Each year we invite new members to join our Alumni Council to bring fresh perspectives and passions to the group. They are here to support all alumni in launching initiatives they’d like to start, in lifting their voices to FoodCorps’ National team, and in advancing their career goals post-FoodCorps. Meet the Council members below and learn about their goals for the year.
Kendal Chavez, NM ’12-’13: Kendal is the Farm to School Specialist/Nutritionist at the NM Public Education Department. Prior to joining Farm to Table, Kendal served as a service member in the inaugural class of FoodCorps in 2011, and then the state fellow for the FoodCorps New Mexico program. Kendal is a proud Chicana from the San Joaquin Valley of California who now calls the expansive beauty of northern New Mexico her home.
Elizabeth Esparza, CA ’16-’17: Elizabeth graduate student in the Public Policy program at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo with a focus on Food Policy. Before starting graduate school, I served two terms as a FoodCorps Service Member, with the Pittsburg Unified School District in Pittsburg, CA, and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in Santa Rosa, CA. This summer, I will also be interning with Los Angeles County Public Health Department on a Food Redistribution Initiative, and also recently started a communications internship with the National Farm to School Network.
Tess Johnson, MS ’18: Tess holds a bachelors degree in Community Development from Portland State University. She worked in the nonprofit sector for 8 years with The Boys & Girls Club and The Make A Wish Foundation before leaving work to start a family, she now has 3 beautiful children. Tess and her family moved to Oxford, MS where she served during her service year with Food Corps. She will be going back to school for a Masters Health Promotion in the fall to help her community learn to establish healthy eating habits and rely less on medication.
Stefany Stanbury, MA ’17: A transplant from Florida, Stefany currently lives in Maine and works at one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the state founded in 1828! Stefany currently works in the mental health field, and doubles as a farm feeder for the organization’s educational farm. You can often find Stefany thinking about the number of milkshakes she will drink a day when she finally has enough land to keep cows.
Kaamilah Mitchell, DC ’18: Kaamilah just finished her second year as a service member in D.C. Beginning in the fall she will be attending George Washington University to obtain a Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Nutrition. In her spare time she likes to binge watch episodes of chopped and hanging with friends.
Molly Burke, MA ’18: Molly served in Chicopee Public Schools in Chicopee, MA last year. She is pursuing a career in nutrition and health policy and lives in Boston.
Rebecca Rosencline, MS ’14-’15: Rebecca served with FoodCorps in Jackson, Mississippi from 2013-2015. Since then she has continued to worked in health education, get certified as a Holistic Health Coach and work with hundreds of clients around the country and locally in Texas where she currently resides. Rebecca loves helping tell stories through social media, especially for FoodCorps, and is also in the process of going back to school to become a licensed Functional Nutritionist.
Kala Cuerington, CT ’13 (Fellow CA ’14): Kala was a corps member in New Haven and served as inaugural fellow in California. She has since worked at the Edible Schoolyard and currently works in the program department at Education Outside in San Francisco.
Kane Martin, ‘IA ’16: After Serving in Cedar Rapids, IA Kane went on to become the AmeriCorps Program Coordinator at Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland metro where he keeps up his passion for amateur gardening.
Kate Mitchell, DC ’18: Kate work for an organization called Love & Carrots in DC, which installs and maintains urban gardens all around the DC area! In her spare time, she enjoys going to see live music, listening to podcasts, and binge-watching questionable quality shows on Netflix. She’s so excited to be a part of a program that means so much to her, and can’t wait to get to know you all!
Our Subcommittees & Main Areas of Work
Alumni Grants: The Alumni Council administers our Alumni Grant Program – sending out communications, reviewing applications, and ultimately awarding funds to the most deserving applicants. Interested in learning more? Kendal Chavez chairs this team. Reach out to her on FoodCorps Connect!
Events & Gatherings: This team organizes events & trainings and helps to support and guide the activities of our Alumni Chapters. Kane Martin chairs this team. Reach out to him on FoodCorps Connect!
Communications & Outreach: From Facebook posts to Kale Mail to Humans of FoodCorps spotlights to assembling our Alumni Zine, the Communications & Outreach team helps you stay connected and informed in creative ways. Rebecca Rosencline chairs this team. Reach out to her on FoodCorps Connect!
