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ROC is governed by the Stewardship Council (formerly known as the ROC Council), made up of food system leaders. The Stewardship Council is currently expanding to 21 members selected from 13 sectors, which reflect the diversity of the population and food system in California.
Stewardship Council Members
Roots of Change Stewardship Council Biographies
David Brubaker - is an agricultural consultant and author of the forthcoming book Factory Fresh: The Big Business of Meat. He is involved in numerous agricultural projects in China and the US. From 1982-1997 David served as CEO of PennAg Industries Association, a regional agribusiness trade association representing over 400 firms. David is also former Director of the GRACE/Henry Spira Factory Farm Project, Center for a Livable Future. More recently, he has directed the Spira/GRACE Project on Industrial Animal Production at Johns Hopkins University and has served as a consultant to a variety of businesses, nongovernmental organizations and international agencies. Thus he has experienced "modern" agriculture from a variety of perspectives. David is a graduate of the following universities: Temple, Southern Illinois, Pennsylvania, and London Imperial College. He resides in the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania with his wife Marilyn and three cats. He is the current world champion of the board game RISK.
Jim Cochran - Founder and Co-President of Swanton Berry Farm, Inc., a 200 acre organic fruit and vegetable farm. Its 50 employees have been represented by the United Farm Workers since 1999, and participate in the Company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan, established in 2005. Recipient of the EPA International Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award, 2002. Publications including "Carbon on Credit: Global Warming and the Credit Derivatives Markets," Worldwatch, May, 2007. B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1973. Maria Echaveste - joined University of California Berkeley's Boalt Law School and the Goldman School of Public Policy as a Lecturer after co-founding a strategic and policy consulting group, serving as a senior White House and U.S. Department of Labor official, and working as a community leader and corporate attorney. From 1998 to 2001, Maria served as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton. In this capacity, she managed domestic policy initiatives that focused on education, civil rights, immigration and bankruptcy reform. As a long-time community leader and Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison at the White House from February 1997 to May 1998, Maria built an extensive network of relationships and contacts with diverse organizations and communities throughout the country. She was the Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division from 1993 to 1997. After leaving the White House, she founded the Nueva Vista Group, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., that works with nonprofit organizations, associations and corporations on such issues as immigration, health care, telecommunications, labor and finances. Maria is also a non-resident fellow of the Center for American Progress. She is also currently a member of the board of directors of People for the American Way, The American Prospect magazine, CARE (a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty), as well as serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute. Maria received a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Stanford University in 1976. In 1980, she received a Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley.
Gwendolyn Flynn - is Community Health and Education Policy Director with Community Health Councils, a non-profit community-based, health policy advocacy organization in Los Angeles, California. Her background includes more than ten years experience addressing social justice issues in various capacities. She joined the staff of Community Health Councils, Inc. in 2001 working with the REACH 2010 Project. One of her responsibilities was implementation of the resource environment/community development component of the Project’s comprehensive efforts to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes disparities in the African American communities of South Los Angeles County. As Policy Director, she oversees development of strategies that improve access to nutritious food and physical activity opportunities through polices that change institutional practices, promote local reinvestment, and improve existing resources for the REACH U.S. Project, successor to REACH 2010. Ms. Flynn represents Community Health Councils on various committees and is an American Public Health Association member.
Steve Gliessman - is the Alfred E. Heller Professor of Agroecology at the University of California Santa Cruz. Steve is the author of the first college agroecology textbook, Agroecology: Ecological Processes in Sustainable Agriculture, which now appears in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Farsi). His research is carried out within the framework of ecological interactions in agroecosystems and the conversion of conventional agricultural systems to ecologically based alternative management. Steve is active in tropical agroecology and agroforestry. He is also actively involved in international training programs in agroecology. Currently he is working on a project to help coffee growing communities from Mexico to Costa Rica develop alternative markets for their products. He is also investigating the sustainability of organic strawberries and vegetable farming systems on the central coast of California. An analysis of the agricultural system as an ecosystem will aid in the establishment of an agroecological basis for the long-term sustainability of agricultural productivity. Steve holds a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Luawanna Hallstrom – is Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Harry Singh & Sons and Business Manager for Oceanside Produce Inc. She oversees various business and marketing aspects of both companies. Harry Singh & Sons is the largest single vine-ripe tomato producer in the nation. Beyond her role at Harry Singh & Sons, Ms. Hallstrom promotes economic and social development through her efforts in representing agriculture both statewide and nationally. She continues to focus on Agriculture’s contribution to issues of education, environment, health, human rights, international goodwill and understanding. Ms. Hallstrom’s work includes supporting legislation that promotes sustaining agriculture, immigration reform, food safety and a secure domestic food supply for our nation. For two decades her long time commitment to immigration reform has been targeted to sustain our country’s agriculture industry so that it remains economically viable, works toward social reform and helps to create secure borders. Ms. Hallstrom is Western Vice President of the National Council of Agricultural Employers; co-chair of the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform; co-chair of the American Farm Bureau Labor Committee; and an appointee through Governor Schwarzenegger to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.
Jennifer Hernandez - holds a diverse background of campaign management, lobbying, coalition building and community organizing experience. Currently, Jennifer is a Partner with Cultivo Consulting, a firm aimed at helping nonprofits participate in public policy development. Prior to Cultivo, Jennifer was with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF) where she worked with local groups under the Poder Popular project, helping to develop their public policy agendas. Jennifer has worked in rural communities since 2002, when she joined the UFW political department. She then went on to work for political programs in Washington, DC at the AFL-CIO and AFSCME. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Science degree in International Politics & Law from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and completed a Masters in Public Policy from George Mason University in Arlington, VA.
Edith Jessup - is currently the Program Development Specialist for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP), partnering with eight Central Valley counties with community based organizations, the Public Health Departments, and California State University Fresno. CCROPP works on chronic disease prevention through environmental and policy changes, and is invested in reviving regional food systems that can address health disparities. Edie is a returned native of the Valley, and has worked for the last ten years in Hunger and Nutrition Work. Through a Community Food Project Grant from USDA, a project called ‘Fresno Fresh Access" was formed to: complete a County
Community Food Assessment, increase federal nutrition programs in the Valley, and develop a Food Policy Council and School Nutrition Policy that emphasize access to fresh local produce and culturally appropriate nutritious food availability in low income neighborhoods. In March 2006, Fresno Unified School District adopted a comprehensive Healthy Schools Environment Wellness Policy, the first comprehensive policy in the state. Edith co-chaired the community collaboration that developed the policy aimed at preventing obesity and chronic disease by diet. In March of 2006, she became Director of the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Project for Fresno County, in partnership with the Fresno County Department of Community Health, and California State University, Fresno where she began forming the Fresno County Food and Built Environment Policy Council, as well as providing technical assistance to 6 other counties on community involvement in environmental change. She now works regionally for CCROPP on special regional projects including connecting corner stores to local farmers. Edie participates actively on a number of state and regional committees, including: Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Project; California Department of Health/Cancer Prevention & Nutrition Section- Joint Steering Committee Executive Committee; Food Resources and Nutrition Action Team Co-Chair; California Food Policy Advocates, California Hunger Action Coalition; Community Food Security Coalition; EBT/Farmers Markets; Interfaith Alliance of Central California; and the Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee.
Evan Kleiman - is the Owner and Executive Chef at Angeli Caffé in Los Angeles, which opened in December of 1984. A contemporary Italian restaurant on Melrose Avenue designed to serve "simple rustic food in a modern environment," Angeli Caffé offers light and simple food that is both stylish and affordable. Over the past two decades, Evan has written several best-selling cookbooks, including Cucina Fresca, Cucina Rustica, and Cucina del Mare. Evan is host of the weekly radio food show "Good Food" which is heard each Saturday morning at 11am on KCRW 89.9fm, the second largest NPR station in the country. Evan has recently started a series of video podcasts in which she demonstrates cooking with ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. She was the founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Slow Food and continues her commitment to educating the public on food sustainability issues through her appearances and her radio show.
Mark Kramer - is the Director of Federal External Affairs for the California Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where he has worked since March of 2000. Prior to joining the Conservancy staff, Mark spent a decade in Washington DC, where he worked in turn as a water economist for the Department of Agriculture, a program analyst in the Natural Resources Division of the Office of Management and Budget, and legislative assistant for Rep. Cal Dooley of California, a founder of the then-emerging New Democrat Coalition. In the latter capacity, Mark focused on both addressing constituent interests in a largely agricultural district in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as developing and promoting innovative environmental and natural resource policies. Mark spent his early years in Santa Barbara, California, and received a B.A. in biology and history from UC San Diego, and an M.S. in agricultural economics from UC Davis. While pursuing his higher education, he spent four summers as a farm hand on an irrigated vegetable farm in south central Washington State, growing carrots and pearl onions.
Peter Liu - is the Initial Founder and Vice Chairman, New Resource Bank. In November 2006, Peter helped found New Resource Bank, an innovative community bank in San Francisco that focuses on financing sustainable and efficient resources. Peter also serves on the Clean Technology Investment Advisory Boards of the California Public Employees Retirement System and the California Teachers’ Retirement System and is a member of San Francisco’s Mayor’s Green Building Task Force. Peter has also been an engineer for the Chevron Corporation and the California Air Resources Board. Peter did his undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering & Materials Science at UC Berkeley and graduate studies in Public Affairs at Princeton.
Craig McNamara - is the owner of Sierra Farms and founder and president of the Center for Land-Based Learning. He practices science-based organic farming and serves as a role model for the more than 2,000 people who visit his farm each year to learn from his practices. Craig founded the Center for Land-Based Learning to provide high school students with hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture. Founded in 1993 as a local partnership, the Center today has evolved into a statewide program. Craig is a member of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean's Advisory Council for UC Davis.
Maricela P. Morales - is the Mayor of City of Port Hueneme, and Associate Executive Director, Central Coast Alliance United for A Sustainable Economy (CAUSE). Maricela oversees CAUSE’s Health Coverage Expansion and Women’s Economic Justice Projects, as part of the nonprofit’s dedications to collaboratively realizing a healthy, just, prosperous and environmentally sound reality for all people on the California Central Coast. In response to the need for diversity among elected public decision makers and as a voice for economic, environmental and social equity, she was the youngest and first Latina elected to the Port Hueneme City Council and the first Chicana to serve as Mayor in the Central Coast Tri-Counties region. As Mayor and Council Member, she has prioritized the issues of violence prevention, family strengthening, and civic engagement.
Adán Ortega, Jr. - handles complex strategic planning, communications and crisis management at the public affairs firm of Rose & Kindel, a Grayling Company. He was Vice President for External Affairs of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (’99-05). Adán served as Chief Deputy Secretary of State under California Secretary of State Bill Jones during the late 1990’s and as Assistant General Manager of West and Central Basin Municipal Water Districts from 1994-1997. During the 10 years ending in 1994, Adán operated in 25 states and 60 U.S. and Canadian cities on behalf of mostly agricultural clients at The Dolphin Group, a public affairs firm. Adán is a member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. He is a graduate of Whittier College.
Greg Ostroff - is an advisor and/or director to several Bay Area based foundations, for- and non-profit organizations targeting food security, green jobs and real estate investments. He is a former Co-Director of Global Investment Research at Goldman Sachs, where he had also been head of the firm’s US Stock Selection Committee, Director of Asian Investment Research, a consumer products analyst and a development team member for the Research Select Mutual Fund, Managing Director Investment Fund and the Goldman Sachs Foundation. His prior Wall Street experience includes research positions at Smith Barney, Harris Upham (equities) and Chase Manhattan Bank (economics). Greg earned a BA, Summa Cum Laude, in Economics at Rutgers University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. At home in Northern California, he is a devoted husband and father of four as well as an avid cyclist and gardener.
Jovita Pajarillo - is an associate director for EPA's Water Division, Pacific Southwest Region (9), and former deputy director of the Office of Public Affairs. She is responsible for coordinating, implementing, and overseeing the federal Clean Water Act programs relative to agriculture (e.g., nonpoint source pollution, watershed health, impaired
waters, concentrated animal feeding operations, etc.). She has helped link the 2008 Farm Bill conservation programs to achieve water quality priorities. She was been with EPA for over 30 years. She was the Regional Nonpoint Source Coordinator (1989-1995) and has served as a liaison to USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service for five years
(1995-2000). Jovita is an alumnus of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, 1997-99, Class XXVIII. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and lives in Oakland with her husband, Bob, and cat, Ray, and Chihuahua, Rey.
Pietro Parravano - is a commercial fisherman and the owner/operator of the commercial fishing vessel Anne B. He harvests salmon, Dungeness crab, and rockfish. Pietro has served as the President of the Pacific Coast Federation Fishermen's Associations since 1992. PCFFA is composed of 22 commercial fishing associations and represents community-based fishing families. In 1994, he started the Institute for Fisheries Resources to promote, sponsor, and advance the recovery and protection of fisheries and their supporting habitats. Pietro now serves as the President of IFR. He is also currently on the Board of Directors of the Marine Fish Conversation Network, a coalition composed of 95 organizations that was instrumental in the enactment of the Sustainable Fisheries Act and oversees its implementation. Pietro serves on the Bay-Delta Advisory Panel that provides guidance on long-term solutions to the problems affecting San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary and its watershed. He serves as Commissioner of the San Mateo County Harbor District. Since 1997, he has been one of two U.S. delegates to the World Forum of Fish Workers and Fish Harvesters. He also serves as a commissioner on the Pew Oceans Commission. Pietro earned a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Biology from Eastern Michigan University. He taught chemistry, physics and earth sciences before becoming a fisherman. His father is Giuseppe Parravano, a world-renowned professor of chemical engineering. He lives with his wife, Joan, in Half Moon Bay, California.
Daniela Simunovic - has worked as a Community Organizer for the Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment in Delano, Calif. since 2006. As an organizer she works with residents of rural communities in the Southern San Joaquin Valley helping them to develop their leadership capacity and build power to address the environmental and social issues affecting their community. She currently directs the Center’s Power to the People Campaign, which is working with CRPE’s grassroots leadership to develop a vision for Green Economic Development in the Southern San Joaquin Valley. Born in Santiago, Chile she came to the US with her family at the age of 2. After living in Los Angeles her family moved to the San Joaquin Valley, which she now considers home. Prior to joining CRPE Daniela served as the Assistant Environmental Health Director at Fresno Metro Ministry where she worked on air quality issues and published “Creando Conexiones,” a Spanish language consumer guide to social services in Fresno County. Daniela holds a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Justice and Community from St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga. In college she gained organizing experience working on immigrant rights and labor issues. Daniela was a 2008-2009 fellow in the Women’s Policy Institute, a program offered by the Women’s Foundation for California, and is currently a fellow in the Rockwood Institute’s Fellowship for California Leaders of Color. She serves on the Steering Committee for the California Apollo Alliance.
George Work - represents the third generation of a family ranch that is in transition to the 4th and 5th generation. George has spoken to numerous groups around the world on a wide range of subjects: Holistic Management, no-till farming, straw bale building, sustainable food systems, grazing management, wildlife and family dynamics are but a few of the variety of subjects. Over the years the Work Ranch has received many awards for its stewardship efforts. Currently, George is working on a sustainability-self-evaluation process for ranchers. He is also involved with a coalition working on a system to monitor rangeland sustainability for the Central Coast region. He is involved with the Central Coast Ag Coop, which is a unique rancher/farmer owned coop to provide and make available local produce and meat. Through their farm stay program they are providing an opportunity for the urban community to connect with the land and its people.
Larry Yee - is recently retired from the University of California where he was the director of the Ventura County UC Cooperative Extension office since 1986. Prior to this assignment he was with UC Cooperative Extension for ten years in two other counties. He was also the director of the UC Hansen Trust, a special endowment ($50M) which he founded in 1993. The Trust operates the UC Hansen Agricultural Center at the historic Faulkner Farm near Santa Paula, CA. In total, he managed a combined office of 10 professional academic staff and 30 support paraprofessionals. During his Extension career he served on two national strategic planning committees, one focused on the future of American agriculture. In 2000, following a one-year sabbatical working with Dee Hock, founder of VISA International, he helped to develop and became chair of the Community Alliances of Interdependent Agriculture (CAIA). Later, this led to a one-year appointment (2003-04) as National Program Leader for Food Marketing Systems Innovations at USDA where he worked on the Association of Family Farms (AFF), a new national marketing system for mid-scale family farms. Co-founder of AFF, he currently serves on the national board. Larry is also a board member of the Food Alliance and the Ag-of-the-Middle National Task Force. He is a founding member of the Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance and the Regional Civic Leadership Alliance. He has an MBA in agribusiness from the University of Santa Clara and was a fellow at the Resources for the Future Institute in Washington D.C. He is married, has two grown children and lives in Ojai, CA.
President's Council
- Susan R. Clark - Executive Director, Columbia Foundation
- Diana Cohn - Managing Director, Panta Rhea Foundation
- Leonard Diggs - Farmer and educator, Leonard Diggs Farms and Shone Farm, formerly Santa Rosa Junior College
- Paul Dolan - CEO, Parducci Wine Estates
- Diana Donlon - Program Consultant, William Zimmerman Foundation
- Ann Evans - Formerly, California Department of Education; former Mayor of Davis, California
- Joan Gussow - Author and Mary Swartz Rose Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Martha Guzman - Legislative Advocate for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, United Farm Workers of America; technical manager for the Farm Worker Safe Drinking Water Project, California Water Commission; member of the California Agricultural Leadership Program
- Bruce Hirsch - Executive Director, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation
- Desmond Jolly, Ph.D. - Former Director, Small Farm Center, University of California
- Jose Montenegro - Founder and former Executive Director, Center for International Sustainable Development (CIDERS); former Executive Director, Rural Development Center
- Nell Newman - President and founder of Newman's Own Organics
- Alice Waters - Founder, Chez Panisse
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