Gregory Anderson, City Farms Program Manager

Greg began his work with Just Food in 2008 when he led the effort to bring chickens to the Walt L. Shamel Community Garden in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. That same year he became a Just Food Trainer for the City Farms Program. Since then, he has given many workshops on chicken care, soil health and cover crops; worked side by side with Owen Taylor to build more than 10 of our City Chicken Project coops; and has co-taught three Training of Trainers courses. Greg comes to Just Food after being a Youth Development Specialist for 13 years, implementing youth programming in Queens, NY. He also helped lead the effort to bring Walt L. Shamel Community Garden back to life in Crown Heights, Brooklyn where he and his family has lived for the past 20 years. He can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 229 or email: greg[at]justfood.org.

Jacquie Berger, Executive Director

Having served briefly as a non-profit executive director early in her career, Jacquie set out to acquire the wide variety of skills, hands-on experience, and academic expertise needed to lead and further develop a thriving food systems-oriented organization. Over the past eight years, Jacquie has held both direct service and senior management positions with a of number non-profit organizations focused on sustainable food systems and environmental issues. During that time she also completed a Master of Business Administration degree at the Yale School of Management, having previously obtained a BA in Environmental Science from Barnard College. In addition to a well-rounded, practical understanding of food security and food justice issues, Jacquie brings a facility and passion for organizational and project management, staff and Board development, fundraising and financial oversight. Jacquie became Just Food’s Executive Director in August 2006, but has been a long-time admirer of Just Food since 1996 when she volunteered with the organization for several months. She can be reached at tel: 212.645.9880, ext. 242 or e-mail: jacquie[at]justfood.org

Carrie Blackburn, Development Associate

Carrie returned to Just Food as Development Associate in 2011. She initially worked for the organization in 2009 as the AmeriCorps VISTA leader for a team of 22 VISTA volunteers serving at food and farming projects throughout the city. As an undergraduate at Vassar, Carrie worked at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project and taught ESL at an elementary school. She majored in Latin American Studies and dabbled in English, Anthropology and Geography, all of which cultivated her passion for food as a means to social justice. Upon graduation, Carrie moved to Nevada to create health, hunger and nutrition programming through the Winnemucca Community Garden. She is a certified Master Gardener, a lover of surreal fiction, and the owner of a well-worn cookbook collection. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 225 or e-mail: carrie[at]justfood.org.

Amy Blankstein, Grants and Communications Manager

Amy joined the Just Food staff as Grants and Communications Manager in 2007. An enthusiastic omnivore and home cook, Amy’s interest in the sustainable food movement deepened after she joined her local Brooklyn CSA in 2004. A former magazine and book editor, she has explored a broad range of subjects, including the visual arts, music, food, technology, and business. Amy is thrilled to have the opportunity to use her writing skills to highlight the amazing work of Just Food’s staff and partners. She received her BA from James Madison University in English and Anthropology. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 243 or e-mail: amy[at]justfood.org.

Jessica Cortes, Farm Network Coordinator

Jessica Cortes joined Just Food as the Farm Network Coordinator in spring 2011. She comes from the eastern part of Queens, where she grew up loving the outdoors and dreamt of working to bring environmental awareness. In college, Jess taught at the Queens Botanical Garden and the Alley Pond Environmental Center, and interned with the NYC Composting project. Jessica earned a B.A. from Queens College in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Geology, in 2009. After graduation, traveling sparked her interest in agriculture. Visiting farms in the United States and Central and South America inspired her to get involved in the world of farmers’ markets once she returned home to New York City. As a Market Manager for GrowNYC in 2010, she coordinated 3 farmers markets in Queens. For Jessica, it was a great opportunity to connect with and foster connections between Hispanic community members and local farmers. She also served as a volunteer at the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica, working with kids on composting and environmental projects. While in Costa Rica, Jessica also explored local farms and community markets. She is excited to work with Just Food and connect with farmers once again. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 231 or e-mail: jessicac[at]justfood.org.

Jorge Cubas, Administrative Assistant

Jorge can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 221 or email: jorge[at]justfood.org.

Angela Davis, Community Food Education Program Coordinator

Angela brings more than 12 years of program management, public relations, and education experience, along with a passion for local agriculture, food and community health to her role as Just Food’s Community Food Education Program Coordinator. She recently received her certification as a Holistic Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition which is affiliated with Columbia University’s Teachers College. As a volunteer at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, she continues to develop her love for cooking delicious and healthy food. Angela has a Master of Education degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 239 or email: angela[at]justfood.org.

Margie Davis, Bookkeeper

Margie can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 241 or email: margie[at]justfood.org.

Jessica Gaffney, Events and Marketing Manager

Jessica joined the Just Food staff as Events and Marketing Manager in 2011. She has over eight years of event planning and marketing experience working with small and large companies as well as government agencies and non-profits. She has planned successful product launches, premiere events and town hall meetings for her clients in many different venues from retail stores to Times Square.  Jessica is excited to apply these skills to Just Food and its community. Jessica has embraced her passion for good and locally-sourced food by joining the Katchkie Farm CSA in Hell's Kitchen. She is also a proud Farm School NYC certificate student. Jessica graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in marketing and small business management. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 232 or jessica.gaffney[at]justfood.org.

Jane Hodge, Farm School NYC Director

Jane Hodge started as Farm School NYC's Director in November 2010, after returning from Santa Cruz, CA where she received a Certificate in Ecological Horticulture through the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). Jane has been with Just Food since 2005, starting out working with La Familia Verde's and Bissel's farmers markets as an Americorps* VISTA. In 2006, she served as the City Farms Market Coordinator, helping to build a strong network of community-based farmers markets run by city farmers. After managing the City Farms program for two years, Jane took a six month sabbatical to attend the CASFS apprenticeship. Jane received a BA at University of Richmond in Leadership Studies with a concentration in Environmental Leadership and Social Movements and a minor in Women's Studies. Her previous experience includes working with urban agriculture projects in northern England. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 228 or e-mail: jane[at]justfood.org.

Nadia Johnson, Food Justice Program & City Farms Market Network Coordinator

Nadia joined Just Food in 2008 and works to increase awareness and action around local food and farm issues through community advocacy training, food justice workshops, policy advocacy, and coordination of Just Food's summits on food justice issues. She also manages the City Farms network of community-run farmers' markets that support rural farmers, urban growers and fresh food access in low-income neighborhoods in NYC. Nadia spent eight years at Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO) working with social justice groups worldwide on issues such as trade, corporate accountability, food sovereignty, water rights and climate change. She also taught Women's Studies, worked as a community organizer on breast cancer-pesticide linkages, and received an MA in Sociology. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 237 or email: nadia[at]justfood.org.

Paula Lukats, CSA in NYC Program Manager

Paula has over fourteen years of experience working in community and program development in New York City. Originally from Ohio, she obtained her BS in economics and sociology in 1991 from the University of Notre Dame and her Masters in Social Work from Ohio State University. She then chose to pursue her long-time interest in environmental sustainability and in 2005 earned a Certificate in Conservation Biology at Columbia University. Paula has been a member CSAs in New York for over 6 years and has been working as the CSA in NYC Program Manager for Just Food since May 2005. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 233 or e-mail: paula[at]justfood.org.

Owen Taylor, City Farms Program Manager

Owen has been growing food since he was fourteen years old in his backyard gardens, on several organic family farms, and in community gardens. He graduated from San Francisco State University in Urban Studies, where he focused on the role of urban agriculture in food security and community development. Owen has also completed the 8th International Agroecology Short Course at the University of California, Santa Cruz and was a member of the Food Project’s 2006-2007 BLAST Leadership Cadre. After a year teaching urban ecology and design in New York City public schools, and several years giving gardening and composting workshops in San Francisco and New York City (as a Just Food trainer), he is excited to help community garden and urban farm leaders learn to pass on their agricultural skills through hands-on participatory workshops and consultations. He began with Just Food in late 2005 as the Chicken Intern, and continues this work with dreams of delicious eggs, fertile soil, and delighted hens, hen-keepers, and the people who love them. He can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 229 or email: owen[at]justfood.org.

Abby Youngblood, Fresh Food for All Program Coordinator

Before joining Just Food as the Fresh Food For All Program Coordinator, Abby co-managed Old Path Farm, a diversified organic vegetable farm located near Utica, New York. She also worked as a staff person at the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) to organize a series of regional gatherings for farmers in the winter of 2008 as a part of a new initiative to build support for Community Supported Agriculture in New York State. Before beginning her farming career in 2004, Abby worked with the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger on a campaign to increase access to food stamp benefits for low-income households in Philadelphia. Abby has also conducted research on organic agriculture in other countries. In 2007, she spent three months learning about organic farming and food security in China while at the Soil Science Research Center in Nanjing and during visits to other regions of the country. In 2001, she received a fellowship from the Thomas J. Watson Foundation to conduct a year long research project focused on sustainable agriculture and food systems in Kenya, India, and Russia. Abby’s current work at Just Food combines her passion for farming with her commitment to increase access to fresh food for all NYC residents. She can be reached at 212.645.9880, ext. 227 or abby[at]justfood.org.