Food FutureZ

On-demand research and strategy consulting services to inform advocacy, policy, and strategy for organizations in the food systems arena. Example client deliverables: custom research (rapid evidence assessments, landscape/gap analysis, evaluations), organizational strategic planning, grantmaking strategy SWOTs, concept/background papers. Sarah Zoubek is the president of Food FutureZ, providing on-demand research and strategy consulting services to inform advocacy, policy, and strategy for organizations in the food systems arena. She is passionate about producing healthier food, tackling the root causes of food insecurity, and addressing financing bottlenecks in the food system. Sarah served for eight years as a senior executive overseeing the Duke World Food Policy Center (WFPC) strategy, grant management and relationships, project and research partnership development, and ongoing operations. While at WFPC, Sarah oversaw the planning and launch phases of the center, its management, and a global portfolio of projects. She guided the full center team on research methodology, writing, and communications strategies, designed and facilitated summits on various food topics, and developed project proposals for funding and calls for proposals. Based in the Duke in DC office, she served as a national and international liaison to foster partnerships. Sarah has helped clients create impact around: agricultural production systems for better nutrition and reduced environmental impacts, the global aid architecture for achieving Sustainable Development Goal #2, financing low- and middle-income country smallholders, and expanding donor toolkits from charity to address root causes. At Datu Research, her work on market-based incentives for more environmentally sustainable practices for food producers included supporting the Soil Health Renaissance in laying the groundwork to launch the Soil Health Institute.