Luis Guardia, President
Sarah Angell, Digital Media Associate
Alexandra Ashbrook, Director of Special Projects and Initiatives
Diane Bacote, Staff Assistant, Administration and Regranting
Lauren Badger, Senior Government Relations Associate
Jordan Baker, Senior Communications Manager
Colleen Barton Sutton, Communications Director
Susan Beaudoin, Senior Special Projects and Initiatives Associate
Kelsey Boone, Child Nutrition Policy Analyst
Rashan A. Datcher, Human Resources Manager
Jessica Durovy, State Initiatives Development Associate
Crystal FitzSimons, Director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs
Wendy Forbes, Senior Content Writer/Technical Editor
Vanessa Gomez, Research and Policy Analyst
Michelle Griffin, Staff Associate
Julia Gross, Anti-Hunger Program Associate, Maryland Hunger Solutions
Clarissa Hayes, Senior Child Nutrition Policy Analyst
Geraldine Henchy, Director of Nutrition Policy and Early Childhood Programs
Katherine Jacobs, Early Childhood Nutrition Programs and Food Systems Associate
Melissa Jensen, Anti-Hunger Program & Policy Analyst – SNAP & Special Populations, D.C. Hunger Solutions
Allison Lacko, Senior Nutrition Policy and Research Analyst
Caitlyn Mitchell, Special Assistant to the President
Denise Odell, Executive Assistant to the President
Allyson Pérez, Child Nutrition Policy Analyst
Etienne Melcher Philbin, Deputy Director, School and Out-of-School Time Programs
Paige Pokorney, Anti-Hunger Program & Policy Analyst – Child Nutrition, D.C. Hunger Solutions
JD Robinson, Anti-Hunger Program Associate – SNAP, Maryland Hunger Solutions
Alan Sharpe, Senior Technology Coordinator
Nomi Small, Communications Coordinator
Marko Stankovic, Senior Development Associate
Ellen Teller, Director of Government Affairs
Polly Thibodeau, Interim Director of Development
Jalal Vardag, Controller
Ellen Vollinger, Legal/Food Stamp Director
Barbara Western, Director of Human Resources and Operations
Beverley Wheeler, Director, D.C. Hunger Solutions
Michael J. Wilson, Director, Maryland Hunger Solutions
Luis Guardia
Luis Guardia serves as president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), the leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States.
Prior to FRAC, Guardia served in top leadership roles in global philanthropy and international development organizations including Global Impact, The ONE Campaign, and the International Center for Research on Women. Guardia began his nonprofit career in arts and media organizations such as NPR, CPB, the Guggenheim Collection, and the Phillips Collection. Guardia also serves on the Boards of ActionAid, Population Action International (PAI), and Kalanidhi Dance.
He received his M.S. in Systems Engineering from George Washington University, his MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, and his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.
Sarah Angell
Sarah joined FRAC in December 2019 as the digital media associate. In this role, she is responsible for maintaining FRAC’s social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn). She also oversees FRAC Chat, the organization’s blog.
Prior to FRAC, Sarah worked with recipients of public assistance in a New York City jobs training program. She wrote her college honors thesis on Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty in the 1960s. Previously, she worked as an intern in the office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey and at the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights.
She has a B.A. in History from Harvard College.
Alexandra Ashbrook
Alex is the Director of Special Projects and Initiatives at FRAC. She works to drive new initiatives and partnerships to improve public policies to end hunger in the U.S. Current focus areas include spearheading FRAC’s efforts to reduce food insecurity among older adults and immigrant families and engage the anti-hunger network in permissible election-related activities to build the political will necessary to end hunger. She helps build out partnerships including those with medical and health organizations, veterans, military families, and LGBTQ communities.
From 2007–2015, Alex served as the director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, where she led efforts to create a hunger-free community and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income residents of the nation’s capital. From 1996–2006, Alex served as a senior program director at Street Law, the national nonprofit dedicated to transforming democratic ideals into citizen action. Alex received her J.D. magna cum laude and LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Haverford College.
Diane Bacote
Diane has worked with FRAC since 2016 and was hired in March 2021 moved into the role of Staff Assistant, Administration and Regranting. She works closely with the Director of Human Resources and Operations and D.C. Hunger Solutions.
Diane’s background experience is in human resources. She has worked in the private sector as the Church Administrator for National Baptist Memorial Church, the Department of Energy as a Senior Administrative Assistant, and as the Support Services Specialist for the Office of the People’s Counsel of DC.
She has recently completed her B.A. in Business Administration from Strayer University.
Lauren Badger
Lauren joined FRAC in July 2017. As the senior government relations associate, she assists with the development and implementation of FRAC’s legislative agenda, working with Congress, national organizations, and FRAC’s network of state and local anti-hunger organizations to strengthen domestic anti-hunger programs for low-income individuals and families. She also manages planning of the annual National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference.
Before joining FRAC, Lauren was an anti-hunger program associate at D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC. In this role, she worked to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and policies, and help reduce senior hunger in D.C. She has also worked with SNAP and other federal nutrition programs in previous roles at the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services and the University of Georgia Department of Foods and Nutrition.
Lauren has a B.S. in both dietetics and consumer foods from the University of Georgia and an M.S. in foods and nutrition from the University of Georgia. Lauren also completed the dietetic internship at the University of Georgia to become a Registered Dietitian.
Jordan Baker
Jordan Baker joined FRAC in April 2020 as the senior communications manager. In this role, she is responsible for initiating and implementing media relations strategies and creating compelling content across a range of platforms.
Most recently, she served as the Communications & Outreach Manager for the National Campus Leadership Council (NCLC), growing NCLC’s presence among student body leaders and the broader higher education policy community. In her role, she managed day-to-day digital, media, and advocacy activities on behalf of the organization. Prior to NCLC, she served as an Assistant Account Executive for JPA Health Communications, managing media opportunities, social media campaigns, and event planning on behalf of healthcare and wellness clients.
She holds a Master of Arts in Professional Communication degree from Southern Utah University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts as a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). She is an active member of the JCSU DC Alumni Chapter and ColorCommDC, a business community for women of color in the communications industry.
Colleen Barton Sutton
Colleen joined FRAC in October 2014, as communications director. In this role, she spearheads the development and implementation of a multi-faceted strategic communications framework to help advance the organization’s mission to end hunger in America.
Prior to FRAC, Colleen was the founder and principal of Red Jacket Communications, LLC, a boutique public relations and event firm. Colleen designed and executed strategic communications plans for global and national policy and program initiatives, research reports, brand development, fundraising promotions, product launches, and major events. Her clients included government contractors, small businesses, and international and national nonprofits. In her previous work with nonprofits, including Catholic Charities USA, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and Save the Children, Colleen created and implemented communications efforts that increased awareness, advocacy and greater investment in programs and services aimed at underserved populations. At Save the Children, she built a media program in a newly created public affairs department, and led the U.S. agency’s media response to major humanitarian crises, including post-9/11, the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Haiti Earthquake as well as the agency’s first advocacy-awareness campaign, Every Mother, Every Child and its signature research report, The State of the World’s Mothers.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Homestretch, a nonprofit in Northern Virginia that helps transition families out of homelessness.
Colleen received her B.A. in English, with a public relations concentration, from the State University of New York at Fredonia.
Susan Beaudoin
Susan joined FRAC in September 2012. In her current role as senior special projects and initiatives associate, she supports work to implement cross-program projects and drive new nutrition and anti-hunger strategic initiatives at FRAC. In her previous role as FRAC’s senior development associate for state initiatives, she was responsible for fundraising activities to support FRAC’s state-based efforts with D.C. Hunger Solutions and Maryland Hunger Solutions.
Prior to joining FRAC, Susan served as coordinator of the Food and Health Network of South Central New York and worked with the Washington Youth Garden and the Rural Health Network of South Central New York.
Susan holds a B.A. in political science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership at Georgetown University.
Kelsey Boone
Kelsey joined FRAC in July of 2020 as a policy analyst on the child nutrition team. In this role she is responsible for supporting work by state advocates and writing reports and informational papers on matters relating to community eligibility, summer feeding sites, the National School Lunch Program, and Breakfast after the Bell.
Kelsey comes to FRAC from the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities where she worked as an intern on the Food Assistance team aiding in COVID food policy tracking. Her background includes interning at Economic Mobility Pathways in Boston, where she focused on advocacy efforts aimed at state safety net programs. In graduate school she worked as a research assistant doing background research on food assistance networks in economies comparable to the United States. In undergrad she also worked as a research assistant supporting community advocates in the Bay Area in California using air monitoring technology and data from refinery fenceline communities.
She has a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and an M.P.P. from the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Rashan A. Datcher
Rashan joined FRAC in May 2011 and is FRAC’s human resources manager. In this role, Rashan works closely with the director of human resources and operations on a variety of office procedural, HR-related, and administrative fronts. She also coordinates processes related to position openings and coordinates the internship program.
Rashan has a B.A. in business administration from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta Georgia and an M.A. in human resource management from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Jessica Durovy
Jessica joined FRAC in July of 2020 as the State Initiatives Development Associate. In this role, she supports D.C. Hunger Solutions and Maryland Hunger Solutions in their development initiatives. She does this by drafting grant proposals and reports, maintaining funder relationships, and conducting research.
Jessica has over ten years of development, program management, and education experience. Her background includes development and programming work with Peace Corps Azerbaijan, The International Rescue Committee, The Highland Center, and The Arab-American Family Support Center.
She has a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Old Dominion University, and an M.A. in International Affairs and Nonprofit Management from The New School.
Crystal FitzSimons
Crystal leads 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; develops strategy and direct field efforts to achieve program improvements; provides technical assistance; conducts training; and develops materials for national, state, and local organizations. Crystal is the author or co-author of numerous publications, including FRAC’s annual participation reports on school breakfast, summer nutrition, afterschool suppers, and community eligibility. She frequently speaks at national and state conferences and meetings. 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 an M.S.W. from Washington University.
Wendy Forbes
Wendy joined FRAC in September 2015 as the senior content writer/technical editor. In this role, Wendy edits and proofreads a variety of content that is published on FRAC’s website, including blogs and program resources, and in print, such as news releases and materials for events. Wendy also assists with managing the editorial process and editorial calendar. Wendy has an MPA and a BA in English and political science.
Vanessa Gomez
Vanessa joined FRAC in November 2020 as a research and policy analyst. In this role, she serves as a primary resource to the organization for data and research related to hunger, food insecurity, family economic security, and utilization of federal nutrition programs.
Prior to FRAC, Vanessa worked with the Center for Cities and Schools and Conscious Kitchen as a research fellow to support a statewide evaluation assessing California school districts’ scratch-cooking capacity as well as the state of school kitchens’ equipment and infrastructure. She has also interned at EatSF, a healthy food voucher program dedicated to providing low-income families with fresh and affordable produce in San Francisco. As a program evaluation intern for EatSF, Vanessa conducted pre- and post-intervention analyses of participant data related to food security status, dietary intake, health perception and program impact, and promoted rapid program expansion by conducting community trainings and providing ongoing technical assistance to vendors and distribution sites.
Vanessa received a B.S. in Biology from UCLA and an M.P.H. in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley.
Michelle Griffin
Michelle Griffin joined FRAC in May 2016 and is a staff associate. She works closely with the Director of Human Resources and Operations and the Director of Finance. Michelle has over 15 years of bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, and accounts payable experience and has worked in both the nonprofit sector and in banking.
Michelle has an Associate Degree in accounting, and she plans to return to complete her studies to acquire her bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Julia Gross
Julia joined Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, in October 2018. In her role as anti-hunger program associate, she works to support and expand participation in child nutrition programs around the state of Maryland through advocacy, community engagement, and the promotion of best-practices.
Before coming to Maryland Hunger Solutions, Julia served in Peace Corps Albania from 2016-2018 as a Health Extension Specialist, where she taught health education and life-skills development in primary schools. Prior to Peace Corps, she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA to support after-school and summer nutrition programs in Maryland, and again as a health educator at a center for low-income and homeless women in Spokane, WA.
She received her B.A. in Anthropology from San Diego State University, and holds a Master of Public Health from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Clarissa Hayes
Clarissa Hayes joined FRAC in February 2015. As senior child nutrition policy analyst, she works with anti-hunger organizations as well as with local, state, and national governments to expand the use of afterschool and summer nutrition programs.
Before joining FRAC, Clarissa was an anti-hunger program associate at Maryland Hunger Solutions (an initiative of FRAC) and worked to increase participation in the child nutrition programs across the state. She has also completed two years of national community service through AmeriCorps NCCC and AmeriCorps VISTA.
Clarissa earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and anthropology from the University of Wisconsin.
Geraldine Henchy
Geri is the director of nutrition policy at FRAC. Geri’s work focuses on 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 legislation and 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 M.P.H. in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley.
Katherine Jacobs
Katie joined FRAC in February 2021 as the Early Childhood Nutrition Programs and Food Systems Associate. In this role, she supports FRAC’s work to strengthen and expand CACFP and WIC and improve food systems by analyzing program policy, providing training and technical assistance to anti-hunger advocates, and developing resource materials.
Katie has worked with and researched WIC and other federal nutrition programs through positions at the Cent$ible Nutrition Program, Wyoming’s SNAP-Ed implementing agency, Duke University, and the Robeson County WIC Clinic. She also has a background in agriculture and food systems sustainability; previously serving as a community outreach specialist for a small farm.
She received a dual B.S. in Environment & Natural Resources and Family & Consumer Sciences – Dietetics from the University of Wyoming and holds an M.P.H. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Melissa Jensen
Melissa joined D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, in August 2018 as the Anti-Hunger Program & Policy Analyst – SNAP & special populations. In this role, she works to increase participation in the SNAP/Food Stamp Program in the District of Columbia, and on nutrition issues related to hunger among older residents. As a part of D.C. Hunger Solutions’ team, she also engages and educates the public and policymakers about the issue of hunger, and works to identify solutions to end hunger in our nation’s capital.
Before joining FRAC, Melissa worked at Utahns Against Hunger in Salt Lake City, Utah as the outreach manager. There, she managed the statewide SNAP Outreach Program with the Utah Department of Workforce Services. She also provided information about federal nutrition programs to the community, assisted community members with SNAP applications, and produced outreach materials, including the UAH newsletter. Melissa also piloted a series of Food Access Workshops with Salt Lake Community College to help combat food insecurity on Utah campuses.
Melissa received a Juris Doctor from William and Mary Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin.
Allison Lacko
Allison joined FRAC in October 2020 as the Senior Nutrition Research and Policy Analyst. She is responsible for providing research and analysis that support FRAC’s advocacy to address the root causes of hunger and strengthen the federal nutrition programs. She also writes and disseminates the quarterly ResearchWIRE, a newsletter highlighting the latest research on food insecurity in the U.S.
Allison served as a Community Economic Development facilitator with the Peace Corps (Costa Rica 2012-2014). After the Peace Corps, Allison worked for Zufall Health, a federally-qualified health center in her home state of NJ.
She received her B.A. in Economics-Political Science from Columbia University. In 2020, Allison received her Ph.D. in Nutrition Epidemiology from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill, where she was a member of the Global Food Research Program, a Predoctoral Fellow at the Carolina Population Center, and a Royster Fellow.
Caitlyn Mitchell
Caitlyn joined in September 2020 as the Special Assistant to FRAC’s President, Luis Guardia. She supports the President’s office by leading special projects and strategic initiatives for the organization.
After starting her career at World Help, a global humanitarian organization, she worked at Harvard’s Global Health Institute (HGHI) where she supported the leadership and managed global projects for HGHI and partners in Eastern Africa. Following she supervised the global project management program at the ONE Campaign and managed international issue campaigns and global events. Caitlyn went on to lead and execute the strategic and annual planning process for the organization for many years.
Caitlyn has a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Denise Odell
Denise is the assistant to FRAC’s President, Luis Guardia. At FRAC, she supports the activities that promote FRAC’s mission, its President and Board of Directors. She brought to the position her board relations, membership, fundraising, and administrative experience.
Prior to joining FRAC, Denise was the membership director at Partnership for Caring, a nonprofit focused on end-of-life issues.
Denise is a professional photographer who exhibits her artwork at fine arts galleries throughout the United States.
Allyson Pérez
Allyson joined FRAC in July 2020 as a Child Nutrition Policy Analyst. In this role, she supports national and state partners with writing and data to expand access to federal Child Nutrition Programs, including community eligibility, afterschool and summer meals, and P-EBT.
Prior to FRAC, Allyson was a Nutritional Health Graduate Fellow in the personal office of a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, thanks to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. She handled a policy portfolio of child nutrition, agriculture, higher education, and sustainability issues, and advised the Member on matters related to their Agriculture and Education & Labor Committee Assignments. Additionally, she has extensive experience researching and writing about food policy and culture in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and western Europe. She was a 2017-2018 Fulbright grantee in Italy, where studied at the University of Gastronomic Sciences and worked at Slow Food International.
She holds an A.B. in Social Studies from Harvard College, and a M.A. in Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.
Etienne Melcher Philbin
Etienne joined FRAC in November 2007. In her current role as deputy director, school and out-of-school time programs, she works with a diverse group of national and state partners to expand access to the child nutrition programs, including school meals and Pandemic EBT. Before joining the child nutrition unit, Etienne worked on FRAC’s legislative team, advocating for federal legislation to strengthen domestic anti-hunger programs for low-income individuals and families.
Prior to joining FRAC, Etienne worked with RESULTS’ domestic policy campaign on early childhood development issues.
She has a B.A. in political science and religious studies from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN.
Paige Pokorney
Paige joined D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, in September 2018 as Anti-Hunger Program & Policy Analyst for child nutrition. In this role, she uses engagement, advocacy, and education to inform the public on childhood hunger and increase access to child nutrition programs in the District. Paige analyzes policies and practices, leverages data and reporting, and provides technical assistance to maximize participation in child nutrition programs.
Before joining D.C. Hunger Solutions, Paige worked on anti-hunger and food access issues with various local and national organizations, including the Capital Area Food Bank, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Share Our Strength. Paige received her B.S. in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State and her Masters of Public Health with a focus on nutrition from George Washington University.
JD Robinson
JD joined Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, as an Outreach Intern in 2018, and is currently the Anti-Hunger Program Associate – SNAP. He works to increase participation and access to the SNAP program for all Marylanders by coordinating outreach efforts with staff and volunteers. He also engages local partners and organizations in training and educating their staff on SNAP and food insecurity issues.
JD previously worked as a bartender in Baltimore, and volunteered on local farms.
JD holds a B.A in communication from McDaniel College.
Alan Sharpe
Alan is FRAC’s senior technology 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’s 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.
Nomi Small
Nomi joined FRAC in March 2020 as the communications coordinator. In this role, she is responsible for maintaining and updating the FRAC website, and the sites for the D.C. Hunger Solutions and Maryland Hunger Solutions. She also writes and distributes the weekly FRAC News Digest and provides technical assistance for FRAC’s webinars.
Before joining FRAC, Nomi interned with the Oklahoma Food Banks in their Advocacy and Public Policy Department and with the Brandeis University Precollege Programs in their Communications Department. She also worked as a Park Ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Cape Cod Canal.
She holds a B.A. in sociology from Dickinson College.
Marko Stankovic
Marko joined FRAC in April 2012. As senior development associate, his job duties include doing research on prospective funders, maintaining communication with donors and grantmakers, submitting grant proposals and reports, processing all donations and grants, and event management. Prior to joining FRAC, he had fundraising internships at the International Student House and Education USA. Marko holds an M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University.
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.
Polly Thibodeau
Polly joined FRAC in February 2013 and is senior manager of foundation relations. In this role, she crafts funding proposals and reports for institutional funders in support of FRAC’s breadth of work.
Polly has 15 years of experience writing and managing grants. She previously served as the Director of Development at Joy of Motion Dance Center, where she was responsible for planning and implementing all of its contributed income activities. Prior to that, Polly provided comprehensive research and grants administration for a portfolio of externally funded projects, including a $3 million Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Risk Science and Public Health at The George Washington University. She has also written grants for the local modern dance company Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. and Rebuilding Together Montgomery County.
She has a B.A. in sociology from Hood College and a B.A. in dance from The George Washington University.
Jalal Vardag
Jalal joined FRAC in August 2020 as the Controller. In this role, Jalal is responsible for the coordination and management of FRAC’s annual audit, budgeting, financial accounting and reporting, payroll processing and accounting, internal controls, and financial analysis. He also works with department directors to ensure adherence with FRAC’s financial and administrative policies to maintain fiduciary responsibility. He serves as a key resource to the senior management team providing strategic and accurate financial advice to key leaders, the Executive Committee and the Board.
Prior to joining FRAC, Jalal was a Controller at Working America, AFL-CIO, the largest non-union workers’ group with a membership of 3.3 million and an Assistant Controller at Indivisible, a movement of 6000 groups advocating for progressive values and policies. Jalal serves as the Co-Chair of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Taskforce and member of the Nonprofit Symposium Planning Committee at the Greater Washington Society of CPAs.
Jalal holds a BBA in Accounting from Bernard M Baruch College in New York City.
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 nonprofit 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, DC law firm of Ross, Dixon and Masback.
Ellen has a B.A. in American Studies from Smith College, master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University, and a J.D. magna cum laude from the American University’s Washington College of Law.
Barbara Western
Barb joined FRAC in March 2012 as the director of human resources and operations. In this role she is responsible for overseeing overall organizational operations, including the technology infrastructure, and is directly responsible for human resources policies and employee benefits and relations.
Barb has over 20 years of experience working with national nonprofit organizations in a variety of areas that include: human resources, operations, finance, board development and support, fundraising, events management, strategic planning, and advocacy. Most of her skills were acquired through her many years of work at OMB Watch, where she played a variety of roles, most recently the Director of Operations. Prior to her work at OMB Watch she worked for Legal Times.
Barb has a B.S. in journalism from Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University and a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership at Georgetown University.
Beverley Wheeler
Beverley joined FRAC in 2015 as the director of D.C. Hunger Solutions. In this role, she is responsible for leading the efforts to improve public policies to end hunger, reduce poverty, promote nutrition and increase the availability of healthy affordable food in low-income areas; maximize participation in all federal nutrition programs (SNAP, school meals, early childhood nutrition, WIC, and summer meals); and educate the public about both the stark reality of hunger’s existence in the nation’s capital and the real opportunities for effective solutions.
Dr. Wheeler has over 30 years of progressive experience in all phases of public and private sector policy development working in process development, crisis resolution, civic engagement, community/economic development, and planning as well as policy development and implementation. She has 20 years of experience working with the District of Columbia (DC) government and the DC Council at the executive level as Executive Director of the State Board of Education and Neighborhood Action; Chief of Staff to Phil Mendelson; and Special Assistant to three City Administrators. She is the former president and CEO of Center City Public Charter Schools.
She holds a B.S. in social and decision science, an M.S. in management and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Master’s and Doctorate in Education from Harvard University.
Michael J. Wilson
Michael joined Maryland Hunger Solutions in July 2013 as Director. In this role, he is helping to lead Maryland’s premier hunger advocacy, education, and outreach organization as it works to end hunger and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income families in Maryland. Michael serves in a leadership role in many statewide coalitions and is a core advisor in the Governor’s Partnership to End Childhood Hunger.
For more than three decades, Michael has been a leading advocate for economic and social justice. He worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative and press assistant for the late U.S. Representative Charles Hayes (IL). He also served in numerous positions at the U.S. Department of Labor, culminating as Chief of Staff in the Employment Standards Administration where he coordinated legislative, regulatory, communications, and policy development. Michael also was an international officer and director at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union where he headed the legislative and political department and led the union’s efforts in food policy and worker advocacy. Michael served as a FRAC Board Member for more than a decade, as well as a Board Member for the Consumer Federation of America and Americans for Democratic Action, where he also served as National Director. He received the Community Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capitol Area in 2009, the Secretary of Labor’s Exceptional Achievement Award in 1997 and 1999, and a Special Commendation from the Wage and Hour Division in 1997.
Michael has a B.A. in communications arts and sciences from Michigan State University.
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 25 years of experience in nonprofit 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.
