News and updates

She/They

Director of Learning & Programs

lmodi@thefoodproject.org

1-781-236-4272

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Ludia Modi-James is a first-generation professional with roots in Sierra Leone and Southern Sudan, and she is passionate about youth development and building strong, vibrant communities. Currently, she serves as the Director of Learning and Programs, where she has the exciting job of creating innovative programs that bring people together and spark positive change across the North Shore and Greater Boston. Her journey with TFP began as a youth participant in The Food Project youth programs, and it has been an incredible full-circle experience for her to now help curate programs that develop young leaders, connect them with community development opportunities, and emphasize the importance of building meaningful relationships. Along the way, she has led amazing teams, collaborated with community partners, and worked hard to secure resources to support youth initiatives. Outside of work, you can find her walking her dogs or on a food adventure trying out something new and delicious!

Co-Director, Strategy & Organizational Support

781-346-6726 Ext. 650

jwang@thefoodproject.org

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John Wang brings two decades of lived experience to his leadership role at The Food Project. John joined The Food Project in 2005 and helped launch its North Shore site as the Youth Programs Manager. Later he served as Deputy Director, where he was responsible for the oversight and development of the organization’s programming portfolio, ensuring that it aligns with and delivers on our vision and mission.

John is a graduate of the International Health Policy and Management program at Brandeis University’s Heller School and holds a B.Sc in Microbiology. John’s experience in youth advocacy spans education, literacy, HIV-AIDS prevention, and community service promotion. He is a proud member and supporter of Rooted in Community, a national youth and food justice network that empowers young people to take leadership in their own communities. Most recently John was a member of the 5th cohort of Culture of Health Leaders, a leadership program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to identify, cultivate, support and amplify the work of leaders advancing the cause of health equity.

Evan’s journey with The Food Project began in 2014 when he joined as a Youth participant. Over the next four years, his dedication and passion for youth engagement led him to assume the role of Crew Leader, culminating in a remarkable story of giving back to the next generation of Youth.

Following high school, Evan pursued his academic interests at Bunker Hill Community College, focusing on Design and Visual Communications. Post-education, he transitioned seamlessly into the nonprofit sector, becoming the Youth Coordinator at Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. Here, Evan played a pivotal role in empowering the youth, showcasing his commitment to fostering positive change.

Currently serving as The Greater Boston Community Program Manager, Evan leverages his unique perspective as an Alumni and Resident of the Dudley Area. His firsthand understanding of the community’s needs and aspirations allows him to drive impactful initiatives that resonate with the community.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Evan is a self-proclaimed foodie with an insatiable curiosity for culinary exploration. Whether embarking on a quest for the perfect Philly Cheesesteak or best farm made ice cream, he embraces the richness of Massachusetts’ culinary landscape. Additionally, Evan finds solace in long drives, exploring the scenic beauty and hidden gems that the state has to offer.

anicolas@thefoodproject.org

Lex transitioned to full-time non-profit work in July 2023, joining The Food Project after a decade working in community journalism as a reporter and editor.

In addition to having authored more than 1,000 pieces of published writing, her eclectic background includes work in greenhouses, directing a summer camp, a Knight Fellowship in multimedia, teaching adult literacy classes and working in restaurants.

Today she oversees The Food Project’s institutional development team, including writing grants, contributing to communications and managing corporate volunteerism.

She loves any meeting that can take place while simultaneously weeding a row of carrots.

gkreitler@thefoodproject.org

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Grace Kreitler is the Grants Associate for The Food Project. She first joined TFP in the summer of 2023 as a Crew Leader for the Greater Boston Seed Crew and spent the fall as a Lincoln Farmworker. She earned a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont in May of 2023 with particular interests in sustainable agriculture, food justice and qualitative research. In her free time, Grace loves to paint, make jewelry, and spend time outdoors.

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Will has worked at The Food Project since 2022 as the North Shore Root Crew Youth Development Manager. Will supervises a cohort of youth employees who work the land and engage in food access projects and community programs. He’s drawn to the work by a love of all things plants and an excitement for seeing youth leadership centered in food justice. Will also enjoys writing, cooking, and engaging with the local organizations and community groups around him.

Associate Director of Youth and Community 

ausuanlele@thefoodproject.org

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Adesuwa began her journey with The Food Project in 2012 as a young person in Seed Crew. She then progressed onto Dirt Crew, then Root Crew, ending her youth experience as a Peer Leader on the North Shore. For Adesuwa, the sense of community that her experiences with the organization have given her has been a driving force both during and after her time in The Food Project’s youth crews. Her philosophy includes creating spaces for young people to exist in their truth and creating spaces where unique conversations can be had about oppression and how young people can make a change in their own way. Adesuwa loves to think about new ways that people can build relationships with the land that are healing and restorative.

Director of Impacts & Initiatives

mgitlen@thefoodproject.org

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Max Gitlen rejoined The Food Project in 2019, and has worked as part of the organization for over six years in total. He brings deep and broad experience in the local food system, including work in the pasture-based sustainable meat industry, with consumer and farmer coops, and as an entrepreneur. Outside of work, Max loves to spend time with his family, in the kitchen, in the woods, and in the ocean.

Outgoing Interim Director

jrosenthal@thefoodproject.org

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Jonathan has been working throughout his adult life to transform the destructive aspects of organizations and systems into a people’s economy centering mother earth. He joined the Food Project in the summer of 2022 to guide and support the transition to new leadership.

He is a serial Interim Executive Director and social change practitioner creating and managing innovative projects and organizations and advising people in the global food and trade justice, new economy, organic and cooperative movements. Jonathan is a co- founder and former executive director of Equal Exchange, the first worker-owned, fair trade coffee company as well as Oké USA, the first fair trade fresh fruit company in the USA. His focus is on providing transformational leadership and organizational healing with a strong commitment to racial justice. Jonathan makes his home in Watertown, Massachusetts with his partner and is the parent of two adult children

Youth Development Manager – Greater Boston Root Crew

tphan@thefoodproject.org

617-792-6076

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Tu began working with youth at Northeastern University where he studied Cultural Anthropology and International Relations. During that time, most of his work was focused in the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston. After college, Tu both trained as a Farm Apprentice with the Urban Farming Institute in Boston and a Grower’s Assistant under Danielle Andrews at The Food Project—starting in 2018. Tu now supervises Root Crew throughout the year, supporting The Food Project’s most experienced youth cohort as they tackle advanced farm tasks and collaborate directly with community members to better the local food economy. Tu works with young people to establish strong roots as they begin to figure out their future careers. In his spare time, Tu travels to distant continents. “Traveling is escaping. It makes me feel small and insignificant and yet feel so connected to the wonders of the world.”

Boston Farms Manager

617-422-1322 Ext. 130

dandrews@thefoodproject.org

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Danielle Andrews has worked on and off at The Food Project since the summer of 2000, where she started as a grower’s assistant on The Food Project’s Lincoln farm. In the fall of 2000, Danielle returned to her hometown of Toronto to finish a master’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on agriculture-based education and work on urban agriculture projects. In 2002, she returned to The Food Project as the Boston Urban Grower. Following a maternity leave in 2008, she returned to The Food Project to head up the Dudley Greenhouse. In her current position, she enjoys working with and supporting neighbors and neighborhood organizations that are working in partnership with The Food Project to strengthen our neighborhood food system. Danielle loves to grow, cook, and appreciate vegetables; ride bikes; and explore Boston’s free events, pools, and skating rinks.

Coming soon.

Grants Manager

ehayes@thefoodproject.org

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Emily is a creative fundraising professional with a strong commitment to food justice, sustainable agriculture, and developing local sources of healthy fruits and veggies. She joined The Food Project’s development team in March 2022 as the Institutional Giving Associate, and is responsible for researching and writing compelling grant proposals to foundations, government agencies, and corporate giving entities. Emily previously worked as a freelance journalist, traveling to places far and wide between Cortez, Colorado and Molise, Italy. The rest of her time she spends hiking, gardening, and learning new languages. Please feel free to reach out and connect, especially with book recommendations!

Director of Donor Engagement

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hmarlow@thefoodproject.org

Heath joined The Food Project in March 2022 as Associate Director of Development. Previously, he served as Director of Development & Engagement for Emmanuel Music, helping a fifty-year-old organization imagine and commence a strategic pivot towards greater relevance through embracing a more participatory culture.

Notably, Heath helped to build Community MusicWorks—a creative youth development organization nationally recognized for “creating rewarding musical experiences for often-forgotten populations and forging a new, multi-faceted role beyond the concert hall for the 21st century musician” (MacArthur Foundation). He continues to provide capacity building mentorship for musician colleagues who are growing community-based initiatives, including Palaver Strings (Portland, ME), Iris Music Project (Rockville, MD), and Newport String Project (Newport, RI).

Earlier in his career, as a professional cellist, Heath was fortunate to have spent summers studying and performing in such bucolic locations as Banff, Blue Hill, and the Berkshires.

Development Associate

mhaan@thefoodproject.org

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Myla originally joined The Food Project as a youth in 2015, making her way through Seed and Dirt Crew, and then spending the two subsequent summers as a Seed Crew Peer Leader. She rejoined the organization as the Development Associate in March 2022 after graduating from Ursinus College with a BA in Theater. Her academic research explored theater as a tool for marginalized populations to affect social change. At The Food Project, Myla handles gifting from individual donors and oversees event management. In her free time, Myla enjoys performing with her local community theater, baking new recipes, and sitting outside to read!

Community Food Fellow

aegar@thefoodproject.org

857-523-0958

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Alice joined The Food Project in June of 2021 as the Community Food Fellow. In this position, she manages farmers’ markets in Roxbury and Dorchester, runs the Build-a-Garden program for Boston, and serves as the assistant supervisor to Root Crew. Prior to working at The Food Project, Alice studied Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University, where she researched the impacts of climate change on hummingbird foraging behavior. Having grown up in Somerville, she is happy to have gotten to return to the Boston area to do hands-on food justice work despite the lack of hummingbirds. Outside of work, Alice enjoys biking, taking on overly ambitious art projects, and maintaining her crossword puzzle completion streak.

Database & Operations Manager

athibeault@thefoodproject.org

781-259-8621 Ext. 140

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Ashley joined The Food Project first as the Development Associate in 2019 after studying at the University of Maine and earning a B.S. in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, with a minor in Sustainable Food Systems. Ashley is also an alumna of The Food Project’s Seed, Root, and Dirt Crews, and is grateful to have grown in those roles from 2008-2011. Outside of ensuring that The Food Project’s database runs smoothly and assisting with operations, Ashley enjoys baking, video games, and gardening.

Lincoln Farm Manager

apogany@thefoodproject.org

781-259-8621 Ext. 370

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Alex Pogany began volunteering for The Food Project in 2009 and came on board full-time as a Grower’s Assistant in 2010. After three full seasons as a Grower’s Assistant, he became the Lincoln Farm’s Field Manager in December of 2012. Alex held the Field Manager position for three years until the winter of 2015 when he became the Lincoln Head Grower.

Some of the many roles Alex is responsible for include vegetable production and planning, soil fertility, compost operation management, maintaining and operating field equipment, leading agriculture workshops, and guiding youth and volunteers in meaningful and valuable work. In 2009, Alex returned home to Boston after an eight-year sojourn in Washington state where he worked as a forestry technician for the U.S. Forest Service. His interest in sustainable agriculture is an extension of his long-held concern for the protection of the environment.

Boston Grower’s Assistant

ewang@thefoodproject.org

386-503-6147

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Liz joined The Food Project in April 2020 as the Boston Grower’s Assistant, after training with the Urban Farming Institute of Boston. Having previously worked as a Site Coordinator at a human services nonprofit, she transitioned to farming in order to develop a stronger connection to the earth and to explore the ways food can address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of both people and communities. Driven by her passion for place-making and community investment, Liz is now committed to working a full growing season on The Food Project’s Boston farms. Outside of growing, Liz is involved with anti-displacement work, a start-up food co-op, and an environmental justice working group. You can also find her experimenting with kombucha and repurposing food scraps!

Marketing & Communications Associate & Graphic Designer

781-259-8621 Ext. 26

hladesic@thefoodproject.org 

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Hannah joined The Food Project in March of 2018 as the Marketing & Communications Associate & Graphic Designer. Prior to joining The Food Project, Hannah held design and communications roles at the KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market, the Office of Health Promotion at Boston College, and ran her business as a freelance designer. Hannah is a 2018 graduate of Boston College, where she obtained her B.A. in Communications. In her spare time, you can find Hannah visiting farmers markets and craft fairs around New England, or engaging in creative pursuits including calligraphy and baking.