Asma Azimi

Asma joined the Congressional Hunger Center in February 2024 as the Programs and Operations Coordinator. In this role, she works closely with the executive leadership team to provide coordination for multiple workstreams. Her main responsibility is supporting the Mickey Leland International Fellowship Program with recruitment of candidates and facilitating the … Read more

Sophia Behrens

Sophia (she/her) joined the Hunger Center in 2023 and serves as the Program Associate for the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship. In her role, Sophia supports the Emerson Fellowship through recruitment of candidates, coordination between Fellows and host organizations, and program administration. Sophia graduated from Valparaiso University in 2023 where … Read more

Elizabeth Uriyo

Elizabeth is an accomplished technical business leader possessing over two decades of expertise in strategy development, research and development, innovation, organizational design, and food security across both for-profit and non-profit sectors. Recently, she served as a consultant in Tanzania where she concentrated on testing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies … Read more

Bairy Diakite

Bairy Diakite (He/Him) serves as the Director of Operations at the Congressional Hunger Center. In this capacity, Bairy works to maximize organizational efficiency and impact across all operational areas to advance the Hunger Center’s mission to develop, inspire, and connect leaders in the movement to end hunger and advocate for … Read more

Laura Tarre

Laura joined the Hunger Center in 2022. As the director of development, she is responsible for raising funds for the Hunger Center’s fellowships and programs. Laura has more than eleven years of experience in grants management and fundraising, including major and mid-range gifts, grant writing, and annual fund campaigns. She … Read more

Emily Irsik

With a profound commitment to equitable policy change, Emily Irsik serves as the Recruitment and Internships Coordinator at the Congressional Hunger Center, orchestrating a distinguished 10-week summer internship program and collaborating with influential policy organizations. She leads recruitment efforts for three distinctive programs (Zero Hunger Internship, Emerson Fellowship, & Leland … Read more

Liz Pearce

Liz joined The Congressional Hunger Center in 2022 and serves as the Partnership and Outreach Manager. She focuses on building new partnerships and leveraging networks to amplify the Zero Hunger Academy as well as promoting the Hunger Center’s End Hunger in 30 Challenge and public engagement campaigns. She coordinates sales … Read more

Tony Jackson

Tony joined the Hunger Center in August 2020 and serves as the Director of the Emerson National Hunger Fellowship Program. Tony is responsible for recruiting fellows and host organizations, as well as training and advising fellows. He is also responsible for implementing and providing strategic guidance for the program. Tony … Read more

Project Proposal Form for Emerson Field Site Applicants

All field sites applying to host an Emerson National Hunger Fellow must complete this form and submit it with their application. Applications to host fellows for fall/winter 2020-2021 are open from February 3, 2020 to April 17, 2020.

Shannon Maynard

Shannon Maynard assumed the position of Executive Director of the Congressional Hunger Center in September 2015. Prior to working at the Hunger Center, Shannon served as Chief Talent and Knowledge Officer at Grameen Foundation, where she was responsible for ensuring talent, knowledge management, performance measurement, and planning efforts that were … Read more

Zack Bly

Zack designs and implements communications strategies to share the history and impact of the Hunger Center and its programs. Prior to joining the Hunger Center in 2015, he worked for the public library systems of Alexandria, Virginia, and Orange County, North Carolina, as well as the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library … Read more