Meet the Team

  • Mark Bittman

    Founder

    Leading voice in food justice advocacy • Former New York Times columnist • Professor, Columbia/Mailman School of Public Health • Founder of The Bittman Project · Co-host of the Food with Mark Bittman podcast

  • Rae Gomes

    Executive Director

    Founder & Principal, Cultivating Justice LLC • Co-founder, Central Brooklyn Food Cooperative • Urban Design Forum Fellow with a Food Equity focus • Member of Mayor’s transition team for food policy • Writer • Former Journalist

  • Mavis-Jay Sanders

    Culinary Director

    James Beard Award-Winning Chef and Activist working at the intersection of food and social justice · God's Love We Deliver Culinary Counsel Member · Black Farmer Fund Investment Committee Member · Founding Member of The Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture

  • David D. DeVaughn

    Senior Advisor for Strategy and Impact

    Founder & Managing Principal, StrivEquity Consulting • ICF ACC Leadership Coach • National Urban Fellow • MPA • Former Director of Inclusive Cities at HR&A Advisors • Former Director of Public Policy at City Harvest

  • Nora Peachin

    Project Manager

    Studied community kitchen models internationally as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow • Former Paralegal, Tenants’ Rights Unit at New York Legal Assistance Group 

  • Andre Gennitti

    General Manager

    Lifelong hospitality practitioner and enthusiast · Alum of Maialino, Resident, Via Carota, and other well-known New York restaurants

  • Al Nguyen

    Assistant General Manager

    Long-time cook, gardener, educator, and food practitioner · Former program and cooking instructor and rooftop gardener at the Lower Eastside Girls Club

Community Kitchen's Board of Advisors

  • José Andrés

    Founder, World Central Kitchen

  • Alice Waters

    Founder, Chez Panisse

  • Karen Washington

    Founder, Black Farmer Fund

  • Raj Patel

    Research Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas

  • Marion Nestle

    Founder and Professor Emerita, Department of Food Studies, NYU

  • Anne-Marie Slaughter

    Founder and CEO, New America

  • Saru Jayaraman

    Founder and Director, One Fair Wage

  • Ricardo Salvador

    Director, Food & Environment Program, Union of Concerned Scientists

  • Mona Sinha

    Global Executive Director, Equality Now

  • Cory Booker

    United States Senator

  • Kathleen Finlay

    Executive Director, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming

  • Kiki Louya

    Executive Director, Detroit Food Academy

  • Jim McGovern

    Representative, US Congress

  • Clara Sieg

    Partner and Founding Member, Revolution Ventures