Sarah Buranskas

Project Manager

sarah@pittsburghfoodpolicy.org

Sarah provides outreach, coordination, and research support to the Council’s Food & Health Equity Working Group, the Food Equity Rubric, and Child Nutrition subcommittees. She convenes the Pittsburgh Good Food Purchasing Coalition, leading the group’s efforts to leverage the power of institutional procurement in the Pittsburgh region. She oversaw the implementation of the USDA Farm to School grant which was awarded to the PFPC in 2018. Previously, she worked as an AmeriCorps Community HealthCorps member at several Federally Qualified Health Centers aiding patients with state benefit applications, as well as a volunteer and site coordinator at urban gardens in both Lansing, MI and Santiago, Chile. She holds a Master of Public Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, where she contributed to research on the nutrition policy and the school food environment in Santiago, Chile. She is a member of the PA Farm to School Network and PA Ready, Set, Grow.

Alyson McAtee

COALITION ORGANIZER

ALYSON@PITTSBURGHFOODPOLICY.ORG

Alyson is a dynamic and dedicated professional serving as the Coalition Organizer for the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council (PFPC). With a passion for community-driven change and a keen focus on food justice, Alyson steps into her role with a commitment to fostering collaboration and driving impactful initiatives.

Alyson's journey is marked by a wealth of experience in community organizing and urban agriculture. Prior to joining PFPC, she held pivotal roles as a Community Mobilizer and Urban Farmer Apprentice, where she actively engaged with diverse communities to address food insecurity and champion environmental justice.

In her new role, Alyson leads PFPC's locally driven working groups and committees, with a primary focus on urban agriculture/farming, reduced fares for SNAP users, and steering the impactful Food Justice Fund. Her strategic vision and hands-on approach ensure that PFPC remains at the forefront of efforts to create a more equitable and sustainable food system in Pittsburgh.

Alyson's dedication extends beyond her professional endeavors, as she is deeply committed to supporting marginalized communities, particularly within Black and immigrant communities. Through her work, she seeks to drive poverty alleviation efforts and empower communities to advocate for their needs.

With her diverse skill set, passion for social justice, and unwavering commitment to community empowerment, Alyson is a valuable asset to PFPC and a driving force behind positive change in Pittsburgh's food landscape.

Bobbi Linskens

Labor Seat

Bobbi designs and organizes programs to incorporate sustainable business practices into the region's restaurant industry, all while enhancing social equity and uplifting Pittsburgh neighborhoods and the people residing within them.

Cynthia Caul

Program Manager, CRAFT

At Large Seat

I’m a Pittsburgh resident who believes in the mission of the PFPC and would be honored to support the actualization of this mission as a council board member, particularly in this period of strategic planning. I believe that food and how and by whom it is grown, prepared, and accessed are central to understanding how we can build a more just and equitable society. That’s why I’m here and why I do the work that I do. I believe I could bring experiences, skills, and perspectives that would add value to the Board and the PFPC. I think I have much to give, but also believe I would gain just as much with this experience, contributing to my growth as an individual and a food system professional. I’m currently a program manager at the Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation (CRAFT)—a center at Chatham University that I helped to start about five years ago. In that role, as well as previous roles working in and on the food system at another center, local food pantry, county department of human services, and the U.S. Peace Corps, I’ve gained experience and honed skills in nonprofit management, communications, grant writing, food system research, organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strategic planning. All of these are experiences and skills I believe I could contribute to the leadership of the PFPC. 

Dan Dalton

Assistant Director of Farmer Training & Development, PASA

Agriculture Seat

I would like to serve on the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council board to represent the voices, needs, and perspectives of agricultural producers in the critical work of the PFPC. We cannot build a food system that is fair, equitable, and just without providing for the needs of those who produce our food day in and day out. I would work to represent agricultural producers from all backgrounds, scales, and production styles to advance a holistic vision of access and sustainability in our food system statewide. Regionally I Coordinate and administer Pasa's soil health benchmark research. I provide educational programming in western PA while providing technical assistance to growers on integrated pest management, irrigation systems, and season extension tools and techniques. Locally I sit on the PFPC's Urban Agriculture Working Group and co-chair its Farmland Access Subcommittee, as well as on the technical advisory committees for the Hilltop Urban Farm, BUGS-FPC, and Grow Pittsburgh's Garden Resource Center. I  provide educational and technical support for all of Pasa's activities in the Pittsburgh region. Some of my additional contributions to the PFPC include communications/marketing, human resources, governance, and policy work.

Francis Carter

FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP

I have 15 years of experience working across local food landscapes. My current role as the East End Food Co-op's Project Manager is focused on expanding upon over 40 years of providing healthy food access to Pittsburgh's East End.

Ebony Lunsford Evans

Founder, 1 Sound Farm/Out of the End/Farmer Girl Eb

Urban Ag Working Group Seat

A wife, mother, and grower, Ebony Lunsford-Evans proudly goes by the name “Farmer Girl Eb” because of her love of farming, gardening, and just plain old playing in the dirt! She loves anything that has to do with growing. After doing this for about two years, Ebony founded a non-profit organization, Out of the End, Incorporated, to continue providing these skills on a larger scale while continuing to develop professionally. She attends farming seminars, participates in rigorous research and controlled experiments, and became a member of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), which assists with her ability to stay abreast of best farming practices. Ebony continues to educate and advocate for growing food and is so completely fulfilled in her role of helping her community, by and large, to thrive through the necessary skills to maintain healthier lifestyles, fight illness and become closer to being self-sustainable when it comes to growing our own food.

Heather Manzo

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALLEGHENY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Member Emerita

Leading organizational development, culture shift, and outreach focus for ACCD. ACCD is a regulatory enforcement entity protecting, improving, and educating various stakeholders on best management practices related to soil and water quality.

Jennifer England

Senior Director of Partner Success, 412 Food Rescue

Food & Health Equity Working Group Seat

Jennifer comes to 412 Food Rescue with experience in several sectors. After pursuing a Ph.D. in History, she switched gears and worked in communications for over a decade. Her work as Program Director of Food Recovery Operations at 412 Food Rescue combines her passions for food, economic justice, community service, and environmental responsibility.

Khadiza Massey

At-Large

I am the Senior Accountant at Hosanna House. I am a Manager for Homewood Veggie Stand with GrowPGH. I reach out to neighbors to help understand vacant lots with Grounded. I have a couple of lots to grow veggies. I pick up food for senior citizens. I live in Wilkinsburg - Regent Square.

Ken Regal

Executive Director, Just Harvest

Emeritus

Ken Regal has been an activist and organizer in Pittsburgh for nearly 40 years. He has worked on hunger and poverty issues at Just Harvest since its founding in 1986 and as its Executive Director since 2012. In addition to his role at PFPC, he also represents Just Harvest on the Board of the Pittsburgh United and on the Allegheny County Health Department Advisory Coalition for its Plan for a Healthier Allegheny. Ken is a native of Brooklyn and a graduate of Brandeis University and lives in the Highland Park section of Pittsburgh with his wife. 

Masoud Sayles

Project Manager: Land Stewardship Innovation, Grounded Pgh

CO-CHAIR

Allegheny County Community Seat

As a resident of McKeesport, Masoud has long sought to expand food security and access in his community: whether it be through engaging with local government to promote the establishment of agricultural spaces, working with community organizations to maintain green space, tending a raised-bed alongside allies at a neighborhood community garden, or envisioning the transformation of an abandoned structure into a small-scale value-added processing facility, he often muses about how to augment the availability of locally produced food. In his role as Farm Program Manager at Hilltop Urban Farm, Masoud works to train beginner farmers in the techniques needed to grow crops within an urban setting, as well as educating local youth about soil health, farm ecology, and the importance of agricultural professions to the functioning of society.

Stephen O’Brion

At-Large

I currently work at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. I would work to convene the various stakeholders of our food economy to eliminate food apartheid and meet the needs of our community. I have strong relationships with elected officials throughout Allegheny County.

Nick Goodfellow

Sustainability Coordinator, University of PittsburgH

CO-CHAIR

Regional Food Economy Working Group Seat

Nick is the sustainability coordinator for Business & Auxiliary Services at the University of Pittsburgh. Nick’s work focuses on zero waste and circularity, local & sustainable food systems, active mobility, sustainable procurement, supporting student projects, and infusing sustainability into the department's culture. Before working for Pitt, Nick worked for Sodexo as the sustainability coordinator for Pitt Dining, where he developed nationally-recognized sustainable dining programs advancing local procurement, plant-forward dining, reusable food and beverage packaging, and zero waste.

Ruth Bender

Coordinator, Adagio Health

Treasurer

Health & Nutrition Seat

Though PFPC is engaged in work that strives to touch all elements of the food system, I am incredibly passionate about healthy food access and closing gaps that contribute to food insecurity and hunger conditions. I believe ending hunger is about more than getting food into bellies. To end hunger is to see all community members with access to safely prepared, culturally relevant, and health-promoting meals. Food should do more than satiate hunger, it should nourish growing bodies and minds, strengthen social bonds, and facilitate a connection to the earth. A lasting end to hunger requires systems changes that facilitate health literacy and empowers everyone to know and choose wellness. I am humbled by the opportunity to run for a position on the PFPC Board and participate in re-imagining our region’s food system as one that fosters health, wellness, sustainability, and equity. By training, I am a Registered Dietitian and have the pleasure of serving as a subject matter expert in nutrition to champion evidence-based best practices for multiple coalitions and working groups, including PFPC’s FHE and Child Nutrition subcommittees, Aliquippa Food Council, PA Farm to School Network, Keystone Kids Go statewide workgroup and the Pittsburgh Public SD School Wellness team.

Teaira Collins

Founder/Food Equity Ambassador, Lion of Judah Enterprises

SECRETARY

Community Representative City of Pittsburgh Seat

Coming from a low-income neighborhood, I know 1st hand how to help our families get educated on proper nutrition and how to prepare healthy eating habits. Community engagement and organizing I have fundraising experience I have helped to bridge the gap between Port Authority and get better service provided in low-income neighborhoods. Help to get rental assistance for people in need. Help with stopping eviction in Pa. Been to Harrisburg to get the state representative to join forces to help low-income families. My long-term goal is to help bridge the gap in our food system and provide a better food system for families. Help the food banks provide adequate food that people can eat and want.

Zinna Scott

Pittsburgh Food Equity Ambassador

At-Large Seat

I have been a part of the first cohort group to help create recommendations for our new mayor and city council to consider increasing equitable access to food throughout the city of Pittsburgh. In a multitude of ways. I'm from a community that is labeled a "food desert/apartheid." I'm able to communicate with people and work on policy. I will fit in as needed to help us make Pittsburgh an equitable city for all communities, both economically and race.