Staff

Nessa leads the Council in achieving its mission to promote a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable food system in Rhode Island. Externally, she represents the network in a variety of settings. Internally, she cultivates leadership within each of the organization’s staff. She works closely with Rhode Island’s Director of Food Strategy and other state leaders to advance good food policy and implement the Rhode Island food strategy, Relish Rhody, which is a comprehensive five-year plan unveiled in May 2017 to grow and sustain markets for locally grown food for the good of communities, the environment, and the economy. Nessa is a native Rhode Islander who returned to her hometown of South Kingstown ten years ago after living and working in Austin, Texas and the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Nessa has earned a self-designed degree in Political Economic of Natural Resources from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.

 Isaac Bearg, Program Director – Food, Climate and Environment: Isaac is excited to join the RIFPC to focus on the myriad of ways we can make our food systems more sustainable from seed to soil. Prior to joining RIFPC Isaac was a founding member and Vice President of the NJCC. He received an MBA in 2017 from Boston University Questrom School of Business in Energy and Environmental Sustainability. After receiving his degree, he completed a research project for Impact Venture Capitalists Mission Point Partners on investments supporting the anaerobic digestion and composting industry understanding the challenges and opportunities to supporting the industry. 

Moving back home to NJ with a new understanding of the organics space he helped form and serves as the VP of the NJCC and chair of the advocacy committee. He traveled frequently to the state capital to advocate for better policy and served as a compost and organics diversion educator across the state. Isaac was also instrumental in the NJCC being awarded federal USDA, statewide Department of Environmental Protection, as well as private foundation grants. Serving on the project team for these grants he helped teach backyard composting, completed university-wide waste audits, wrote official progress and final grant reports, and worked collaboratively on university-wide educational programs designed to increase food scrap diversion. To further his education in the field he has taken and is certified by the NJ Compost Operators Training Course and the USCC Principles of Manufacturing Course. 

Isaac is working to form the Waste Food Solutions Action Network and Plan as well as promote municipal composting and advocate for better food waste reduction and recycling policy in RI. 

For nearly two decades, Rachel has been working with policymakers, community-based organizations, and under-represented communities to increase equitable access to and control of the resources we need to live healthy lives. Food policy and food equity have been strong threads throughout Rachel’s career, from developing and managing community gardens in Boston and Providence, serving as the founding staff member of Sankofa World Market in Providence’s West End, and most recently driving health policy and programs as Acting Director of the City of Providence’s Healthy Communities Office. Rachel earned her MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and lives with her family on the South Side of Providence.

Isaac Reid, Program Associate – Food, Climate, & Environment: Isaac has been passionately involved in local food systems since they were a child through an interest in local produce and culinary science and is thrilled to be growing that passion at the RIFPC! While in undergrad at Indiana University, Isaac worked at FARM Bloomington as a cook and pastry chef. Isaac also received their 200-hour yoga teaching certification. This led them to take a postgrad internship in Ayurvedic medicine with Banyan Botanicals at their regenerative herbal farm in Williams, Oregon. They spent days tending to the farm, nights learning, and weekends exploring the natural beauty of the Applegate Valley. Isaac couldn’t leave the West Coast just yet, they did a year of service with FoodCorps in Klamath Falls, Oregon teaching kids to cook. For Isaac’s second year of service with FoodCorps, they journeyed across the country to Providence, RI, serving in Providence Public Schools. There, Isaac and their counterpart teamed up with the RI School Recycling Project to empower kids to compost in school cafeterias district-wide. While at FoodCorps, I was selected to be a member of the Service Member Action Committee (SMAC). As the senior member of SMAC, Isaac led the committee in presenting to the executive team at FoodCorps for their Regional Equity Project. Isaac then went on to administer the Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) at the Rhode Island Department of Education.

Isaac is excited to be joining the RIFPC as the Food, Climate, and Environment Program Associate! Isaac is working to expand municipal outreach, empowering local communities to build and expand compost infrastructure statewide. Provide educational resources and proven compost infrastructure frameworks to municipal leaders. Educate community members on foodways that prevent wasted food from making it to our landfill. Isaac is also thrilled to be helping grow the Annual Rhode Island Compost Conference!

Abbey has long been drawn to the power of food to build connection and community. She first discovered her passion for this work as a volunteer at a local food pantry while an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since relocating to Rhode Island, she has closely followed the work of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council and is excited to contribute to a more equitable and resilient local food system.

Abbey brings a background in nonprofit and higher education administration, most recently serving at Brown University, where she supported historically underrepresented alumni communities and led cross-functional initiatives. Previously, she managed large-scale events and fundraising efforts at a Massachusetts-based food recovery organization, generating significant support for hunger relief work. She is passionate about building strong systems that help mission-driven organizations thrive and is energized to return to her food justice roots at RIFPC.

Phoenix (they/them) holds twenty years of experience in policy, advocacy, and government. Their professional portfolio includes supporting marriage equality, trans rights, housing, reparations, police accountability, broadband access, and environmental advocacy.

They were most recently a communications consultant, working with labor unions, local writers and performance artists, and advocacy nonprofits. They found a great deal of meaning and purpose hosting workshops to strengthen the connection back to one’s own story and collective narratives.

Phoenix also hosts a local LGBTQIA+ Artist Community Care Open Mic and lives in Providence with their cat and son.

Sylvia Skerry is a passionate food policy advocate with a background in research, program management, and community engagement. Holding a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University, she currently serves as a Program Facilitator with the Rhode Island School Recycling Project, leading food waste reduction and sustainability initiatives in schools across the state. Her commitment to equitable food access extends to her volunteer work at the Federal Hill House Food Pantry, where she supports a client-choice model that prioritizes dignity and autonomy. Before graduate school, Sylvia spent several years with UNICEF in Jordan managing youth development programming in Syrian refugee camps, an experience that deepened her commitment to community-centered approaches to systemic change. She is also a member of Food Policy Pathways, a fellowship for emerging leaders pursuing careers in food policy. In her spare time, Sylvia enjoys cooking, knitting, and reading.

Ella Zalewsky is a dedicated advocate for sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems.
Born and raised in Southern Rhode Island, Ella earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems from the University of Rhode Island before moving to North Carolina. Ella is currently finishing her Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems through Arizona State University while working as a Local Foods Research Assistant with NC State University. Fueled by a deep passion for food justice, Ella has helped investigate the feasibility of increased native crop (‘ulu, niu) production in Maui Nui to enhance local food value chains, as well as the potential for North Carolina to design and implement a Farm to Early Care and Education Local Food Purchasing Incentive program. Currently, Ella is researching values-based institutional food procurement for her graduate capstone, exploring how Farm to Hospital programming operates in hospitals with contracted food service management operations, and how these practices can be implemented in Wake County, NC. In her free time, Ella enjoys hiking with her partner, exploring local markets, and trying new foods. Ella is thrilled to be working with the RIFPC again this summer, and looks forward to examining the interconnections between coastal climate resilience and food systems.

Nawa Ibrahimy is a Food & Climate Communications Intern with the Rhode Island Food Policy Council and a Master of Public Health student at Brown University. Passionate about community health, sustainability, and effective storytelling, she is interested in how communication can help bridge the gap between policy and public engagement. Her previous experience includes supporting community outreach and advocacy efforts with Providence Streets Coalition, contributing to communications initiatives at The Groden Network, and working with an AI music startup focused on creative technology and user engagement. Through these experiences, Nawa has developed a strong interest in making complex ideas accessible and connecting people to issues that impact their communities. At RIFPC, she supports communications and outreach efforts related to food systems, climate resilience, and wasted food reduction across Rhode Island. She is so excited to work with the RIFPC team and learn more from them.

Madison is entering her junior year at Providence College where she is pursuing her bachelors in political science and communications. Madison is passionate about non-profit work and their importance in local communities. Maddison has previously worked at Providence Promise on their research and communications. At Providence College she is the head of the news team for PCTV where she interviews students and staff on important issues currently affecting the Providence College community. She also writes for the news section of the Cowl, the PC newspaper, focusing on political events at the local and national level. In her spare time she enjoys playing flag football on her school’s club team and is currently studying for the LSATs.