About GRACE Communications Foundation
GRACE Communications Foundation builds partnerships and develops innovative media strategies that increase public awareness of the relationships among food, water and energy systems. By mobilizing philanthropic resources and collaborating with like-minded non-profits and academic institutions, we educate consumers and advocate for policies that:
- address the environmental and public health effects of industrial food systems
- support the development of sustainable food distribution networks
- result in common sense use of water resources for energy and food production
- provide clean energy alternatives to conventional power systems
- create and promote prevention techniques individuals and communities can use to improve their health
Executive
Helaine Lerner
President, GRACE Communications Foundation (GCF)Helaine Lerner, a longtime environmental advocate, founded GRACE in 1997 to communicate and address the environmental and health problems with our present industrial food system. In recent years, GRACE has been organizing philanthropic partners to help develop pilot projects at non-profits and universities to provide solutions. Helaine is also chair of the New Tamarind Foundation, which supports a wide range of programs in nursing, social services, integrative medicine, and public health. She also works closely with her husband Sid Lerner, founder and chairman of The Monday Campaigns, dedicated to global public health promotion.
Scott Cullen
Executive Director, GRACE Communications Foundation (GCF)Scott Cullen is the Executive Director of the GRACE Communications Foundation. He is also an environmental attorney and had previously worked on Coastal and Marine conservation issues with the Nature Conservancy and on energy issues with various non-profits. Scott has also served on several county, state and federal advisory committees and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Environmental Grantmakers Association and the Sustainable Agriculture and Food System Funders Network as well as the Vermont Law School Environmental Advisory Board.
Food Program
Destin Layne
Program Director Destin Layne is the Director of GRACE's Food Program and its projects, Sustainable Table, Eat Well Guide and The Meatrix, focusing on expanding their reach through creative partnerships and collaborations. She also brings technology innovation to the food movement, helping create hackathon events, SXSW Innovation dinners and more. Destin also co-authored Cultivating the Web: High Tech Tools for the Sustainable Food Movement, and is frequently asked to speak about these issues.
Chris Hunt
Senior Policy AdvisorChris Hunt serves as the Senior Policy Advisor for GRACE's Food Program, and its Sustainable Table and Meatrix projects. He devotes his attention to issues related to food production and consumption, focusing on the problems created by industrial livestock operations.
Dawn Brighid
Project ManagerDawn Brighid is a Project Manager for the GRACE Food Program, with a particular focus on health and nutrition. She leads the program's social media activities, writes food-focused articles and blog posts, and coordinates partnerships with like-minded organizations.
Jamie Leo
Project DirectorJamie Leo serves as a Project Director for GRACE's Food Program, developing creative marketing initiatives and communication projects. He leads many of our projects and campaigns, and is a key collaborator and resource for our partners.
Jennifer Bunin
Program AssociateJennifer Bunin is a Program Associate for the GRACE Food Program, handling program communications, partnership coordination, press requests, and educational outreach campaigns. She is a key player in our robust social media activities, and writes regularly for the blog.
Rich Sanders
Project DirectorRich Sanders is a Project Director at GRACE's Food Program. His work straddles the program's quantitative and qualitative aspects, from information architecture and statistical analysis to quality control and creative input.
Water & Energy Programs
Kyle Rabin
Program DirectorKyle Rabin serves as Director of GRACE's Water and Energy Programs. He works on a broad range of issues including the food-water-energy nexus, clean energy, power plant water use, fracking, drinking water resources, and watershed protection. Kyle regularly contributes to GRACE's Ecocentric blog.
James Rose
Senior Research and Policy AnalystJames Rose serves as a Senior Research and Policy Analyst with GRACE's Water and Energy Programs. He works on a broad range of issues including renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable water use. James regularly contributes to GRACE's Ecocentric blog.
Kai Olson-Sawyer
Senior Research and Policy AnalystKai Olson-Sawyer is as a Senior Research and Policy Analyst in GRACE's Water and Energy Programs. Kai works on numerous issues including the food-water-energy nexus, water footprinting, surface and groundwater resource protection and management, among others. He regularly contributes to GRACE's Ecocentric blog.
Peter Hanlon
Senior Research and Policy AnalystPeter Hanlon is a Senior Research and Policy Analyst for GRACE's Water and Energy Programs. Peter works on a broad range of issues including the food-water-energy nexus, power plant water use, renewable energy, coastal and estuarine health and fisheries. He regularly contributes to GRACE's Ecocentric blog.
Robin Madel
Senior Research and Policy AnalystRobin Madel is a Senior Research and Policy Analyst for GRACE's Water and Energy Programs. She works on a variety of issues including water quality and conservation, the food-water-energy nexus, waste and recycling. She is a regular contributor to GRACE's Ecocentric blog.
Blog
Leslie Hatfield
Senior EditorLeslie Hatfield serves as senior editor at GRACE, where she assists the programs with their content strategy and communication efforts. She also directs our blog, Ecocentric, leading GRACE staffers and freelance contibutors in the exploration of food, water and energy issues. Leslie served as lead author of the publication Cultivating the Web: High Tech Tools for the Sustainable Food Movement, and is frequently called upon to lecture and teach about how new media influence the way we eat.
Kristen Demaline
Social Media/Communications CoordinatorKristen Demaline is the Social Media/Communications Coordinator for GRACE. She helps direct our Ecocentric blog and maintains open and dynamic conversations with our social media followers across many different platforms.
Web
Weiling Fu
Lead Web DesignerWeiling Fu is the lead designer for the GRACE Communications Foundation website, and has designed many of our major projects and sites over the years, including the GRACE Water Calculator and Eat Well Guide, as well as reports, brochures, videos, animations, and other collateral materials. Weiling also works on GRACE web and print project collaborations with outside organizations.
Katie Sweetman
Graphic DesignerKatie Sweetman is a graphic and web designer for many GRACE projects, and an occasional writer for our Ecocentric blog. She is the designer behind such GRACE projects as OntheFutureofFood.org, the Cultivating the Web booklet, Freeing the Grid, Reeling in New York's Aging Power Plants, and Know The Nexus reports.
Libby Batten
Web DeveloperLibby Batten is front-end developer for GRACE Communications Foundation and also does web development and support for many GRACE projects with outside organizations.
