Our Team
Behind The Rescue
Job Openings
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Are you ready to make an impact in the fight against hunger and food waste? Food Rescue US is searching for a Director of Development to join our dynamic team and lead our strategic fundraising efforts. As the Director of Development, you'll be a vital part of our leadership team, driving our mission forward and helping us make a difference in communities across the nation.
Site Directors
Looking to connect with one of our location Site Directors?
Staff
Dave Lampert
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
While the bulk of Dave's career has been in the private sector, he has long been involved in mission-driven organizations as a volunteer, fundraiser, and board member with a particular passion for food security.
Dave spent 19 years at Dutch multinational Wolters Kluwer, where he led multiple businesses, including as CEO of Wolters Kluwer Asia Pacific based in Sydney, a $100MM business with a team of 600 across seven countries. Since Wolters Kluwer, Dave has run a number of smaller, tech-enabled privately held businesses including a document automation software business, a legal staffing boutique and a start-up providing live-voice AI software to call centers. Most recently he led the launch of randstad at work, a two-sided app-based marketplace in the staffing industry.
In the nonprofit world, Dave has been a regular volunteer at a soup kitchen, organized cooking days and food drives, and he spent 2-3 days/week at a food pantry through the first year of the pandemic. He served as Vice President of the board of a nonprofit theater and is currently co-treasurer of the board of his synagogue.
Dave and his wife have three grown children and live in Hartsdale NY. In his spare time, Dave enjoys outdoor activities including skiing, biking, hiking, and softball, as well as reading, travel, and of course, volunteering.
Jennifer Guhl
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & MAJOR DONORS
With a passion for helping others, Jennifer has dedicated her career to providing communications and development support to numerous nonprofit organizations in Florida, New Jersey, and now Connecticut. Previously, Jennifer served as Managing Director for the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber, Marketing and Public Relations Manager for the Enzian Theater & Florida Film Festival, and Marketing Manager for the Orlando Repertory Theatre. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys theater, traveling, trying new foods and restaurants, and skiing with her family.
Alyssa Defrin-Adeyemi
GRANTS MANAGER
Alyssa comes to Food Rescue US with a background in the nonprofit sector, working for organizations supporting veterans and military families, education and training, and international development. She brings strong writing and organizational skills, as well as experience in all aspects of the grant lifecycle. Alyssa is honored to work for an organization doing great work and making a real impact. A Northeasterner at heart, Alyssa grew up in Massachusetts and now lives in Northern Virginia where she enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering, reading, fitness and cooking.
Sheldon Rawson
PRODUCT SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE
Sheldon has long held a passion for helping others and the environment, which is what led him to work at Food Rescue US where he gets to pursue both of these passions everyday. He graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Media and is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Emerging Media, also through Loyola. In his free time, Sheldon enjoys traveling, boating, paddle boarding, hiking, and playing with dogs.
Levi Grimm
PRODUCT SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE
Levi is currently an undergraduate student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio studying business management and entrepreneurship. Growing up in a rural midwest farming community, Levi understands the value of food and doesn’t want it to go to waste. Volunteering at local food pantries, he realized the gap between abundance and need and found Food Rescue US. Levi comes to Food Rescue US with a background in the nonprofit community and leadership. He hopes to empower communities across the country to end waste with a strong technology foundation.
Joe Robbins
PRODUCT MANAGER
Joe attended Gustavus Adolphus College on a National Merit Scholarship, and graduated with a degree in philosophy. He promptly put that degree to use as a technical designer for a startup solar company in Washington state. Since then, he has worked as a product manager for startup companies in the financial services and e-commerce industries. He has experience managing technical teams, leading product development from early stages to release, and delivering value to product users and stakeholders. Joe is passionate about food insecurity and immediately jumped at the opportunity to join the Food Rescue team in 2023.
Melissa Spiesman
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Melissa is a hospitality and nutrition professional who was drawn to Food Rescue US because of the strong impact the work is having on reducing food insecurity and mitigating the impact food waste has on the environment. Being in the kitchen is therapeutic for her (and way cheaper than actual therapy) and believes that all people should have access to the highest quality food.
She has grown with the organization and continues her commitment to using her experience to strengthen and grow Food Rescue US. Melissa has built strong relationships within the food waste and hunger space that are used to inform the direction of the organization. She enjoys spending time engaging in a healthy lifestyle...and is fueled by health, exercise, travel, the outdoors, and of course food!
Laurie Jones
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS
Laurie has been involved at Food Rescue US since its inception, rescuing food and working as an independent consultant on special projects. She brings a strong background in marketing, writing and product development from her careers at SAIL Magazine, Reebok and Rockport. Passionate about serving her community, Laurie has been actively engaged with numerous area non-profits including Stepping Stones Museum for Children and AmeriCares, and has most recently served on the boards of the Rowayton Civic Association and The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. Laurie is a firm believer in the capability of technology to change the face of hunger.
Alena Murphy
BUSINESS MANAGER
With a passion for service, Alena has built her career in the nonprofit arena working for various local and national organizations supporting the environment, the arts, and education. She brings organizational skills as well as experience with ground-level foundation building to Food Rescue US during this current phase of strategic, nationwide growth. Alena is proud to be part of a team working toward effecting change on a national level by providing needed services locally. In her spare time Alena helps plant food at a local farm, and enjoys traveling and encaustic painting.
Victoria Zapata
NATIONAL SITE MANAGER
Victoria comes to Food Rescue US with over a decade of Executive support in top financial firms in New York and Washington DC. She has a background in communications and a passion for helping others. Initially she served as a volunteer with Food Rescue US, helping to launch the Anne Arundel County site. She is excited to share her love of food and community and the mission of Food Rescue US to help reduce food waste and to help break down barriers to fresh food options for those impacted by food insecurities. Fresh food is nourishment to the body not a luxury. Service to community is nourishment to the soul.
HALEY SCHULMAN
SITE COORDINATOR
After years of experience in the hospitality and events industry where she witnessed enormous amounts of food being wasted, Haley redirected her focus towards supporting a more sustainable food system. She nurtured her interest in local foods by volunteering at nearby farms and as a food rescuer with Food Rescue US. The immediate positive impact of providing nutritious foods to her community led her to take on a larger role with Food Rescue US - Fairfield County as Program Associate. She now looks forward to her new role as National Site Coordinator and to supporting the mission of Food Rescue US on a national scale. If she is not out rescuing food, she is most likely taking her rescue pup Louise on a hike.
ALLI Wodar
MARKETING MANAGER
Alli joined Food Rescue US with a strong background in nonprofit marketing and a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability Studies from the University of Florida. She uses her creativity and technical skills to manage our digital content, newsletters, social media, and more. Alli is proud to work at an organization that helps those in need while also protecting the environment. In her free time, Alli loves hiking, climbing, and hanging out with her dog.
LEIGH CLAYPOOL
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
Leigh has spent her life fulfilling her passion for helping others by volunteering in a variety of roles at schools, a family homeless shelter, with DSVS, and for many other short-term opportunities. She recently returned to her hometown of Stamford where she discovered Food Rescue US. After volunteering with the organization for a year, she was honored and excited to accept a position with the team tracking incoming monetary donations, and applying for small grants. When not volunteering, Leigh loves creating fiber arts, baking, being outdoors, and spending time with family, friends, and her cats.
Board of Directors
Britton Jones
Executive Chairman
Founder & CEO – NXT Events Media Group
Carol Shattuck
Executive Vice Chair
Robbyn Footlick
Secretary
Executive Content Strategist in partnership with Elland Road Partners
James Bottiglieri
Treasurer
Retired CFO/Executive Vice President – Compass Diversified Holding (NYSE: CODI)
Jes Bengtson
Executive Chef, Terrain Café & Regional Head Chef, Amis Trattoria
Lucy Freeman
VP of Housing and Program Services, Inspirica, Inc.
Jim Kirsch
Managing Partner, CEO, Pier Sixty
Bruce Koe
Retired Vice President Global Operations for Readers Digest, Inc.
Robert Kretzman
Retired CAO/Chief Legal Counsel – Revlon, Inc. (NYSE: Rev)
Karen McNair
Assistant Vice President, Claims XL Reinsurance America Inc. AXA XL
Heidi M. Moeller
BDO USA LLP, Tax Office, Managing Partner, Stamford, CT
John Popa
Managing Director, NE Region, The Northern Trust Company
Bill Taibe
Senior Advisor to Board of Directors
Owner and Chef – The Whelk, Kawa-Ni, Jesup Hall
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