Laura Yepez

Laura was born and raised in East Los Angeles. At the University of California, Berkeley, Laura majored in American Studies, an interdisciplinary major which allowed her to learn about communities, policy, and planning. Laura also has a minor in Landscape Architecture. While at Berkeley, Laura fundraised for several organizations and … Read more

De’Sean Weber

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, De’Sean studied anthropology and global health studies at Northwestern University. He wrote his senior thesis on how trauma-informed care can be implemented to address the impact of mental illness, addiction, and homelessness among low-income Black beneficiaries at Heartland Alliance. At Northwestern, De’Sean worked to … Read more

Paige Shortsleeves

Born and raised in Parsonsfield, Maine, Paige graduated from Colby College with a degree in biology and sociology. With a passion for health and social justice, Paige interned at the Maine Medical Center and Preble Street Learning Collaborative, where she helped provide access to health care for the homeless. On … Read more

Rosa Rada

Rosa grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) with a self-designed interdisciplinary degree in Food Systems Policy. As an undergraduate, Rosa served as an Americorps volunteer at the International Rescue Committee, where she worked to increase food access for refugee communities in … Read more

Erica McCoy

Hailing from Carthage, Mississippi, Erica graduated from Stanford University in 2017 with a degree in earth systems with a concentration in sustainable food and agriculture and a minor in art practice. She is passionate about issues surrounding food systems including sustainability and food justice. While at Stanford, Erica explored these … Read more

Valery Martinez

Valery was born and raised in San Jose, California, and graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in human development and a minor in nutrition. Valery dedicated her summers to serving low-income and racially/ethnically diverse communities in her hometown while being an advocate for social justice issues at school. … Read more

Thank you to the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation for providing support to the 24th Class of Emerson National Hunger Fellows’ work on child food insecurity.

Corey Malone-Smolla

Corey graduated with honors from Yale University in 2016 with a BA in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. While at Yale, Corey worked as a Project Coordinator, managing 50 undergraduates working to end sexual violence through education workshops on consent for 3,000 Yale students. Corey developed her passion for food … Read more

Sarah Goldman

Sarah graduated from Carleton College with a degree in environmental studies and a concentration in political economy. With a passion for agriculture and social justice, Sarah worked as a youth organizer in northern Nicaragua, interned on ten small farms in North America, and served as a student ambassador in the … Read more

Maria Cristina Chicuén

Born in Havana, Cuba, María Cristina was raised in Miami, FL, and graduated from Stanford University in 2017 with a B.A. in Human Biology and a concentration in Sustainable Food System Development. While at Stanford, she centered her studies on obesity prevention, food waste reduction, and health policy, working closely … Read more

Jamila Cervantes

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Jamila graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a combined degree in LGBT studies, Latin American studies, and sociology. While at Berkeley, Jamila proudly served as the co-director for Project Pueblo, an organization that aided local communities in the Bennett Freeze region of the … Read more

Meg Buckley

Meg attended Saint Louis University for her undergraduate and graduate degrees, studying public health with a concentration in behavioral science and health education. While at SLU, Meg studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, spent summers working for a nonprofit in Central Appalachia, and participated in a summer immersion program in Nicaragua … Read more

Funke Aderonmu

Funke Aderonmu is a recent graduate of the University of California, Davis with degrees in economics and international relations. While in college, she developed a strong commitment to social justice and public service. Funke volunteered with Freedom from Hunger, a non-profit working to deliver innovative solutions to poverty, and the … Read more