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    • Our Team

    Founder and Chief Feeding Officer

    Chef José Andrés

    Chef José Andrés, born and trained in Spain, moved to the US at age 21. He soon settled in Washington, DC, and began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about philanthropy. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he saw the role of cooks – and the power of food – to change the world. This path inspired José to found World Central Kitchen in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, with the support of his wife Patricia, as well as his business partner Rob Wilder and his wife Robin. Since then, he’s pursued a mission to fulfill the words of John Steinbeck: “Wherever there’s a fight so that hungry people may eat … we’ll be there.”

    Executive Team

    The WCK team works around the world with staff based at our headquarters in Washington, DC and around the world.

    Javier Garcia

    Chief Executive Officer

    Jason Collis

    Chief Relief Officer

    John McLellan

    Chief Global Safety & Security Officer

    Aaron Renenger

    Chief of Strategic Relations & General Counsel

    Linda Roth

    Chief Communications Officer

    Margaret Sofio

    Chief People Officer

    Joshua Tripp

    President of Innovation and Chief Financial Officer

    Tunde Wackman

    Chief Development Officer

    Javier Garcia

    Chief Executive Officer

    Jason Collis

    Chief Relief Officer

    John McLellan

    Chief Global Safety & Security Officer

    Aaron Renenger

    Chief of Strategic Relations & General Counsel

    Linda Roth

    Chief Communications Officer

    Margaret Sofio

    Chief People Officer

    Joshua Tripp

    President of Innovation and Chief Financial Officer

    Tunde Wackman

    Chief Development Officer

    Leadership

    Jenn Armand

    Director, Events & External Engagement

    Liz Caselli-Mechael

    Vice President, Communications and Marketing

    Elizabeth Chikobe

    Vice President, People and Culture

    Paige Cofield

    Director, Individual Giving

    Alex Cottin

    Director, Strategic Relations

    Fiona Donovan

    Vice President, Response Administration

    Samantha Elfmont

    Director, Response

    Tracy Ganti

    Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

    Carrie Hayes

    Director, Media and Communications Strategy

    Wadhah Hubaishi

    Director, Response

    John Hughes

    Director, Safety and Security Operations

    Juan Camilo Jiménez

    Director, Response

    Jeanne-Marie Leroux

    Director, Finance

    Adam Reusing

    Vice President, Global Total Rewards and People Operations

    Marco Sánchez

    Director, Internal Communications

    Lynda Sequeira

    Director, Talent Acquisition

    Yuliya Stefanyuk

    Director, Response

    Brian Stoll

    Director, Data and Engineering

    John Torpey

    Director, Response

    Matt Tripsas

    Director, Community Fundraising

    Lynn Welton

    Director, Development Operations

    Teresa Yung-Rodriguez

    Vice President, Accounting & Finance/Controller

    Jenn Armand

    Director, Events & External Engagement

    Liz Caselli-Mechael

    Vice President, Communications and Marketing

    Elizabeth Chikobe

    Vice President, People and Culture

    Paige Cofield

    Director, Individual Giving

    Alex Cottin

    Director, Strategic Relations

    Fiona Donovan

    Vice President, Response Administration

    Samantha Elfmont

    Director, Response

    Samantha Elfmont leads global emergency food relief operations to deliver fresh, hot meals to communities impacted by disasters.

    Sam recently arrived to World Central Kitchen with 15 years of experience in humanitarian response, community engagement, program operations, and international diplomacy. 

    Sam’s journey into disaster response began with Hurricane Katrina, where she first witnessed the power of meals and the importance of human connections in the wake of a crisis. Since 2013, Sam has lived overseas in Malaysia and Mexico supporting United States embassies, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and community-led NGOs. Sam still calls Maine home, but currently is based in Guatemala with her Foreign Service family. 

    Samantha holds a Master’s in Public Policy and a Certificate in Urban Humanitarian Emergencies. She doesn’t have a veterinary degree, but nonetheless Sam has rescued and sterilized over 250+ dogs and cats worldwide.

    No matter where she is in the world, Sam loves sharing an ice cream with her family. 

    Tracy Ganti

    Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

    Carrie Hayes

    Director, Media and Communications Strategy

    Wadhah Hubaishi

    Director, Response

    John Hughes

    Director, Safety and Security Operations

    Juan Camilo Jiménez

    Director, Response

    Jeanne-Marie Leroux

    Director, Finance

    Adam Reusing

    Vice President, Global Total Rewards and People Operations

    Marco Sánchez

    Director, Internal Communications

    Lynda Sequeira

    Director, Talent Acquisition

    Yuliya Stefanyuk

    Director, Response

    Brian Stoll

    Director, Data and Engineering

    As Director of Data and Engineering, Brian oversees the organization’s data warehouse, business intelligence, GIS, and application development platforms. Since joining WCK in January 2023, he has leveraged over two decades of experience spanning startups, government, and e-commerce to drive data-driven decision-making and scalable technology solutions. Holding an MS in Information Management from the University of Washington, Brian applies his expertise in data and technology to strengthen WCK’s real-time disaster response, helping ensure fresh meals reach communities in need around the world.

    John Torpey

    Director, Response

    Matt Tripsas

    Director, Community Fundraising

    Lynn Welton

    Director, Development Operations

    Teresa Yung-Rodriguez

    Vice President, Accounting & Finance/Controller

    Board of Directors

    José Andrés

    Founder

    Rob Wilder

    Co-Chair and Co-Founder

    Javier Garcia

    Executive Co-Chair/Treasurer

    Lizette Corro

    Secretary

    Christopher Cowan

    Board Member

    Jean Marc DeMatteis

    Board Member

    Ray Mabus

    Board Member

    José Andrés

    Founder

    Rob Wilder

    Co-Chair and Co-Founder

    Lizette Corro

    Secretary

    Christopher Cowan

    Board Member

    Jean Marc DeMatteis

    Board Member

    Ray Mabus

    Board Member

    Frontline Advisors

    WCK’s Frontline Advisors support the organization in an advisory capacity, bringing their varied expertise to support our work.

    Julie Bowen

    Senior Vice President, Operations, Outreach & Chief Legal Officer, The MITRE Corporation

    Ertharin Cousin

    CEO & Co-Founder, Food Systems for the Future

    Brynne Craig

    Senior Advisor, Bloomberg Philanthropies

    Pete Delgrosso

    Executive Director, All Within My Hands

    Phil Rosenthal

    Writer & Creator

    Marcus Samuelsson

    Chef & Philanthropist

    Pharrell Williams

    Recording Artist, Producer, Philanthropist & Entrepreneur

    Julie Bowen

    Senior Vice President, Operations, Outreach & Chief Legal Officer, The MITRE Corporation

    Ertharin Cousin

    CEO & Co-Founder, Food Systems for the Future

    Brynne Craig

    Senior Advisor, Bloomberg Philanthropies

    Pete Delgrosso

    Executive Director, All Within My Hands

    Phil Rosenthal

    Writer & Creator

    Marcus Samuelsson

    Chef & Philanthropist

    Pharrell Williams

    Recording Artist, Producer, Philanthropist & Entrepreneur

    Join the Team

    WCK is on a mission to ensure everyone has access to nourishing meals and sustainable food systems—and we’re just getting started. We are a fast-paced team passionate about changing the world through food. Ready to get started?

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