Melanie Schutt | Board Chair

Melanie has been a fan, advocate and follower of the Slow Food movement for many years. With decades of experience in marketing, events, and communications, she is also deeply passionate about sustainability. She has a background in hospitality, including working in various capacities with Snail of Approval restaurants. She believes in the good, clean, and fair food movement and understanding where our food comes from.

Richa Mehra | Board Vice Chair

Richa believes strongly in a just and equitable food system in which eating affordably does not come at the cost of your health. Richa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania where she wrote an Honors Thesis focused on identifying the hidden costs of cheap food in the U.S. as well as a multi-faceted approach to building a more sustainable food and farming system, and worked on a research paper with renowned food psychologist Paul Rozin about how political affiliation impacts support for food related sustainability items. Richa is excited at the prospect of providing perspective, connections, and a genuine commitment to the Slow Food board and cause.

Jennifer Sweenie | Board Vice Chair

Jennifer Sweenie is a functional nutritionist, health-supportive chef, and food and nutrition writer with over a decade of experience in the health, wellness & food space. She is passionate about educating others on the importance of consuming real, local food from sustainable sources. She believes the key to making healthier choices and behavior modification lies in understanding and awareness of the correlation between what we consume and our wellbeing. Jennifer also serves on the Board of Directors for the Farm to Consumer Foundation where she chairs the Education Committee.

Charlie Marshall | Board Treasurer

Charlie is executive chef and owner of The Marshal, a sustainable wood fired farm-to-table restaurant in Manhattan. Charlie was raised on his parents’ farm and in their restaurant, so his history with the farm-to-table movement is a long one. Charlie is also the current President of the board of the NY Wine and Grape Foundation, a non-profit focused on promoting local wineries, funding oenological research, and promoting sustainable growing practices. Charlie enjoys travelling, cooking, reading, and playing cello in his rare free moments.

Isabella Brafman | Board Member

Isabella has been closely involved with the good, clean, and fair food movement through lending support to Slow Food NYC’s Urban Harvest program and previously interning with Slow Food USA. Currently, Isabella serves as a FoodCorps service member with Harlem Grown. Outside of work, Isabella is passionate about food, wellness, and food policy.

Everett Hollander | Board Member

Everett first became involved with Slow Food through his interest in permaculture, local food systems, and agricultural justice. Everett is passionate about food, the natural order of the world and social, economic, ecological and personal well-being; and how these all interact in one of the most primordial acts we do: eat. Originally trained as an Architect, Everett is a Partner at BCCM | Billy Clark Creative Management where he leads BCCM Advisory: a consultancy that supports creative companies with their businesses. He brings experience building solutions to complex issues by understanding and celebrating their essentials, implementing systems that work in aid thereof and cultivating stakeholder support required for them to succeed long-term. He lives with his husband, civil rights attorney Antony Gemmell, in Brooklyn.

Kristen Kampetis | Board Member

Kristen firmly believes that good food is at the heart of individual and community wellbeing and is invested in the pursuit of instilling Slow Food values into the cultural consciousness of New York City.  With an academic background in economics, technology and society, Kristen has been working in Tech & Media for 15 years, and is currently a Director of Operations at Vimeo. Growing up with family in the restaurant and import business, Kristen's food roots run deep and she continues that legacy through passion as a home cook, peer mentor to those managing chronic illness with nutrition and studying for her Level 3 WSET Wine certification. 

Kyle Karnuta | Board Member

Kyle Karnuta is long-time sustainable food and agriculture enthusiast with a background both in brand marketing and agriculture policy. She currently works as an urban agriculture curriculum specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension based in Brooklyn, NY. Kyle is passionate about environmental justice, agroecology, and creating more livable cities through improved ecological systems.

Matt Parker | Board Member

Matt Parker brings a strong finance background and a dedication to holistic health to the Slow Food NYC board. His experience in venture capital and the circular economy, combined with entrepreneurial healthcare initiatives, align with Slow Food’s mission to drive significant change. An advocate for access to good, clean, and fair food, Matt believes in real food's vital role in preventive health and community well-being.

Matt uses his strategic insights to support sustainable and equitable food systems. He recognizes the profound impact that our food choices have on health, equity, and the environment. Committed to fostering a diverse, tradition-rich, and innovative food culture, Matt is actively involved in shaping a future where New York City’s food heritage is both celebrated and set as a model for others.

Craig Revord | Board Member

Craig Revord is an Executive Coach, Startup Advisor + Consultant based in New York City. Craig has been a partner, collaborator, and builder within several Start-up Accelerators, including Techstars Sustainability Accelerator (in partnership with The Nature Conservancy) where he developed coaching programs and scaled operations. Craig is also an active investor/advisor for several Wine and Community-tech Organizations including Vin Social and Cavewoman Wines in Paris, France. Offline, Craig spends his time sampling wine in obscure locations, foraging porcinis (in his native Colorado) and planning his next trip to Italy, restaurant by restaurant. Craig’s secret dream includes a mentorship with Massimo Bottura, or some unknown chef in rural Tuscany, reveling in a deep sense of place and the simple things in life.

Yash Shah | Board Member

Yash Shah is the founder of Earthen Vegan Kitchen in Park Slope, Brooklyn. He was born in 1983, in Gujarat, India, his father was a farmer of many grains, fruits and vegetables. Yash and his family moved to New York in 1993, and his family owned a bodega in Queens. Yash went to  St. John’s University, class of 2005. In 2004 Yash started working at a Verizon Wireless chain, he was the manager there till 2014, achieving highest volume store in the nation, each year he was there. In 2008 Yash co-founded  Urban Taj Wines a wine import and wholesale company based in New York and New Jersey, he sold his shares in 2018. In 2015, Yash took a sabbatical to go on a solo backpacking trip, visiting nine countries over five  months. He went to Wines & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and took courses 1, 2 & 3 to study wines and become a sommelier. In 2019 Yash joined the hospitality industry, he started working at Baar Baar with chef Sujan Sarkar. In October 2021, Yash opened Earthen, with the idea to make fresh whole-plant based dishes, that take freely from all cuisines.

Holley Atkinson | Board Supporter

Holley has been a member of Slow Food NYC since 2004 and served on the board for 12 years, from 2010 through 2021. A digital media pro with 30+ years experience, she is passionate about supporting local food, and applies her energy and expertise to broaden awareness of Slow Food NYC and other good food causes. Holley also consults to a number of food & tech-related ventures through Making Food Work and is a mentor to startups in several food & ag accelerator programs.