meet-the-team

Careers Contact In the News Meet the Team

Kate MacKenzie, Executive Director

As Executive Director of New York City's Mayor's Office of Food Policy (MOFP), Kate advises the Mayor on all issues related to food policy and the city's food system. From evolving the city’s emergency food system and prioritizing food insecurity and benefits access, to ensuring a culture of wellness through food education in all city schools and supporting the food economy through jobs and M/WBE food contracts, Kate prioritizes food system transformation throughout New York City. Under her leadership, MOFP released Food Forward NYC, the city's first-ever 10-year food policy plan and a comprehensive policy framework to reach a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system by 2030. Kate championed the City’s commitment to decrease the carbon footprint of its food purchases by 33% by 2030, ensuring that the largest city in the country takes bold action to address the role of the food system in our climate crisis. She was a chief architect of the city’s Food Education Road Map and worked closely with NYC Public Schools to ensure the adoption to launch of Plant-Powered Fridays in its school meal programming.

Kate holds a master's degree in public health nutrition from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences from Cornell University. She is also the mother of two NYCPS students, who eat school lunch every day!

Rachel Atcheson, Deputy Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs

Rachel currently works to advance our mission, collaborating with City agencies to ensure that the food we serve supports personal and planetary health, and is a leader in all things plant-forward. She previously served as Borough President Adams’ Deputy Strategist focusing on plant-forward food policy in the City by contributing to the establishment of Meatless Mondays in NYC public schools, the launch of the lifestyle medicine programs in NYC Health+Hospitals, and other public health and sustainability initiatives around plant-based nutrition. Rachel is from Washington DC, but now calls New York home.

Milagros de Hoz, Deputy Director of Strategy and Policy

Milagros is responsible for advancing our work at the intersection of food, environment, and climate. She works with local, state, and regional leaders to advance sustainable and low-carbon food initiatives and represents NYC in national and international coalitions. Previously, Milagros worked as a research scientist at the Office of Research and Policy Innovation at the NYC Department of Social Services. She also has experience working in environmental justice, collaborating with El Puente on community research initiatives, and managing a vast and varied portfolio of environmental health programs at WE Act for Environmental Justice.

Lauren Drumgold, Policy Advisor

Lauren leads our efforts to ensure that we are transparent about our food metrics and is a key player in our HealthyNYC campaign and our food is medicine work. She brings extensive expertise in federal safety net initiatives, particularly SNAP. Raised in Harlem, New York City, Lauren's commitment to addressing health inequities runs deep. As a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow at the Congressional Hunger Center, she led projects on urban agriculture and SNAP policy. In 2022, Lauren earned her master's degree in public health from Washington University in St. Louis, further enhancing her contributions to our mission of improving the health of all New Yorkers.

Sierra Hollowell, Policy Analyst

Sierra conducts research and data analysis, supports the implementation of the Food Education Roadmap, generates climate-related policy briefings, and monitors legislative affairs relating to New York City food policy. She recently earned her bachelor's degree in economics and political science from Columbia University, where she served as the president of Columbia Vegan Society as well as the Director of Alternative Proteins at Columbia Effective Altruism. Sierra brings experience from the nonprofit sector, where she assessed the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ enforcement of state health regulations applicable to NYC small animal and poultry slaughterhouses. Originally from Dothan, the eighth largest city in Alabama, as well as the notably self-proclaimed “Peanut Capital of the World,” she now resides in Bed-Stuy.

Neeti Jain, Strategic Partnerships Advisor

Neeti oversees NYC’s Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge, drawing on her extensive professional background in environmental advocacy and education. With a focus on systems-level approaches and a commitment to equity and environmental justice, Neeti previously spearheaded interpretive DEAI initiatives and justice-centered storytelling at natural history museums. Neeti holds a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Chicago and a master's degree in environmental science from Yale University. A Los Angeles native, she has made her way across the three coasts and now spends her time lurking around the underwater dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History.

Jacqueline Joseph, Staff Administrator

Jackie has spent the past 18 years working across various City agencies. Most recently, she worked as the administrative assistant for the director of Procurement and Contracts at the Department of Social Services (DSS). Prior to that role, Jackie spent several years with Fraud Investigation, MIS and HASA as an eligibility specialist performing different roles. Jackie obtained her master's degree in public administration and her bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Ora Kemp, Senior Policy Advisor

Ora leverages her experiences in the food security network, community-based programming, and public health research to develop policies centered in equitable design. Anchored in the value of food as a human right, Ora collaboratively constructs innovative and sustainable approaches to building healthy neighborhoods and resilient food systems. Kemp holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition and food science and a master's degree in public health from Montclair State University, and is pursuing a PhD in Food Studies with a research focus of equitable food policies and the morality of hunger. A Navy brat, Kemp has a rich culture and deep passion for meals filled with flavor and shared around a full table. Known for hosting a mean dinner party, Kemp enjoys hanging in the park with Serena the Shih Tzu, tending to an ever-growing collection of flora, and collecting oddities and treasures from estate sales and salvage yards.

Sophie Luard, Urban Fellow

As an Urban Fellow, Sophie is trying to learn as much as she can. Sophie is from New York City and is very excited to be home after completing her bachelor's degree in english and public policy at the University of Chicago. She has been involved in city government for the past four years, serving as a constituent aid with City Council and is interested in exploring food access and expanding emergency food programming.

Tia Schwab, Policy Advisor

Tia conducts food policy research and analysis while collaborating across city agencies to advance MOFP priorities, including the NYC Good Food Purchasing program and the climate and environment portfolio. Before joining MOFP, Tia supported federal, state, and local campaigns for nutrition security as a policy communications associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, DC. Tia holds a master's degree in food and agriculture law and policy from Vermont Law School and a bachelor's degree in human biology focusing on food systems and public health from Stanford University. Originally from Austin, TX, Tia now calls Brooklyn home.