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INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ashley Schimke, RDN, has more than 15 years of experience working across federal nutrition security programs and collaborating with food system stakeholders to improve access to healthy, equitable food. Her work has included supporting rural Arizona communities through the Center for Rural Leadership and expanding farm-to-school initiatives with the Arizona Department of Education focused on whole foods, scratch cooking, and culturally inclusive meals. Ashley now serves as Interim Executive Director of the Blue Watermelon Project after nearly three years on its board, and she is also a Food Leaders Fellow with the Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellowship. 

GERENTE DE PROYECTOS

Kayla LaLone es la directora del proyecto Blue Watermelon. Comenzó su carrera en nutrición escolar hace una década, sumergiéndose en programas federales centrados en la educación nutricional, la planificación de menús, la adquisición de alimentos y las operaciones. La comida escolar es donde encontró su pasión por las personas; ellas son el corazón y el alma que atienden a los estudiantes cada día. La cocina casera, la iniciativa «de la granja a la escuela», la compra de productos locales y las iniciativas de etiquetado limpio se convirtieron en una parte importante de su misión. Ella cree que todos los estudiantes merecen alimentos ricos en nutrientes y deliciosos en la escuela para alimentar sus mentes y sus cuerpos.

CONSULTOR CULINARIO

Tamara Stanger has spent her culinary career connecting modern techniques to ancient traditions, highlighting foraged ingredients, both native and naturalized, and local agriculture from small farms. She was the Executive Chef at Helio Basin Brewery in Phoenix, Cotton & Copper in Tempe, Hells Backbone Grill & farm in Utah and Shift in Flagstaff. She collaborated on Utah’s Farm to Fork where she led bison cooking workshops in Utah schools. Tamara is on the Food & Health Committee Advisory for the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance (NAFSA) and has volunteered with Blue Watermelon Project since 2016.

COORDINADOR DEL CONCURSO - ALIMENTANDO EL FUTURO

Sarah Martinelli es una dietista titulada que comenzó su carrera trabajando en cocinas escolares. Actualmente, Sarah imparte clases en el programa de nutrición de la Facultad de Soluciones Sanitarias de la Universidad Estatal de Arizona (ASU), donde su trabajo se centra en los programas de nutrición escolar. Como coordinadora del concurso Feeding the Future, Sarah trabaja con estudiantes y chefs mentores para garantizar que sus recetas cumplan con las directrices del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA). Sarah también contribuye al desarrollo del plan de estudios Chef in the Garden.

Videógrafo

Chuck Emmert is the videographer for the Blue Watermelon Project’s Chef in the Garden series and has spent more than 45 years as a visual storyteller in Phoenix. During his career at KPNX and beyond, he earned eight Emmy® Awards, pioneered one of the nation’s first live airborne news camera platforms, and produced documentary and wildlife programming ranging from North Korea to PBS’s Arizona Wildlife Views. Emmert has also mentored the next generation of journalists as an adjunct professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and now serves as principal content creator for the City of Phoenix’s Instagram account, which has grown to more than 100,000 followers.