Who We Are

Meet the Team

  • Man with gray hair, smiling at camera

    Dr. Phil Knight

    Executive Director

    Email Dr. Knight
  • Blonde woman in green sweater

    Marsha Keefer

    Chief Operating Officer

    Email Marsha

  • Chad Schafer

    Chief Financial Officer

    Email Chad
  • Woman with red hair, white blouse, smiling

    Dr. Dawn Opel

    Chief Innovation Officer & General Counsel

    Email Dr. Opel
  • Woman with black hair, smiling

    Anna Almanza

    Director of Public Policy & Government Relations

    Email Anna
  • Woman with brown hair, smiling

    Katie DeBow

    Executive Assistant & Board Liaison

    Email Katie
  • Woman with brown hair, red sweater, smiling

    Natasha Tarnowsky

    Agriculture Business Development Manager

    Email Natasha

  • Garrett Zuver

    Agriculture Business Specialist

    Email Garrett
  • Woman with blonde hair, orange top, smiling

    Bethany Schneider

    USDA Programs Manager

    Email Bethany

  • Kim Grafton

    USDA Programs Specialist

    Email Kim

  • Amanda Feighner, MS, RDN

    Health and Nutrition Innovation Project Manager

    Email Amanda
  • Man with glasses, blue top and a goatee looking at camera

    Will Mahoney

    Data & Technology Specialist

    Email Will
  • Dark haired man with blue and white checked shirt

    Hamza Benzaim

    Food and Other Resources (F.O.R.) Helpline Specialist

    Email Hamza
  • Woman wearing glasses with white sweater

    Michelle Drolett

    Food and Other Resources (F.O.R.) Helpline Specialist

    Email Michelle

  • Craig Erickson

    F.O.R Helpline Specialist

    Email Craig
  • blonde woman; green sweater; glasses

    Lauren DeLuca

    Advocacy & Outreach Specialist

    Email Lauren

  • Jaymee McDonald

    Accounting Specialist

    Email Jaymee

  • Patti VanHaaren

    Accounts Payable Specialist & Food Programs Team

    Email Patti

  • Denise Donahue

    Director of Communications

    Email Denise

  • Natalie Holland

    Director of Client Services

    Email Natalie

Innovations Team

  • Woman with red hair, white blouse, smiling

    Dr. Dawn Opel

    Chief Innovation Officer & General Counsel

    Email Dr. Opel

  • Amanda Feighner, MS, RDN

    Health and Nutrition Innovation Project Manager

    Email Amanda
  • Man with glasses, blue top and a goatee looking at camera

    Will Mahoney

    Data & Technology Specialist

    Email Will

Board of Directors

  • Man wearing glasses, bald head, slight bear, blue shirt, blue suit, gray background

    Kara Ross

    Board Chair
    President & CEO, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan

  • Man with glasses, gray hair, smiling at camera, black suit, blue shirt

    Scott Piggott

    Board Vice Chair
    Executive Director, Michigan Corn

  • Woman with dark brown/red hair, brown eyes, pink suit

    Paula Cunningham

    Board Treasurer
    State Director, AARP of Michigan

  • Woman with long brown hair, black shirt, standing in front of a flower mural

    Michelle Lantz

    Board Secretary
    CEO, Greater Lansing Food Bank

  • Man wearing glasses, blue shirt and jacket

    Ken Estelle

    President & CEO, Feeding America West Michigan

  • Woman with brown hair, blue jacket, grey background

    Gerry Brisson

    President & CEO, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan

  • African American man in a suit

    Adrian Lewis

    CEO, Forgotten Harvest

  • Man with gray hair, blue suit, blue shirt

    Dominick Pallone

    Executive Director, Michigan Association of Health Plans

  • Man with brown hair, blue tie, black suit jacket, white shirt

    Peter Vogel

    CEO, South Michigan Food Bank

  • Man smiling at camera, brown hair, glasses, red tie, gray suit, white shirt

    John Roberts

    Interim President, Advantasure

  • Woman talking into microphone, grown hair, glasses, black suit

    Eileen Spring

    President & CEO, Food Gatherers