title: Director, Grow to Learn NYC (GrowNYC)
One word you would use to describe our food system: Bewildering
Food policy hero: Alice Waters
Your breakfast this morning: Toast with peanut butter and banana, lots and lots of coffee
Favorite foodie hangout: Providence, RI! But for NYC- the veggie vendors in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Pea shoots for days…
Social media must follow: Grow to Learn, of course! #Growtolearnnyc on Instagram and Facebook [@GrowtoLearnNYC]
Name: Ashley Lederer, MS, RD
Birthday: 12/7/1976
Grew up in: The Woodlands, Texas
Job Title: Founder, Thoughtful Food Nutrition
One word you would use to describe our food system: Dynamic
Food policy hero: Marion Nestle
Your breakfast this morning: Plain kefir with banana slices and a handful of granola, black coffee
Favorite foodie hangout: Union Square Farmers Market
Social media must follow: Helena B. Evich, senior food and agriculture reporter at Politico (@hbottemiller ) on Twitter
Name: Adam Liebowitz
Birthday: 3/19/1980
Grew up in: Westchester, NY
Job Title: Food and Environment Program Officer, North Star Fund
One word you would use to describe our food system: Oppressive
Food policy hero: Ricardo Salvador
Your breakfast this morning: Oatmeal with lots of toppings
Favorite foodie hangout: Chinatown
Social media must follow: Tanya Fields [@theblkprojek]
Name: Javier Lopez
Birthday: 6/8/1980
Grew up in: All over NYC
Job Title: Assistant Commissioner, Systems Partnerships, Center for Health Equity New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Food policy hero: Beatriz Beckford
Your breakfast this morning: Spinach, kale, banana, peanut butter and ginger smoothie
Favorite foodie hangout: Smorgasburg, Phatty Beet Burger (chickpea & olive)
Social media must follow: Change lab solutions [@ChangeLabWorks]
Name: Annie Novak
Birthday: 2/11/1983
Grew up in: Evanston, Illinois
Job Title: Founder and Director Growing Chefs, Manager of the Edible Academy at the NYBG and Co-Founder and Farmer at Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
One word you would use to describe our food system: Amendable
Food policy hero: George Washington Carver
Your breakfast this morning: Vegetables
Favorite foodie hangout: The Edible Academy
Social media must follow: @FLOTUS
Name: Brendan Parker
Birthday: 10/14/1987
Grew up in: Glen Cove, NY
Job Title: Assistant Garden Manager, Edible School Yard NYC
One word you would use to describe our food system: Anti-mycorrhizal
Food policy hero: All small organic farmers
Your breakfast this morning: Pastured scrambled eggs on Hot Bread Kitchen Multi-grain toast
Favorite foodie hangout: Roberta’s
Social media must follow: @esynyc
Name: Leah Penniman
Birthday: 6/5/1980
Grew up in: Ashburnham, MA
Job Title: Co-director Soul Fire Farm
One word you would use to describe our food system: Apartheid
Food policy hero: Karen Washington (Dennis Derryk, Malik Yakini are also great)
Your breakfast this morning: Berry-spinach smoothie
Favorite foodie hangout: My kitchen
Social media must follow: Get off the screens and look at the stars
Name: Diana Robinson
Birthday: 11/10/1985
Grew up in: Brooklyn, NY
Job Title: National Campaign and Education Coordinator at Food Chain Workers Alliance
One word you would use to describe our food system: In transition
Food policy hero: Karen Washington
Your breakfast this morning: Tea, oatmeal and half a grapefruit
Favorite foodie hangout: Veggie Castle in South Richmond Hill, Queens is a vegan Ital restaurant that has an amazing jerk “Chicken” sandwich and great fresh juices and smoothies.
Social media must follow: @CivilEats
Name: Milan Taylor
Birthday: 3/8/1989
Grew up in: Far Rockaway, Queens
Job Title: CEO Rockaway Youth Task Force
One word you would use to describe our food system: Hopeful
Food policy hero: Huey P. Newton (Black Panther Party Free Breakfast Program)
Your breakfast this morning: Banana
Favorite foodie hangout: Don’t have one but I’m open to suggestions
Social media must follow: Rockaway Youth Task Force (Shameless Plug) [@RockawayYouth]
Name: Ashley Tyrner
Birthday: 10/2/1983
Grew up in: Illinois and Arizona
Job Title: Founder & CEO of Farmbox Direct
One word you would use to describe our food system: Backwards
Food policy hero: Sam Kass
Your breakfast this morning: Kale, Spinach, Apple, Ginger smoothie. Avocado toast.
Favorite foodie hangout: Blue Hill
Social media must follow: Michelle Obama LETS MOVE! [@letsmove]
Name: Claire Uno
Birthday: 4/11/1979
Grew up in: Maine
Job Title: Assistant Executive Director at Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University
One word you would use to describe our food system: Unsustainable (in every sense)
Food policy hero: Toni Liquori, Founder and Executive Director of School Food FOCUS
Your breakfast this morning: Coffee, yogurt, fruit (banana and frozen blueberries), muesli
Favorite foodie hangout: Columbia Greenmarket, open Th/Su year round, located in between my apartment and office
Social media must follow: Politico’s Morning Ag
Name: David Vigil
Birthday: 5/22/1981
Grew up in: Northern California
Job Title: Project Director, East New York Farms!
One word you would use to describe our food system: Divided
Food policy hero: Lorrie Clevenger, Rise and Root Farm
Your breakfast this morning: Pasture-raised fried eggs and sourdough toast. Every day.
Favorite foodie hangout: East New York Farmers Market.
Social media must follow: Owen Taylor @seedkeeping (IG)
Name: Christopher Wayne
Birthday: 5/18/1985
Grew up in: Easton, CT
Job Title: Director, FARMroots, GrowNYC
One word you would use to describe our food system: Budding
Food Policy Hero: Barbara Turk
Your breakfast this morning: Hawthorne Valley Farm yogurt and granola with frozen strawberries and New York State maple syrup
Favorite foodie hangout: Greenmarket’s Summer Fridays, where, as bartender, I’ll pour you a drink
Social media must follow: @rodaleinstitute
Name: Kimberley Wong
Birthday: 33-years-old
Grew up in: SF Bay Area
Job Title: Program Director, BronxWorks
One word you would use to describe our food system: Inequitable
Food policy hero: Karen Washington
Your breakfast this morning: Avocado and humus sandwich
Favorite foodie hangout: Farmers’ markets in the Bronx!
Social media must follow: #not62 and Welcome2theBronx.com
