Equitable Food Initiative Appoints New Board Members; Fernanda Suárez, Natalie Camacho Mendoza, Peter O’Driscoll Comment
WASHINGTON, DC - Choosing strong leadership may be one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of running a company—Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) has chosen its newest leaders very carefully. Fernanda Suárez and Natalie Camacho Mendoza are the organization’s newest Board Members, representing NatureSweet Tomatoes and taking the place of retiring Bruce Goldstein for Farmworker Justice, respectively.
“As an HR professional, I understand the power of individuals to contribute to the greater good, and I’ve seen firsthand how powerful diversity, equity, leadership training, and inclusion initiatives can be in transforming cultures,” said Suárez. “EFI provides opportunities for organizations to be a champion for farmworkers and ultimately be the change we want to create in building safer, more equitable food supply chains.”
NatureSweet is a founding member of EFI, and Suárez is its Sustainability and Social Impact Director. She brings more than a decade of experience focused on human resources and social compliance.
“My goal is to encourage more comprehensive views of farm labor and help all stakeholders understand the business side of agriculture,” stated Camacho Mendoza. “On the heels of the pandemic, more people are aware of the ‘always essential’ workers who contribute to our food supply, and I’m eager to leverage that for improving working conditions and supporting everyone who plays a role in agriculture.”
Camacho Mendoza joins EFI as an extension of her role with Farmworker Justice. She has worked with and on behalf of unions and employers, as a farmworker advocate, and continues to serve on a variety of local, state, regional, and national Boards and committees addressing criminal justice reform, income inequality, civil rights, and art and culture.
Peter O’Driscoll, Executive Director, commented on the appointment of these two well-respected leaders.
“We believe in representative decision-making and our Board composition assures that all players in the produce supply chain are at the table, including retailers, grower-shippers, farmworkers, and consumers,” O’Driscoll remarked. “I am thrilled to welcome these talented and compassionate women to our Board to join EFI in promoting better agricultural workplaces, and a more equitable food system.”
Cheers to both Fernanda Suárez and Natalie Camacho Mendoza!
