Jim Weill has been President of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) since February 1998. Jim has devoted his entire professional career to reducing hunger and poverty, protecting the legal rights of children and poor people, and expanding economic security, income and nutrition support programs and health insurance coverage.

Prior to joining FRAC, he was at the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) as Program Director and General Counsel. He led CDF’s efforts in 1985 that produced the first major expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, oversaw CDF’s Medicaid expansion, child care, and child support enforcement reform efforts, and was a key leader of the campaign to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997.

Before CDF, Mr. Weill was Deputy Director and Director of Federal Litigation at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago. He litigated major law reform and class action cases in the federal court of appeals and Supreme Court on Social Security, Medicaid, AFDC, SNAP/Food Stamps and other public benefits issues, and the rights of children born out of wedlock.

Mr. Weill is chair of the board of directors of the Alliance for Justice Action Council and is a member of the boards of OMB Watch and the National Center for Youth Law. He serves on the advisory council to the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education and Families. He has served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the UNICEF Executive Board.

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Jen Adach

Jennifer joined FRAC in July 2006 as its communications coordinator. She is charged with developing FRAC’s communications strategy, from managing press outreach to disseminating publications and materials. Jennifer has had extensive experience in translating government regulations and programs into easily-understood materials for a variety of audiences. Her previous experience includes working at Save-A-Lot as its community relations and government programs project manager, where she developed SNAP/Food Stamp outreach events to raise local awareness of the program and help individuals apply for the program, and The Welfare to Work Partnership as its media relations manager. She holds a BA in English from Catholic University.
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Mike Ambrose

Mike joined FRAC in January 2008 as the Online Communications Specialist. In this role, he is responsible for maintaining and updating the FRAC Web site, and the sites for D.C. Hunger Solutions and Maryland Hunger Solutions. He also writes and distributes the weekly FRAC News Digest.

Mike has over twenty years of national nonprofit communications, program management, development and conference planning experience. His background includes extensive education and public health program work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He received the “Optimal Oral Health for All” award from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and writing awards from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation.

Mike has a B.A. in Arts and Humanities from the University of Maryland, and an M.S. in Telecommunications from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
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Alexandra Ashbrook

Alex serves as the director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, an anti-hunger, anti-poverty nonprofit in the District and an initiative of FRAC. She works to end hunger and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income families in the nation’s capital. She leads and participates in many city-wide coalitions and most recently, was appointed as chair of the D.C.’s Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition in September 2009.

Alex, who joined FRAC in January 2007 as the Director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, brings extensive advocacy experience to her role, much of which has focused on the needs of vulnerable youth. While at Georgetown Law School’s D.C. Street Law Project, Alex supervised law students teaching at D.C. public high schools. She spent the last ten years working at Street Law, the national nonprofit dedicated to transforming democratic ideals into citizen action. Alex received her J.D. and L.L.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center.
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Kimberley Chin

Kimberley is the director of Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC. Before coming to Maryland Hunger Solutions, Ms. Chin held several positions within the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), both nationally and in the New York office. In the New York office, she coordinated a project to promote integrated outreach strategies to help families gain access to programs that provide work supports – such as tax credits, Medicaid, SCHIP, and SNAP/Food Stamps. She also led a project that examined the barriers that immigrant children face in gaining access to public health insurance programs. More recently she coordinated the CDF’s National Tax and Benefits Outreach initiative. Kimberley also has been on the staff of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) in Washington, D.C. and worked on national health insurance and tax credit outreach issues. Prior to her work at CDF and CBPP, Kimberley was an attorney in the HIV/AIDS unit at South Brooklyn Legal Services in New York City. Kimberley received her MPA from New York University and her law degree from Fordham University in New York City.
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Chris Collins

Chris joined FRAC in March 2010 as Chief of Staff with responsibility for supporting daily operations as well as FRAC’s longer term direction.

Chris brings over twenty-five years of experience in both non-profit and corporate organizations. Most recently she was Chief of Staff for the Institute for America’s Future, a research and education organization focused on issues relating to economic security. Prior to that she provided strategic planning, financial and operational management consulting services for a variety of non-profit and corporate organizations. Chris spent much of her career at Xerox Corporation where she held significant positions in operations, program management, marketing and sales. She was a founding member of the Xerox Women’s Network and has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including two child development centers. She is currently active with a transitional housing program for women in the District of Columbia.

Chris holds a B.A in linguistics and an MBA in International Finance, both from the University of Michigan.

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Courtney Conner

Courtney joined Maryland Hunger Solutions in April 2010 as a Nutrition Associate. In this role, she promotes the expansion of the federal school and community nutrition programs in Maryland, specifically the School Breakfast, the At-Risk Afterschool Meal and the Summer Food Service Programs.

Prior to joining Maryland Hunger Solutions, Courtney volunteered as a casework assistant with International Justice Mission in Lusaka, Zambia where she assisted staff lawyers in advocating for victims of property grabbing and sexual violence. After returning the U.S., she served as the Art Simon Fellow at Bread for the World where she advocated for domestic and international anti-hunger legislation in Washington, DC.

Courtney earned her B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in social justice at Goucher College and her M.A. in Public Policy with a concentration in social policy at the Johns Hopkins University.

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Rachel Cooper

Rachel joined FRAC in July 2006 as a Senior Policy Analyst. In charge of research and data analysis, her work covers all of the federal nutrition programs and is published in the various annual reports she authors or coauthors such as the School Breakfast Scorecard, Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation, and State of the States.

Before coming to FRAC, Rachel worked for the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), in their New York office. At CDF-NY, she focused on helping families gain access to programs that provide work supports – such as tax credits, Medicaid, SCHIP, and SNAP/Food Stamps. At CDF-NY Rachel conducted research, gave technical assistance and coauthored several reports including documenting the damage caused by predatory tax refund loans and the success of New York City’s Disaster Medicaid system established after 9/11.

Rachel received her Masters in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University.

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Rita W. Doherty

As FRAC’s Director of Administration, Rita is responsible for managing the organization’s administrative functions, including human resources and benefits administration, development and implementation of HR and administrative policies and procedures, and coordination of support services. She is also responsible for facilities and services management and works closely with FRAC’s accountant on the financial operations of the organization.

Before joining FRAC in 1988, Rita held administrative and HR management positions at the International Center for Research on Women, the Equity Policy Center, ACTION, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Betsy Edwards

Betsy began with the FRAC in April 2010 as the field organizer. Her role at FRAC is to garner public support for the President’s end childhood hunger by 2015 goal by working with local and statewide organizations.

Before Betsy came to FRAC she worked as the advocacy manager for the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland, CA. In that role she worked to address the issues of hunger and its root causes with community members, food bank agencies, staff, and elected officials. She also recognizes the invaluable experience and connections that she gained while interning for the Society of St. Andrew, Big Island, VA and St. Mary’s Center, Oakland, CA.

Betsy has a B.A. in English from Mary Washington College.

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Crystal Weedall FitzSimons

As Director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs, Crystal directs FRAC’s work on the child nutrition programs that serve school-age children. She analyzes policy to advocate for legislative and regulatory improvements to increase low-income children’s access to the nutrition programs. She helps develop strategy and direct field efforts to achieve program improvements. She provides technical assistance, conducts training, and develops materials for national, state, and local organizations. She frequently speaks at national afterschool conferences and meetings. Crystal is the author or co-author of numerous publications, including Hunger Doesn’t Take A Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report (2009). Her previous work experience includes the Center for Community Change as a policy analyst on transportation issues and Housing Comes First, Missouri’s statewide low-income housing coalition, as Director of Tenant Organizing. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Sociology from Carroll College and a M.S.W. from Washington University.
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Heather Hartline-Grafton

Heather is a Senior Nutrition Policy Analyst at FRAC. Heather’s work focuses on obesity as it impacts low-income and food insecure children and families, with emphasis on the federal nutrition programs. She has a rich background in nutrition policy research, obesity prevention, and healthy eating strategies, including her prior work at the American Cancer Society, Mathematica Policy Research, and Tulane University. Heather is a Registered Dietitian and holds honors bachelors’ degrees in nutritional sciences and dietetics from the University of Delaware, a MPH in nutrition from the University of North Carolina, and a DrPH in community health sciences from Tulane University.
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Geraldine Henchy

Geri is the director of nutrition policy at FRAC. Geri’s work focuses on the nutrition policies, such as increasing the healthfulness of nutrition programs, necessary to reach the goals of eradicating domestic hunger and improving the nutrition and health of low-income individuals and families.

Geri is a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee to Review the Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Requirements which has the task of creating nutrition standards to bring the meals served into compliance with the Dietary Guidelines. Geri is the current chair of the policy committee of the American Public Health Association’s Food and Nutrition Section. She currently serves on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Management Improvement Task Force.

She has been honored to receive awards for her work on the Child Nutrition Programs from the Sponsors Association, the National Sponsors Forum and the California Roundtable. Most recently, the National Association of Family Child Care honored Ms. Henchy with their Advocate of the Year Award.

Geri is the author of numerous policy briefs on the federal Child Nutrition programs. She has co-authored a number of publications including Making WIC Work for Multicultural Communities: Best Practices for Outreach and Nutrition Education, Time for a Change: WIC Food Package Guide, WIC In Native American Communities: Building a Healthier America, and WIC Partnerships and the Nurturing Parent. Ms. Henchy is also the author of a number of web-based tools including most recently the Child Care Wellness Tool Kit: Child and Adult Care Food Program.

She is a registered dietitian and has an MPH in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Courtney Jones

Courtney joined FRAC in October 2009 as Grants Writer/Manager of Foundation Relations. In this role, she works closely with FRAC’s Director of Development, President and program staff to conceptualize and write persuasive letters of inquiry, proposals and reports to foundations and other funding sources.

Before joining FRAC, Courtney worked as an Associate Director at Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI), a consulting firm to nonprofit organizations. While at OAI, Courtney worked with a variety of local nonprofit organizations to develop, organize and implement a wide range of fundraising and strategic planning initiatives, including development research and grant writing, fundraising event management, marketing and communications and capital campaign planning and execution.

Courtney graduated magna cum laude from the honors program at American University, with a degree in Public Communication, and studied French abroad at La Sorbonne in Paris, France.
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Cassandra Kaiser

Cassandra joined Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, in November 2009 as a Nutrition Associate. Through research and advocacy, she works to expand the reach of the Food Supplement Program in Maryland.

Before coming to Maryland Hunger Solutions, Cassandra gave a year of service as an AmeriCorps member at a community health center in Boston, MA. There, she coordinated mammogram screening events, managed a pediatric literacy program and connected hungry families with food resources. Cassandra has also worked with the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara, where she provided lessons to elementary school students on air pollution, asthma and the dangers of smoking.

Cassandra graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in Spanish. She also studied at the Universidad de Costa Rica.
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Madeleine Levin

Madeleine is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Child Nutrition Unit, working on school nutrition issues. She focuses on the National School Lunch Program, the National School Breakfast Program and local school wellness policies. Madeleine has a rich background in maternal and child health policy and programs. After serving as Health and Nutrition Coordinator for a large Head Start program in Chicago, she was a member of the National Technical Assistance Network for Head Start programs, working primarily with programs in the mid-Atlantic region. In addition to a strong background in child nutrition, she also has expertise in special nutrition concerns of children with disabilities. Madeleine earned her bachelors’ degree from the University of Chicago and her Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois.
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Etienne Melcher

Etienne joined FRAC in November 2007 as a Legislative Assistant. In her current role as FRAC’s Legislative Associate, she works with FRAC’s state and local network, national organizations, and Congress, advocating for improved access to and participation in domestic anti-hunger programs for low-income people. She also coordinates FRAC’s Annual National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference.

Prior to joining FRAC, Etienne worked with RESULTS’ domestic policy campaign on early childhood development issues. She began her anti-hunger advocacy work by co-organizing Saint Mary’s College’s first annual Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

She has a B.A. in Political Science and Religious Studies from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN.

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Gilberto Morales

Gilberto joined FRAC in April 2000 as the office assistant. In his role, he is responsible for answering incoming calls, greeting and receiving guests, maintaining office equipment, sorting the mail and signing for packages. He also assists the program staff as needed.

Before FRAC, Gilberto worked for six years as an office assistant/translator with the Chesapeake Center in Springfield, Va. In this capacity Gilberto oversaw the day-to-day operations of the front office as well as scheduled appointments for clients and translated for Hispanic clients.
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Denise Odell

Denise has worked for the last 10 years as executive assistant at FRAC. In this role, she has helped manage the details, logistics and support for the activities that promote FRAC’s mission. Denise’s experience in development, combined with her attention to detail, collaborative work style, and her commitment have helped FRAC, its Board and its President to achieve their goals. In addition to her FRAC responsibilities, Denise—a native Washingtonian and University of Maryland alum—is a professional photographer with numerous exhibits at fine arts galleries throughout the region.
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Kristin Roberts

Kristin is the community nutrition associate for D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, and advocates for improved access to healthy food in low-income parts of the District. Before coming to D.C. Hunger Solutions, she worked in development for FRAC. Her background includes youth program development, event planning, writing and communications, and volunteer coordination. Kristin received her B.A. in health and exercise science from Gettysburg College and M.A. in nonprofit administration from Marquette University.
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Jayne Roblin

Jayne joined FRAC in 2001 as its staff accountant. She brings more than 30 years of accounting experience to FRAC, including 11 years as the vice president of finance and personnel director at the Akron Metropolitan YMCA. She has a degree in accounting from Columbus Business University.
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Alan Sharpe

Alan is FRAC’s Senior Administrative Assistant/Information Systems Coordinator. For nearly 27 years, Alan has served in various support capacities as a member of FRAC’s administrative staff. Initially secretarial, his duties have expanded with technology and the onset of computerized office functions. In his current position as senior administrative assistant/information systems coordinator, he oversees FRAC information technology needs, provides in-house computer “help desk” and administrative support for program staff, and serves as liaison between FRAC and its various IT consultants and vendors.
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Ellen Teller

As Director of Government Affairs, Ellen Teller directs the development and implementation of FRAC’s legislative agenda. Working with Congress, national organizations, and FRAC’s diverse state and local grassroots field network, Ellen advocates for improved access and participation to domestic anti-hunger programs for low-income individuals and families.

Ellen joined FRAC in 1986 as a Staff Attorney and had previously worked at the American Bar Association’s Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Consumer Federation of America.

Ellen has a B.A. in Political Science and English Literature (1978) from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta, and a J.D. from Western New England College School of Law (1983). She is a Member of the DC Bar and serves on a the Boards of the Coalition on Human Needs (Chair); Manna Food Center, Rockville, Maryland; ActionAid USA; and the Bill Emerson Hunger Fellows Advisory Committee, Congressional Hunger Center. Honors include: National WIC Association Leadership Award, 2006; Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association Award, 2003 & 2010; and the Congressional Hunger Center Emerson Fellows’ Fairy Godmother Award, 2008.

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Katie Vinopal

Katie joined D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, in November 2009 as a nutrition associate. In this role, she seeks to increase participation in and quality of public nutrition programs—especially SNAP, CACFP, and D.C. Free Summer Meals—through advocacy, outreach, technical assistance, and public education.

Before coming to D.C. Hunger Solutions, Katie worked as a Research Assistant at the Urban Institute’s Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population. There she conducted research on policies, programs, and systems that impact low-income individuals and families. Specifically, she assisted in evaluations of SNAP/Food Stamps and food insufficiency, the social safety net and poverty, low-wage workers, and the assets of low-income working families. Her work led her to co-author several reports and briefs. She also served as a site coordinator for the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, where she managed volunteers and conducted outreach to homeless children and families.

Katie has a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Economics from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Ellen Vollinger

Ellen Vollinger is Legal Director for FRAC. She has responsibility for directing FRAC’s advocacy on behalf of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps). Ellen has led FRAC’s efforts to bolster SNAP/Food Stamps, particularly to serve working families, legal immigrants and victims of disasters. She has worked with administrators, elected officials, industry representatives, and non-profit partners on strategies to provide a more accessible and effective nutrition assistance safety net. She serves on the eGovernment Payments Council.

Her prior positions include serving as director of the nonprofit National Committee for Full Employment as well as a practicing attorney with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Ross, Dixon and Masback.

Ellen has a B.A. in American Studies from Smith College, an M.A.S.S. in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University and a J.D. magna cum laude from the American University’s Washington College of Law.
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Patrick Youngblood

Patrick joined FRAC in January 2004 as Director of Development. In this role, he is responsible for managing all aspects of FRAC’s fundraising activities.

He has over fourteen years of experience in non-profit fundraising. Before coming to FRAC, he served as Assistant Manager of Major Gifts at the Kennedy Center, Associate Director of Development for Major Gifts at the Washington National Opera, and Director of Development at American Rivers.

He holds an M.A. from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. from the University of London.
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FRAC Staff

Food Research and Action Center

1875 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 540 Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202 986-2200 Fax: 202 986-2525

Jim Weill

Jen Adach

Mike Ambrose

Alexandra Ashbrook

Kimberley Chin

Chris Collins

Courtney Conner

Rachel Cooper

Rita W. Doherty

Betsy Edwards

Crystal Weedall FitzSimons

Heather Hartline-Grafton

Geraldine Henchy

Courtney Jones

Cassandra Kaiser

Madeleine Levin

Etienne Melcher

Gilberto Morales

Denise Odell

Kristin Roberts

Jayne Roblin

Alan Sharpe

Ellen Teller

Katie Vinopal

Ellen Vollinger

Patrick Youngblood

1875 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 540
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202 986-2200
Fax: 202 986-2525