Staff

Ally Chase

(she/her)

Ally joined the Food Project in October of 2024 as Youth Development Manager for Root Crew in the Greater Boston region. She studied Psychology and Education at Oberlin College, where she was an involved member and head cook in a student-run dining co-op. She gained facilitation and mentorship experience as a leader in Oberlin’s new student orientation program, an America Reads tutor, and teaching classes on peer support. Before joining TFP, she worked as a preschool teacher, a bookseller, and in early childhood psychology research. She is from the Boston area and loves to read, go for long walks, be silly with her friends, and cook one new recipe a week. She can also be found in thrift and antique stores looking for things to add to her various collections.

Memia McAllister

(she/her)

Memia is a passionate gardener and community advocate who began her gardening journey in her own backyard and expanded her love for growing into a powerful tool for healing, nourishment, and connection. What started as a simple desire to grow fresh food at home blossomed into a 5 year commitment to community gardening, education and empowerment.

Through hands-on experience and attending countless workshops, Memia gained some insights on soil health, seed starting and the magic and wonderfulness of watching something thrive under your care. Garden became more than a hobby — it became a way to reclaim peace, provide for others and cultivate joy.

Today Memia uses her knowledge to support others, especially mothers, in discovering the healing power of growing their own food. She is in a program called The Jeremiah Program, where she helps other moms from that program find and set up their garden plots, set up seedlings and build confidence through gardening. Memia has a 5 year old daughter who is also into gardening and often helps her at their own community garden. Whether she’s planting with a child, leading a workshop, or giving away seedlings grown with care, Memia’s mission is rooted in growth; of plants, people and purpose.

Caiana Luse Moise

She/They

Caiana started working with The Food Project in 2024 as the Youth Development Manager for the Greater Boston region. She is responsible for supervising a team of young employees and guiding them on issues related to food and social justice. Before joining TFP, Caiana worked as the youth program coordinator at YW Boston, where she gained experience in facilitation and youth development. She pursued music education with a focus on jazz vocal pedagogy at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. During her time at school, she worked as a program assistant at the Frederick Douglass Unity House and was involved in social justice work. In her leisure time, Caiana enjoys cooking plant-based meals, performing with her Jazz/R&B band, and going on long hikes or bike rides.

Evan O'Neal

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.

Alexandra Nicolas

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.

Grace Kreitler

gkreitler@thefoodproject.org

she/they

Grace is the Grants & Impacts Manager at The Food Project, where they focus on grant proposals, reporting, and impact data analysis. Grace first joined TFP in summer 2023 as a Greater Boston Seed Crew Leader and later worked as a Farmworker on Baker Bridge Farm. Grace earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont and is passionate about sustainable agriculture and food justice. Outside of work, Grace enjoys painting, making jewelry, and spending time outdoors.

Asher Lyon

Asher is the Lincoln Farm Manager, and oversees vegetable, flower, and small fruit production on 30 acres of conservation land owned by the town of Lincoln. Asher worked as a program associate at The Food Project in the Boston area in 2016, and returned to TFP in the Fall of 2023 to lead the growing team in Lynn and now in Lincoln. He attended the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst where he received a certificate in Sustainable Agriculture, and completed his apprenticeship at The Farm School in Orange, MA. He holds a Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) from Sowing Solutions, and has worked on many different kinds of farms both big and small in New England and abroad. Asher is passionate about small scale community farming systems that utilizes hand tools and no-till methods. When not harvesting kale or smelling compost, Asher can be found chasing down big swells on his surfboard, spending time with his five niblings, and attending indie music festivals.

Will Capriola

he/him

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.

Vanessa Barragan

Vanessa joined The Food Project in June 2022 as the FAO Schwarz Fellow. In this position, she has worked as a Crew Leader for Seed Crew and now manages the Build-a-Garden program in Boston and is assistant supervisor for Dirt Crew. Before joining The Food Project, Vanessa studied Biology & Society at Cornell University, focusing her studies on the intersection of environmental and social justice. While in school, Vanessa also interned at Cornell Cooperative Extension, where she worked on maintaining local community gardening spaces and on developing curriculum for local Farm-to-School programs. In her free time she enjoys baking desserts, knitting, and reading.

Hazel Kiefer

she/her

Hazel has a longstanding relationship with and love for The Food Project. In her current role of Associate Director of Farms and Food, Hazel enjoys getting to work with all of our talented growers in Lynn, Dorchester, Wenham and Lincoln. When she’s not at work, Hazel can be found walking in Lynn Woods, cooking with friends, obsessing over her apple trees, and goofing around with her husband and small children.

Jack Gardner

Coming soon.

Health Marlow

Director of Donor Engagement

he/him/his

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.

Emily Hayes

Grants Manager

ehayes@thefoodproject.org

she/her/hers

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!

Myla Haan

Development Associate

mhaan@thefoodproject.org

she/her/hers

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!

Ludia Modi-James

Director of Learning & Programs

lmodi@thefoodproject.org

1-781-236-4272

she/her/hers

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!

Max Gitlen

Director of Impacts & Initiatives

mgitlen@thefoodproject.org

he/him/his

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.

Alice Egar

Community Food Fellow

aegar@thefoodproject.org

857-523-0958

she/her/hers

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.

Liz Wang

Boston Grower’s Assistant

ewang@thefoodproject.org

386-503-6147

she/her/hers

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!

Tu Anh Phan

Youth Development Manager – Greater Boston Root Crew

tphan@thefoodproject.org

617-792-6076

he/him/his

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.”

Ashley Thibeault

Database & Operations Manager

athibeault@thefoodproject.org

781-259-8621 Ext. 140

she/they

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.

Adesuwa Usuanlele

Associate Director of Youth and Community

ausuanlele@thefoodproject.org

she/her

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.

Maritza Rosario

Co-Executive Director of People Operations

617-442-1322, Ext. 280

mrosario@thefoodproject.org

she/her/hers

Maritza Rosario is an impactful leader and social entrepreneur with national and international experience in the nonprofit and public sector. Maritza has dedicated much of her career to being person-centered and empowering communities. Maritza joined The Food Project in 2019 as the Greater Boston Regional Director after more than 20 years of working in public service positions in Illinois, Texas, and Massachusetts. At The Food Project she is responsible for the health and wellness of people operations at all levels, ensuring that The Food Project’s people are aligned with and committed to its mission.

Her accomplishments include co-founding and directing a student-run business program for the Chicago Public School District that grew to a $5 million annual budget and serving as a founding board member of Y2Y Harvard Square, a shelter for young adults experiencing homelessness. Prior to The Food Project, she managed the shelter program at the Women’s Lunch Place. She is a recipient of City Year’s Community Service National Leaders Award, and she was recognized by Amplify Latinx as a Top 10 Latina Leader in Massachusetts in 2019.

Alex Pogany

Lincoln Farm Manager

apogany@thefoodproject.org

781-259-8621 Ext. 370

he/him/his

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.

Danielle Andrews

Boston Farms Manager

617-422-1322 Ext. 130

dandrews@thefoodproject.org

she/her/hers

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.

Hannah Ladesic

Marketing & Communications Associate & Graphic Designer

781-259-8621 Ext. 26

hladesic@thefoodproject.org

she/her/hers

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.

John Wang

Co-Director, Strategy & Organizational Support

781-346-6726 Ext. 650

jwang@thefoodproject.org

he/him/his

John Wang is Co-Executive Director of The Food Project, a nationally recognized nonprofit creating personal and social change through sustainable agriculture. Based in Eastern Massachusetts, John brings over 20 years of experience advancing youth leadership, food justice, and systems change. John continues to help shape organizational strategy, deepen equity practices, and lead cross-sector partnerships. John is a former Culture of Health Leader with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is currently an Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellow. He has served in national and regional leadership roles, including over a decade with Rooted in Community. John brings a relationship-centered approach to his work, grounded in a belief in collective action and youth power. He holds a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from Brandeis University and lives in Boston with his family.

Jonathan Rosenthal

Outgoing Interim Director

jrosenthal@thefoodproject.org

he/him/his/él

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

Danielle Andrews

Johanna Flies

Gray Lawson

Memia McAllister

Lex Nicolas

Miriam Stason

Adesuwa Usuanlele

Ally Chase

Hazel Kiefer

Caiana Luse Moise

Ludia Modi-James

Evan O'Neal

Maia Snyder

Aspen Waldron

Max Gitlen

Grace Kreitler

Heath Marlow

Michelle Mulford

Maritza Rosario

Ashley Thibeault

John Wang