Board Of Directors

Independent

Steve is a senior management executive with an extensive background in the food industry, recently retiring from his position as President & CEO of the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association, a role he held for over thirteen years. In this position, Steve led a recognized association with over a 100-year history of serving its membership in the food industry of Rhode Island. He brings extensive knowledge and experience in the retail, wholesale, marketing, and manufacturing aspects of the food industry.

His primary responsibilities included representing Rhode Island’s food industry in all aspects of state government, as well as building on the identity of the state’s food industry throughout Rhode Island and the Northeast. Steve is also very active in representing the Rhode Island food industry within several state organizations and national food associations.

Previously, Steve served as President and CEO for eight years at World Harbors Inc. and Angostura International. World Harbors is a Maine-based food manufacturer, marketer, and importer/exporter of specialty food products.

Prior to joining World Harbors, Steve was Sr. Vice President of Purchasing, Merchandising, and Marketing at Millbrook Distribution Services for nine years. Before that, he served as Sr. Vice President of Non-Perishable Sales, Merchandising, and Procurement for Almacs Supermarkets, a regional grocery chain with store locations in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Executive Director, Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island, Courtney Bourns Consulting

Courtney is a consultant to foundations and social sector organizations, with a focus on the design and facilitation of complex strategic initiatives and the development of new grantmaking programs. She brings over twenty years of experience as a facilitative leader, strategic planning expert, and organizational and leadership development consultant to her consulting practice. She has worked in a range of roles with philanthropic organizations, nonprofits, and social change initiatives that bring together multiple stakeholders and require cross-sector partnerships.

Before launching her consulting practice, she was a Senior Program Officer at the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, where she helped create a new grantmaking program focused on food systems transformation in New England. Her previous positions include Vice President of Programs at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Director of Organizational Development at Conservation International, and Senior Associate at the Interaction Institute for Social Change.

Courtney holds an undergraduate degree from Brown University and a master’s degree from Union Theological Seminary. She was a member of the Leadership Rhode Island class of 2017.

Founder & CEO, Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop

Amber is a South Side Chicago native, and the owner of The Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop. This is an online loose-leaf tea and herbal blend company. She also uses her platform to engage the community and celebrate Black culture. Amber attended Middle Tennessee State University as an undergrad where she studied Nutrition & Food Science, and Alabama A&M University for graduate school where she studied Food Science with a concentration in Product Development.

President, Rhode Island Food Policy Council

Diane currently serves as President of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, a statewide network organization working to increase the environmental sustainability, capacity, and resiliency of the state’s food system, and to ensure access to healthy food for all Rhode Islanders. On the Council, she is the lead on a number of projects, including a long-running project to increase seafood wastewater processing in the state, and a USDA-funded project to increase the amount of emergency food provided by local producers.

She is an active member of Rhode Island’s social enterprise and food start-up communities, helping the Social Enterprise Greenhouse in growing its technical assistance and service platform for social entrepreneurs, and assisting Amos House in growing its portfolio of food service businesses. Diane holds an MBA with a concentration in operations and logistics from Boston University.

She began her career in the food sector working for food processors, distributors, and retailers as a consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton. She and her family moved to Rhode Island in 2007 and now grow hay and support local pasture-raised meat farmers on their farm in South County. Diane also supports Rhode Island’s agricultural community by serving as a Commissioner on Rhode Island’s Agricultural Land Preservation Commission.

Family & Outreach Coordinator / Family & Outreach Coordinator and SNAP Outreach Assistant, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County

Charlene advocates for solutions that eliminate homelessness and ensure food and nutrition security. She is a collaborator, organizer, and educator addressing the inequities of underrepresented groups facing hunger and poverty. As Family & Outreach Coordinator & SNAP Outreach Assistant for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport (BGC), she supports elder community members, the disabled, veterans, the unhoused, students, the LGBTQ community, and rural Rhode Islanders. Charlene formed Rhode Island’s only BGC Parent Advisory Council, powers all SNAP Outreach initiatives in Newport County and Washington County, and is on the Board of Commissioners for South Kingstown Housing Authority.

Charlene holds a Master of Science degree in Human Development & Family Studies from the University of Rhode Island’s College Student Personnel Program as well as URI a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Elementary Education. She’s been a Teacher Assistant and Case Manager, at M.I.C.R.O. Teachers College, University of West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, and a RI Campus compact AmeriCorps VISTA for a Hunger-Free America. As a volunteer at the Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale, she was a “Witness to Hunger” with the RI Community Food Bank and Drexel University School of Public Health, part of a movement to increase women’s participation in the national dialogue on hunger and poverty (WIC, SNAP, Childcare, and Medical Assistance programs). Charlene also holds a level one training certification in Kingian Nonviolence through Nonviolent Schools Rhode Island.

Charlene lives in Wakefield with her husband, four children and granddaughter. She is a soccer mom/volunteer for South County Youth Soccer Club, loves biking, teaches “A Taste of Africa” classes for Brown University Health, and makes sure there is quality time with loved ones.

Sankofa Program Manager, West Elmwood Housing Development Inc.

Julius manages and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Sankofa Initiative. Julius will be responsible for program activities and reporting progress. He holds a BA in Culinary Art/Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University, and a Certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from The Institute of Nonprofit Practice. In 2014, Julius founded a non-profit called Food4Good, which doubled as a food truck and a mobile soup kitchen. Profits from the food truck funded the mobile soup kitchen, allowing the entire community to contribute to improving the lives of others.

Associate Director Community Infrastructure, One Neighborhood Builders

Dominique Resendes (she/her) is the Associate Director of Community Infrastructure for Central Providence Opportunities: A Health Equity Zone (CPO-HEZ) at One Neighborhood Builders. CPO-HEZ is a place-based comprehensive initiative aimed at increasing economic mobility and health equity across 02908 and 02909. Through CPO-HEZ, Dominique has led the implementation of innovative pilot initiatives such as the Central Providence Community Loan Fund, and the Nine Neighborhood Fund, a participatory budgeting project where those who live in or go to school in 02908 and 02909 voted on how $1 million should be spent to improve community health.

Previously, Dominique served as the 02907 Health Equity Zone Program Manager at West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation (WEHDC). While at WEHDC, Dominique also led the Sankofa Initiative, which provides affordable, culturally appropriate, local food while expanding economic opportunities for local food growers and producers.

Dominique is an alumna of Salem State University. As a former member of the RI Food Policy Council, Dominique is thrilled to serve on the board and support the work RIFPC does to strengthen our statewide food system.

Nutrition Incentive Projects Director, Farm Fresh Rhode Island

Thea moved to Providence in 2004 to attend Johnson & Wales University and graduated with a degree in Food Service Entrepreneurship. She has spent the past 10 years working with food in different capacities — as a chef, farmers market vendor, and farm hand — and has always been mindful of linking her work to the larger local food system. She firmly believes that the decisions we make about what we eat and where it comes from can have great impacts on the health and welfare of our local community. Thea ties these ideals into her work at Farm Fresh RI every day.