NETWORK mobilizes a diverse national movement of justice-seekers—a beloved community—who will consistently exercise their power to influence federal policies- regardless of ZIP code, race, creed, economic status, gender, or sexual orientation- that dismantle systemic racism, center equity and reparatory justice, achieve economic justice, secure our democracy, and protect our common home.

I am a passionate advocate for justice, equality, and empowerment, with over 20 years of experience in fostering equitable and trust-based philanthropy. I work to build a regenerative economy and contribute to creating inclusive, sustainable societies that focus on resilience and equity, using less extractive methods.<>Mission-Driven Investment Committee Co-Chairperson (2022) - Leading a committee to integrate ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and mission-aligned investments into decision-making processes, ensuring that our investments reflect social justice values. Outcome: a Responsible Investing Statement and a committed impact investment<>Trustee Board Member (2020 - Present) - Collaborating with fellow board members to guide the foundation’s strategic direction and ensure effective governance within a trust-based consensus structure, guiding the allocation of nearly $9M annually to social justice organizations addressing education, migrant & human rights, environmental sustainability, food justice, and women financial empowerment<>Strategic Oversight Committee (2018 - 2021) - Contributing to long-term strategic planning, including developing annual work plans to better align with the Foundation's values and mission.<>Northwest Area Committee Chair (2016 - 2021) - Led efforts to direct resources and strategic focus toward initiatives in the Northwest region, ensuring alignment with the Foundation's commitment to social equity.Additional Impact:+ Grant Review Process: Conducted due diligence on over 300 grant proposals each year with a trust-based approach, prioritizing meaningful evaluations and open conversations with applicants. This collaborative process enriched our grant-making decisions, grounding them in the needs of the communities we serve.+ Community Impact: Panelist at international and domestic conferences on impact investing and philanthropy, advocating for social and racial equity through strategic capital investments.

As a professionally trained plant-based nutrition chef, I founded Real Food Personal Chef Services to provide tailored meal solutions for clients with unique dietary and medical needs, including prenatal mothers, individuals with autoimmune disorders, transplant and cancer patients, and those with chronic diseases. My commitment to local and sustainable food practices while driving business success and fostering community health is integral to my business success.<>Business Growth: Achieved over 400% growth annually in the first five years and sustained reliable growth over the past 12 years, driven by a loyal customer base. Increased client base by four times through exceptional service and referrals, maintaining an impressive client retention rate of 85%, significantly above the industry average, with a focus on high-net-worth clients.<>Team Leadership: Successfully recruited and retained a skilled team of chefs, fostering an employee-centered work environment that emphasizes a healthy culture. Implemented a self-designed profit-sharing plan to motivate and reward staff.<>Operational Management: Oversaw all employee operations, including payroll, compensation packages, and tax reporting. Provided operational oversight and budget supervision for 13 client portfolios.<>Culinary Innovation: Developed and managed a comprehensive internal recipe database of over 5,000 recipes, utilizing a customized CRM to streamline operations and enhance client satisfaction.

At MovingWorlds Institute, a social enterprise dedicated to scaling world-changing ideas, I participated in a transformative fellowship that empowered my transition to social impact work. The organization collaborates with corporations, impact investors, accelerators, and foundations to design impactful programs aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This experience deepened my understanding of social entrepreneurship and equipped me with the tools to contribute to meaningful change in communities worldwide effectively.<>Comprehensive Learning: Engaged in self-paced learning models, case-based projects, and live workshops, gaining a broad education in the social impact sector.<>Key Focus Areas: Developed expertise in human-centered design, systems mapping, impact investing, and social innovation, while enhancing skills in networking and partnership building.

As the founder of The Little Free Pantries Project, I spearheaded a collaborative initiative that brought together food security agencies, community groups, and volunteers to build and distribute over 250 food pantries across the Northwest and Canada. My leadership was instrumental in overseeing a dynamic volunteer base while executing essential startup functions such as fundraising, marketing, community engagement, and storytelling.<>Community Access: In less than a year, I established a network of low-barrier, 24/7 access points to food, effectively addressing the “last-mile” logistical challenges by organizing community groups and food agencies to construct and distribute thousands of pounds of food weekly.<>Collaborative Leadership: Fostered a culture of community building through relationship-focused programming and consensus-based outcomes, leading a dedicated team of 40 volunteers in our startup efforts.<>Volunteer Recruitment: Recruited 40 core volunteers and over 200 pantry hosts, including graphic designers, marketing experts, & data scientists, to develop outreach messaging through culturally relevant graphic videos, photo interviews, youth artist programs, & community flyers.<>Network Expansion: Grew the pantry network from 0 to 200+ locations and played a vital role in the ongoing operations that led to the incorporation of a Washington state nonprofit. Collaborated with agencies and nonprofits to establish a food collection and distribution system for eight neighborhood pantry networks.<>Data-Driven Strategy: Mapped city demographics to enhance volunteers' understanding of cultural communities while working with graphic designers to create animated graphics showcasing culturally relevant foods for social media outreach.<>Digital Presence: Designed and built a Squarespace website with an interactive "Find A Pantry" map, a storytelling board, and a comprehensive toolkit for pantry hosts and builders, including three pantry design templates.

In this role, I was part of a dedicated team addressing the global food waste crisis at a local level, tackling the food surplus paradox by directing quality food to food banks that serve our community.<>Food Recovery: Successfully recovered 75,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables from Pike Place Market vendors within a three-month period, creating sustainable solutions to food waste and enhancing equitable access to nutritious food for all community members.<>Logistics Management: Oversaw complex logistics and delivery schedules for six Seattle-area food banks, ensuring timely next-day food distribution to meet the needs of local communities.Culturally Relevant Donations: Strategically allocated donations to partner food banks that catered to diverse populations, ensuring that culturally appropriate food items reached clients from various ethnic backgrounds.<>Impact on Community: Contributed to local efforts to address climate change, food insecurity, and economic challenges, while enabling food security partners to access fresh, nutritious, and culturally relevant produce, resulting in a 28% reduction in food waste.

In this position, I successfully cultivated partnerships with community stakeholders and donors while collaborating closely with the board and staff to enhance fundraising efforts.<>Capital Campaign Coordination: Led the outreach team in a fast-paced $14 million capital campaign, successfully engaging the public and raising awareness for conservation initiatives.<>Community Engagement: Organized and led public hikes across 45,000 acres of habitat in Washington's Central Cascades, increasing participation by 15% through strategic relationship-building with donors, corporate engagement teams, non-profits, and outdoor clubs.<>Donor Cultivation: Recruited and developed a community of highly engaged donors by providing enriching programming and learning opportunities that fostered connection and support.<>Fundraising Events: Developed and executed the inaugural live auction event, surpassing fundraising goals by 12% and significantly boosting the organization’s financial support.<>Volunteer Management: Oversaw a team of 50 + auction donation procurement, contract negotiations, and event execution, ensuring a seamless experience for attendees and contributors.

In this role, I successfully developed and executed programs while leading fundraising and marketing initiatives for the brand's flagship store during a period of significant growth.<>Large-Scale Event Management: Planned and executed two major events with 7,000 attendees each, managing a team of 60 volunteers and building partnerships through in-kind donations from national vendors.<>Programming and Engagement: Designed and implemented weekly marketing programs for members and customers, featuring author events, appearances by international celebrities, and educational seminars.<>Increased Attendance: Achieved a 30% increase in average event attendance across all five Puget Sound stores within two years through strategic outreach and community engagement efforts.