Staff
Admin & Comms
These team members connect with every part of the organism through strategic planning, leadership, facilities management, and outward communication!
Tracey Brandon
She/Her
Operations Manager / Administrative Assistant
Tracey is passionate about learning new things and has really enjoyed learning about gardening since starting with Food To Power. She is all about spending time with friends and family, and especially loves short tropical girl trips with her besties!
Patience Kabwasa
She/Her
Executive Director
Patience is a mother to three vibrant, spirited, and talented young adults. She is passionate about cultivating both food and community. In her free time, she writes, hikes, spends time outdoors with friends and family, and enjoys hot springs over a good meal.
Jessi Bustamante
She/Her
Director of Communications
Jessi has always had a strong interest in food, communication, and local policy, and loves bringing it all together in one role! When she isn’t doing schoolwork or engaging with community initiatives, she enjoys spending time with her husband and cats, biking, or indulging a cup of tea.
Food Access Department
Our food access team focuses on creative ways to redistribute food to close food equity gaps today. These programs include food recovery, no cost grocery, delivery, and so much more!
Natalia Avila
She/Her
Food Access Manager
Natalia's originally a Jersey girl and moved to Colorado Springs at age 10. She's been delighted to watch her daughter Ari grow up with Food to Power and learn to roller skate at the Hillside Hub!
Rachel Followill
She/Her
Director of Food Access
Rachel has been working in nonprofits since 2012. She has been with Food to Power since 2018, starting as a Volunteer Coordinator and making her way up to Director of Food Access. She loves working in food access where she gets to listen and learn from the community.
Charlea Howard
She/Her
Food Access Coordinator
Charlea is a lifelong Colorado Springs resident and values her community greatly. Her nonprofit work complements her passion for sustainability. Charlea's favorite things include alpine hikes, time with loved ones, and a good cup of coffee. She is excited to immerse herself into food system work and deepen impactful connections.
Sean Jester
He/Him
Grocery Program Coordinator
Sean was born in Virginia but has lived most of his life in Colorado. He has over a decade of community involvement specifically focused on food access. In his free time, Sean enjoys long bike rides, swimming, running, and binge watching his favorite shows with his dog and partner!
Food Education & Advocacy
By learning more about different aspects of the food system, including different ways to prepare, grow, or work with food, people can create new paths to food security. This education also directly translates to legislative action and advocacy to create a better system!
Ambrose Feess-Armstrong
They/Her
Community Education Manager
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Ambrose has always had a passion for building community and eating food. Food to Power made it possible for them to be paid to do both. When they aren’t at work, they enjoy creating art with friends and traveling.
Izzy Nuñez
She/They
Director of Education & Advocacy
Izzy grew up in Colorado Springs and first joined Food to Power as a high school intern. After studying Anthropology in Singapore, Izzy is back and excited to be a part of transforming our food system! They are an amateur electric guitarist, climber, zine-maker, and ecolesbian.
Kevin Mitchell
He/They
Advocacy Manager
After moving to Colorado Springs in 1998, Kevin became deeply engaged in the community. He is an author and a poet. Kevin has experience in community organizing through work with the Empowerment Solidarity Network, and believes in the empowerment of community that allows each member to thrive and be successful.
Food Production Department
The work of Food Production is twofold - we reclaim food scraps and organic materials that would otherwise go to the landfill and create nutrient-rich compost, and we grow produce for community members and teach others to do the same!
Compost Team
Zach Brown
He/Him
Collections Manager
Zach has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. He is passionate about protecting and fostering soil health, in turn fostering community health. In his free time, he tends his garden, chickens, plays music, explores the mountains, and enjoys time with his wife Brittany and children Edwin and Ruby.
Janerio Hardy
He/Him
Compost Operations Manager
Janerio "Jay" Hardy has been a resident of SE Colorado Springs for ten years. He's a father, outdoor guide, community advocate and co-owner of a local artist cooperative. Transplanting from NY, he brings his lived experience and a community driven, direct action approach to issues of food and land justice.
Al Lake
They/Them
Compost Collections Coordinator
Born in a bucket, Al was destined to work in material collection. After years in art logistics, they changed paths to align with the shared values in fostering soil and growing food. Their hobbies include walking their cat, growing an anarchist garden, camping and hiking, and jumping into art projects.
Zion Sewell
He/Him
Compost Collections Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon!
Ruthie Markwardt
She/Her
Compost Director
Raised in the forest and farm-filled lands of Wisconsin, Ruthie has been cultivating food and community in the Colorado Springs area since 2010. Her hobbies include wrangling a small, mischievous herd of goats, bike riding, dumpster diving, learning violin, intuitive cooking, screen printing, and sharing good food with good people.
Farm Team
Shane Nelson
He/Him
Farm Manager
Shane was born and raised in Colorado Springs. He is passionate about ecology, soil health, local food production, and community building. As the Farm Manager at Food to Power, Shane gets to grow fresh vegetables, build soil and community, and empower others to do the same.
Russell Smith
He/Him
Farm Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon!
Development
Our work can’t happen without building relationships and funding. The development team focuses on creating connections in these ways!
Slade Custer
He/Him
Interim Development Director / Development Manager
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Slade has spent his entire life and career volunteering and working in the city’s robust nonprofit sector. Passionate about raising resources for causes he cares about, you can also find Slade and his dog Rami biking around town no matter the time of year.
Resource Development Director
Nayada Moore
She/Her
Development Fellow
Nayada was born in the city of New York, but moved to Texas when she was a child. She’s been in Colorado since 2020. She currently owns a small thrift boutique inside of Community Works called Hashtag Co, where she is a personal stylist and a photographer! Nayada enjoys hiking, fishing, painting, making music and art.
OUR BOARD
Food to Power uses a Working & Strategic Board Model. Our board meets once a month but also includes committees, each of which meets monthly and ensures that our mission, vision, and operations are successfully carried out.
Patricia Cameron
Co-Chair
Dominique Harris
Co-Chair
Molly Olson
Secretary
Niki Sosa Gallegos
Member at Large
Shane Lory
Treasurer
Pat Hansen
Member at Large
Contact info@foodtopowerco.org for more information.