RONDA RUTLEDGE
Executive Director
Ronda Rutledge is Executive Director of Sustainable Food Center.  Her passion for our connection to the land energizes her work for issues around sustainability, food sovereignty, and animal compassion.  She was introduced to SFC as an affiliate consultant with Greenlights for NonProfit Success.  Prior to joining SFC, Ronda served as Executive Director of the American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California.  She was a LeaderSpring fellow for two years - a Bay Area leadership program for Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations.

Ronda holds a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology.  Over the course of her professional career, she has served as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist in addition to nonprofit administration.  She currently serves as a volunteer on the Austin Powwow Committee for Great Promise and is a wedding officiant for nontraditional weddings and ceremonies in the Austin area.  She is married with twin girls, River and Raven, who are growing up and eating their vegetables!

Maribel Rivero
The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre Program Director
Maribel Rivero holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthy and Wellness Promotions from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. She has worked to promote healthy lifestyles for 10 years through food, nutrition, and fitness education. She has experience working with a variety of populations including low income persons in both the United States and in South America, corporate groups, students and clinical research subjects. As Program Director for The Happy Kitchen, Maribel is able to provide healthy lifestyle training to numerous populations in Austin, Texas.

The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre Program Coordinator

Ever since taking a food-focused geography class in college, Joy has been interested in the dynamics of food, from politics to gardening to cooking.  For two years, Joy managed a recycling program and taught cooking and nutrition classes at an orphanage in Bolivia as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Upon returning to her native Austin in 2007, she was eager to continue working in the area of education and nutrition, so The Happy Kitchen/La Cocine Alegre is a great fit!  In her spare time, Joy enjoys listening to live music, traveling and playing ultimate Frisbee.

Suzanne Santos
Austin Farmers' Market Director
Suzanne Santos holds a Master of Science in Community Development from the University of California at Davis and has worked to promote local food systems for the past fifteen years. Ms. Santos joined Sustainable Food Center in 2000 as Executive Director, then served as Development Director when the agency merged, bringing significant marketing and management experience to the organization. Her passion for farming led Ms. Santos to her niche connecting local farmers with urban markets. Prior to joining SFC, Suzanne worked for three years in Costa Rica and Honduras on agricultural projects as a representative of the Peace Corps. Along with her work at SFC, Ms. Santos runs a small family farm in Kyle, Texas, where she raises two sons, peaches, chickens, and a goose.

CECIL WINZER

Austin Farmers' Market Coordinator

Cecil Winzer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.  Mr. Winzer joined SFC in early 2006 as a crew member for the Austin Farmers' Market, helping setup and breakdown the market on Saturdays.  His involvement and passion grew when he found out that the food he was eating was not raised the way his grandfather farmed in Waco.  His eyes were opened to the environmental, health, economic and animal cruelty implications of factory farming.  When he is not working at the Austin Farmer's Market, Cecil is working on his real estate and technology businesses (his is a licensed Real Estate Broker), and spends most of his time raising his four children with wife Aileen.  When he has spare time he also enjoys Austin's great outdoors, the Children's Museum, Austin Zoo, Enchanted Rock, Zilker Park, and the Central Texas Wine Trail.

ANDREW SMILEY

Farm Direct Projects Director
Former Executive Director of Baton Rouge Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance, Inc., Andrew Smiley has over eight years experience working in sustainable agriculture. Mr. Smiley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Louisiana State University. Andrew adds a little Cajun flair to the central Texas sustainable agriculture community.

Karen Banks
Community and Youth Gardens Program Director
Karen Banks holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Banks joined SFC in early 2005 as a Development Associate but soon found her trade to be teaching Central Texans about growing their own fresh food. Prior to joining SFC, Karen spent time traveling abroad, baking bread, and learning about family, farming and community on the Northern Plains. For Ms. Banks, nothing is better than sharing good food with friends.

Emily Neiman
Community and Youth Gardens Program Coordinator
Emily Neiman is originally from Junction, Texas, where she started the Junction Community Garden. Ms. Neiman understands the dynamics of organizing and sustaining a successful community garden. Daughter of Bill and Jan Neiman, owners of Native American Seed, knowledge of and a passion for plants flow through Emily's blood. Emily received formal training in environmental studies and Spanish from Austin College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts.

Claire McKeever

Development Director

Having worked in the nonprofit world for more than five years and having most recently worked at the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas as Grants Manager, Claire McKeever brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight to the Development department at SFC. 

Born and raised in West Texas, Claire spent most of her time singing in church choir, playing basketball and enjoying her family dog.  Claire attended college at Baylor University where she received a degree in Professional Writing and English.  Upon graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she spent a year living in Christian community and working in communications for Sojourners/Call to Renewal, a faith-based nonprofit focusing on issues of faith, culture and politics.  She moved to Austin in September 2005 to continue working in the nonprofit, social justice area.

When Claire isn't working, she enjoys dancing Nia, visiting her niece, Zoe, reading historical fiction novels and The New York Times, watching "The Daily Show", taking walks with Frodo (an adorable 2-year-old Labrador/Retriever mix) and viewing films at the Alamo Drafthouse, the world's best cinematic experience.

Debi Vanwey
Business Manager
Debi Vanwey has been with Sustainable Food Center since early 2003.  She brings many years of experience in finance, human resources, computer systems, and small business management.  She has worked in corporate environments, and has owned and managed her own small businesses, including a naturals food store, and a private chef and catering service.  She enjoys working at SFC where others share her belief that we can make a difference in our lives by eating well...and eating locally!

SUSAN LEIBROCK
Marketing and Development Associate
Susan Leibrock joined Sustainable Food Center as a contractor in September 2007. Upon graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Susan lived in New York City for seven years, working in both the restaurant industry and for five years at the flagship office of J. Walter Thompson (JWT), the global advertising agency. Susan worked on integrated marketing campaigns for JetBlue, Kleenex, Unilever and Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson, realizing as she researched supermarket industry trends that she wanted to help solve the issues surrounding food marketing in the U.S. Susan attended French Culinary Institute and read many books on local food systems and sustainable agriculture before returning to Austin in summer '07. An avid traveler, Susan has most recently been to Tokyo, Barcelona and New Orleans. She enjoys cooking for others whenever possible.