Tuesday, May 21st, 2019

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM Ahmanson Hall, Webcast Live

Track II: Food Innovation and Wellness, Herscher Hall, Guerin C, Webcast

The Farm to Table Transformation - The Food & Wellness Ecosystem - The Home - The Restaurant - The Institution

Melisa Nicola, renown restaurateur, co-owner, Nic's Beverly Hills, President, Culinary Arts Kids Eat (C.A.K.E.)

Mark Anderson, CEO, Farmer Mark

James Bell, Associate Director of Programs, Los Angeles, Common Threads

Sabrina Williams, CEO, SEED

Trevor Hudson, Founder, inHouse Produce

Nicole Landers, co-founder, Community Healing Gardens (CHG)

Susan Haymer, Eco-Food Specialist, 360 Degree Communications, Moderator

Susan Haymer is the lead strategist for 360 Degree Communications, a boutique marketing firm specializing in grassroots outreach for films with purpose. She has spearheaded campaigns for many food and environmental films including GMO OMG, City of Gold, Anthony Bourdain’s Wasted, The Breach. Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent and The Biggest Little Farm.  Susan brings over two decades of experience both behind and in front of the camera as a producer, writer and director of award winning television programs, including the 13 episode, James Beard Award winning series, Food Forward.

James Bell holds two B.A.s in Sociology and International Studies and an M.A. in Latin American and Caribbean studies focusing on Food and the Deconstruction of Culture. James became involved with Common Threads after completing his studies in Miami, Fl. While working with a youth development organization he chose to volunteer with Common Threads after conducting an internet search of the keywords “culture, food, and kids” all three of which are dear passions. The 10 weeks he spent in the kitchen with the kids was life-changing. Returning to Los Angeles after his time in  Miami James continued his volunteer work with Common Threads which grew into managing the growth of the Los Angeles market from 40 students to over 16,000 students annually. James now holds the role of  Associate Director of Programs still leading the charge to bring nutrition education and culinary arts to as many students and communities as possible.

Nicole Landers, co-founder, Community Healing Gardens (CHG): For more than two decades, Nicole has been an advocate for environmental and human health – and her mission is to guide the next generation into meaningful action. Nicole graduated from the Sustainability Certificate Program at UCLA, June 2017 and is a Climate Reality Leader under Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corp. Currently Nicole co-founded a non-profit in Venice, Community Healing Gardens (CHG). Whose mission is to foster community, climate resiliency, and growing local food systems through urban gardening. Spearheading the organization, she is focusing on underserved communities and the next generation living in these areas of Los Angeles. A lover of the outdoors, traveling, cooking, gardening, farmer’s markets, stand up paddle, yoga, and the arts, Nicole resides in Venice with her fiancé and their two pets.

Mel Nicola is a visionary restauranteur who is presently inspiring under-served youth to live a healthy lifestyle. Mel believes that wisdom and guidance combined with opportunity will lift youth up out of poverty and into a life of prosperity and balance. To cultivate this experience Ms. Nicola has created, Culinary Arts Kids Eat a dynamic non-profit set to engage youth to become ambassadors of health to their communities. As the executive director of CAKE, she provides hands on training in culinary arts, and professional expertise in the restaurant & hospitality industry. Youth learn to grow own food, develop fresh healthy recipes, create a cookbook, and study health-wellness and nutrition. Practice yoga, mindful meditation and become social entrepreneurs. CAKE youth receive hands on training empowering them to enter the workforce or pursue higher learning. The CAKE program has empowered the lives of 550 teens and recognized by L.A. Times, ABC and NBC as an innovative and sustainable approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. With so many requests from adults to attend the CAKE classes, Mel has since launched Cayenne. A series of sensory adventure workshops - mini retreats where you experience a true alignment with the inner soul. Guests enjoy activities to harness our state of flow…all the senses are engaged; culinary arts, healing arts, soulful music and supercharged inspirational speakers to guide us on the journey. Each series is rooted in lifting you up and filling your life with purpose, gratitude balance, vitality and bliss. Mel brings three decades of expertise in the hospitality industry combined with her visionary service to community. Humans, being…..we are all connected. It is when we nourish the planet, harness our energy and connect deeply we then can nurture our souls becoming rooted in our humanity.

Trevor Hudson, Founder, inHouse Produce: Trevor Hudson is a software engineer & fluent mandarin speaker with a passion for wellness. Raised as a global citizen in a missionary family, Trevor’s multicultural upbringing showed him the power of food to connect, bond, and heal. These early years also taught Trevor the persistence, precision, and craftsmanship required to build high-performing yet artful pieces. Trevor now manifests these values & skills in his leadership of inHouse Produce.

Sabrina Williams, CEO, SEED: Sabrina Williams has worked with groups across the U.S. as a community organizer and organizational development specialist. With degrees in architecture, law and urban planning, she has focused on social justice, equity and community development issues in urban communities.  In 2000, she founded the non-profit Home&Community Inc., to guide emerging groups in 40 states through the business formation process and, via its SEED project, address food security in low-income, transitional and homeless populations.  Since 2015 she has worked with farmers in the U.S. and Cuba, to help them create innovative agriculture technology.  The DIY-kit developed in workshops allowed farm entrepreneurs to address water conservation, improve soil health and increase crop yields - in challenging physical, social and political environments.   In 2018 she became CEO of SEED, an independent, public benefit corporation dedicated to offering a full-service, technologically-advanced “farm in a box” that allows everyone -- from small plot farmers to windowsill growers — to grow more food while gaining 21st century STEM skills.  As a public benefit corporation SEED supports underserved communities by promoting a “conscious consumerism” focused on sustainability and positive social impact.  For each SEED purchased, one is provided to a stakeholder in a low-income or developing community.

Mark Anderson, aka “Farmer Mark” currently operates five farmers’ markets throughout the Los Angeles & Orange County area. After a career in investment banking, Mark stumbled upon a career in agriculture when his dot.com aspirations burst with the bubble in 2001. He spent six years running a small tomato and vegetable farm in Ventura County using Organic, hydroponic and conventional growing methods. During this time, he gained intimate knowledge of farmers’ markets having sold at numerous markets throughout Los Angeles County. With a passion for healthy eating, background as a small farmer and a desire to see farmers’ markets grow, “Farmer Mark” started managing markets. Starting with the opening of his first farmers’ market in 2009, the organization has since grown to managing five farmers’ markets. For eight years, Mark served on the California’s Certified Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee advising the Secretary of Agriculture. He currently serves on the Board of Grow Good, a small urban farm growing food to support a Salvation Army homeless shelter. Mark presented at TEDx Santa Monica in 2012. He highlighted his story with his talk “How I Fell In Love with a Tomato”  TEDx Santa Monica Talk