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SFPC Community Advisory Board (CAB)

The SFPC CAB consists of stakeholders from different sectors of the food system and represents towns across the region from Fall River to Plymouth. The CAB has been meeting monthly since September 2021 to create a thriving, inclusive, and culturally diverse regional food system in which we all benefit from healthy, accessible, and affordable foods.

The SFPC Community Advisory Board (CAB), using the 2021 Southcoast Food System Assessment completed a community-driven strategic planning process to identify key food system priorities that define the Council’s ongoing work. Meeting monthly, each CAB member is required to participate in one of our four Working Groups (Education & Communication, Food Access, Capacity Building, and Policy) to drive SFPC initiatives forward. We are immensely grateful to each of them for their support and dedication to improving our regional food system..

The SFPC Community Advisory Board (CAB), using the 2021 Southcoast Food System Assessment completed a community-driven strategic planning process defined the Council’s work. Each CAB member is required to participate in one of four Working Groups that meet monthly to drive policy priorities and initiatives forward.

Current CAB members

Katie Ance

Katie Ance
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Diana Bullard
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Cassie_Canastra

Cassie Canastra
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RCharleus

Rutchell Charleus
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Carleen Cordwell

Carleen Cordwell
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Larry D

Larry DeSalvatore
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Nathan Erwin
nathanerwin77@gmail.com
(607) 368-3477

Nathan Erwin
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CFaioes

Catarina Faioes
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VGrasela

Victoria Grasela
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JGray

Jon Gray
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Jane Howard

Jane Howard
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PKuechler

Pam Kuechler
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BL'Etoile

Brooke L’Etoile
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Dale Leavitt_edit

Dale Leavitt
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Allison LeBert

Allison LeBert
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Tom_Leclair_edit

Tom LeClair
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Kristy MacMillen (1)

Kristy MacMillen
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NOliveira

Nickey Oliveira
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Susan Murray
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GPacheco

Gerami Pacheco
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Marissa Perez-Dormitzer

Marissa Perez-Dormitzer
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Stephanie Perks
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Lisa Rahn_edit

Lisa Rahn
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Adele Sands

Adele Sands
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Shaheen_Robert-SNA_edit

Rob Shaheen
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Vanila_edit

Vanila Silva-DaRosa
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Rachael Sirois headshot

Rachael Sirois
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Laura_Smith_edit

Laura Smith
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Rodney Solomon

Rodney Solomon
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Aliya Steele
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Steph_Taylor_edit

Stephanie Taylor
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Tess Washburn

Tess Washburn
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Ashley Whewell

Ashley Whewell
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Interested in joining the CAB? Please email sfpc@marioninstitute.org or call 508-748-0816 x110. New members onboard annually in January however you will be waitlisted until winter.

In Honor of Peter Muise, former Chair of the CAB

Peter MuiseIt is with heartfelt sadness and gratitude that we remember and honor Peter Muise, the Southcoast Food Policy Council’s (SFPC) Community Advisory Board Chair. Peter passed away on July 6, 2022 after a courageous, 19 year-long battle with cancer. Peter was a tenacious advocate for the betterment of the Southcoast, whether the issue was homelessness, education, regional resiliency, or supporting new business ventures. Those who had the pleasure of working with him know how he approached each issue, even cancer, with humor, determination, patience, thoughtfulness, and love.

When the pandemic began in early 2020, Peter began attending our weekly SFPC emergency response meetings. He also started calling me after each meeting and emailing me in-between the meetings to ask questions, propose ideas, and offer feedback. As the rate of food insecurity rose on the Southcoast, so did Peter’s responses, concerns, and interest. It was an easy decision for our newly formed SFPC Community Advisory Board (CAB) to elect Peter as its inaugural Board Chair, a position he enthusiastically accepted and performed this past year, often from an infusion chair or in the car driving to and from treatments in Boston. We also acknowledge his amazing wife Robin for all her support and attentive listening as she was always bravely by his side for all of these discussions and meetings.

Peter’s support and mentorship was instrumental as we developed the core infrastructure of the SFPC and the policies and procedures that will guide us long into the future. I am honored and grateful to have shared this experience with him. You can read more about this remarkable man and his many achievements here.

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Ashley Whewell

Ashley Whewell

Ashley Whewell is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist dedicated to supporting her community through Coastline's Meals on Wheels program. With a strong foundation in biology and sustainability, Ashley earned her Master's degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion from Simmons University in Boston, MA. Over the past five years, Ashley has specialized in nutrition for older adults, with emphasis on food security and education in the community. In addition to her professional pursuits, Ashley is passionate about cooking, rock climbing, and hiking.

Tess Washburn

Tess Washburn

Tess Washburn is a Registered Dietitian from Mattapoisett. She received her B.S. in Nutrition from UMass Amherst and gained experience in clinical dietetics before pivoting her career to public schools and child nutrition. Her experiences volunteering and interning with the New Bedford Community Health Center, the Summer Food Program, and as a cooking class facilitator for Kids’ Test Kitchen helped shape her passion. She then completed a M.A. program in Food Studies at the American University of Rome in Italy. While in Rome she spent time volunteering on an agroecological farm and conducting research on Rome’s Food Policy Council while her coursework focused on food policy and sustainability.

Rodney Solomon

Rodney Solomon

Rodney Solomon joins the Southcoast Food Policy Council with extensive experience in food sector operations and workforce development. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he spent five years in management roles with leading hospitality and restaurant groups in New York City. Rodney then led operations at an innovative food service startup, expanding its services and building partnerships with top companies. In 2019, he moved to New Bedford and became Director of Workforce Initiatives for the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, where he led a workforce program in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Training. Rodney is passionate about creating sustainable systems and fostering collaboration to improve food systems and workforce solutions across the region.

Adele Sands

Adele Sands

Adele Sands is the Education Liaison for LeftField Program Management and was the Superintendent/Director of Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton. She has previously worked as the Director of Student Services in both vocational and traditional schools. In all of her administrative roles, Adele has seen how food insecurity directly impacts families, particularly how it affects students' ability to access their education. This is one reason why Adele is so committed to the work of the SFPC.

Marissa Perez-Dormitzer

Marissa Perez-Dormitzer

Marissa Perez-Dormitzer has served as the Waste Reduction Manager for the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District for 26 years. She works with the District’s two member communities - New Bedford & Dartmouth - to educate residents about waste reduction, implement new programs, and apply for and manage grants. Marissa graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering.

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Gerami Pacheco

Gerami Pacheco is the Elder Nutrition Program Director for Coastline Elderly Services, dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of senior citizens through balanced, nutritious meals. With three degrees from Johnson & Wales University in Nutrition, Culinary Arts, and Baking & Pastry Arts, he expertly blends his culinary skills with a passion for geriatric nutrition. With 10 years of culinary experience and 5 years focused on senior care and nutrition, Gerami has a proven track record in program management and community outreach. He is committed to creating a sustainable meal program that addresses the unique needs of the new-age elderly population, fostering a supportive environment that promotes healthy eating and active independent living among seniors throughout the greater New Bedford area.

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Nickey Oliveira

Nicky Oliveira (they/them) is a first-generation college student and social worker born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts. They received their bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMASS Dartmouth and are pursuing their master’s in social work with a macro focus at Boston University. They have 6 years of experience in social services, working in adult residential programs, children’s psychiatric inpatient, LGBTQ+ youth casework, and community center coordination. They are passionate about how local, state, and federal policies impact the social determinants of health. Nicky loves learning from individuals about their experiences in systems and how specific policies affect their abilities to meet their material needs.

Kristy MacMillen (1)

Kristy MacMillen

Kristy is a bachelor’s prepared Registered Nurse with over 13 years of healthcare experience. She currently works at the New Bedford Health Department where she provides public health nursing services to the residents of New Bedford, Fairhaven and Acushnet, with an emphasis on health equity and community wellness. Prior to joining the Health Department, Kristy was the Professional Development Specialist at Tobey Hospital where she developed the curriculum and training that prepared all Emergency Room nurses. Combining her clinical expertise with a passion for health and wellness, Kristy competes professionally as a natural bodybuilder and in 2019 established K&M Training and Nutrition along with her husband, Matthew. Kristy resides in Fairhaven, MA with her family, including two sons Maxwell and Benjamin.

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Brooke L’Etoile

Brooke L’Etoile is currently the Health & Food Access Director for PACE, Inc since March 2023 when the PACE Community Food Center opened. She has been a staff member of PACE, Inc. since 2014 as a Health Access Navigator certified by the Massachusetts Health Connector to assist members in the community finding affordable health insurance. She has embarked her way over the course of the past 10 years to serve her community in as many ways possible. With the decision to keep Health and Food a priority; joining both departments at the Community Food Center. She is an active member of local Health Equity Practices as well as Food Insecurity advocacy groups. She holds a Degree in Business Management Leadership. She is a proud mom of Five children and is passionate about connecting the community with resources to better improve the quality of their lives.

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Jon Gray

Jon Gray is a Senior Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner at the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), which is the regional planning agency serving 27 municipalities in Southeastern Massachusetts. In this role, Jon collaborates on a range of municipal and regional planning activities towards advancing a safe, connected, and equitable bicycle and pedestrian network across the region. Jon assists local communities in developing plans and accessing funding for shared use paths, complete streets, improved access to transit services, and affordable car-free travel options for residents and visitors alike. Prior to his role at SRPEDD, Jon founded a small urban farm in Taunton and later served on the staff of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP). He holds a Master’s of Sustainability Science with a concentration in agriculture and food systems from UMass Amherst, as well as a certificate in Sustainable Food & Farming from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Jon grew up in Dighton, and now lives in Taunton with his wife and three daughters.

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Catarina Faioes

Catarina Faioes is the Community & Family Support Coordinator at Fall River WIC and immigrated from Portugal in 2006. Fluent in four languages, she is also the Chair of the Greater Fall River Child Protection Council and serves on several advisory boards in the Greater Fall River area, including the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), SourceHub, and the Domestic Violence Coalition. As a mother to a wonderful boy, Catarina is deeply passionate about promoting health equity and advocating for racial, environmental, and food justice. Committed to creating a fairer world, she believes that everyone should have access to the resources needed for a healthy life. In her free time, she enjoys trying new recipes and spending time in nature.

Carleen Cordwell

Carleen Cordwell

Carleen Cordwell, a New Bedford native and second-generation Cape Verdean American, has been an active leader in the New Bedford community for over 40 years. Carleen is dedicated to empowering residents to use their voices to demand equal access and inclusion on various issues.

An entrepreneur with extensive experience in the hospitality and food service industry, Carleen is currently working on a project to establish an incubator for economic stability and a think tank focused on providing healthy, affordable food access in the community. Carleen looks forward to serving on the CAB board and sharing her knowledge and insights to benefit her community.

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Rutchell Charleus

Rutchell is a certified Holistic Health Coach with a deep passion for behavioral science, holistic and preventative healthcare, and early intervention. With over three years of experience as a weight loss coach and consultant—combined with her work as a school Behavioral Consultant and ABA Therapist—she is committed to empowering individuals and communities to achieve better health outcomes. A firm believer in the principle that “food is medicine,” Rutchell advocates for community-driven solutions to bridge the gap between necessity and accessibility.

As the coordinator of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for the YMCA Southcoast in Massachusetts, she is dedicated to addressing social determinants of health. She looks forward to advancing these efforts while completing her bachelor's degree in Public Health in 2026.

Katie Ance

Katie Ance

Katie Ance is the Social Services Coordinator for the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard. She works from their satellite office in New Bedford and assists Tribal Members nationwide with numerous programs and services offered by the Tribe and state. Previously, Katie was the Emergency Response Team Coordinator for the Tribe that assisted with wellness outreach, non-congregate housing, testing and vaccine clinics, food distributions, and technology connectivity. She is working to reestablish the food distribution program and change numerous policies internally to better serve her underprivileged indigenous community.

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Aliya Steele

Aliya is passionate about advocacy, the whole person concept, and community-led results. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Prairie View A&M University and a Juris Doctor from Roger Williams University, School of Law. Although she is not a native New Englander, she enjoys the yearly true four seasons and wintertime activities.

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Rachael Sirois


Rachael Sirois was born and raised in Fall River and now proudly works at the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River in the role of Resource Development Director. Rachael believes that central to the Boys & Girls Club’s mission (to enable all youth to reach their full potential as caring, productive, and responsible citizens) is equitable and consistent access to healthful and nutritious food. Rachael graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Art History and returned to the Southcoast of Massachusetts after 8 years in New York and abroad, with a new appreciation for the beauty of our region. She currently lives in Dartmouth with her family.

Nathan Erwin
nathanerwin77@gmail.com
(607) 368-3477

Nathan Erwin


Nathan Erwin is an institutional organizer, conflict mediator, teacher, and poet. From New Yorks’s Twin Tiers, the northernmost range of Appalachia, he works with relational power to increase land access, farm equity, and agroecological knowledge and capacity.

Nathan serves as the Director of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust where he runs farmer support programs across the Northeast and assists in indigenous reparation and land repatriation processes. Prior to these roles, he has trained, facilitated and organized in the fields of public health, transnational education, and agriculture across Europe, Central America, East Africa, and the United States.

 

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Sarah Cogswell


Sarah Cogswell is a Farmer and co-founder of Cluck & Trowel Family Farm in Little Compton, RI. She is the 'Farmer in Charge' of all things vegetable. Born and raised on the South Coast, Sarah has been a strong supporter of farms and local agriculture throughout her career. Sarah is the former Executive Director of The Livestock Institute and has Sarah developed many close relationships with area farmers during her 7+ years working with agricultural non-profit organizations. Sarah has a BS in Natural Resource Economics from UMass Amherst.

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Cassie Canastra


Cassie Canastra
sits on the board of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, where she played an integral role in ending NOAA’s groundfishing ban. She was a part of the New Bedford Fisherman Tribute Fund and a former board member at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. Cassie is the Marketing Director of BASE, she wears many more hats including the lead behind a digital system that will implement traceability in groundfishing. Cassie resides in Fairhaven, MA and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master's Degree from the SMAST, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

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Susan Murray


Susan is the Executive Director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP), a nonprofit that supports equitable access to local, healthy food and sustainable farming practices across Southeastern MA. Susan also owns and manages Flying Carrot Farm in Dartmouth with her husband, Tony, growing vegetables sustainably and raising chickens on pasture. She has been involved in local food system work for the last decade, previously working for both Coastal Foodshed in New Bedford and The Livestock Institute of Southern New England in Westport. Susan has a Bachelor and Master degrees in wildlife biology, with a focus on bat ecology. 

 

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Dana Siles


Dana has been a professional wedding, event, and portrait photographer since 1998 and saw the need for food recovery in her industry. In 2014, she co-founded Feeding Our Neighbors, an initiative to educate fellow event professionals about the law and the need for donating unused food after events. In 2017-2024, she joined Rescuing Leftover Cuisine’s (RLC) mission to redistribute surplus food to feed people, not landfills. RLC crowd-sources community members as “Rescuers” to transport food from businesses to nearby nonprofits that serve people facing hunger and food insecurity, using their custom-built web application to make it easy for businesses to donate surplus food. Dana is available for public speaking commitments to educate professionals and businesses, non-profits, institutions, schools, and other groups about laws, tax incentives, and logistics regarding food donation. 

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Alison LeBert


Ali LeBert is the Manager of Community Health and Wellness at Southcoast Health. In her role, she oversees the organizations community benefits activities, such as the community health needs assessment process and program development in collaboration with partners to improve health equity and overall wellness throughout the South Coast. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Masters Degree in Health Care Administration and Management from Salve Regina University. She is a lifelong South Coast resident and a proud mom of one daughter and three fur-babies.

 

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Katlynn Kisla


Katlynn is a Registered Dietitian whose career is rooted in dietetics; applying science to prevent/manage disease and promote health. Her work experience has been heavily centered around the community and food access. Katlynn practices through a grassroots, whole-body perspective, and integrates components of well-being and sustainability. Deeply passionate about the natural world, Katlynn seeks to combine professional training with care for the earth, and is committed to supporting the expansion of the local food system in Southeastern, Massachusetts. Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors (hiking, kayaking, gardening) as well as cooking, thrifting, and making art.

Jane Howard

Jane Howard


Jane Howard became interested in nutrition when expecting her first child. Jane was a stay-at-home mom of six children for 20 years. About 20 years ago, she began focusing on holistic science. She was an active member of La Leche League for 10 years.  Jane is concerned about food equity and food waste and feels the most important human right is to have access to healthy whole foods. Jane thinks community education is essential for the physical and mental health of people, as well as the health of the planet. Jane discovered The Marion Institute at the beginning of the pandemic with the monthly Bio-Bites program. As an avid gardener, Jane wants to get involved in all The Marion Institute programs to help spread the word about their work. Jane and her husband recently established Mattapoisett as their residence after visiting for over 50 years.

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Joana Goncalves


Joana B Goncalves was born and raised in Cabo Verde and immigrated to the US at age of 22 in 2001. Joana’s goal as a Community Health Worker and Lead CAC at the New Bedford Health Department is to ensure that the minority population and non-English speakers always have a voice and access to all important information and resources such as Health care, food security, community events, and more in our community in their own language taking into consideration cultural background. Joana holds a Certification for Community and Medical Interpreter (CV Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish) from Bristol Community College, she is a Community Health Worker and a Certified application Consular for MassHealth and Health Connector. Joana is also on the Human trafficking task force with the New Bedford police department, a Board member of the Cape Verdean Recognition Committee, and a Member of the Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford.

 

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Judi Duveen


Judi Duveen grew up in Illinois, served in the US Navy, then lived and raised a family in New York on Long Island. She moved to Massachusetts in 2020 and is a retired IT Project Manager, having worked chiefly in health care and later public radio. She became passionate about the environment as a key to the future of our health and well-being and earned a Certificate in Environmental Sustainability in 2008 and later became a Climate Reality Project Leader. She also worked with the Sierra Club in New York, advancing energy sustainability with local legislators and public presentations. She became especially convinced that food safety, adequate nutrition, and sustainability are key human health and environmental sustainability drivers. In addition to the SFPC, she is active with the Climate Reality Project- Southcoast Chapter.

 

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Larry DeSalvatore


Larry DeSalvatore is an educator and an active faith leader. He has taught history and social studies at the high school level, human development at the college level, served as assistant principal and principal at charter schools, managed youth employment programs, and recently retired from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In the Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven, he guided the social justice outreach, creating the Justice and Service Newsletter, and organizing the South Coast Progressive Voices speaker series. He holds a B.A. in History from the College of the Holy Cross, an M.A. in Teaching History from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Boston College.

 

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Diana Bullard


Diana recently retired as Vice President of a litigation consulting firm where she focused on simplifying complicated or technical information, graphics development, and communication. She has deep experience in project management, relationship development, and studio management. For over 20 years Diana lived in the Baltimore area where she developed a program that connected Head Start students with older student “mentors”, started a rural day camp for inner city kids, and supported an urban gardening program and soup kitchen in the city.  Since moving to the Southcoast, she has become involved in several community organizations in New Bedford and Dartmouth. She is passionate about alleviating food insecurity both at the grassroots level and at the education and policy level. She looks forward to using her skills to further these efforts.

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Marlene Cerritos-Rivas


Marlene Cerritos-Rivas is a health equity advocate and a community organizer at heart. Her passion for ensuring every person has access to quality health care led her to a career in public health with a special focus on racial equity. 

Her goal is to serve the undocumented immigrant community, using data to properly shift funding mechanisms and tackle structural barriers. Marlene has a special interest in measuring and evaluating systemic change with a gender and racial lens. Marlene currently works as a Health Equity Program Manager for Partners in Health and coordinates Mujeres Victoriosas, a grassroots group of immigrant women advocating for changes in education and health with a focus on leadership development and empowerment.

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Vanila Silva-Roque


Vanila Silva-Roque immigrated from the Cape Verde Islands in 1992 and has since been a resident of New Bedford. She joined the M.O.L.F.E., Inc. team in 2020 as a Pre-Employment Transition Specialist and oversees the M.O. Food = L.I.F.E Food Pantry, a collaborative venture with the Hunger Commission of Southeastern, MA. Vanila holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science Degrees in Business Information systems and Portuguese from UMASS Dartmouth. Vanila is a certified Business and Community Interpreter with Language Connections in Boston and is fluent in Cape Verdean Creole, and Portuguese and speaks Spanish. 

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Tracy (Teresa) Gerety–Ibbotson, M Ed.


Tracy (Teresa) Gerety-Ibbotson is the Administrative Director of Community Health Benefits at Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River. She works in partnership with community organizations to address the health needs of the populations served. Previously, Tracy was the Loaned Executive to the Greater Fall River United Way. Tracy is committed to the community and also served as the Board of Directors for the Fall River YMCA, the Chamber of Commerce on the Ambassador or New Member Committee, and the Board of Directors at Saint Anne’s in the Rotary Club of Fall River. Tracy has a B.A. in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross, M.A. in Health Promotion from Bridgewater State University, and an M.A. in Program Evaluation & Research from Boston College. Tracy is engaged in the health improvement of the community and feels privileged to serve.  She describes her leadership style as “collaborative”.

 

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Laura Smith 


Laura is a fifth-generation farmer and owner of Oakdale Farms and Lane Gardens in Dighton, Rehoboth, and Seekonk. The farms perform safe and environmentally friendly practices producing vegetables, fruits, herbs, laying hens, as well as value-added products for the local community. Besides farming, Laura is a science education consultant working with school districts in Massachusetts.

Laura is passionate about growing produce naturally to help maintain the healthy soils in the farmland as well as educating adults and children about agriculture and the importance of eating well and a healthy lifestyle. Laura serves as a board member of SEMAP (South Eastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership), MSELA (Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association), CHNA-27 (Community Health Network Association of the Cape and Islands), as well as the MA Food System Collaborative HIP Campaign Coalition and Campaign to Expand Food Literacy.

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Erik Rousseau


Erik Rousseau is a transit enthusiast with 17 years of industry experience. For the past 11 years, Erik has had the honor of serving as the Administrator of the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA). Erik earned degrees from Manchester Community College and the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Attending community college was the beginning of an appreciation for public transportation and the unique challenges the riders faced. At UConn, Erik drove buses for the campus service and was later recruited to work with a private transportation company that afforded him the opportunity to work up and down the eastern seaboard. Erik came to SRTA during a period of transition. Before the pandemic, Erik and the team at SRTA had nearly doubled the ridership by increasing frequency, the span of service, and, most importantly, improved reliability & affordability. That experience has proven vital as SRTA has emerged as a nationally ranked leader in ridership retention as we build for tomorrow.

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Tom LeClair


Tom was raised in Bangor, ME, and attended Husson University where he received a BS in Finance. Currently, Tom is working with Black Earth Compost as Business Development Officer since 2019 to divert food scraps away from the solid waste stream; recycle these volumes into valuable soil amendments to regenerate our degraded soils that support all living species. Tom has over 25 years of experience in sales and lead generation, business development, procurement, and customer service in various industries from financial services and mortgage lending, payment processing, waste recycling, petroleum energy markets, and retail sales. 

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Victoria Grasela


Victoria Grasela is the VP of Marketing and Community Engagement at United Way of Greater New Bedford and has been at United Way since 2009. In her role, she oversees the organization’s work in food insecurity and manages the Hunger Commission, a food rescue and delivery service that works to increase food access in the region.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Westfield State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. She is a lifelong resident of New Bedford.

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Richard Vacca


Vacca has a B.S. in biology and chemistry and Juris Doctorate (Law) and received his certification from the Urban Farming Institute (Boston) in 2016. Rich worked in the private sector as an aquatic/marine toxicologist, wetlands scientist and environmental permitting specialist, nuclear and environmental engineer shellfish aquaculturist. He had a law practice in environmental and estate planning. Rich operated a small aquaponic farm and apiary in Carver. He is currently working for the Town of Plymouth as the Conservation/Agriculture Planner. He provides technical and legal support for the Plymouth Conservation and Agricultural Commissions.

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Stephanie Taylor


Stephanie Taylor worked for 35 years in social services and have seen directly the effect of hunger in her community. She was formerly a Program Manager for United Way of Greater New Bedford at the Family Resource and Development Center. Her work now involves applying that to using fruits and vegetables to combat the disease in our community through the Martha’s Vineyard Vegan Society. Stephanie is Chair Commissioner of Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women (BCCSW), the Executive Administrator for Martha's Vineyard Vegan Society, a Cannabis Patient Care Specialist for NETA, and Leadership Southcoast Alumni.

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Christine Sullivan


Sullivan is the Director of Development for Coastline Elderly in New Bedford. Prior to that, Christine specialized in animal nutrition and helping farmers maximize performance. Christine received a master’s degree from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and have worked in the area of public health and nutrition for the past 6 years. She has managed a small business, worked in a large corporation, and found her niche in the non-profit sector. 

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Robert Shaheen


Robert Shaheen graduated from Westfield University with B.S. in Finance and Business. He had worked for 25 years as a General Manager between Uno Chicago Grill, Panera Bread, and Friendly's. He is a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official. He has been a School Nutrition Association Member, a Director of Food Services Wareham Public Schools and currently the Director of Food Services since 2018 with the New Bedford Public Schools.

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Lisa Rahn


Lisa Rahn is the Community Outreach Director at YMCA Southcoast where she coordinates the Full Plate Project, the Y’s partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank. Having previously managed a chronic disease prevention program for the Florida Department of Health, she is passionate about educating people on the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and increasing the accessibility of nutritious food.

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Gioia Persuitte 


Gioia Persuitte is an epidemiologist that specializes in nutrition, lifestyle and behavioral interventions, and chronic diseases, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She has designed and conducted lifestyle and behavioral interventions for over ten years. Gioia’s vision is that all individuals have access to science-based nutrition data and that the distillation of this information is easy to understand and culturally competent to ensure all individuals are empowered in their food and lifestyle endeavors. Gioia currently works at the New Bedford Health Department in Substance Use Prevention. 

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Stephanie Perks


Stephanie Perks started her career working on a farm, learning about our farmers' agricultural realities. She became a Registered Dietitian, studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. She worked at Mass in Motion Bedford to find the root causes of chronic diseases that were ailing people. She also worked at Southeastern MA Food Security Network (now the Southcoast Food Policy Council), tackling food access inequities. She co-founded Coastal FoodShed, which has created different market channels and supply chains for farmers and food producers to sell more locally grown/made food through Southeastern MA. Stephanie also serves on the Board of SEMAP and the New Bedford Local Cultural Council.

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Dale Leavitt


Dale Leavitt is a retired Emeritus Professor of Marine Biology from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. He spent twenty-two years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Aquaculture Extension Specialist at Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. His entire professional career has focused on aspects of shellfish biology and culture. He continues as a principal in an engineering consulting company designing seawater systems for research/educational facilities and is a partner in two shellfish/kelp farms in Fairhaven and Mattapoisett, MA.

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Pam Kuechler


Pam Kuechler has served as the Executive Director of PACE, Inc., the Community Action Agency serving greater New Bedford, since July 2018. She rejoined the PACE family after 6 years as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association. Prior to her time at MHSA, she spent 17 years working in PACE, Inc.’s Child Care Work’s Program. Over the course of her career, she has participated in policy and systems development at the federal, state, and local level focused on topics related to supporting and providing opportunities for vulnerable populations. She received a BA in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire. She is a lifelong Southcoast resident and proud mom of two grown children and two dogs. 

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Wendy Garf-Lipp


Wendy Garf-Lipp is the Executive Director of United Neighbors of Fall River/Community Connections Coalition, which works towards secure and stable families, the promotion of peace and tranquility and optimum family support. Educated both in MA here and in the Middle East, Wendy spent seven years living in the Middle East working with residents of small villages in Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. She lives in with her husband on a small organic homestead, with a huge garden, chickens, and turkeys. She has a personal mission of teaching folks how to can and preserve the bounty from their gardens thereby insuring healthy, local food year long. She is confident that she can help repair the world and invites you to join in her initiatives.

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Rachel Davis


Rachel Davis has five years of successful leadership in health care and currently serves as the Director of Southcoast Health’s Community Health & Wellness Department. She specializes in building and maintaining positive community relations across various sectors, and leading programs to advance population health and reduce health disparities across the south coast region. Rachel believes strongly that all individuals should have equal opportunity to achieve their full personal potential and is committed in her work to improve community health and wellness, especially in at-risk or underserved populations. 

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