Food, Climate, and the 2023 Farm Bill

• Cheri Andes is the Deputy Director for State Organizing and Faith Engagement with Bread for the World. Immediately preceding her time at Bread, Cheri was the Director of Grief Support Services with Samaritans of Boston, an organization that focused on suicide prevention, education and postvention. Prior to her tenure at Samaritans, she was the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts (NAMI Mass). NAMI Mass is a vital state resource for individuals and families facing the challenges of mental illness, providing free mental health family-based education, family and peer support and grassroots advocacy. Cheri also led the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) for nine years and is credited with spearheading the organization’s significant contribution to passing health care reform in the State. She holds a BA in English from Bucknell University and a MA in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College.

• Andrea Faiano is is the State Organizer for Pennsylvania with Bread for the World. Prior to joining Bread, Andrea worked in ministry for The Meeting House, a multi-site Brethren in Christ church located in Carlisle, PA. Prior to ministry, Andrea worked as corporate counsel and compliance in various roles before making the move into ministry. She has a BA from Penn State University in Environmental Economics, a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School and is currently completing her MDiv through a hybrid program with Duke Divinity School.

• Beverly Levenson is past President of the Board of Directors of the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank.

• Steve Wilson has spent the last 25 years working to advance educational equity, and is currently the Executive Director of the Educational Equity Alliance. EEA is a network of educational initiatives and thought leaders committed to seeing children and youth flourish. EEA offers workshops and seminars on educational equity, coaching and consulting for educational initiatives, and operates programs stateside and abroad that close educational disparities for students in low-income communities.

• Rev. Dr. Susan Gilbert Zencka grew up loving the lakes, mountains, creeks, and woods of Eastern Pennsylvania, and went on her first bird walk in grade school. She was introduced to the connection between sustainability and the way we eat while in high school. She retired in 2021 from parish ministry, where she developed a passion for creation-honoring Christian worship and was involved in interfaith climate issues while in ministry in Wisconsin. She founded a local interfaith group in Stevens Point, WI, and also served on the board of WI Interfaith Power and Light. After retirement, Susan moved from Central WI to Allentown, PA where she is enjoying exploring fiber arts in retirement while maintaining a part-time practice as a spiritual director and Certified Internal Family Systems practitioner. She and her husband, Carl, have three adult sons, three daughters-in-law, and three grandsons, with another to be born in December. Susan and Carl share their home with two dogs (inside) and a lovely variety of birds, small mammals, insects, and plant community (outside).