Dawn Crayco is the Northeast Regional Director for FoodCorps and former Connecticut Program Director. Her background is in community nutrition, public health, community organizing, and public policy.  As an original member of the Collaborative leadership, Dawn brings experience working on food issues and strengthening programs and policies that increase access to nutritious foods and food security for children in Connecticut. She currently co-leads the Resources & Funding Action Team with Joey Listro from New Britain ROOTS.

Abby DuBois is the Campaign Coordinator for UConn Extension's Put Local On Your Tray program. In this role, Abby connects CT School Food Service Directors with CT farms to increase procurement of local foods for schools. 
Abby leads a Cohort of Food Service Directors as they work to incorporate Farm to School programming into their school districts. As a FoodCorps CT and UConn College of Agriculture Alum, Abby brings a background in teaching, curriculum development, taste testing and cafeteria engagement.

Christine C. Caruso, PhD, MPH (she/her) is a public health and environmental psychologist and community-based researcher, with expertise in food systems, institutional food, participatory process, urban environments, and health equity. She is currently Assistant Professor of the Practice in Food Security and Environmental Justice at the College of the Environment, at Wesleyan University.​​

She began focusing on institutional food in 2016, while serving as Research Fellow for School Food Focus/FoodCorps, where she was co-investigator for a study exploring values-based procurement practices in school food programs across the US. Christine has published widely and presented nationally and internationally on school food and institutional procurement practices.

Monica has 27 years of experience in food service operations, 20 years in healthcare and 7 years as school food service director. Most recently, she has been with the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) for over 9 years working with School Nutrition Programs. She is the Farm to School Representative for the CSDE, is on the CT Farm to School Collaborative Steering Committee, the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Advisory Council, and the CT Food Policy Council. In addition, she works on Procurement Reviews and is one of the coordinators for the Food Distribution Program for schools. Monica is a Registered Dietitian and a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley,RDN is a formally trained Chef and Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist. Throughout her career she has held a variety of roles in the fields of public health nutrition, food justice and food service management. Her professional experience includes building farm to table partnerships, systems improvement,  program development and leading workshops. She is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Culinary Nutrition, and completed her Dietetic Internship with the University of Connecticut.

Currently, Maraiah leads the Food Services program for Mansfield Public Schools and Region 19/ E.O. Smith High School, where their motto is "no sad lunches".  The program's focus is on increasing the variety and quantity of local foods offered to students and integrating scratch menu items, with a focus on diverse cuisines.  Maraiah works to increase access and participation in school meals and provide opportunities for children to learn about food in a fun, inclusive environment.  

Hannah Carty is the CT DoAG Farm to School Coordinator and a food policy professional and researcher interested in the structural inequalities of the food system through examination of the intersections of colonialism, race, health, and equity on the potential for food sovereignty and agricultural sustainability in black and brown populations.

Her background is in food and agricultural policy bringing diverse expertise in agriculture, project management, business administration, and budget analysis. A graduate of New York University, Hannah is recognized for her community engagement, making significant contributions to sustainable agriculture and leadership initiatives in her community.

Nadine Nelson, owner of Global Local Gourmet and founder of Master Cooks Corps, is a passionate chef, educator, and social practice artist. Her work transforms kitchens into classrooms and dining tables into forums for change.
For over two decades, Nadine has crafted interactive culinary experiences that nourish both body and community. Her innovative programs blend disease prevention, community care, economic development and cultural celebration, inviting participants to learn from one another while savoring the joys of shared meals from seed to waste.
Nadine's expertise spans farm-to-table and pantry to plate curricula development, culinary tourism, and food policy advocacy. A Soul Fire Farm BIPOC FIRE alum and Speakers Collective member, she brings a unique perspective shaped by studies at the Ritz Escoffier in Paris and a teaching certificate from Tufts University.
Recognized by the James Beard Foundation and serving formerly on the New Haven Food Policy Council as education chair, Nadine continues to champion equitable food systems. Through her business and artistic endeavors, she weaves together diverse communities, cultivating a more just and delicious world one dish at a time where food is a blessing.

Joey Listro is the founder and Executive Director of New Britain ROOTS. A native of New Britain, Joey discovered his passion for food and farming while working on community farms across New England starting in 2008. In 2014, he returned to his hometown of New Britain to establish ROOTS, an organization focused on agricultural education and access to healthy food for all.

Since joining UConn Extension in 2010, Jiff Martin has been an active manager of several extension programs related to food and farming in Connecticut. She partners closely with state agencies to fuel multiple extension programs. Her current programs include training beginning farmers, delivering technical assistance to school districts and farms, and promoting local farm businesses. She is credited with launching two AmeriCorps service-learning programs (FoodCorps CT & Connecticut Food Justice VISTA Project). Prior to joining UConn Extension, she was State Director for American Farmland Trust.  Jiff received her MS in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University and an MA in Development Economics and International Trade from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Kashia is a formally trained chef, a graduate of Lincoln Culinary Institute and ICIF in Costigliole d’Asti, Italy. She’s the owner of KD Gastronomy Consulting LLC, her work focuses on how to maximize food usage and minimize waste with the aim of supporting the homeless and persons struggling to provide themselves with a wholesome meal on a consistent basis. She is the founder of My City Kitchen (MCK), the mission is to instill healthy eating habits, build self-esteem, foster a sense of belonging and establish basic life skills in children. Partnering with various organizations, schools and agencies in CT over the past 16 years to educate children and youths in culinary arts, showing them how to create healthy and delicious recipes. Kashia also provides culinary arts training to adults seeking entry level jobs in the food service industry, and working with local farmers markets providing hands-on cooking presentations throughout the State.   

Kashia has been the recipient of The Rotary Foundation International- Paul Harris Fellow Award in 2024, Lion’s International Citizen of the Year in 2017, and Aetna African American History Leader Award in 2016 for transforming lives through food. Her work is recognized on national level in Carb-Loaded: A Culture Dying to Eat Food Documentary on Netflix, and internationally in the Caribbean and Italy.  

Daniel Duesing teaches science in Hartford and runs The 4 Five Farm in Bloomfield.  He has spent his 20+ years in education working to connect students with their food and the environment.