Eileen Alexander relocated from Houston, Texas to join the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in October 2021. She brings more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to the organization, including grant writing, communications, nonprofit relationship building, and administrative work. She believes everyone deserves food, a safe home, clothing, healthcare, and to be treated with dignity. She is excited to explore everything Tulsa has to offer, including coffee, yarn, and bacon.
Eileen holds a BFA in Theatre from Texas State University and an MA in Nonprofit Management from the University of Houston – Downtown.
Bailey is an Oklahoma native who is passionate about policy, community development, and sustainable solutions to poverty and inequality. Bailey became interested in nonprofit work and food security while completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees at OU. In 2019, she worked as a consultant with the Oklahoma Group to improve donor management and tracking with an Oklahoma-based homeless youth shelter. Her background in international studies enabled her study both international and domestic policy and participate on research projects centering on international development and foreign assistance. Her most recent contribution was authoring several sections of an advisory report for the U.S. Anti-Corruption Commission. In her free time Bailey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, taking care of her plants, and rock climbing.
Eric joined the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in October of 2021. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma he spent his formative years in Texas before a 4-year enlistment in the US Air Force. He moved back to Oklahoma in 2018. His previous experience was working with unhoused veterans to help them build skills to find and keep gainful employment. During that time, he saw how hunger impacted housing and employment. His belief that food is a human right drives him to want to end hunger in Oklahoma. Eric holds a BS in Political Science from Troy University.
Cari Berlin joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January 2023 as the Double Up Oklahoma Senior Program Specialist. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, she quickly realized a passion and calling for nonprofit work and has had a career emphasis on empowering people and communities to live the lives they deserve and desire. Cari began her nonprofit work through international relief and development roles on three continents but returned to her native Oklahoma to continue her nonprofit career. She developed a strong understanding of the issues and solutions around the problem of hunger through her work leading the Community Initiatives department at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Cari brings a proven record of growing initiatives that provide access to affordable and nutritious food for children, senior adults, and families. In addition to a BA in Business Administration, Cari holds a Master of Business Administration from Arizona Sate University
(918) 264-0693
Chris, a native Oklahoman, joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in December of 2017. Chris has substantial experience in policy, advocacy, legislative strategy, and program implementation. Through his extensive work in public safety and juvenile justice, Chris has proven leadership in forging public/private partnerships and coalition building to solve complex problems. He has worked inside and outside of government to affect policy, program, and legislative changes that better serve citizens, save government resources, and produce better outcomes for individuals and communities.
Chris holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and a JD from Northwestern University School of Law.
(918) 591-2491
Michelle Brobston joined the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in March of 2017. Michelle brings experience in board relations, data systems, project management, and quality improvement. Michelle started her career working at nonprofit camp and conference centers in Oklahoma and then in Florida, returning to her native Tulsa in 2014 to work for a local nonprofit. Passionate about efficiency and effectiveness, Michelle works to ensure smooth organizational operation of Hunger Free Oklahoma. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN.
(918) 340-9098
Gia joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January of 2018. With over a decade of nonprofit experience, Gia has served in various capacities from direct service to fundraising. In her current role, Gia is a Salesforce administrator and data analyst, overseeing data processes, data visualization, and translating complex information into easily understandable formats. Gia has a BA in Economics, BA in Sociology from the University of California Santa Barbara, and an MPA from the University of Oklahoma with a concentration in nonprofit management. With a personal interest in programming, Gia is also a graduate of OK Coders 2022 cohort. In her free time, Gia enjoys running, baking, and taking care of her plants.
(918) 591-2491
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Sara ran away from home to San Francisco, CA for over a decade to only realize that Dorothy Gale was right. “There is no place like home.” She joins Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) with 15+ years of administrative support and office management experience. By utilizing these skills as the Operations Support Manager, she hopes to ensure that the HFO train is running smoothly and the tracks are cleared to reach its final destination to end hunger in Oklahoma!
Sara has a BA in Photojournalism from the University of Central Oklahoma and studied fine art at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco, CA. She has worked in many industries with artists, attorneys, architects and animals. Animals are by far her favorite as they are pure spirits and don’t talk back! In her free time, her current passions are roller skating, embroidery, rowing, and hanging out with any dog that she passes by.
Richard Comeau joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in November of 2016. Richard is a native Texan who now calls Tulsa home. He brings an extensive background in food policy having worked in Congress on agricultural and food policy and as a Fellow at the American Frozen Food Institute studying food science and regulatory issues. Most recently, Richard served as the Regional Director of the Texas Hunger Initiative’s Fort Worth Office where he translated his technical background in food production to issues of food access. As the Regional Director, Richard led operations in a 25 county region including convening and leading multiple successful coalitions, affecting city and county wide legislative reform, and administering multiple programs aimed at increasing access to food for our most vulnerable populations.
Richard holds a BS in Agriculture from Texas A&M University and a MPA from the Bush School of Government and Public Service.
(405) 546-9084
Jessica Dietrich joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January of 2020. She is a proud lifelong Oklahoma City resident. Jessica brings diverse experience in public policy and issue advocacy, including a background in the issue areas of healthcare, business, and real estate. Jessica enjoys harnessing her experience to build and activate networks for strategic public policy initiatives.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University.
(918) 591-2491
Shelley Faust joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in July of 2023. Shelley enjoys organizing and looking for ways to make processes easier and more efficient. Although she is a fifth-generation Texan, she realizes she must now call Tulsa home since she moved here in 1996. She and her husband have three young adult children and are stepping into the “empty nest” phase of life. Shelley has a degree in Geology from West Texas A&M University.
Emma Galles was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Oklahoma, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Medical and Cognitive Sciences. After graduating, she began working with Hunger Free Oklahoma through the SNAP Hotline. Through this work, her passion for solving food insecurity in her hometown and state only grew. Now, she has recently become Hunger Free Oklahoma’s newest Hunger Outreach Program Specialist, where she hopes to continue her work within the organization. In her free time, Emma loves to cook, spend time with family, and play with her two dogs.
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Alfred is a graduate of the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health, receiving his MPH with a concentration in Health Equity. Shaped by his lived experiences as a Black male born and raised in the city’s predominantly Black neighborhood, structural realities like food insecurity, lack of mobility, and mass incarceration have fueled his aspirations to advance health and food equity in communities like Buffalo’s East Side. Following his graduate training, Alfred has executed community-based research to promote food equity in the UB Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab (UB Food Lab) and has helped to fight food injustice by providing fresh produce, food, and meals to underserved populations with Buffalo Go Green. As an Emerson Fellow at Hunger Free Oklahoma, Alfred hopes to amplify voices directly impacted by hunger and poverty and bring tangible change in food environments in underserved communities through policy at varied levels of government.
Allycia was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She joined Hunger Free Oklahoma through the SNAP Hotline in 2020, and was recently promoted to SNAP Hotline Assistant Manager. In her free time, Allycia enjoys spending time with her six children and hiking, traveling, or just spending quality time at home.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, John continues to cultivate what he has learned from the legacies and infrastructures left by justice and equity pioneers from the past and present into accessible, approachable, and active actions for positive and transformative restitution for change. Continuing that path as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow for Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO), John hopes to expand HFO’s capacity to combat food insecurity, hunger, and poverty for all Oklahomans with racial equity at the forefront in every solution, initiative, and program. Aligning with HFO’s mission, John hopes to make into fruition a world where every Oklahoman is well nourished and never hungry alongside community.
Narine Lambert joined the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in March 2022. She was born in Armenia, but was raised by her aunt in Ukraine. Narine has received Master of Accounting and Audit from the Poltava State Agrarian Academy, and she knows four languages: English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Armenian. Narine has 10 years’ experience in the accounting field, six years’ experience in the nonprofit sector including Federal and State contracts, and administrative work. She moved to the USA in 2009, is married, and has two wonderful kids. Narine likes cooking and spending time with family and friends and attending her children’s extracurricular activities.
(405) 420-6658
Candace Macedo joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January 2018. Candace brings strong experience in planning, capacity building, and project management. She has worked in the government, non-profit, and private sectors to create change at both the local and state level. While growing up in Texas, Candace moved to Oklahoma early in her career. With a background in coaching healthy habits, her most recent work focused on building collaboration to improve Oklahoma’s health and food systems. She is excited to lend her talents and skills to address food insecurity in Central and Western Oklahoma.
Candace earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications/Business and a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Southern Nazarene University.
(405) 850-0467
Melissa Marshall joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in November 2021. From Oklahoma City, Melissa’s favorite things are dogs, hikes among the trees, and a good cup of coffee. She has a background in communications, marketing, and non-profit management. While new to the food security sector, Melissa hopes to leverage her creative skills to further the goals of Hunger Free Oklahoma by reaching new audiences, building awareness, and reducing the stigma associated with food security programs. Melissa has a diverse education background in journalism photography, veterinary technology, and canine behavior and training. She shares her life with her husband and their 85-pound Great Pyrenees mix, Skye.
Doug McDurham is a social worker who has spent his career helping organizations and communities think and act more strategically. With a mission to eliminate the barriers that threaten the well-being of individuals and families, Doug has invested his work and volunteerism into education and food security. His many years with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger & Poverty included overseeing a year-long assessment of food assistance systems in Oklahoma, a project which helped lead to the creation of Hunger Free Oklahoma where he now proudly serves as the Director of Strategic Advancement.
Ahmed Omar joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January of 2023. Born in Egypt, he has called Oklahoma his home since 2013. Omar brings nearly a decade of nonprofit experience in the areas of education, operations, and project management. An advocate of social justice and equitable access to high-quality education, healthcare, housing, and nutrition for all, he is driven to play his part to end hunger in Oklahoma. Omar holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication/Theatre from the American University in Cairo, a BA in Music from Oklahoma State University, and an MM in Music Performance from the University of Denver.
(405) 403-1923
Katie Raymond joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in February 2019. Katie was born and raised in central Oklahoma and brings knowledge of nutrition and public health to the team. She served a year in a public school district with the national nonprofit FoodCorps, leading hands-on lessons, influencing healthful school meals, and promoting a district-wide culture of health. She spent her two years of graduate school working with the campus food pantry and food recovery programs where she worked in program coordination, community collaboration, and engaging new stakeholders. Katie loves working with Hunger Free Oklahoma to help ensure her fellow Oklahomans have access to adequate, appropriate, and nourishing food. Katie also has culinary training and dreams of owning her own bakery one day.
Katie received both her BS in Human Nutrition and MS in Community Health Promotion from the University of Arkansas. She completed her dietetic internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
(918) 340-9082
Devin joined the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in November of 2017. She is a native Oklahoman, born and raised in Lawton. Devin brings experience in education, program management, advocacy, and child nutrition programs. After completing a year in AmeriCorps NCCC, Devin spent five years in the classroom, teaching 2nd and 4th grades in Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. Most recently, Devin worked at Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma where she collaborated with partner organizations to expand the Food Bank’s programs that provide nutritious meals to youth in afterschool and summer programs. In her role at Hunger Free Oklahoma, Devin is excited to work with organizations and schools to ensure that children and teens across the state have the food they need to grow, learn, and thrive.
Devin earned a BA in English from University of Dallas and an MA in Nonprofit Leadership from Oklahoma City University.
(918) 340-9097
Treba Shyers, SNAP Hotline Manager, is a native Tulsan. Treba joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January 2018 with experience in social services and advocacy within the Tulsa non-profit sector. Treba’s education and experiences allows her to easily connect with community partners addressing Oklahoma’s food insecurity.
Treba has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Master’s Degree in Human Relations.
(918) 340-4580
Emma Sikich joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in December of 2019. Emma strives to live in a world where coffee never goes cold, camping is free, and dogs don’t shed. Ever.
As a graduate from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Recreation Management, she has always had a passion for helping others have a safe, fun experience. After 7 years working in the YMCA and managing out-of-school programs so elementary-aged children could have the greatest memories, she quickly realized that basic needs must be met before the fun can be had. This realization pushed Emma into a passion for food security for all and a new career with Hunger Free Oklahoma.
Working as the lead for the Tulsa Community Partners Program (TCPP), Emma hopes to leverage and connect the great work already happening in Tulsa for our community members. Persistence and dedication are two of Emma’s driving, and sometimes annoying, attributes.
Sarah Smith-Moore joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in November 2021. Sarah brings over a decade of experience working alongside families to provide more resources to reduce risk factors and organizing grassroots efforts focused on social, economic, and environmental justice.
Prior to HFO, Sarah was the Youth Leadership Coordinator for Camp Fire Green Country. She coordinated multiple programs for children of all ages and facilitated numerous leadership retreats for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. From there, Sarah joined multiple grassroots campaigns in Tulsa focused on equity. She became involved with Showing Up For Racial Justice and attended organizing workshops throughout the United States. Sarah is also an alum of the Anne Braden Anti-Racist Training, which is a four-month long program designed to support organizers in their efforts towards equity in their communities.
Sarah was born and raised in New York and currently lives in Tulsa with her husband, two children, a dog, and a fish. In her free time, she enjoys creating beautiful, safe, and fun spaces in her home and backyard for folks to gather in the struggle for collective freedom.
Alissa Snider joined HFO in 2022. Building connections in local communities and increasing access to basic human services is her passion and she hopes to be effective in her role as Hunger Outreach Program Specialist. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Public Health and her Master of Public Administration degree with a focus on Urban Management from the University of Central Oklahoma. She believes that making the healthy choice the easy choice should be the goal and that equity and locally-based leadership are key aspects of a strong community.
Abby Stainer joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in March of 2021. A Tulsa native, she returns home after 21 years to put her passion for training and development to work. Abby’s career and talents span many industries, all requiring high levels of organization, facilitation, customer service, attention to detail, and knowledge sharing. She is excited to implement these skills in a new arena, helping Oklahomans.
Abby has a BA in English from Tufts University and an MA in Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design.
(918) 500-0209
Treasure Standeford, Hunger Outreach, is a native Oklahoman with experience in nonprofit, youth education, and family services. She has previously worked in youth advocacy and education through Nowata Public Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Nowata and as a National Trainers Associate with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. With a passion to serve others, she looks forward to empowering communities through advocacy while expanding access to programs to help eliminate hunger across Oklahoma. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services Counseling from East Central University and completed the Advanced Leadership Program from Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.
Born in Oklahoma, Aily has moved around a lot but came home to Oklahoma City after growing an appreciation for the change and growth in the city. They join Hunger Free Oklahoma with a decade of diverse experiences in corporate administrative work. In Spring 2019, they completed a bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership at the University of Central Oklahoma but they also have studied history extensively, with a specialty in post-war to mid-century racial politics and arts. They are an avid sports fan and have a favorite team in most major pro sports, but they primarily watch NHL hockey, Premier League football, and NBA basketball. They also always have a current read (or three) that they can tell you about.
Aisosa Udoh joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in January of 2023 as a SNAP Outreach Coordinator. She was born in Nigeria and raised in both Nigeria and Texas. Aisosa earned a bachelor’s degree in Community/Public Health from the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, and is currently on her way to earning her Master’s in Public Health (MPH). She has a passion for public health and strives to make positive impacts in her surrounding communities and the nation. Aisosa served in the Army for eight years, is a hard worker who is willing to learn, and loves to work with a team. Aisosa sought out employment with Hunger Free Oklahoma as she has seen the impacts of food insecurity and wants to be a part of the change. Aisosa is married with two beautiful daughters, loves to spend time with family, and loves fashion.
LaCrinthia (LC)Watts is a native Oklahoman born in Idabel and raised in Tulsa/Broken Arrow. With a bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership and Business from SNU, LaCrinthia was fortunate enough to work for Broken Arrow Public Schools as a center director. There she helped build and improve the before and aftercare program. She also enjoyed working with the children and families in the community. LaCrinthia spent three years as a Consultant Specialist/Event Coordinator for a book company. There, she enjoyed selecting/creating branded items, and planning conventions and company events. In her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her family. She loves traveling, dancing, listening to music, watching movies, reading, cooking, and doing outreach projects with her church group. LaCrinthia is excited to work with this organization to help fight hunger.
Houa Xiong joined the Hunger Free Oklahoma team in January of 2023. He graduated at the University of Arkansas with his BA in Communication because he felt and saw the hardships of his and other people lacking a voice for representation and presence. There were many Hmong families and farmers in the communities of Arkansas who suffered from poultry contract termination, expensive farm operation upgrades, foreclosure, bankruptcy, and hunger (including himself). He received his MA in Mass Media Communication and worked for a nonprofit as a Farm Program Associate and Coordinator in the state of Arkansas and parts of Northeast Oklahoma to help his constituents fight for their farm which is often tied to their home; diversify their income through market opportunities; access USDA NRCS and FSA programs, grants, and loans; provide technical support in accessing Medicaid, state healthcare programs, and other resources; create workshops and teaching opportunities for Hmong and Asian American farmers to increase their total capacity and independence in owning and operating a business; and address and elevate accessibility and systems issues of NRCS and FSA to meet the needs of his constituents. Burnt out, he explored in areas of corporate and productions, but returned to nonprofit in hopes of creating greater impacts.
Leslie Young joined Hunger Free Oklahoma in November 2021 as the Double Up Oklahoma Program Manager. Leslie has spent her marketing career working for well-known food and beverage companies in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. She has experience working on both the client and agency side of the business, developing and executing integrated marketing programs to consumers. Her most recent job was at Danone North America where she worked on Horizon Organic Milk, Silk Dairy Free products, and Wallaby Organic Yogurt brands. Leslie is excited to combine her food, retailer, and in-store promotions background to provide better-for-you food choices to Oklahomans in need. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Leslie graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Marketing.