WGN Advisory Committee
In order to put our excellent conversations into practice, we created an Advisory Committee which helps guide the conversation and direct the strategies that allow the Washington Gleaning Network to support and grow the local gleaning movement, while giving voice to the diversity of communities throughout Washington state.
Benji Astrachan (Chair)
Benji Astrachan is the SNAP-Ed Food Access and Food Recovery Specialist for WSU Extension in Clallam County. A former Americorps VISTA, he has developed and runs the Farm Gleaning Program which runs gleaning operations throughout the Port Angeles area. In addition to his work with WSU, he also supports teachers and volunteers who are running school gardens.
Ursula Thompson
Ursula Thompson is the Director of Operations for the Washington state branch of Food is Free since 2018 who has experience with grant writing and fundraising as well as managing the nonprofit’s social media accounts. She has worked for Harvest Pierce County for the past 6 years, starting as a volunteer harvester, and then a harvest leader, fruit tree assessor and now is the trainer for fruit tree pest and disease education. She is passionate about getting good food to folks that need it. In her career, she has learned to listen and adapt in order to improve how the food distributed gets to those without access to it.
Stacey Crnich
Stacey Crnich is the CEO of Good Roots Northwest, an innovative organization that explores the entire food system to solve access barriers, advocate for racial and food justice, promote health and wellness, and contribute to the region’s economic development. Her work centers on rethinking food security and creating a new narrative through the lens of dignity, innovation, and solution driven design.
Meghan Moore
Meghan Moore is the Harvest Supervisor of Hopelink’s Harvest Program and Mike Hatada is the Food Program Manager overseeing that program. They uphold Hopelink’s agency values which align well with the network’s efforts to sustain and expand gleaning programs statewide, offering an authentic and sustainable way to help grow the goals of the WGN. Mike’s skills in grant writing and funds-related compliance are essential to Hopelink Harvest’s operation, in addition to enhancing efforts through in-person meetings and social media marketing. Together they will draw upon Hopelink Harvest’s past successes and challenges to guide the Harvest Program in supporting the WGN advisory committee.
Ysabel Diaz
`Ysabel Diaz is the Senior Manager of Food Access at Ballard Food Bank and has been with the organization for four years. She has been involved in food systems work for almost a decade, including work with small farms. She cares deeply about food distribution across the state, especially since we live in a state with such an abundance of local food. She believes that we have the power to reimagine and reshape how our food is distributed across WA by working together at the community level. She loves a puzzle and has the skillset to be both efficient and compassionate in her work.