People

Prior to co-founding the Berkeley Food Network, Sara (she/her) served as director of the Berkeley Food Pantry, where she became aware of the need for innovative, out-of-the-box solutions to the thorny problem of food insecurity in Berkeley. She strongly believes that food assistance work must be done in a way that best respects and meets the needs of those being served. Sara has worked in non-profit development for the past twelve years, raising funds and awareness for local independent K-8 schools and organizations that support foster children, youth, and families. She has also worked directly with foster youth in Alameda County. Sara brings her background in American History and Public Policy to her work at BFN.

Erika (she/her) joined the growing BFN team in December 2020 as Executive Assistant, bringing with her a wealth of administrative support experience from a variety of organizations both large and small. The driving constant in her career has been to contribute in some way towards realizing a better world for all, a principle that has taken her to the fight for same-sex marriage, labor rights, and criminal justice reform. Erika was born in San Francisco, raised in Petaluma, and has been living in Berkeley since 2006. She is honored by the opportunity to work in and for her community.

Andrew (he/him) is from Manchester, New Hampshire. Andrew’s lived experience with food insecurity has set him on a path to establish equitable food access as a fundamental right. He is an alumnus of the University of New Hampshire and Boston University with diverse work experiences ranging from scientific research, hospitality, international education, and public health leadership. He has a history of volunteerism and community engagement with nonprofits in tackling food insecurity across the country. In recognizing the power of food to build community, heal, and share knowledge, he is motivated to be a part of BFN to reduce barriers and improve food access in East Bay communities.

Perry Hall (she/her) has worked for over 12 years coordinating volunteers at non-profits engaged in environmental education. She is passionate about the difference that volunteers can make and works to match each volunteer’s abilities and motivation with the needs of the organization. Perry is excited to be a part of making good nutrition more accessible to members of the Berkeley community that she calls home. She looks forward to collaborating with staff and volunteers to expand BFN’s partnerships with local businesses and organizations.

Emma (she/her) has been working in the world of food justice and community organizing as a farmer and garden educator. She was born and raised in the Bay Area and is grateful to be a part of BFN’s community-based work to recover and redistribute food in an area where she has deep roots. When she is not in the BFN warehouse, you can find Emma hiking the trails of the East Bay, tending plants in her front yard, or taking a polar plunge in the Pacific Ocean.

Jo (they&she) is a non-binary Latinx person from the greater Los Angeles area. Jo started their food justice journey working at grocery stores and doing volunteer work with mutual aid projects. They are looking forward to learning more about making healthy food accessible to all, and connecting with other food justice organizations. When Jo is not working or volunteering, she spends her time making music, painting, skating, and enjoying time with nature and loved ones.

Oscar (he/him) first started working in the food justice field with Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland. Assisting and problem-solving with the volunteers is his favorite part of working at BFN. Oscar is a huge computer enthusiast who also enjoys playing video games with friends. Already bilingual, Oscar is further expanding his skills with Japanese language classes, and hopes to also begin studying Chinese as soon as he has the opportunity.

Deb (she/her) is a former chef, caterer and food event consultant, and has been active in other Bay Area non-profits including Jewish Youth for Community Action (JYCA) where she was a board member and the Berkeley Community Fund. Deb retired from her role as a restaurant chef around 2000, and since that time has catered, planned, consulted and executed on food-related events and programming in the Bay Area for several non-profits and educational institutions including The Nature Conservancy, JYCA, Congregation Netivot Shalom, the St. Paul’s Episcopal School and Berkeley High. Deb holds a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University. Prior to her food-related non-profit work, Deb was a staffer for the Greenbelt Alliance, a non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization in the Bay Area since 1958.

Dona (she/her) has held faculty and academic administrative positions for the California Community Colleges System Chancellor’s Office, the College of Marin, Chabot College, and Allan Hancock College. Dona also served as the president of the California Chief Instructional Officers Association. She has worked as a consultant to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the James Irvine Foundation, particularly in the area of education in community colleges. She has been a consultant to multiple California college districts, and she regularly co-presents a course for new chief instructional officers. Dona is faculty in the Enrollment Management Academy at Claremont Graduate University, and is a co-author of the California Community College Chief Instructional Officer Manual. A resident of Berkeley, CA, Dona holds a Master of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, and completed coursework and exams for a doctorate in Political Science from UC Berkeley. “I have been concerned about food insecurity and have been a supporter of the Alameda County Community Food Bank for many years."

Rana (he/his) is a Strategy Consultant at Strategy& (part of the PwC network), and an MBA from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business. He has served in leadership at Haas, in Vice President of Admissions and Vice President of Social Impact roles. Rana earned dual BS degrees in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona in 2015. Rana's prior work experience includes time at Goldman Sachs and Rakuten, working in various strategy and operations roles. At Goldman Sachs, he headed up the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program through the firm’s relationship with the nonprofit. Rana has spent time in East Africa working on various social initiatives such as HIV/AIDS eradication in rural Tanzania and fighting child pregnancy in Uganda, and he is passionate about putting an end to food insecurity globally. Rana is obsessed with all things food and cooking. He is an avid traveler, an adventurous eater, and a certified SCUBA diver, looking to discover the world’s next best hole-in-the-wall.

Susan (she/her) co-founded and later served as President of MPR Associates, a Berkeley education research and consulting firm. She specialized in issues related to college access and success and student financial aid. After retiring, she turned her attention to food insecurity and food waste issues and has been an active volunteer for the Alameda County Community Food Bank. She has a bachelor’s degree from McGill University, a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley and a PhD in Public Administration from New York University. “After working in many public policy areas, I have come to appreciate the urgency of addressing food insecurity in our community. Without adequate and nutritious food you can't be healthy and you can't succeed in school or work."

Chuck (he/his) also serves as Board President of the Berkeley Community Fund, which provides scholarships, mentoring and other forms of college success support to resilient Berkeley High School seniors from low-income backgrounds, most of whom are first in their families to attend college. Chuck “retired” in 2010 after orchestrating the sale of the global legal recruiting company he co-founded. During 20+ years in that industry, Chuck was a career advisor to countless attorneys, and a key staffing partner to many of the Bay Area’s premier companies and law firms. He was previously a lawyer at a global 50 firm and a founder and executive editor of a monthly legal publication, which he subsequently sold. Chuck holds a BA in American Government from the University of Virginia, and a JD from the UCLA School of Law. “My interest in food insecurity issues springs from a number of years volunteering at — and being inspired by the work of — the Alameda County Community Food Bank."

Kate (she/her) is also a founding partner at North Berkeley Investment Partners, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm that provides investment management and financial planning services to families, individuals, trusts, and foundations. North Berkeley puts particular emphasis on client-centric life planning, socially responsible investing, and community engagement. Kate holds a BA in Chinese Language and Culture from Dartmouth College and an MA in Cultural Anthropology from UC Berkeley. “I’ve been interested in food access issues since the early 1980’s when I first moved to Berkeley for graduate school and worked in a food coop and was active in efforts to develop organic certification for agricultural products. Every element of life is supported when people have access to food that supports their health, and their community tradition. I want to be part of making that happen."

Allen (he/his) is a Director for Benefit Street Partners, an Institutional Alternative Investment division of Franklin Templeton, overseeing relationships with Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), Family Offices, Private Banks and other accredited fiduciary investors. Allen received his BA from San Francisco State University and earned his MBA from the University of San Francisco. Born, raised and a longtime resident of Berkeley, Allen and his family have personally witnessed food insecurity issues with college students and senior citizens and are very passionate about doing their part to help.

Gilda (she/her) is a seasoned attorney with extensive experience advising global companies on commercial, employment, privacy, intellectual property and corporate governance matters. For the past nearly 14 years, Gilda held leadership roles at AECOM, a publicly-traded, Fortune 500 infrastructure consulting firm, where she served as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. Prior to her tenure at AECOM, Gilda was Assistant Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at ABM Industries. Gilda received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Irvine, and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. Gilda is a long time resident of the Bay Area and is passionate about social and economic justice issues, notably food insecurity and issues impacting women and other underrepresented minority groups. Gilda is also a member of the Board of the Center for WorkLife Law, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization at UC Hastings Law School committed to advancing the rights of women and minorities.

Mirna (she/her) is a first-generation Latina with a demonstrated history of 10 years working in the nonprofit sector. She is currently the Associate Director of The Multicultural Institute, a community-based nonprofit organization addressing Latinx Immigrant community's issues in three counties of the California Bay Area. Her personal and first-hand experience shape her career and passion for programs and initiatives tailored towards the immigrant community. Mirna's work experience centers around Community Outreach to the day laborer and domestic worker community, Direct Service to monolingual Spanish speaking immigrant adults, Nonprofit Administration and Development, Donor Cultivation, and Grant Writing and Contract Management. With a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from University of California Berkeley Mirna is pursuing a Masters of Nonprofit Administration at the University of San Francisco.

Patrice (she/her) is the coordinator of Daily Bread, an all-volunteer organization whose mission is to redirect excess food that local food vendors donate to groups that house and feed people in our community, including pantries, senior and youth centers, drop-in centers, free meal programs, and shelters. Prior to retirement, she was also principal associate at an energy efficiency consulting firm where she managed projects and teams of analysts to enable and enhance programs that help customers all across the country save energy and water. Previously, Patrice founded and managed her own consulting company for fifteen years, and became the founding executive director of Association of Demand Side Management Professionals, the first association to support and advance professionals working in the energy efficiency field. Patrice holds a BS in mathematics and economics from the University of Arizona, and an MS in Civil Engineering from University of California Berkeley. She is an avid hiker and food lover. “About 20 years ago I answered a teeny ad in the East Bay Express asking for help delivering food donations for Daily Bread. I never looked back. This small effort tapped into two things that matter to me greatly: reducing food (and other) waste and feeding people in need. People need to eat every day and every day we still waste almost 40% of food ever prepared. I’m energized by the growing commitment of food vendors and community groups to address food insecurity, and the great spirit of volunteerism here. Together, I know we can make more good things happen.”