Who’s Who on Food Link’s Staff - Spring 2023
When Food Link was founded back in 2012 – 11 years ago, we can hardly believe it! – our program was run by our founders and many volunteers. As we’ve continued to grow our impact, we’ve shifted roles and added staff to oversee our program. Now that we have ten full-time and one part-time staff, we want to take the time to (re)introduce you to our team. Continue reading to learn about the Food Link team, our core job functions, and which of our staff members is a twin.
Leadership
Rachel Albert, Executive Director
Rachel has been the Executive Director of Food Link since the Spring of 2021. Before joining Food Link, Rachel held executive positions at Jewish Family & Children’s Service in Waltham and Birches School in Lincoln. Rachel oversees all facets of Food Link: our food rescue program, our administrative and fundraising goals, and organizational health.
Fun fact: Rachel trained to be an opera singer, before ultimately changing career paths at the age of 25.
Delita Goodridge, Director of Finance and Administration
Delita joined Food Link in August 2022, with previous experience in the healthcare/research industries in Boston and Cambridge. Delita oversees Food Link’s finances, administration, facilities, IT, and human resources, ensuring effective functioning of internal systems.
Fun fact: Delita loves to cook and bake. She’s taken baking classes at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts to further her skills!
Elise Springuel, Director of Programs and Strategy
Elise has experience across many sectors of the food system and holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College. Elise oversees Food Link’s strategic focus on food justice, guides our food rescue operations, and manages our systems change portfolio.
Fun fact: An avid paddler, Elise has been on both ends of the Nile River – Sailing in Cairo, Egypt and white water rafting in Jinja, Uganda.
Alex Kramer, Logistics Manager
Alex began her time at Food Link as a volunteer in 2018, was hired full-time in 2019, and has since held multiple positions on staff. Alex manages Food Link’s food rescue operations, and food donor and recipient agency relationships.
Alex is the operations lead on Mondays.
Fun fact: Any clothing that Alex has purchased in the past 2.5 years has been secondhand.
Administration, Communications, and Fundraising
Khadejeh Al-Rijleh, Operations and Administrative Assistant
Khadejeh joined Food Link in 2020 as the Administrative Assistant. In May 2023, Khadejeh’s role expanded to Operations and Administrative Assistant. Khadejeh helps Food Link’s office function smoothly and supports food rescue operations by sorting, packing, and organizing food for distribution.
Fun fact: One of our three sets of twins, Khadejeh bikes to work every day from Jamaica Plain!
Shannon Fitzgerald, Communications and Digital Marketing Coordinator
Shannon joined Food Link in February 2021, with prior experience in higher education and food innovation. She coordinates Food Link’s public presence including social media, website, newsletter, marketing portfolio, and events.
Fun fact: Shannon loves to read and reads over 80 books every year.
Sam Kiss, Development and Finance Coordinator
Sam’s role at Food Link began as a contractor before he was hired as our full-time Development and Finance Coordinator. He is on our grants team, oversees Food Link’s fundraising campaigns, and assists with budgeting, including tracking and reporting on revenues and expenses.
Fun fact: Sam plays both the ukulele and the violin.
Food Rescue Program
Rose Freudberg, Volunteer Coordinator
Rose joined the Food Link team in late 2020, after interning at the Newton Food Pantry at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rose coordinates Food Link’s volunteer corps of over 250+ volunteers and our group volunteer program.
Rose is the operations lead on Wednesdays.
Fun fact: Rose is a flying trapeze instructor and she is one of Food Link’s twins!
Emma Lowenstein, Operations Coordinator
Emma has a degree in Public Health from Simmons University and is interested in the intersection of food and health. Emma works in our food rescue operations communicating with recipient agencies, overseeing our food rescue data and supervising operations assistants.
Emma is the operations lead on Thursdays and Sundays.
Fun fact: Emma plays competitive ultimate frisbee on a professional team.
Bridget Menkis, Operations Associate
Bridget M. joined the Food Link team in July 2022, with previous experience in food service and as a paralegal with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Bridget M. works in Food Link’s food rescue operations leading volunteers, collecting and sorting food, and overseeing distribution to recipient agencies.
Bridget is the operations lead on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Fun fact: Bridget is our final of three twins on staff, and she loves rock climbing.
Bridget Wright, Operations Assistant
Bridget W. first started with Food Link as an intern in Spring 2020, and later was hired as our part-time Operations Assistant. Bridget W. plays an integral role in ensuring quality when sorting and distributing our food; she’s also an artist who has designed some of our training and marketing materials.
Fun fact: Bridget loves to draw.
If you want to read more about Food Link’s staff, visit our About Us page to access full bios and contact information. You can check out opportunities to get involved, learn more about our program, follow us on social media, and sign up for our newsletter.