Board of Directors
Board of Directors

“I believe that I have a duty and moral obligation to my community, which is much larger than the small bubble I live in. My involvement with Food Forward enables me to contribute to the health, vitality, success, and opportunity of the greater whole. All boats rise in a high tide.“
Scott Jarus, former Food Forward Board Chair
Council of Advisors

Laura Avery
Former Farmers Market Supervisor
Lisa Brennis
Churchill Orchard
Carl Buratti
Empowered Engineering Group, Inc
Jim Churchill
Churchill Orchard
Erica Dent
Chief of Staff to the CAO, AltaMed
Nike Irvin
Managing Director, Civil Society Fellowship of the Aspen Institute
Carrie La Londe
Chief Operating Officer, Valley Fruit & Produce
Neil Newman
Consumer Products Marketing & Brand Executive
Lisa K. Johnson, Ph.D.
Independent Consultant
Diana Rodgers
ED/Manager, Mar Vista Farmers Market
Evan Schlessinger
Consultant, food and beverage industry
Iesha Siler
Public Health Professional
Stevie Shandler
Business Development and Sustainability Director, Shapiro-Gilman-Shandler Co. and General Manager of SoCal Grubmarket
Nancy Volpert
Senior Director, Public Policy & Community EngagementCouncil of Advisors
Ventura County

Rod Cordova
Public Works Department, Sustainability Division
Tobie Mitchell
County of Ventura Public Works Agency, Integrated Waste Management Division
Chris Sayer
Petty Ranch
Suki Sir
The Turning Point Foundation
Sarene Wallace
Food Journalist and Marketing Professional“From the outset, this simple yet brilliant idea—to rescue and donate produce—struck me as both obvious and achievable. Millions and millions of pounds and thousands of volunteers later, Food Forward has far exceeded expectations, efficiently and exponentially. It’s the organization I’m proudest to be associated with.“
Sarah Spitz, Kitchen Cabinet

Culinary Advisory Board
Matthew Biancaniello
Clemence de Lutz
Evan Kleiman
Roxana Jullapat and Daniel Mattern
Michelle Lainez
Annie Miler
Henry Tarmy and Anthony Caspary
David Thorne
Kitchen Cabinet
Margaret Bach
Founding President, Los Angeles Conservancy
Jesse Gilbert
Founder, Dark Matter Media LLC
Joan Hanawi
Social Impact Manager, Lyft
Gay Yee Hill
Media Relations Specialist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Erica Kopmar
Former Harvest Coordinator and Founding Board Member, Food Forward
Mary MacVean
Journalist
Paul Robbins
Founder, British Garden Company
Sarah A Spitz
Former Publicity Director KCRW, Master Gardener, & Master Food Preserver
Board Emeriti
SuzAnn Brantner
David Broering
Carl Buratti
Crystal Frierson
Carol Goldstein
Courtney Gross
Carla Heer
Erica Kopmar
Nancy Volpert
Board Chair Emeriti
Neil Haltrecht
(2015-2017)