Kyle Karnuta | Board Chair

Kyle is long-time sustainable food and agriculture enthusiast with a background both in brand marketing and agriculture policy. She currently works as an urban agriculture curriculum specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension based in Brooklyn, NY. Kyle is passionate about environmental justice, agroecology, and creating more livable cities through improved ecological systems.

Richa Mehra | Board Vice Chair

Richa Mehra is the Vice Chair of the board at Slow Food NYC where she has spent the past three years championing food justice, sustainability, and building a community for those passionate about the Slow Food mission. She is also a Senior Product Manager at Resy, where she leads product strategy to improve the restaurant and guest experience through thoughtful technology. Richa holds an academic background in food systems, including an honors thesis on the U.S. food and farming landscape, and is passionate about building a more equitable food future at the intersection of health, tech, policy, and community.

Kristen Kampetis | Board Treasurer

Kristen firmly believes that good food is at the heart of individual and community wellbeing and is invested in the pursuit of instilling Slow Food values into the cultural consciousness of New York City.  With an academic background in economics, technology and society, Kristen has been working in Tech & Media for 15 years, and is currently a Director of Operations at Vimeo. Growing up with family in the restaurant and import business, Kristen's food roots run deep and she continues that legacy through passion as a home cook, peer mentor to those managing chronic illness with nutrition and studying for her Level 3 WSET Wine certification. 

Matt Parker | Board Secretary / Development Chair

Matt Parker brings a strong finance background and a dedication to holistic health to the Slow Food NYC board. His experience in venture capital and the circular economy, combined with entrepreneurial healthcare initiatives, align with Slow Food’s mission to drive significant change. An advocate for access to good, clean, and fair food, Matt believes in real food's vital role in preventive health and community well-being.

Matt uses his strategic insights to support sustainable and equitable food systems. He recognizes the profound impact that our food choices have on health, equity, and the environment. Committed to fostering a diverse, tradition-rich, and innovative food culture, Matt is actively involved in shaping a future where New York City’s food heritage is both celebrated and set as a model for others.

Karen Guzman | Board Member

Karen Guzman is passionate about connecting food systems and community. She has worked as an urban farmer in New York City for about a decade and is currently employed by Cornell Cooperative Extension as a specialist on the Urban Agriculture team, supporting urban farmers across the city. Karen focuses on teaching urban farmers/gardeners sustainable production methods, emphasizing soil health and how to incorporate native plantings to create a dual purpose growing space.

Laura Hoffman | Board Member

Laura Hoffman is a coach, educator, and author dedicated to fostering a healthier, more joyful, and sustainable relationship with food. She has taught about food and culture as an adjunct professor in NYU’s Food Studies program and worked with Wellness in the Schools to bring nutrition and cooking education to NYC public school students, collaborating with local restaurants to promote healthy eating. Holding master’s degrees in both Food Studies and Psychology from NYU, she integrates both disciplines to explore the psychological and cultural influences on our relationship with food. Through her company, Ignite with Laura, and her bestselling book, Savor: Quit Dieting, Relax About Food, and Eat Healthy Happily, she helps individuals rethink how they nourish themselves with mindfulness, sustainability, and joy. Passionate about building a more equitable food system, Laura is committed to supporting local farmers, promoting accessible food, and ensuring that wholesome, nourishing meals are available to all.

Anna Gorshkova | Board Member

Anna has years of experience in urban food security, working with immigrant and refugee communities from Russian-speaking and Central Asian backgrounds. She collaborates with nonprofits focused on community nutrition and food justice education. Passionate about expanding access to food for underserved populations, Anna is excited to work with Slow Food NYC to strengthen community ties and develop impactful food programs in the city.

With a degree in Nutrition and Food Science, she has further researched the historical, cultural, and political significance of Russian cuisine, exploring its role in contemporary debates on sustainability and national identity. Every day she is inspired by the recipes of Darra Goldstein, Anya von Bremzen, and Olia Hercules to keep her cooking slow and traditional.

Edoardo Serra | Voting Board Member

Edoardo Serra is an entrepreneur and technologist born and raised in Italy, where food is culture, community, and everyday life. He has built and scaled mission-driven organizations in technology and education, and now brings that experience to Slow Food NYC with a focus on strengthening operations, digital tools, and community impact.

Barbara Torasso | Voting Board Member

Barbara Torasso is a brand builder and cultural connector with over 20 years of experience across luxury, fashion, lifestyle, and experiential marketing. Born and raised in Turin, Italy (the birthplace of the Slow Food movement), Barbara obtained her MBA at Bocconi Business School in Milan.

Based in New York now, she has built and scaled iconic European brands in the U.S., holding senior leadership and board roles across fashion, sport, and lifestyle companies. Her work focuses on storytelling, heritage-driven brand strategy, and creating immersive experiences that connect people through culture, design, and gastronomy.

Melissa Flores | Voting Board Member

Melissa is a trained plant-based chef and food systems professional committed to advancing food security, sustainability, and community through food. She has cooked in a seasonal, slow food–driven restaurant in France and worked on food security and food waste initiatives from the UN World Food Programme in Rome to her current role at Rethink Food in NYC. With experience in impact strategy and financial analysis, she is passionate about strengthening equitable food systems and supporting Slow Food NYC by uplifting values-driven businesses through programs like Snail of Approval.

Jason Hall | Voting Board Member

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Olivia Al | Voting Board Member

Olivia works at the intersection of venture capital and economic development, supporting early-stage founders building long-term economic opportunity across underserved communities. At Slow Food NYC, she aims to expand equitable access to whole foods, strengthen partnerships with local producers, and help advance food-as-medicine efforts leading to nutrition security and community health.

Philip Han | Associate Board Member

Philip Han is a food studies graduate student at NYU who approaches food as a site of care and connection. His work spans documentary storytelling, food justice, and community-based food systems, including projects focused on gleaning, food access, and artisanal agriculture. Born in Seoul and shaped by global foodways, Philip brings genuine joy in building community to support Slow Food NYC’s mission.

Marisa Alia Malanga | Associate Board Member

Marisa is a multimedia journalist and food stylist associate now pursuing NYU’s M.A. in Food Studies, previously collaborating directly with Slow Food farmers and producers while deepening her understanding of sustainable food systems in Italy over the past four years. Slow Food NYC’s mission reflects her belief in preserving food traditions, improving access and nurturing sustainable systems. Passionate about how cultures use foods to sustain people and the planet, she aims to help create meaningful, educational, sustainable community spaces.

Katya Bloomberg | Associate Board Member

Katya is an NYU Food Studies alum who studied under food policy leader Marion Nestle. A lifestyle medicine coach and educator originally from Central Asia, she explores how technology shapes food, culture, and our shared future.

She is the founding editor of MYCRO Mag, recognized by NYU Green as a Climate Hero, and the creator of Edible Graveyards, recently featured at Falmouth University in the UK. Katya teaches mycology, mushroom cultivation, foraging, and biomaterials across NYC organizations, builds community through CSA and food pantry work, and loves hosting cookouts and sharing her homemade Central Asian ladzhan chili oil.

Jen Gaily | Associate Board Member

Jen is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator with a passion for NYC, farm to table food and low intervention wine producers. She is excited to help support and highlight Slow Food NYC’s initiatives this year.

Elliot Epstein | Associate Board Member

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Bridgette Slater | Associate Board Member

Bridgette nurtured her food & agriculture passion during her JD/MBA program while working with Harvard's Food Law & Policy Clinic (FLPC) on topics of farmworker justice, food insecurity in the Mississippi Delta, Food is Medicine, and Farm Bill recommendations. Born in Arkansas and raised in DC, she cares deeply about food justice, regenerative agriculture, land stewardship (part of a family farm legacy), and food rescue. She has also worked at Nike on both the Sustainability Strategy & Innovation Strategy teams and at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Whitney Eidman | Associate Board Member