Our Staff
Princess Haley
Co-Founder, Individual Giving Manager
Princess, a proud Chicago native, has worked as a licensed trainer and educator in North Minneapolis for more than twenty years. She is an AFC founder and oversees the organization’s education and training programs. Princess is passionate about working with families and children to build healthy foundations for lifelong learning.
Michelle Horovitz
Co-Founder, Executive Director
Michelle oversees the development, finance and governance of AFC. Years spent as a public defender and working in the kitchen of award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein inform her work at AFC. Michelle’s father’s family is from the Northside and she has a passion for building racial and social equity in this community.
LaTasha Powell
Co-Founder, Chief of Operations
LaTasha supervises AFC’s community programs and is a founder of the organization. She is passionate about food affordability and access for Northside families. She is a lifelong North Minneapolis resident, and is active in the local food justice movement to advocate for and give back to her community.
Darryl Lindsey
Breaking Bread General Manager
Darryl supervises day-to-day operations at AFC, providing human resources support and management expertise. A Los Angeles native, Darryl brings 25 years of experience working in the private sector, as a high school teacher, private investigator and database administrator. He is an avid urban farmer, maintaining his own plots at his home in North Minneapolis.
Jon Slock
Human Resources and Accounting Manager
Jon is responsible for financial planning, reporting, and auditing for the organization and each of its social enterprises. Prior to joining the AFC team, Jon taught accounting and finance at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. He enjoys volunteering with Habitat For Humanity both locally and abroad. He has also been involved in his neighborhood community garden, although that usually results in a lot of overgrown zucchini.
Aaron Palm
Chief of Strategy & Finance
Aaron has been in the hospitality field for over 15 years. He enjoys the dynamic and fast-paced environment of hospitality and food service, having worked through college as a bartender, server, cook, cabana, and banquet supervisor. Aaron has worked with Breaking Bread Café in Minneapolis and, in a variety of capacities, with Kaskaid Hospitality as a General Manager and Director for Crave restaurants and Crave catering.
Blaire Molitor
Development & Communications Manager
Blaire is responsible for implementing AFC’s fund development and communications strategies. A Minnesota native, she’s always had an interest in all things health, wellness, and food. Blaire is the co-founder of Truce, Minnesota’s first 100% organic fresh pressed juice company. She received her Master’s in Development Practice from the University of Minnesota. Blaire is passionate about sustainable, positive growth in the city she grew up in.
Nicole Powell
Community Cooks Program Manager
Nicole was born and raised in North Minneapolis and is passionate about her community. Nicole studied Human Service at MCTC. Nicole started out as a participant in AFC’s Community Cooks and is now a Program Manager. Nicole’s hard work and devotion helps change the way community members eat, think, and live. Nicole believes in meeting people where they’re at and working with them to help improve the way they eat.
Jadea Washington
Communications & Marketing Facilitator
Jadea moved to St. Paul from rural Minnesota in 2013 to pursue her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English and American Culture and Difference studies at the University of St. Thomas. Her work with BrightSide Produce, a nonprofit distributing fresh produce throughout North Minneapolis, cultivated in her a passion for social justice, particularly where race, class, space, and food access intersect. Jadea hopes to put her passion for and knowledge of radical social change into action through language.
Ibrahim Mohammed
Urban Agriculture Program Manager
Ibrahim is guardian of the gardens. He provides the day-to-day maintenance of our plots to ensure quality produce and admirable gardens. He is a freelance landscaper and has worked in mentoring youth as well as several local co-ops in the Twin Cities. Providing healthy foods for the community is one of Ibrahim’s passions because he believes healthy foods nurture the body and mind which contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
Tiara White
Breaking Bread Catering Sales Manager
Tiara grew up in North Minneapolis and, after a little bit of traveling, has returned home to share positivity and growth in her community. She brings a rich passion for sales, marketing, and (of course) food to her role at Appetite For Change. Tiara’s favorite produce items are basil and chamomile—not just from anywhere, but from the raised beds outside Breaking Bread Café!
Geoffrey Wilson
Director of Breaking Bread Catering Sales
Geoffrey is a Minnesota native who recently returned to Minneapolis after many years living and working in New York City. He has a passion for food and hospitality. His first job was as a barista at Caribou Coffee at age 16 and he has worked in cafés and restaurants ever since. In addition to making great latte art, Geoffrey is a professional musician and composer, performing shows around the Twin Cities.
Michael Lee
Youth Training & Opportunities Program Manager
Michael is a Norwegian American youth worker, organizer, and writer. A resident of North Minneapolis, Michael has worked with young people on the Northside for the past ten years. He believes in the expertise of young people, and in the power of relationships and storytelling in creating change and building community power. When not working with youth, Michael can be found writing or working in his garden.
Maurice Wallace
Breaking Bread Café Manager & Kindred Kitchen Manager
Maurice has been cooking since he was nine years old and has since graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, becoming a true renaissance man in all things kitchen. Maurice’s personal philosophy is that we can learn from one another’s cultures and traditions through food. He hopes Breaking Bread Café is a space where members of the community can take the time to do just that.
LaTaijah Powell
Evaluation Specialist & Program Facilitator
LaTaijah began working with Appetite For Change in 2012 on the Corner Store Project campaign as well as helping with Community Cooks. She took the initiative to be a leader, bringing her peers to the programs and by being a positive force in her community. LaTaijah has lived in North Minneapolis her entire life and recently graduated from Patrick Henry High School. She attends MCTC and loves performing arts, music and hanging out with her friends and family.
Laura Gondek
Breaking Bread Catering Sales Manager
Laura was born in Illinois but have since lived in 5 other states before finally settling in Minnesota. She absolutely loves city life in Minneapolis and has called it home for over 9 year. Laura’s first job was as a hostess and she’s been in the service industry up until joining Breaking Bread as Sales Manager. Laura is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Minnesota and when she’s not studying or working, she runs a small jewelry business out of her apartment!
Tom Vance
Development Facilitator
Tom is a seasoned nonprofit professional navigating programming, fundraising, communications, technology, and culture. He has served in philanthropy with PFund Foundation, deploying a grasstops fundraising strategy called the BEtter OUTcomes Initiative, giving to LGBTQ people and communities. Tom also has experience working on a $15 million capital campaign with Central Iowa Shelter & Services. During his free time, Tom sings with One Voice Mixed chorus, serves on the board of Out and Sober Minnesota, and hangs out with Mac, a very anxious and always cold chihuahua-terrier.
Ieshia Dabbs
Youth Training & Opportunities Program Facilitator
Ieshia was invited to apply for a position at Appetite For Change in 2015 after attending the grand opening of Breaking Bread Café. She enjoyed the fellowship and healthy food options at the café, so she quickly joined the food movement. Ieshia is a native of Minneapolis and graduated from Patrick Henry High School. She plans to work toward being a Director of Education and Training as well as open a business of her own.
Amy Shanafelt
Grants Manager
Amy Shanafelt has a Master’s degree in Community Psychology from Metropolitan State University where she studied community health psychology, health equity, and food justice. Amy continued her work in that field at the University of Minnesota as a Research Grants Manager, bringing nearly 10 years of experience in grant management to AFC. When she’s not doing all things grants, Amy loves to spend time with her family, learn new skills in the kitchen, work in her garden, and hone her artistic skills through painting.
Shaunté Douglas
Office Administrator
Shaunté was born in California and comes to our team with experience with different cultures and worldviews. She is a writer and dancer who’s obsessed with food and fashion. She is most comfortable among artists and entrepreneurs. Shaunté’s mission is to instill the ideas of economic empowerment into her community.