Alex Jackson is the Logistics Director for Food Connect. Alex is responsible for all program logistics and dispatching management. With more than a decade of experience in logistics management, Alex knows the end-to-end process from driver to management. In his prior role, as Assistant Director, Healthcare Division, Alex managed a national program with more than 20 sites across the country, with more than 250 drivers, and 6 regional leads. Under his management, Alex led process development relating to drivers and distribution. During his tenure and with his critical contribution, the business grew significantly in profits and revenue.

Alex received his BA in General Education from Marshall University. He is currently studying to receive his MBA in Management from Marshall University. For Alex, being a part of and the work that Food Connect is focused on is a personal passion. Raised in a rural Appalachia community, he knows firsthand what food insecurity looks like. Growing up, Alex relied on many of the same types of programs that Food Connect helps and supports today with community food banks and meal distribution. For him, ending food insecurity and feeding those in need is a personal mission.

Aurica Donovan is the Community Relations and Program Director at Food Connect where she focuses on building partnerships and programs centered on hunger relief aimed at increasing food access to underserved communities.  In her tenure, Aurica has led programs across the healthcare, education, and non-profit sectors to successfully combat critical levels of hunger worsened by the pandemic.  Through these programs, Food Connect has been able to meet a significant goal of distributing more than 100,000 meals monthly.  Prior to her current role, Aurica was Senior Director of Customer Success at Elsevier.  There she focused on program operations for clinical solutions software applications supporting leading frontline healthcare organizations globally.

Aurica received her BA in International Relations and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.  She received her MBA in Marketing and Management from NYU Stern School of Business.  Additionally Aurica is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and is a SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).

Camille is a Dispatcher at Food Connect. After receiving her degree in communications and advertising, Camille focused on working with the business process outsourcing industry, building expertise in customer and technical support.  Throughout her career, she has held manager roles.

Camille was raised in a deeply religious family and attributes her heart for service to her upbringing. She is passionate about helping others and Camille describes Food Connect as her calling that gives her an opportunity to help more than just her own community fight against food insecurity.

Carrie brings 25 years of experience in accounting, finance, and operations. Her passion is partnering with executive teams and entrepreneurs, empowering them to focus on the essential aspects that maximize their services, profitability, and overall success. When she works with clients, trust, integrity and addressing each client's specialized needs are her highest priorities.

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Carrie’s professional journey began at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she honed her financial and systems auditing skills. Throughout her career, she has held executive-level positions in accounting and finance for startups and middle market companies across diverse industries. She has gained invaluable expertise in navigating diverse business landscapes, spanning technology and e-commerce, retail, non-profit organizations, consumer products, high net worth individuals, and professional services. Among her notable clients in the nonprofit sector include Hope for Ukraine, Silverlake Jewish Community Center, and The Painted Turtle

Carrie graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with high honors and shortly thereafter became a licensed CPA.

Hazel works as the Executive Assistant to the National Director of Programs and Logistics at Food Connect, where her journey is fueled by a passion for impactful work. Her career spans collaborations with organizations illuminating rare diseases and promoting health education, infusing her with a deep understanding of marketing and organizational dynamics. 

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Driven by a desire to create lasting change, Hazel has generously volunteered her marketing expertise to empower non-profits, driven by a dedication to magnify their impact. Beyond her professional commitments, she embraces life outdoors, seeking cultural exploration and staying active with passions like Muay Thai and football. 

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Her journey is all about growth and learning, aiming not just to succeed but to inspire others in both her professional and personal life.

JC is a food connect dispatcher with a background in customer service and logistics. He worked four years in customer service and three years in logistics. Before joining Food Connect, JC was a professional driver and used to drive for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Grab. He has also conducted other transportation services in between. As a farmer's child, JC knew the importance of reducing food waste at a young age. His parents are rice farmers from the Philippines, and growing up, he learned the amount of work farmers put in to have a good harvest. JC is a family guy and does car trading as his side quest. 

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Jobelle, an adept finance professional since 2012, currently thrives as the Finance Manager at Food Connect. With a robust educational foundation in Accounting Technology, she expertly manages the organization's financial operations, ensuring sustainability and growth. Her previous experience as a Program Coordinator in a non-profit organization equipped her with unique insights into bridging funding gaps for MSMEs, a skill she now leverages at Food Connect. Beyond finance, Jobelle is a dedicated leader, mentoring over 100 women in her ministry and prioritizing personal and spiritual development. Known for her drive, wit, resourcefulness, and persistence, Jobelle's vision extends beyond her immediate role, aiming to make a generational impact through her commitment to ethical and effective financial management.

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Meet Joyce Johnson, Food Connect's DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Communications and Impact Strategist. At Food Connect, Joyce is on a mission to cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and included, ensuring that diversity and belonging are not just buzzwords, but integral to our mission and values. With a blend of innovation, effective communication, and a genuine spirit of humility, love, and gratitude, Joyce is committed to driving positive change from within.

Joyce Johnson is a seasoned professional in Organizational Development, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, with over 15 years of dynamic leadership experience across various sectors, including non-profits, academia, private industry, and local government. Renowned as a strategic leader and trusted advisor, Joyce specializes in delivering comprehensive assessments and insightful analyses that ignite meaningful transformation within organizations.

As a proud Texan transplant, Joyce remains deeply connected to her community, serving various organizations such as Books for Development, Blodget Urban Gardens, Higher Dimension Church, and the Houston Independent School District. Beyond her professional endeavors, Joyce is a devoted mother of two daughters and her fur baby, Lil Devi Johnson. She finds joy in audiobooks, tuning into podcasts like "The Daily" and "Serial," exploring her culinary skills, embarking on hikes, relishing random horse sightings, and leisurely walks by the bayou.

Transitioning from a background in teaching and team leadership to her current position at Food Connect, Julie brings valuable collaboration, organization, and problem-solving skills to the role. With a passion for deciphering issues and finding innovative solutions, she thrives in contributing to her dynamic work environment. At Food Connect, Julie finds fulfillment in leveraging her abilities to support the mission of aiding those in need within the community and combating food insecurity.

Kate Colyer is the Regional Program Director for the Northeast at Food Connect where she focuses on developing high-impact partnerships and programs throughout PA, NJ, NY, DE, and MD to reduce hunger and increase food access in vulnerable communities.

Prior to joining Food Connect, Kate worked at Philabundance, a Feeding America food bank in Philadelphia, PA, where she played a pivotal role in expanding their food rescue program and increasing food access throughout their network of 300+ pantries. Before working in the nonprofit sector, Kate worked in higher education for 10 years in community-based programming and service-learning. While working at her alma mater, she scaled operations of a campus food pantry for low-income college students and coordinated holistic support services for students, such as financial literacy classes, nutrition cooking demonstrations, and career coaching, which reduced barriers to obtaining their degree while improving students' economic mobility.

Kate received her BA in English Literature from West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU). She received her MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Kate is passionate about eradicating poverty, eliminating food waste, addressing the root causes of hunger, and uplifting communities.

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With eight years of experience in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, Kathlene has developed a versatile skill set through various roles as a virtual assistant across multiple business fields. 

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Kathlene’s professional journey is complemented by a rich personal life filled with passion and adventure. She is an avid lover of pets, and her leisure time is often spent traveling with family and friends. She shares a special bond with her son, with whom she enjoys swimming, camping, and creating memorable experiences in the great outdoors. Her fascination with gothic architecture and history often leads her to explore castles and appreciate anything vintage, continually fueling her love for timeless beauty and historical narratives.

Manny is a Dispatcher at Food Connect. With over 15 years experience in the BPO industry, he is a seasoned customer service team leader. As a graduate of Classical Philosophy, he once considered joining the Catholic priesthood. Manny loves working with people and spends most of his free time with his family, cooking and traveling. Having traveled and worked extensively in other countries, he has developed a passion for cooking not only for himself but for those around him. He is excited to be a part of Food Connect, helping to eliminate food waste and feeding those in need in the community.

Megha Kulshreshtha is the CEO & Head of Product for Food Connect; a nonprofit technology organization dedicated to bridging the gaps in our food system to build healthier communities. Food Connect helps distribute over 50,000 last mile meals on average every week, helps food vendors donate their excess food, and increases healthy food access to food desserts across the country.

Food Connect's work has been recognized regionally and nationally for innovation and impact in the hunger relief, technology space. They were published in the Johns Hopkins Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved, May 2021: “Tech Led Solutions to Address Food Insecurity during a Global Pandemic”. Food Connect was also selected as a 2020 Social Impact Partner with DoorDash, GreenLight Fund Bay Area 2020 cohort, 2020 Visible Connect Mobile Tech Social Impact Accelerator, 2020 ReFED COVID-19 Solution Fund, Philly Geek Awards Development Project of the Year, Pat-Templeton West Award for Innovation - Coalition Against Hunger, named 2019 Healthy Newsworks Health Leaders, 2019 Nominee - Sustain PHL #FuturePHL, WomenInTech Series 2019, Women to Watch Spotlight 2019, selected 1 of 50 Innovators globally at the 2018 Harvard Food Waste Summit. Food Connect's work has been highlighted in Sports Illustrated, Huffington Post, ABC, NBC, Fox 29, PHL17, WHYY, Technically Philly, Generocity, Philadelphia Inquirer, others.

Prior to Food Connect, Megha was an Equity Portfolio Analyst for the North American Equities Team at Aberdeen Asset Management where she was involved with trading, cash management, portfolio research and analysis, presentations, and streamlining reporting and processes for the team. During her time at Aberdeen, Megha was also a Data Analyst for the US Data Management team where she helped manage data integrity and solutions for the US region. Prior to working at Aberdeen Asset Management, Megha was a Corporate Actions Specialist at J.P. Morgan where she received a Torch Award: Certificate of Extraordinary Effort and Teamwork.

Megha finished her MA at Villanova University, where she was given a Student Leadership Award, was a member of the Blue Key Society, and a nominee for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Megha finished her BA in Economics and Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a Minor in Classical Studies.

Mike is a Dispatcher at Food Connect. His role is to help distribute donations to the community. After getting his diploma in Electromechanics Technology, he worked with several Business Process Outsourcing companies as a Customer Solutions Officer for 14 years. Being part of the Food Connect team and being able to help with the community's food insecurity is rewarding for him and something that he will cherish for the rest of his life.

As a Fractional Chief of Staff at Food Connect, Neha Naik supports the CEO by streamlining operations, enhancing communication strategies, and improving the organization’s social media presence. She focuses on making strategic hires and managing both internal and external data to ensure operational efficiency. Neha’s role is crucial in optimizing processes and workflows, which strengthens the organization’s overall performance and impact.

Omar is a Regional Program Director at Food Connect. He has over a decade of experience in public and population health, spending the early part of his career working on National Institute of Health (NIH) research on Alzheimer's Disease prevention, creating their nationally recognized Smart Aging program. In his prior role, Omar worked as a consultant for 8 years at different Fortune 500 healthcare companies building award winning Wellbeing strategies and programs for organizations across the country. 

He earned his BA in Kinesiology from Kansas State University and studied in the Masters of Public Health program at the University of Missouri.

Salil Modak joins Food Connect Group as a Data Analyst with over 8 years of experience in the field of analytics. Based in India, Salil has a robust background in transforming complex data into actionable insights, driving strategic decision-making, and optimizing processes. His expertise spans various industries, and he is passionate about applying his analytical skills to address global challenges. At Food Connect Group, Salil is dedicated to enhancing data-driven strategies to support the organization’s mission of reducing food waste and improving food security.

Shelby Joy Adams is Food Connect's Development Manager and brings years of fundraising and communications experience to her role. Shelby Joy began her nonprofit journey in 2017, first applying her creative and analytical skills to fundraising for arts access programs. By 2020 she had stepped into executive leadership and in 2022 she shifted her focus to food insecurity, serving as the Director of Development & Communications for the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. 

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Seeing staggering levels of food insecurity in the US while also witnessing such extreme food waste drives Shelby Joy's dedication to Food Connect's mission to bridge the gaps in our food system using technology and delivering the solution at scale. Beyond fundraising, Shelby Joy is deeply passionate about outdoor recreation and the preservation of natural lands.

Stacey is currently serving as a dispatcher for Food Connect. Her background as a Customer Service Representative and experience on a Case Management team spanning 12 years honed her skills in handling customer complaints and providing top-notch service.

They say 2020 wasn't the best year, but for Stacey, it marked a major breakthrough. In August 2020, she joined Food Connect as a dispatcher. Stepping into the new role brought along questions and uncertainties, but she faced them head-on with the support of her colleagues who have always been helpful and eager to share their best practices.

Since then, Stacey has never been more excited to work every day. Being part of Food Connect allows her to serve as an instrument in helping others, which is incredibly fulfilling for her. Working and making a difference simultaneously is truly the epitome of a rewarding job.

Thea serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO at Food Connect. Growing up in a modest environment, she observed the dedication and tremendous effort her parents exerted to ensure the family's needs were met. From a young age, she was taught the importance of maintaining good health and receiving a quality education.

To support her education, Thea held various jobs. Her dedication paid off when she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in economics. Over the years, she gained experience in sales, IT, customer service, and finance. Before joining Food Connect, she worked as an analyst for an advisory firm specializing in different capital market transactions.

Outside of work, Thea finds pleasure in watching movies, and playing PC and mobile games. She has a passion for water activities such as freediving, surfing, wakeboarding, and swimming. Always eager to explore new places and cultures, she enjoys traveling and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Thea is deeply committed to animal welfare and social justice.

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