2022 Advisory Board Candidates

The time is here for the 2022 Advisory Board elections. We have six new candidates up for election, as well as eight current Advisory Board members up for re-election. Elections are taking place at the SOFSA Open Meeting on Thursday, January 20th. See below for candidate biographies, talents, expertise and areas of interest in food systems work.

New Candidates:

Julia Carboni

Julia Carboni is a Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs at the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; she is also the Chair of Citizenship and Public Engagement. She previously lived in Indianapolis, Indiana where she co-founded the Indianapolis Food Policy Council.

Talents & Expertise:

• Expertise in community engagement, coalitions, and collaboration

• Research focuses on collaborative arrangements designed to address large-scale social issues and social media use and management by nonprofit organizations

• Interest in supporting SOFSA’s community engagement and EIA functions

Represents:

Emergency Food Provider, Consumer/Community Member, Community/Home Gardener, Academia, Non-Profit Organization

Estelí Jiménez-Soto

Estelí Jiménez-Soto is a Professor of Food Studies at Syracuse University Falk College in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. Estelí is motivated by her background as an agroecologist to create more just and sustainable food systems.

Talents & Expertise:

• Utilizes interdisciplinary and participatory research approaches to address problems at the nexus of food, agriculture, and the environment

• Expertise in ecological processes at the farm level, biodiversity conservation, biological pest control, agroecosystem design, food insecurity assessment and more!

• Skillful grant writer whose first language is Spanish

Represents:

• Producer (Urban/Rural), Consumer/Community Member, Research, Agricultural Supports, Environment, Academia

Jeremy DeChario

Jeremy comes from years of experience as the General Manager of the Syracuse Cooperative Market, as well as experience on other non-profit boards. He was key in organizing the coop's expansion in the Salt City Market.

Talents & Expertise:

• General Manager of Syracuse Cooperative Market

• Interested in supporting the Fiscal & Fundraising Committee and supporting the Board’s fiscal monitoring and impact accountability functions.

Represents:

• Market/Grocer, Retail

Emilija Postolovska

Previously, Emilija worked as the Program Director of the Transforming Communities Initiatives where she helped work to get SOFSA off the ground.

Talents & Expertise:

• Experience in philanthropy, multi-sector collaborations and coalitions, and working with diverse populations.

• Long-standing member of SOFSA’s Fiscal & Fundraising Committee 

• Deep understanding of value-based payment systems and social determinants of health, as well as funding stream diversification

Represents:

• Consumer, Community Health

Rachael Ristau

Rachael is the Market Manager at the CNY Regional Market Authority where she works with 500+ vendors over the course of the year.

Talents & Expertise:

• Industry experience in market operations, relationship-building with small-scale food enterprises, event planning, and waste management 

• Interest in connecting SOFSA and its partners with the social and economic services provided by the regional market and to collaborate with likeminded organizations to support local businesses at large. 

Represents:

• Market/Grocery/Retail, Agricultural Supports, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability

Caitlin Toomey

Caitlin is a primary care physician at Upstate University Hospital. She is interested in how we can examine equity and justice in the food system through the lens of nutrition and dietetics.

Talents & Expertise:

• Experience providing primary care to underserved patient populations, with specific expertise in nutrition and obesity

• Deep understanding of the social determinants of health and the health care system

• Serves as co-convener of SOFSA’s Food as Medicine Working Group

Represents:

• Community Health Practitioner, Health System/Insurer

Candidates Up for Re-Election:

Jesse Lyons

Jesse is the Farm Coordinator at Brady Farm, where she works as a producer, coordinating with rural farmers, non-profits and other institutions.

Talents & Expertise:

• Connected to a wide range of stakeholders across the food system

• Familiar with the challenges and opportunities facing Syracuse & the region

• Track record of successful grant-writing for federal, state, and private funders

• Active within SOFSA since its inception in 2019

Represents:

• Producer (Urban), Distributor, Community/Home Gardener, Environment, Non-Profit Organization

Peter Ricardo

Pete currently works as the Product Donations Manager at the Food Bank of Central New York, bringing years of experience in the emergency food system to forge strong community connections.

Talents & Expertise:

• 30-year career as a chef and culinary instructor

• 16 years in food banking

• Connections and experience working with agricultural producers, shippers, processors, warehousers, retailers, and waste recovery

Represents:

• Distributor, Emergency Food Provider, Waste/Food Rescue, Non-Profit

Jonnell Robinson

Jonnell is a Professor of Geography at Syracuse University, specializing in Community Geography and Participatory GIS. Additionally, she is also a founding member and current Advisory Board member of Syracuse Grows.

Talents & Expertise:

• Researcher with expertise in participatory research and GIS

• Background in public health and community organizing

• Strong grant writer and systems thinker

• Good relationships with city officials and experience with zoning ordinances

Represents:

• Academia, Non-Profit

Curtis Waterman

Curtis is a member of the Onondaga Nation, where he works on the Hunting and Fishing Crew at the Onondaga Nation Farm. Additionally, Curtis is an accomplished musician, playing multiple instruments including the harp, harmonica and flute.

Talents & Expertise:

• Active within SOFSA since its inception in 2019

• Provides strong critical thinking and is solutions-minded

• Supporting the launch of the Food & Environment Working Group

Represents:

• Rural Producer, Processor, Emergency Food Provider

• Onondaga Nation

• Other: Non-GMO Seed Collection

Brandy Colebrook

Brandy is the Agricultural Programs Director at Refugee & Immigrant Self Empowerment (RISE), where she has years of experience in grant-writing, budget management and program development.

Talents & Expertise:

• Understanding of the importance of community input and perspective

• Successfully secured USDA funding to support multiple projects

• 5 years experience as a community gardener

• Founded a local buyer’s club to enable community members to purchase food together at wholesale prices

Represents:

• Producer (Urban), Non-profit Organization

Christina Hudson Kohler

In addition to her role as the Egg Processing Manager at her family's egg farm, Hudson Egg Farm, Christina is also the New York Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Chair. She also serves on the Onondaga County Farm Bureau's Board of Directors.

Talents & Expertise:

• Voice and advocate for agriculture

• Connections with agricultural supports

Represents:

• Producer (Rural), Processor, Distributor, Community/Home Gardener

Dave Knapp

Dave has played a pivotal role at SOFSA as a Onondaga County Legislator as well as a member of the Onondaga County Agricultural Council.

Talents & Expertise:

• Years of business experience

• Background in agriculture from dairy farming family

• Relationships with local leaders, governmental and otherwise

• Able to advise and advocate to County Legislature & Ag Council

Represents:

• Producer (Rural), County Government

Rachel Viens

Rachel is the Director of Food & Nutrition Services for the Syracuse City School District. Rachel has on-the-ground and institutional experience with the hunger and food insecurity experienced by residents of Syracuse.

Talents & Expertise:

• Provider of food service to 21,000 students

• Varied perspective on large-scale food distribution and production

• Experience leveraging government aid, grants, and in-kind partner resources

Represents:

• Institutional Purchaser, Emergency Food Provider, Non-profit Organization