Our Team
Our diverse team of experts in agroecology, international development, public health, community engagement, and coffee supply chains works hand in hand with coffee farmers to grow a healthier future for their families and communities.
Staff
Marcela Pino
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CO-FOUNDER
Marcela Pino is the co-founder of Food 4 Farmers and has served as executive director since 2023. Marcela drives the vision and long term goals of the organization as well as the on-the-ground programs, operations and fundraising. Prior to her current role she was Program Director, responsible for the design, development and implementation of programs with coffee growing partners.
In 2010, Marcela co-founded Food 4 Farmers with Janice Nadworny and Rick Peyser. Part of the inspiration for the organization came from Marcela’s research at the University of Vermont’s masters program in natural resources. That research focused on how income diversification could impact food security for coffee producers.
Marcela began her work with coffee producers in 2003 at Grounds for Health, whose mission is to bring cervical cancer screening and treatment to women in coffee-growing communities. That experience left Marcela with a profound interest in creating solutions to overcome some of the most pernicious obstacles for coffee producers and to help them achieve a better quality of life.
Jennifer Staunton
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Jenn (she/her) joined the Food 4 Farmers team in 2021 and is responsible for fundraising and partnership development. With more than 15 years of experience in fund development and nonprofit management for several local and national organizations, she is highly valued as a collaborative partner, and champions building relationships with mission-driven community partners.
Her passion for mission-driven work developed while studying Political Science & Sociology at the University of Vermont, where she participated in many international volunteer projects. She holds Executive Leadership, Nonprofit Management & Professional Fundraising Certificates from the University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, Northwestern University and Marlboro College.
Jenn’s love for travel has brought her around the world. She has called many places home, but currently lives in Burlington, Vermont, with her husband and their two dogs.
Beatriz Campo
PROGRAM MANAGER
Based in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, Beatriz is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from the Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, with 18 years of experience in rural development projects in the rural sector. She started her career with Fondo Acción Banamex, conducting analysis and evaluation of credit projects for companies in rural areas of Mexico. Then she worked for Root Capital for 10 years, first in the Financial Advisory Program with organizations in the coffee sector in Mexico and Peru, and second, starting in 2011, as head of servicing credit portfolios in Mexico and Guatemala with a focus on cooperatives of coffee and honey producers. Beatriz has also collaborated on conservation-related projects in Chiapas, Mexico. She is committed to the exchange of knowledge and the use of resources for the conservation of the environment.
April Duncan
OPERATIONS MANAGER
April (she/her) manages Food 4 Farmers’ internal operations, ensuring the organization runs smoothly. Her career has spanned many fields, reflecting her many interests. These include teaching high school and middle school English and History, editing for small publishing houses, freelance writing, writing her own books, management consulting with an innovative startup in team building, massage therapy, martial arts instructing, and coaching soccer. She holds a B.A. in Education and is an avid writer, gamer, rock climber, and martial artist.
Board of Directors
Rick Peyser
CO-FOUNDER, Food 4 Farmers
Rick Peyser is a Co-Founder of Food 4 Farmers. He served as Relationship Manager, Coffee & Cocoa for Lutheran World Relief for over 7 years. Prior to this he led Keurig Green Mountain’s Supply Chain Community Outreach efforts, where he worked for 27 years. Rick served as President of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, and as a Board member of the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International and Root Capital. Currently he is a member of the Board of Directors at Food 4 Farmers, The Coffee Trust, The Tropics Foundation, and New Hampton School. He co-authored Brewing Change: Behind the Bean at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (2012) and the Spanish Edition, Fomentando El Cambio: Detras del Grano de Cafe en Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (2024). Rick is a Gund Global Affiliate at UVM’s Gund Institute for Environment.
Casey Johnson
TREASURER, Independent Consultant
Casey Johnson loves working at the intersection of good food and good money. She is attuned to the importance of financial health behind strong programs and products as well as the importance of well structured funding- both investment capital and philanthropic capital- to fuel impact. Casey is currently working with the Flexible Capital Fund to raise a $15M fund to invest in New England businesses. She was previously a senior lender at RSF Social Finance where she was responsible for evaluating potential lending partners and supporting existing borrower relationships in the RSF food & agriculture lending portfolio. In addition, Casey worked for Nonprofit Finance Fund’s advisory services team where she helped to build financial capacity—via education, tools, and best practices—for nonprofits across the country. She is a fellow of the Just Economy Institute and a volunteer for the fundraising committee of The Agrihood Collective. Casey received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tufts University.
Jen Peterson
CHAIR, Food Security Specialist
Jen Peterson is an integrated livestock, crop production, agroforestry and farming systems agronomist and adult education and training specialist with 30 years of experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of food security programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the United States. Ms. Peterson has designed interdisciplinary development programs, extension strategies, social and behavior change communication tools, and training modules for the U.S. Government, multinational organizations (UN organizations and CGIAR centers), host country ministries, and local and international nongovernmental organizations. She is proficient in gender analysis, vulnerability and livelihood assessment, participatory wealth ranking, household economy analysis, political economy analysis, disaster risk reduction and food-security monitoring and evaluation techniques, as well as integrated agriculture and nutrition programing, climate smart and regenerative agriculture best practices, and conducting value chain assessments. She has experience identifying and developing inclusive, gender and youth specific approaches and activities, and developing case studies, success stories and best practices. She speaks fluent English, Kikongo and French, and has working knowledge of several African languages (Chewa, Zarma, Malagasy and a little bit of Pular/Fulfulde). She enjoys working as part of a multicultural team, strengthening local capacity and empowering others to lead. She currently lives and works in the great state of Vermont, where she enjoys boating on Lake Champlain, hiking in the woods, and eating berries.
Laura Peterson
Vice Chair, Retired Manager of Public Elations, Ben & Jerry’s
Vermont’s mission-driven business has been the focus of Laura’s career, with stints as Public Elations Manager for Ben & Jerry’s, Communications Director for the Vermont Department of Tourism and Program Manager for Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. At Green Mountain Coffee Roasters she promoted Fair Trade, organic coffee and learned a tremendous amount from fellow Food 4 Farmers Board Members Lindsey Bolger and Rick Peyser. Laura and Rick produced After the Harvest, a 20-minute film highlighting the “thin months” when coffee producers don’t have enough money to feed their families. Laura is an empty nester with her husband Duane and they live at the top of a mountain in Waterbury Center, Vermont.
Jessie Price
SECRETARY, Freelance Editorial Consultant
Jessie Price is a content, communications and brand consultant. She works with diverse clients including digital food media brands, mission-driven non-profits and educational institutions. As editor-in-chief of EatingWell magazine from 2013 until its last issue in April 2022, she led a creative team to bring award-winning stories to life and build a brand with a distinct point of view. She began working with EatingWell in 2003 as a recipe tester. She worked on 13 EatingWell cookbooks and authored the James Beard Award-winning The Simple Art of EatingWell. One of her favorite aspects of the job: tasting recipes in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. (She tasted more than 3,500 over the years!) Jessie also represented EatingWell across national and local media.
After graduating from Williams College with a bachelor's degree in art history, Jessie cooked in restaurants in California and Colorado. She went on to work in advertising in San Francisco before joining EatingWell. But food was always important. She grew up outside of Philadelphia in a family fanatical about food, where the kitchen was the focus of all activity in the house. She spent summers with grandparents in Vermont, falling in love with the state from an early age. She now lives in Charlotte, Vermont, with her husband.
Alison Streacker
Operations Manager, African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA)
Alison Streacker is the Operations Manager at the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA), bringing nearly a decade of experience in coffee sustainability and development. Beginning as a barista at a fair trade coffee shop in the US, her career has since evolved into a lifelong commitment to supporting smallholder coffee farmers. Alison has lived and worked in Central America, Europe, and East Africa, honing her expertise in third-party certification, multi-stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, communications, event organization, and project management. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Food 4 Farmers, furthering her dedication to livelihood resilience in coffee-growing communities.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish from The Ohio State University (US) and is continually deepening her knowledge of coffee, from quality control to brewing techniques. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Food 4 Farmers. In all her roles, Alison aims to elevate the work and voices of coffee producers–from smallholders to estate owners–advocating for a more equitable and producer-centric coffee industry.
Kevin Sullivan
Managing Director, North America, Falcon Coffees
Kevin is the Managing Director - North America at Falcon Coffees, a green coffee sourcing company that builds collaborative supply chains between coffee roasters and coffee producers for mutual profit and positive social and environmental outcomes. Kevin works with coffee roasters and brands across the US and Canada, helping to connect them to origin partners that can supply the types of coffee they need. Additionally, Kevin works with coffee cooperatives, exporters, and producers across Latin America, Africa, and Asia to help them gain market access. Prior to joining Falcon in 2017, Kevin was a buyer at Keurig Green Mountain focused on their African and Asian coffee supply chains. Throughout his time working in coffee, Kevin has supported roaster and NGO funded projects within coffee growing communities.
Before entering the world of coffee, Kevin worked for 11 years in the snowboard and skateboard industry in various roles spanning logistics, demand planning, and sales analytics.
Kevin lives in Austin, TX with his wife, 3 kids, and dog, Emmylou. Outside of work, Kevin spends his time chauffeuring his kids to their various rock climbing, soccer, running, and basketball practices, listening to music constantly, and intensely supporting Austin FC.
Ashley Whelan
Coffee Director, Loyal Coffee
Ashley Whelan is the Coffee Director at Loyal Coffee, where they lead sourcing, roasting and education across cafés, wholesale, and e-commerce. With more than a decade in specialty coffee, Ashley has built programs that prioritize quality while advancing sustainability and farmer equity. They have extensive experience navigating global supply chains, collaborating directly with producers, and aligning sourcing values with business strategy. Ashley also serves as a committee chair for the U.S. Coffee Championships, helping shape industry standards and foster professional development across the specialty coffee community. In addition to operational leadership, they have contributed to fundraising efforts, staff development, and community engagement initiatives. Ashley is passionate about closing the gap between producers and consumers, ensuring that farmer realities and voices are understood in the market while bringing transparency and opportunity back to farming communities.
Amanda Fernandez
Independant Consultant
Ms. Amanda Fernandez is the Deputy Director of the World Resources Institute's Food, Land and Water Program, and is an experienced leader with 30 years of nonprofit, private sector, foundation and U.S. government experience in the finance and investment, workforce development and natural resource management realms. She has spent most of her career in the developing world of Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe, leading multi-disciplinary teams to support the public and private sectors to promote blended finance solutions for expanded financial inclusion, protection of natural capital and financial market strengthening on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Ms. Fernandez holds an M.A in International Development and Latin American Studies from The American University and a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is fluent in English and Spanish, with working knowledge of French and Portuguese. She is an experienced public speaker, staff mentor and trainer and is a frequent contributor to thought leadership efforts, having authored numerous case studies, blogs, articles and papers on different aspects of achieving sustainable and positive impact in economic development globally.
Cody Gallagher
Creative & Digital Communications Coordinator, Michigan Environmental Council
Cody Gallagher is the Creative & Digital Communications Coordinator at the Michigan Environmental Council, where he leads digital storytelling and design to support statewide environmental advocacy and fundraising efforts. Previously, he worked on the communications team at Food 4 Farmers, giving him a strong understanding of the organization’s mission, programs, and partnerships within coffee-farming communities across Latin America.
His background also includes renewable energy and economic development work with the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, as well as experience in specialty coffee and sustainable agriculture. Cody holds a degree in Sustainable Food Systems from Grand Valley State University and an executive certificate in nonprofit fund development from the University of Notre Dame.
Program Advisory Council
Janica Anderzén
Agroecology Researcher, Agroecology Lab, University of Maine
Janica is an agroecology researcher currently working at the Agroecology Lab at the University of Maine. She’s committed to supporting sustainable food systems through collaborative, community-based work and has many years of experience partnering with smallholder coffee producers in Latin America on agroecology, agricultural diversification, and food security and sovereignty. She has proudly collaborated with F4F for 10 years, bringing together research and hands-on experience to support producer-led initiatives in coffee communities.
Ernesto Méndez, PhD
Faculty Director, Institute of Agroecology, University of Vermont
Ernesto is a Professor of Agroecology and Environmental Studies in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at the University of Vermont. His current work analyzes interactions between agriculture, livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation in tropical and temperate landscapes, with an emphasis on small-scale farmers and their organizations. He is a research associate with the Center for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (CTEC) at Antioch University New England, and Adjunct Professor at the International University of Andalucia (Spain). Ernesto is a founding member of Advising & Interdisciplinary Research for Local Development and Conservation (ASINDEC) in El Salvador and the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) in California. These partner organizations focus on research and direct support to conservation and rural development efforts with coffee farmer cooperatives in Central America. He holds degrees in Crop Science (California Polytechnic State University), Tropical Agroforestry (Tropical Agriculture Research and Education Center, Costa Rica), and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Since 1996 Ernesto has worked on interdisciplinary projects related to agroecology, environmental conservation, and rural development as a researcher based in Costa Rica, El Salvador, California, and Vermont.
Gabriela García Esqueda
Social entrepreneur and researcher
Gabriela is a specialist in communication and sustainability, with more than 10 years of experience in graphic design and community projects. She has founded and collaborated with various organizations, managing communication, outreach, and marketing strategies. With training in graphic communication design, a master's degree in transdisciplinary studies, and a PhD in sustainability sciences, she uses digital tools and photography with a social focus to enhance projects. She is passionate about connecting communities and organizations, promoting agroecological initiatives in beekeeping and climate resilience that generate a positive and sustainable impact.
Alejandra Guzmán Luna
RResearcher, Universidad Veracruzana
Alejandra is a Researcher at the Universidad Veracruzana where she is part of the Academic Team of the Master’s in Education for Interculturality and Sustainability (MEIS). She is also a collaborator at the Institute of Agroecology at the University of Vermont. Using Participatory Action Research approaches and her interdisciplinary training in ecology and political agroecology, she accompanies peasant communities on their way to food sovereignty. Alejandra seeks to contribute to creating a non-extractive, non-violent, and epistemically just academy committed to socio-ecological processes.
Valeria García-López
Researcher, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR)
Valeria García-López is a biologist with a PhD in Rural Studies from Mexico. She is currently part of the Massification of Agroecology group at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) as an external researcher based in Colombia. She is the author of numerous scientific and science communication articles and developed “La Maleta Semillerra” (The Seed Suitcase”), an educational guide for seed conservation. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship within the project “Participatory Research in Agroecology in Latin America and the Caribbean (IPA-LAC)”, where she led a regional collective working alongside farming communities and social movements across seven countries. Over the past decade, Valeria has supported organizational and capacity-building processes in Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico, focusing on environmental conservation, agroecology, food and seed sovereignty, popular education, and rural development. She also enjoys rock climbing, walk with her dog Pepina and the linocut printmaker.
Advisors
Mané Alvez
Owner, Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea
Stacy Bocskor
Coffee Trader, Sucafina Specialty, North America
Lindsey Bolger
Industry Consultant
Ed Canty
General Manager, Cooperative Coffees
Andi Trindle Mersch
VP, Coffee Operations & Sustainability, Philz Coffee
Mike Proia
Owner, Blank Page Cafe
Magda Van Dusen
Co-Founder and President, Brio Coffeeworks
Nate Van Dusen
Co-Founder & Director, Brio Coffeeworks
Emeritus
Janice Nadworny
CO-FOUNDER, Food 4 Farmers
Janice co-founded Food 4 Farmers with Marcela Pino and Rick Peyser in 2011. Until 2022, she led the organization’s development and outreach, while building its financial, operational, and administrative capacity. Prior to Food 4 Farmers, Janice was Development Director at Grounds for Health, Director of the Annual Fund at the University of Vermont, and Senior Vice President at Colonial Investments.
One of Janice’s favorite experiences ever was as an active member of the Specialty Coffee Association’s Sustainability Council. She also served on the SCA Lectures Committee to bring critical issues to the forefront of the specialty coffee industry. Janice is hooked on the coffee world – in particular, its power to effect real, lasting, and positive change and improve the quality of life for farming families and their communities.
Janice received her BA in Economics from the University of Vermont, and her MBA from Boston University.
In Memorium
Bill Mares
VERMONT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
Bill held an A.B. from Harvard College and an M.A. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He had been president of the Vermont Beekeepers Association and the Eastern Apicultural Society. In his varied career, he had been a journalist, high school teacher, politician, and author or co-author of 14 books. With running partner Rick Peyser, Bill co-authored Brewing Change, Behind the Bean at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters — the inspiring result of those frequent runs and steady conversations. Brewing Change is part travelogue, part social commentary, and part motivating business model for building corporate social responsibility. Brewing Change chronicles Peyser’s 24-year career with an insider’s view of GMCR, one of the largest specialty coffee companies and purchasers of Fair Trade coffee in the world. One hundred percent of the authors’ earnings and 10 percent of Wind Ridge Publishing’s net profits from the sale of Brewing Change benefit Food 4 Farmers.