Your Current Board Members
Co-Presidents — Rengin Firat and Julia LeRoy
Rengin Firat
Rengin Firat
Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, Rengin has a deep-seated passion for bringing food, drinks and social justice together. She comes from a line of chickpea (on mother’s side) and apricot (on father’s side) farmers through her grandparents. Her parents own a small vineyard and olive orchard in Turkey and make natural (low-intervention, no additives) wine with traditional, sustainable practices. She has participated in all aspects of wine making from growing grapes to harvesting to stomping grapes to fermentation; and has also been a home fermenter (making kombucha, mead and shrubs) for over a decade.
Most of Rengin’s professional work and background, however, has been on social and racial justice. After receiving her PhD in Sociology from the University of Iowa in 2013, she has spent over a decade involved in education, public speaking, research and publishing on racial equity. She previously worked as a tenure-track professor at Georgia State University and University of California, Riverside. After living in Los Angeles for the last five years, she has returned to Atlanta in 2023, where she feels she belongs. She is currently a Professor of Leadership and Change at Antioch University. She has published many peer-reviewed articles on diversity and well-being, and is the author of a forthcoming book, entitled the Racialized Brain.
In her free time, Rengin explores Georgia wilderness and beyond, gardens in her home in East Atlanta, shares culinary adventures with her friends, reads science fiction, and writes non-fiction.
Julia LeRoy
Julia LeRoy is a chef at the forefront of healthy, local cuisine. She was born in Detroit and raised in Woodstock, Georgia. Cooking came naturally to her, as she found she was much more interested in preparing dinner than doing her homework while going to high school. After graduation she began honing her skills in the best restaurants in Atlanta and then going on to get her associates degree from the Culinary Institute of America.
After many years of restaurant cooking she decided to open her own business and become a personal chef. She finds it much more fulfilling to work with individuals on their dietary needs, as opposed to feeding the masses. She loves sharing her skills with culinary enthusiasts, which she does through her recipe website, everydayalchemy.com. You can learn more about Chef Julia here.
Vice-President, Emeritus — Steven Satterfield
Steven Satterfield
Steven Satterfield is the executive chef and co-owner of Miller Union, an award-winning, seasonally-driven restaurant located in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood. In 2015, Satterfield released his first cookbook, Root to Leaf, to broad critical acclaim. In 2017, after four previous nominations, He was named “Best Chef: Southeast” by the James Beard Foundation. The author’s latest work is another vegetable focused cookbook entitled Vegetable Revelations which debuts in Spring 2023. Satterfield’s dedication to seasonal cooking and his unwavering support for local farmers is the driving philosophy behind his restaurant and everything he does. He has served on the Slow Food Atlanta board for more than a decade in various roles.
Treasurer — Carl McClatchey
Secretary — Amy Cottrell
Events Co-chairs: Keyatta Mincey Parker, Emma Sears & Naomi Thompkins
Keyatta Mincey Parker, is a Liberian American mixologist, an influential figure in the world of spirits and cocktails, serves as the Chief Curating Officer at Pictures and Cocktails LLC. With an extensive background spanning over two decades in the food service and hospitality industry, she brings a unique blend of expertise, merging her knowledge from hotels, fine dining, and the dynamic environment of dance clubs. Transitioning from a successful career in modeling, where she graced magazine covers and walked runways, Mincey Parker redirected her focus to bartending. This shift revealed an inherent connection between herself and the art of mixology.
Her dedication to creativity shines through her service, as she engages with guests, empathetically understanding their preferences to craft personalized experiences. Recognitions from Thrillist and Tastemakers have cemented her position as a must-know bartender and one of the Top 50 Bartenders in the South. Her expertise has garnered attention from prestigious publications like Forbes, Food and Wine, and The AJC. Collaborating with influential spirit brands, chefs, home bartenders, and farmers, Mincey Parker strives to create visually stunning cocktails.
Her current endeavors include spearheading her personal brand, Pictures and Cocktails, where she designs cocktails, experiences, and gardens. Additionally, she is the Executive Director of A Sip of Paradise Garden, a non-profit bartender community garden in Atlanta she founded in 2020. Keyatta, as the executive director leads all program administration and functional operations for A Sip of Paradise Garden, coordinating informative seminars and training to ensure the health and wellness of all garden members and the surrounding community. Her mission is to grow A Sip of Paradise Garden to be a global brand, blending her world of hospitality and cocktails with gardening, her motto is “ Happy bartenders, better cocktails”.
Keyatta's repertoire includes crafting the celebratory cocktail for the Liberian Olympic National Team, subsequently adopted as the team's official drink. Notably, she has been inducted into the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International and recognized as a member of Wine Enthusiast’s 2023 Future 40. As an esteemed speaker, she addresses various topics such as philanthropy, community building, mental health, gardening, agriculture, black land ownership, and leadership. However, her passion for cocktails remains a constant focal point. With a commitment to redefining luxury and lifestyle, Keyatta aims to offer intimate and elevated experiences. Her mantra revolves around bringing luxury into everyday life, altering the narrative around day drinking, and emphasizing that luxury is not exclusive to the affluent.
Education & Justice Co-Chairs: Robby Astrove & Sagdrina Brown Jalal
Robby Astrove
Robby Astrove is an environmental educator and ecologist serving as the Preserve Manager for the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve in DeKalb County. For over 20 years Robby has acted as an environmental educator, land steward, and community organizer on behalf of biodiversity, native plants, and people who seek connection to nature.
With roots from South Florida and branches extending to Washington State and now Atlanta, his curiosity of place, people and plants remains strong in his endeavors and offerings.
Robby’s interest and passion for urban agriculture and the local food movement has led to the planting of edible landscapes and fruit tree orchards at schools, parks, community gardens, and natural areas across Metro Atlanta. As a steering member of the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, the Orchard Project and Fruit Tree Sale was created in 2009 as a sustainable food access solution and continues today powered by Food Well Alliance. In support of community efforts, Robby’s council as a consultant, speaker, and educator has helped train hundreds of residents and growers on arboriculture and fruit tree care.
In 2014 with the support from the Center for Civic Innovation, he created Fruit Forward Orchards, a social enterprise and mechanism to plant trees, educate the public, and improve quality of life in USDA food deserts. But not all food is found on trees or purchased from local farmer’s markets for Robby… He is a recognized and trusted forager for the Atlanta culinary and hospitality community. His relationship with the land, chefs, and mixologists is both sacred and exciting as unique seasonal ingredients find their way into dishes and drinks across the city. Honoring this abundance, in 2021 Robby and his wife Jess Pfeffer created an annual Serviceberry Festival, a celebration of all things Serviceberry and community with Serviceberry cocktails, food, tree plantings and tree sale.
Volunteer Management & Recruitment Chair: Katie Maxwell & Samyukta Mahendra
Samyukta Mahendra is the founder and roaster behind Sleepy Mango Coffee Company, a small-batch roastery based in Decatur, Georgia. With a master’s degree in Sustainability Science and nearly a decade of experience in the specialty coffee industry, her work focuses on building systems grounded in care, shared prosperity, and holistic sustainability.
Samyukta was born in India and grew up on a farm, where food, culture, and sustainability were always intertwined. Those early experiences continue to shape her values and approach to work. She also works alongside her spouse, LeDerick Horne, a disability advocate and poet, as the operations manager for their shared ventures.
Samyukta is drawn to Slow Food because it reflects how she already lives and works. She believes food is inseparable from identity and care, and values systems that prioritize access, connection, and continuity. Through her work and board service, she looks forward to collaborating with others who are advancing food justice through community-led solutions
Communications & Membership Co-Chairs: Bridget Graf, Paul Zang & Daria Dockery
Bridget Graf
A native Atlantan, Bridget has always had an interest in learning more about locally-sourced food and eating well. She is passionate about eating sustainably and vegetable-forward, inspired by books like Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. While in the Georgia Tech MBA program, she was introduced to Slow Food Atlanta through a Non-Profit Consulting course, where she assisted the Food Justice team with their fair food initiatives around Atlanta. After graduating in May 2020, Bridget now works in management consulting, focused on Strategy and Sustainability. She joined the board in 2021 to advance the mission of Slow Food to Atlanta communities. In her role at Slow Food, she hopes to increase the reach of Slow Food to a larger, more diverse audience throughout Atlanta.
Paul Zang
Paul Zang has served as the General Manager of The Cook’s Warehouse in Atlanta since 2016, where he also teaches hands-on classes to help home cooks build confidence in the kitchen. His career spans more than 15 years in the culinary and gourmet retail industries. Born and raised in Atlanta, Paul appreciated the vibrant, rich flavors of southern cuisine from a young age. However, it wasn’t until he moved to Boston to earn a degree in classical music performance that he discovered his true passion for the culinary world. His time in professional kitchens sparked a lasting commitment to supporting local farmers and sustainable food systems, values he continues to champion through his work with Slow Food Atlanta. With expertise in strategy, operations, and community engagement, Paul brings both professional insight and enthusiasm for good, clean, fair food to his role as Communications Co-Chair.
Strategic Partnerships and Community Liaison: Lori J Levy
Lori Levy
Brings a unique perspective to the Slow Food Atlanta board, as she has first hand knowledge of the business of food from seed to shelf. As CEO of My Global Table, LLC she imports specialty foods with a focus on small producers.
Lori was the Director of Trade and Product Development for New York City’s beloved Fairway Market. She went on to become a Vice President of Inalca Food & Beverage NA spending a great deal of time in Italy where she first learned about the Slow Food movement.
In addition to Slow Food, Lori serves on the Board of Women In Olive Oil as EVP of Global Trade & Policy. WIOO, a global network for change, is an international group of women in the Olive Oil industry. It has over 2000 members from more than 40 countries.
Lori is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Atlanta and New York, where she previously served on the Board. LDEI is a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries.
Last year Lori was honored to serve as a mentor for the first track of SKU Atlanta, a CPG Accelerator. Spending time with local makers, bakers, chefs, farmers and producers, keeps Lori connected at the grassroots which is an impactful way to build community.
A cookbook collector and native New Yorker, Lori graduated Emory University with a BA in International Studies; she holds a JD from Fordham University School of Law. She is the proud mom of two grown up kids and a dog named Jackson, a tip of the hat to the airport where he arrived with his sister Mabel in 2019.
Board Member at Large, Interim Secretary: Kristine Cotton
Kristine Cotton brings more than 15 years of leadership in corporate foodservice, where she has worked across strategy, operations, and innovation to help shape how food is sourced, served, and valued. Her work with IFMA, The Food Away From Home Association has centered on elevating operator-manufacturer relationships and knowledge of service needs to improve product sustainability, access, and quality.
Raised in the culinary world of hotels and catering, and a culture where food is a love language, Kristine carries a deep respect for culinary tradition, resourcefulness, and the power of shared meals. She is passionate about preserving foodways, nurturing local and natural ingredients, and advocating for systems that care for people and the planet.
Past Board Leadership
Julie Shaffer — Founder Slow Food Atlanta, Slow Food USA Board Member
Judith Winfrey — President, Regional Governor
Susan Pavlin — President
Peter Morich — President, Regional Governor
Andrea Blanton — Co-President
Marian Dickson — Co-President
Jennifer Thompson — Vice President
Past Board Members
Habeebah Yasin - Secretary and Membership Co-Chair(2024)
Zahra Alabanza - Membership Co-Chair (2024)
Lisa Nguyen - Communications Co-Chair (2023-2024)
Jamillah McWhorter - Communications Co-Chair (2024)
Blythe Coleman-Mumford - Food Justice Co-Chair (2022-2024)
Martina Stanley - Food Justice Co-Chair (2023-2024)
Sydney Cannon - Education Co-Chair (2024)
Ever Williams - Events Co-Chair (2024)
Delroy Dennisur - Land Chair (2024)
Ashley Tuner - Treasurer (2023)
Tasiana Wells - Secretary (2023)
Asha Starks - Food Justice Co-Chair (2023)
Cheryl Williams - Education Co-Chair (2022-2023)
Bill Nigut - Communications Co-Chair (2021-2023)
Daniella Bachman - Communications Co-Chair (2023)
Katherine Lines - Events Co-Chair (2023)
Pratibha Naytak - Events Co-Chair (2022-2023)
Kris Martins - Communications Co-Chair (2021-2022)
Chef Asata Reid - Food Justice Co-Chair (2020-2022)
Ligaya Figueras - Member-at-Large (2019-2022)
Maricela Vega - Member-at-Large
Colleen Morich - Education Chair (2013-2022)
Brittany Lemon - Food Justice Co-Chair (2018-2022)
Victoria Ly - Membership & Development (2019-2021)
Stefanie Garcia Turner - Secretary (2018-2021)
Ben Tompkins - Treasurer (2013-2020)
Carol McIntosh - Volunteer Chair (2015-2021)
Scott Long - Communications (2012-2015 and 2016-2018)
Charli Traylor - Secretary (2016-2018)
Jenny Harris - Slow Meat (2012-2018)
Venetta Coleman - Food Justice Chair (2016-2019)
Tracy Stuckrath Social Chair (2016-2018)
Kimberly Coburn Member at Large (2016-2018)
Whit Whitmire - Membership & Development Chair (2016-2017)
Bilal Sarwari - Member at Large (2011-2016)
Chef Jarrett Stieber - Youth Liaison (2015-2016)
Emily Chan - Communications (2016)
Brooke Lane - Communications (2014-2016)
Emilie Cumbie Drake - Youth Liaison (2012-2015)
Robert Hamilton - Ark of Taste (2011-2014)
Christina Del Rocco - Communications Chair (2011-2014)
Asha Gomez - Chef Liaison (2013-2014)
Are there others who served and we missed? Let us know at slowfoodatl@gmail.com