Speaker

After becoming involved in school food as a concerned parent, Mara Fleishman served on the Chef Ann Foundation board of directors from the very beginning, then transitioned to Executive Director in March of 2013. She is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation. In this role, Mara supervises all CAF staff and is responsible for program development and oversight, national partnerships, strategic planning, and organizational growth.

Mara has nearly 20 years of experience working in natural products including 12 years with Whole Foods Market where she served most recently as National Director of Partnerships. She is dedicated to educating people regarding the benefits of healthy food, and has spoken about sustainable business practices on panels at Yale University and at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business where she was a guest lecturer.

In addition to CAF, she has held board seats at The Growe Foundation, the Kitchen Community, and Naturally Boulder. Mara’s background in marketing and partnerships, combined with her expertise in natural and organic food and her advocacy efforts to improve school food, uniquely position her to lead CAF through its growth and expansion in the coming years.