I have always loved food. I used to say food was my hobby. When I was nine that meant that I really enjoyed the act of eating food (think Winnie-the-Pooh with a jar of honey). In college, I learned to unpack what it meant to eat nutritious and culturally relevant food. Now, food has dispersed into my every waking moment: I want to know where it comes from, who’s growing it, the practices we’re using to disrupt or replenish our soils, why obesity and hunger are consequences of food apartheids, whose money controls our food system, and what I can do to increase access.The food system is broken. We’ve known about that for a long time and there are many solutions out there. My skill set is in understanding how these systems work and having the language to transition academic theory into practical and tangible application. I have a knack for identifying problems, recognizing the underlying inefficiencies or assumptions that are causing the problem, and seeking out the creative solutions. My strong leadership draws people together and unites us around a common goal. In 2012, the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Major launched at UC Davis. As a student and Peer Advisor in its first graduating class, I saw how this behemoth of an interdisciplinary major was failing its students and stepped in to fill the gaps. Students lacked access to their advisors, resources on how to graduate and fulfill their internship requirements, and a clear career path post-college. During my three years as a Peer Advisor, I led the advising staff through creation of new advising positions; established class rosters, internship guidelines, and career fairs; and facilitated cohesion between students, staff, and advisors across a myriad different departments and colleges.In 2015, Nugget Market launched its Sustainability Program. When I assumed the helm of Sustainability Coordinator in 2017, I had a strong foundation of environmental best practices to work with but no shared understanding of the benefits of sustainability for economic growth or social welfare. During my four years as Sustainability Coordinator, I gave the company a language to talk about sustainability and thereby established sustainability as a part of the culture.Let’s connect on how you’re working to increase food access and what solutions you find most effective. Tell me your favorite food, and if you’re local, tell me your favorite Sacramento restaurant or coffee shop.