Meet Your Event Hosts

  • Ertharin Cousin currently serves as the Managing Director and CEO of FSF Ventures, an impact investment fund, and as the CEO of Food Systems for the Future Institute, the Fund’s sister nonprofit. Each organization supports her vision of a world without hunger and malnutrition.

    Ambassador Cousin also serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; a Bosch Academy, Robert Weizsäcker Fellow; and as a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University, Center on Food Security and Environment. From 2012 until 2017, Cousin led the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as Executive Director. During her tenure, the 14,000-member WFP annually provided life sustaining food assistance to over 80 million people. Under her leadership the organization began the longer-term work of identifying, championing, and implementing more sustainable solutions for global hunger and malnutrition.

    In 2009, Cousin was nominated and confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome. Where she served from 2009-2012. Prior to her global hunger work, Cousin helped lead the U.S. domestic fight to end hunger, serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of America’s Second Harvest, now known as Feeding America.

    Cousin’s private sector experience includes several years of corporate retail leadership with Albertsons and Jewel Food stores. Cousin is currently a member of the Bayer AG Supervisory Board, the Mondelez International Board of Directors, Board Chair of Allwyn-North America, and a Trustee of the African agriculture thinktank, Akademia2063.

    Cousin is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago; the University of Georgia Law School and the University of Chicago Executive Management Program in Finance for Non Financial Executives. She has been listed numerous times on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women List, as Fortune’s Most Powerful Woman in Food and Drink, on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list, and as one of the 500 Most Powerful People on the Planet by Foreign Policy magazine.

  • Carbonell Family Executive Director 

    As Executive Director, Dean champions the institute’s mission to change the world through the power of food. She is a renowned national food policy leader with more than 30 years of experience in the government and non-profit sectors, dedicated to improving nutrition assistance for struggling Americans and tackling barriers ingrained within nutrition programs. Her distinguished career includes her most recent role as the Deputy Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, where she led the Administration’s work on federal nutrition programs. In this role, Dean was instrumental in strengthening the agency’s efforts on food and nutrition security as well as local food systems and resilience. 
     
    Prior to her role at USDA, Dean served as the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she led their research and advocacy work on federal nutrition programs as well as other safety net programs. She has authored scores of papers and analyses on federal nutrition programs, testified before Congress and has been frequently quoted in the media, including the NYTimes, Politico and other publications. 
     

    Stacy holds a Master’s in Public Policy and a BA from the University of Michigan 

Meet Your Speakers

Keynote

  • Thomas J. Vilsack was confirmed as the 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture on Feb. 23, 2021 by the U.S. Senate. He was nominated by President Joe Biden to return to a role where he served for eight years under President Barack Obama.

    Under Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is Investing in America by restoring the American economy, strengthening rural and historically underserved communities, responding to threats of climate change, creating good-paying jobs for American workers and the next generation of agricultural leaders, and investing in our kids and our families.

    Secretary Vilsack is spearheading a transformation of the food system by creating more, better, and fairer markets and ensuring that the food system of today and the future is more resilient and more competitive globally. It will also offer consumers affordable, nutritious food grown closer to home.

    From excessive drought to more extreme fires, our producers, farmers and ranchers are on the frontlines confronting the challenges associated with climate change. USDA is engaging the agriculture and forestry sectors in voluntary, incentive-based climate solutions to improve the resiliency of producers and to build wealth that stays in rural communities. Additionally, USDA is advancing investments in science and research to offer producers a toolbox to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

    Secretary Vilsack continues to take bold, historic action to reduce barriers to access for historically underserved communities. By working to ensure all aspects of civil rights and equity are integrated, USDA is rooting out generations of systemic racism and building systems and programs inclusive of all USDA employees and customers.

    Secretary Vilsack is also focused on ensuring Americans have consistent access to safe, healthy, and affordable food. USDA is investing in bold solutions that enhance food safety, improve the various far-reaching and powerful nutrition programs in the Department, and reduce food and nutrition insecurity in America.

  • Leslie G. Sarasin is the president and chief executive officer of FMI – The Food Industry Association. Under her leadership, FMI has emerged as a member-centered organization helping food retailing venues find new and future facing ways of feeding families and enriching lives. A committed collaborator, Sarasin has infused FMI with a vision of cooperative action that amplifies the association’s ability to assist its members in addressing the critical industry issues of the day.  

    Prior to joining FMI nearly 15 years ago, Sarasin spent 19 years at the American Frozen Food Institute, serving as president and CEO for the last nine of those years. She also held positions at the National Food Brokers Association, Crest International Corporation and Salomon Brothers. Sarasin holds a JD from the University of San Diego and a BA in economics from Smith College.  

    Sarasin is admitted to practice law in California and the District of Columbia. Her professional, social and personal commitments are reflected through service on the Boards of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Partnership for a Healthier America, and the Congressional Hunger Center, as well as the CMA Board of Advisors at the National Association of Manufacturers. Additional leadership roles include membership on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100 and active participation in the International Women’s Forum of Washington, D.C., where she recently served a two-year as president. 

    Sarasin has been recognized multiple times among Supermarket News’ “Power Fifty,” Progressive Grocer’s list of “Top Women in Grocery” and Mass Market Retailer’s “Most Influential Women.” She was awarded the prestigious Hospitality Good Scout Award by the Boy Scouts of America in 2019. In 2021, Sarasin was named “Association CEO of the Year” by CEO Update.  

  • Kevin Kelley, AIA is a principal of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm he cofounded with Terry Shook, FAIA, in 1992 in Charlotte, NC. Since 2002, Kevin has headed up the Los Angeles office of the firm and works with a team of Perception Managers and Experience Designers. Kevin holds two degrees in architecture from the University of NC at Charlotte and has spent much of his career developing a process that combines business, science, and design into one integrated approach he calls perception design. Kevin’s specialty is getting inside the minds of consumers to determine how the physical environment affects their behaviors, perceptions, and purchase decisions. Kevin has worked closely with the executive leaders of many well-known companies, such as Harley-Davidson, Whole Foods, Kraft, Cadbury, The J.M. Smucker Company, The Cleveland Orchestra, and USAA, in their efforts to develop new kinds of immersive brand experiences that have the power to convene people in places. He has also taught courses at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a sought-after speaker on the lecture circuit in the US and Asia. 

Speed Talk Speakers

  • C.D. Glin is President of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact for PepsiCo. In this role, Glin leads the organization’s social- and community-driven impact efforts and a portfolio of global employee engagement programs. Glin oversees the Foundation's strategic direction, leading internal and external engagement around The PepsiCo Foundation's three core pillars of creating equitable access to nutritious food, safe water, and economic opportunity. 

    Prior to joining PepsiCo, Glin began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa during the Mandela administration. He also served as President and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation, Associate Director of The Rockefeller Foundation and Vice President for Business Development at PYXERA Global. Further, as an appointee in the Obama Administration, Glin was the first Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Global Partnerships for the Peace Corps. In 2011, Glin was honored as a Champion of Change in Civic Engagement and International Service by the White House. 

    Glin earned his B.A. from Howard University, a Masters-level diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford and completed the Leadership for Senior Executives Program at Harvard Business School. He and his wife, Jacqueline, have three daughters. 

  • Emily Broad Leib is a Clinical Professor of Law and Founding Director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic, the nation’s first law school clinic devoted to providing legal and policy solutions to the challenges facing our food system. She is also the Director of Harvard Law School Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation. Working directly with clients and communities, Broad Leib champions community-led food system change, access to healthy foods, and sustainability in food production. She received her B.A. from Columbia University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude. 

  • Founder & Acting CEO

    Compassion Coalition (1999–Present)

    Pastor Mike Servello is the visionary Founder and Acting CEO of Compassion Coalition, a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting underserved communities through essential goods, food security initiatives, and support services. Since re-assuming his role as Executive Director in 2016, Pastor Servello has steered the organization through remarkable growth, expanding its programs to serve thousands across New York State and beyond. Under his leadership, Compassion Coalition operates Bargain Grocery, an innovative grocery store model that offers low-cost, healthy food in food desert areas. The flagship store, a 12,000-square-foot facility in West Utica, has become a vital resource, and, in response to growing demand, a second Bargain Grocery was opened in Troy, NY. 

    In 2023, Pastor Servello led Compassion Coalition through a major expansion, purchasing and renovating a 150,000-square-foot warehouse in Frankfort, NY. This new facility has significantly amplified the organization’s capacity for storage and distribution, enabling the Coalition to serve more communities and address critical needs more effectively. Through this hub, Compassion Coalition distributes well over $50 million in fair-market-value products and services annually, aiding local families, nonprofits, and partner agencies working to combat poverty and food insecurity. 

    Pastor Servello’s dedication to serving those in need extends beyond his administrative role. He previously served as the Chairman of the Board for Compassion Coalition, where he contributed to shaping the organization’s long-term strategy and mission. His work continues to foster meaningful partnerships with farmers, nonprofits, faith-based groups, and governmental agencies, all aimed at building sustainable solutions to hunger, poverty, and economic hardship. Pastor Servello remains committed to making a lasting, positive impact on his community and beyond, inspiring others through his unwavering dedication to compassion, service, and social equity. 

Armchair Conversation - Seizing Success in Every Community

  • Gordon Reid serves as President of Stop & Shop, a great local brand of Ahold Delhaize USA. Founded in 1914, Stop & Shop now has more than 370 stores across the Northeast and employs nearly 50,000 associates.

    Prior to joining Stop & Shop in 2019, Gordon Reid served as President of Giant Food and led the brand to the number one market share position in each of its local markets. Under his leadership, the company made healthy eating easier and affordable, while also growing home delivery and transforming the shopping experience with the customer top of mind.

    Reid has more than 40 years of international retail experience. Before joining Giant Food, he worked as CEO of China and Deputy Regional Director of North Asia for The Dairy Farm Group in Hong Kong. Previously, he spent time at Tesco in various leadership roles and worked in a variety of countries such as Hungary, India and China. He also previously worked at Boots in the United Kingdom for 15 years, where he held general management roles, and at A.S. Watson Group spending time in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. He started his career as a pharmacist in 1984.

    Reid holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, U.K., and a Master’s of Business Administration from Nottingham University Business School in the U.K. He serves on the Board of Directors at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

    Gordon and his wife reside in Boston, Mass.  

  • Ms. Freishtat is the Senior Director of Feeding Change with the Milken Institute and leads the food systems portfolio. She is an experienced director, transformative leader and strategist with a 20-year track record developing and implementing food system policies and programs. Holly served as Baltimore City’s first Food Policy Director and Chief of Food Policy & Planning where she founded and directed the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative. She holds an M.S. in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, a B.S. in Nutrition from the University of Vermont, and an executive certificate from Carey Business School.’

  • Steve Brophy is Dollar General’s vice president of public policy & government affairs. 

    Steve joined Dollar General in 2009 and has held leadership roles in both government affairs and supply chain. In his current role, Steve leads our relationships with government officials at the federal, state, and local levels. 

    Prior to joining the company, Steve spent 20 years in Washington, DC primarily as a Congressional staffer managing Appropriations and assorted legislative issues for two U.S. Senators (Fred Thompson and Bill Frist) and then Chief of Staff for a U.S. Congressman (Marsha Blackburn). Beyond his Capitol Hill experience, Steve served on the research staff of the Center for Naval Analyses, a Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation, and as a senior consultant with KPMG developing a series of acquisition wargames for senior Navy program managers.

    He earned his Master of Business Administration from Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University and his Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Middle Tennessee State University.  He also holds a Certificate in Public Leadership (PLC) from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  Steve represents Dollar General in a host of industry organizations including the Public Policy Steering Committee of the Retail Industry Leaders Association and as Chairman of the Tennessee Retail Association, a graduate of Leadership Nashville and a Fellow of the 109th Congressional Stennis Center for Public Service’s Congressional Staff Fellows Program.

Panelists

Panel - Community & Independent Grocery Leaders

  • Aaron “AJ” Johnson is the Owner & CEO of Oasis Fresh Markets and Oasis Fresh Foundation. Before Oasis opened in 2021, North Tulsa, near Historic Greenwood’s Black Wall Street district, had been labeled a ‘food desert’ for over 14 years. AJ became passionate about contributing to long term health for residents in underserved communities when he learned that the life expectancy was 11 years shorter than other parts of Tulsa. Now his vision to create an Oasis in the middle of a food desert has become a reality. 

    Oasis exists to eradicate food deserts by providing fresh and healthy access to all. Oasis Fresh Market aims to change the narrative of America’s underserved populations by bringing grocery innovation to food deserts across the nation. Oasis offers vital resources to families and connects them with local assistance programs that will exponentially increase their livelihoods. AJ is honored to build bridges for customers, community residents, and employees with valuable resources to improve health and wellness from a holistic lens. “The word Oasis means refuge, safe place, shelter,” AJ says. “We offer more than just groceries. We’re equipping people for life!” 

    AJ is a graduate of The University of Tulsa and was nominated Distinguished Alumni in 2022 for his work in North Tulsa.  

  • Maxfield Kaniger is dedicated to addressing food insecurity through his work at Kanbe's Markets, a Kansas City nonprofit focused on making fresh produce accessible to underserved communities. Through initiatives like Healthy Corner Stores, food rescue efforts, and prescriptive food programs, Kanbe's Markets has grown steadily, supporting local neighborhoods and working with healthcare providers to integrate food as part of holistic care. Maxfield is passionate about creating meaningful, long-term change by fostering collaboration and efficiency within the nonprofit sector, welcoming other organizations into Kanbe's shared warehouse space to increase collective impact. 

  • Since coming from an executive background in the for-profit workplace and joining StarkFresh as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2014, Tom has been dedicated to improving the lives of ALL who live in Stark County, regardless of their background, circumstances, or status, and this dedication is matched by the creative enthusiasm he brings to the StarkFresh team. 

    Originally from Connecticut, this New England transplant has called Stark County, OH, his home for over a decade.   

    Tom spends his spare time going on adventures with his family, playing board games, and learning more about subjects he is passionate about. 

     

Panel - Partnerships for the Win

  • Jason Wilson is a respected leader, convener, and solutions-oriented collaborator in the nonprofit food sector, creating positive change for more than 20 years. As the SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), Jason is leading the movement for food equity in the United States. In his role, he connects national and local partners from across sectors to help ensure that everyone in the US has access to foods that build health. Before joining PHA, Jason helped launch and build Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign for more than a decade.   

    Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is the premier national non-profit founded alongside Former First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign in 2010. PHA leverages the collective power of the private sector, non-profits, and government to break down the systemic barriers to nutritious, affordable, and culturally affirming food — and create a food system that supports a better future for us all.   

  • Larry Stablein is a seasoned Retail Executive with extensive experience in Marketing, Merchandising, Procurement and Capital planning. He has a successful track record of innovative strategic planning and lead re-structuring support for companies/divisions of all sizes.

    Stablein began his career at Jewel Osco in Chicago, building grass roots and lead management experience in virtually all areas of Retail Operations. He led the rollout of the industry’s first major Loyalty Card Program, extensive Fresh Foods innovation and accelerated performance of the industry’s leading Food/Drug combo store formats. Stablein also served in various lead management positions for corporate parent, American Stores, including responsibility for marketplace portfolio management and a capital program in excess of $1 billion annually.

    Following the 1999 merger of American Stores and Albertsons, Larry became the EVP of Marketing & Merchandising for Albertsons. Extending his experience in North America, Stablein served as the EVP of Merchandising at Loblaw Companies, Ltd., Canada’s largest Food & Drug retailer, supporting a network of Corporate and Franchised stores across multiple formats.

    Stablein is President of L.A.S. Management, a retail consultancy providing support to Retail, CPG, Research and Investors/Equity firms looking to solidify and grow their position in the Retail Industry.

    In addition to his executive career, Larry supported the World Food Programme (WFP) in implementing innovative retail and supply chain strategies in support of it’s humanitarian efforts in the fight against hunger worldwide. The food arm of the United Nations, WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.

    Stablein earned his BA degree in Economics at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL and his MBA from DePaul University, Chicago.

  • Nyssa Entrekin is a Registered Dietitian and Associate Director of Community Based Programming at The Food Trust with over a decade of experience in the field of nutrition in both community and clinical settings. She specializes in public health nutrition and has created and implemented several nutrition education programs in a variety of settings, including farmers’ markets, corner stores, grocery stores, senior centers and food pantries, including Heart Smarts, which is an evidenced-based curriculum written for small retail settings. She has spent over a decade working in corner stores, working with owners to make healthy foods affordable in their stores. She currently works mostly in NJ on a statewide corner store program which includes a network of 180 stores across 14 counties, but also supports The Food Trust’s local, regional, and national Healthy Corner Store work. 

  • Rial Carver is the Program Leader for the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University. Rial earned her Master of Regional and Community Planning from Kansas State University in 2019. Prior to moving to Kansas, Rial worked as the Sustainability Coordinator at Virginia Tech Dining Services where she increased local food sourcing, implemented composting initiatives, and initiated a reusable to-go container program. She received a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in Civic Agriculture and Food Systems from Virginia Tech. Rial has worked with the RGI team since 2017. 

  • Yael Reichler serves as the Director of Healthy Corners at DC Central Kitchen, overseeing Healthy Corners operations and programming, the USDA GusNIP program, the Store Navigator program, and DC WIC at corner stores.

    Healthy Corners partners with over 50 small retailers and sells almost half a million units of produce a year to neighborhood stores in food insecure communities, with an emphasis on local produce procurement. Prior to joining DC Central Kitchen, Yael managed DC-based farmers markets at FRESHFARM where she developed relationships with small, regional farmers and implemented market-based Food Access Programs.

    Yael also supported the launch and development of The Oberlin Food Hub for four years, an organization born out of a local Climate Action Plan in Northeast Ohio, where she promoted local food access to wholesale buyers and worked with community farmers. She served on the Oberlin Food Hub Board for an additional four years. Yael holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in food and agriculture, from Oberlin College. 

Panel - Successful Investment Models

  • Kahfii King (she/her) is Program Manager for Equitable Food Systems. She supports grantmaking and technical assistance for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), the New Jersey Innovative Healthy Food Retail Initiative, and the Philadelphia Food Justice Initiative.

    Prior to the Reinvestment Fund, Kahfii worked for eight years across the food access sector, including previous positions as a farmers market manager, a project manager at The Food Trust, advocating for and implementing the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (PA FFFI), Massachusetts Food Trust Program, and the GusNIP “Food Bucks” program.

    Most recently, Kahfii worked as a manager at Compass Working Capital, managing the organization’s comprehensive online technical assistance tool for practitioners of the HUD Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. Kahfii holds a B.A. in Political Science from Butler University and a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) with a concentration in Urban Sustainability degree from Indiana University-Indianapolis. 

  • Lyneir Richardson is Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers Business School and serves as the Executive Director of the university’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. Lyneir is also CEO of The Chicago TREND Corporation, a commercial real estate firm that owns six urban shopping centers and provides economic advisory services to corporations, government agencies and large philanthropic organizations. Previously, Lyneir was the CEO of the primary economic development corporation in Newark, NJ attracting investment and jobs to the city during two mayoral administrations.

    Prior to that he also served as Vice President of General Growth Properties Inc. and led a national initiative to develop shopping centers in urban underserved areas. Early in his career, Lyneir was named a U.S. Small Business Administration "Young Entrepreneur of the Year." He began his career as a corporate attorney at the First National Bank of Chicago.

    Lyneir holds an appointment as a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution and as a Wealth Innovation Fellow of the Aspen Institute. He graduated from Bradley University and the University of Chicago Law School.

  • Tariq is a Food Systems expert working on business development and strategy in the Deputy Mayor’s office in Washington DC to grow the District’s food ecosystem. He spearheads the creation and implementation of programs and strategies which increase amenity-rich neighborhoods to address inequitable food access. Prior to this experience, he worked with the District’s Food Policy Team and was responsible for implementing the policy agenda, commitments to international cooperative agreements, and served as an advisor for food system resiliency and programming. As a former chef, Tariq led the food production operations at DC Central Kitchen and was responsible for over 6000 daily meals for public and charter schools, shelters, and childcare centers. He has also worked as a food systems consultant supporting sustainable solutions for Fortune 500 companies both domestically and abroad. 

    Alongside his advocacy and operations work, Tariq serves on the District’s Food Policy Council and the Executive Committee of the DC Good Food Purchasing Coalition. Tariq holds a Master of Public Health from George Washington University, and degrees from Johnson & Wales and Rutgers Universities. 

Closing remarks

  • Ertharin Cousin currently serves as the Managing Director and CEO of FSF Ventures, an impact investment fund, and as the CEO of Food Systems for the Future Institute, the Fund’s sister nonprofit. Each organization supports her vision of a world without hunger and malnutrition.

    Ambassador Cousin also serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; a Bosch Academy, Robert Weizsäcker Fellow; and as a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University, Center on Food Security and Environment. From 2012 until 2017, Cousin led the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as Executive Director. During her tenure, the 14,000-member WFP annually provided life sustaining food assistance to over 80 million people. Under her leadership the organization began the longer-term work of identifying, championing, and implementing more sustainable solutions for global hunger and malnutrition.

    In 2009, Cousin was nominated and confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome. Where she served from 2009-2012. Prior to her global hunger work, Cousin helped lead the U.S. domestic fight to end hunger, serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of America’s Second Harvest, now known as Feeding America.

    Cousin’s private sector experience includes several years of corporate retail leadership with Albertsons and Jewel Food stores. Cousin is currently a member of the Bayer AG Supervisory Board, the Mondelez International Board of Directors, Board Chair of Allwyn-North America, and a Trustee of the African agriculture thinktank, Akademia2063.

    Cousin is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago; the University of Georgia Law School and the University of Chicago Executive Management Program in Finance for Non Financial Executives. She has been listed numerous times on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women List, as Fortune’s Most Powerful Woman in Food and Drink, on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list, and as one of the 500 Most Powerful People on the Planet by Foreign Policy magazine.

  • Carbonell Family Executive Director 

    As Executive Director, Dean champions the institute’s mission to change the world through the power of food. She is a renowned national food policy leader with more than 30 years of experience in the government and non-profit sectors, dedicated to improving nutrition assistance for struggling Americans and tackling barriers ingrained within nutrition programs. Her distinguished career includes her most recent role as the Deputy Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, where she led the Administration’s work on federal nutrition programs. In this role, Dean was instrumental in strengthening the agency’s efforts on food and nutrition security as well as local food systems and resilience. 
     
    Prior to her role at USDA, Dean served as the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she led their research and advocacy work on federal nutrition programs as well as other safety net programs. She has authored scores of papers and analyses on federal nutrition programs, testified before Congress and has been frequently quoted in the media, including the NYTimes, Politico and other publications. 
     

    Stacy holds a Master’s in Public Policy and a BA from the University of Michigan 

  • Stephanie Johnson, is the Vice President of Government Relations for the National Grocers Association. Johnson oversees federal legislative and regulatory affairs on food, nutrition, and health care policy for independent grocers. Through advocacy, collaborative leadership, creative communications, and scientifically anchored solutions, Johnson leads NGA in addressing policy issues with SNAP, WIC, the supply chain, and pharmacy reimbursement.

    She is a former health, education, labor, nutrition, and appropriations advisor in the U.S. Senate. Prior to working on the Hill, she used her expertise as a registered dietitian to empower organizations to optimize federal regulatory and legislative landscapes on food, nutrition, and public health policy.

    Johnson earned degrees in food and nutrition, and cell biology and neuroscience, from Montana State University and received her registered dietitian nutritionist training at Virginia Tech. She cares deeply about the role dietitians play in health care and the food system and she is continuously looking for ways to move the profession forward.