Rengin Firat grew up between food, land, and community, with deep roots in Istanbul, Turkey. She comes from a family of farmers, with chickpea and apricot growers on her grandparents’ land and parents who own a small vineyard and olive orchard where they practice traditional, low-intervention winemaking. Rengin has participated in every stage of wine production, from growing and harvesting grapes to fermentation, and has been a home fermenter for over a decade, making kombucha, mead, and shrubs. Her relationship to food is grounded in stewardship, tradition, and the belief that what and how we consume is inseparable from culture, labor, and care.

Professionally, Rengin’s work centers on social and racial justice. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Iowa and has spent more than a decade in education, research, public speaking, and publishing focused on equity and well-being. She has previously served as a tenure-track professor at Georgia State University and the University of California, Riverside, and is currently a Professor of Leadership and Change at Antioch University. Rengin is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and a forthcoming book, The Racialized Brain. As a board member of Slow Food Atlanta, she brings a critical, systems-focused lens to food justice, connecting land, labor, and culture while advocating for food systems rooted in dignity, access, and sustainability.

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. 

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.  

Keyatta Mincey Parker is a Liberian American mixologist, hospitality leader, and community builder whose work bridges food, agriculture, and culture. With more than two decades of experience across hotels, fine dining, and nightlife, she brings a people-centered approach to hospitality rooted in care, craft, and connection to place. She is the Chief Curating Officer of Pictures and Cocktails LLC, where she designs cocktail experiences grounded in seasonality and storytelling, and her work has been recognized by Thrillist, Tastemakers, Forbes, Food and Wine, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Keyatta collaborates closely with spirit brands, chefs, farmers, and home bartenders, highlighting the essential role producers and growers play in drink culture.

Keyatta is also the founder and Executive Director of A Sip of Paradise Garden, a nonprofit bartender community garden in Atlanta established in 2020. Through this work, she leads programs that support the health and well-being of hospitality workers while reconnecting them to the land through education, sustainable growing, and shared knowledge. Her leadership reflects a commitment to redefining luxury as something rooted in intention, access, and everyday care rather than exclusivity. As a board member of Slow Food Atlanta, Keyatta contributes her lived experience in hospitality, agriculture, and community building to advance a food and drink system that values people, place, and shared prosperity.

Sagdrina Brown Jalal is a nationally recognized food systems leader, professional development coach, and strategic advisor working at the intersection of local agriculture, economic mobility, and community leadership. A Georgia native born in Augusta and raised in Savannah, she is a graduate of the University of Georgia and began her career as an elementary school teacher, a foundation that continues to shape her practical, learning-centered approach to leadership. In 2013, she became the founding Executive Director of the Georgia Farmers Market Association, where she helped strengthen farmers markets across the state and launched the Just Food program with the University of Georgia’s Department of Agribusiness and the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, creating a community-led farmers market and CSA hybrid that expands access to fresh, local food in underserved communities. Sagdrina has served in leadership and advisory roles with organizations including the national Farmers Market Coalition, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Tuskegee University’s Organic Farming Project, and CARE USA’s Growing Solidarity Fellowship, which included collaboration with community leaders in Côte d’Ivoire. She also helped design Georgia’s first leadership fund honoring Black women social enterprise leaders and previously served as Senior Director of Community Innovation at the Center for Civic Innovation, where she convened cross-sector leaders to address inequity in Atlanta’s philanthropic ecosystem. Today she leads Sage D Collective and Atlanta Leadership Consulting, guiding executives and boards through learning experiences that strengthen leadership and long-term strategy, and serves on the boards of Unearthing Farm and Market and Slow Food Atlanta

Robby Astrove is an environmental educator, ecologist, and land steward who serves as Preserve Manager for the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve in DeKalb County. For more than 20 years, he has worked at the intersection of biodiversity, native plants, and community engagement, helping people build meaningful relationships with the land across South Florida, Washington State, and Atlanta.

Robby’s work in urban agriculture and local food systems has led to the creation of edible landscapes and fruit tree orchards at schools, parks, community gardens, and natural areas throughout Metro Atlanta. As a steering committee member of the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, he helped launch the Orchard Project and Fruit Tree Sale in 2009, now powered by Food Well Alliance. In 2014, he founded Fruit Forward Orchards, a social enterprise focused on tree planting, education, and food access in USDA-designated food deserts. A trusted forager for Atlanta’s culinary and hospitality communities, Robby collaborates with chefs and mixologists to bring seasonal, place-based ingredients into local food and drink. As a Slow Food Atlanta board member, he brings a systems-level perspective grounded in land stewardship, access, and education.

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

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.

Lori Levy brings a global, systems-level perspective to the Slow Food Atlanta board, grounded in firsthand experience across the full food supply chain. As CEO of My Global Table, LLC, she works directly with small producers to import specialty foods, centering transparency, quality, and ethical sourcing. Lori previously served as Director of Trade and Product Development for New York City’s Fairway Market and later as Vice President of Inalca Food and Beverage North America, where extensive time spent in Italy deepened her connection to regional food traditions and introduced her to the Slow Food movement.

Beyond her professional work, Lori is deeply engaged in leadership and mentorship within the food community. She serves on the board of Women In Olive Oil as EVP of Global Trade and Policy, supporting a global network of women advancing equity and change in the olive oil industry. She is also a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International in both Atlanta and New York, where she previously served on the board. In 2024, Lori mentored participants in the inaugural SKU Atlanta CPG Accelerator, working closely with local makers, bakers, chefs, farmers, and producers. This grassroots engagement reflects her belief that strong food systems are built through relationships, shared knowledge, and sustained community investment.

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.