Our Mission
We are dedicated to promoting environmental, agricultural, and nutrition education. We support school garden programs and connecting local farms to Ventura County schools.
Board of Directors
Director
Ruben Alarcón, Ph.D
Ruben Alarcón, PhD, is a Biology Professor at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) where regularly teaches Entomology and Apiculture & Bee Biology. His research focuses on pollinator communities, honey bee health, and sustainable agriculture. He is the faculty advisor for the Bee Club and is working to create a B.S. degree in Sustainable Agriculture at CSUCI.
Board Chair
Suzanne Lugotoff, R.D., SNS
Suzanne Lugotoff is a Registered Dietician who has dedicated her career to bringing students healthy, delicious meals in school cafeterias. She is a founding member of Ventura County Farm to School and paved the way for the programs we have today.
Director
Alec Martinez
Alec is a Fourth generation farmer. After graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Accounting and Information Systems, he returned to work on the farm growing and managing crews for a variety of row crops. Currently serving as President of Farm Bureau of Ventura County’s Young Farmers & Ranchers committee while working for Nelson Farming helping to manage Avocados, and Citrus orchards.
Treasurer
Allison England, SNS
Allison England, SNS, is the Director of Nutrition Services for Ocean View School District in Oxnard, CA. Allison started her career in edible education in Boston, MA where she was the menu planner for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. As her experience expanded into the classrooms of Boston Public Schools, she found her niche in school food, combining her passions for both teaching and cooking. Her interest in Farm to School Programming brought her out to California where she was the Executive Chef for Grimmway Academy and Edible Schoolyard Kern County, spearheading scratch cooking, farm to school, and connecting school gardens to the cafeteria. As a former credentialed teacher, she treats her cafeterias as an extension of the classroom. Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration from Endicott Collect, a Swiss Hotel Diploma from Les Roches International School of Hotel & Restaurant Management, and an Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate from the Culinary Institute of America.
Director
Claudia Romero
Claudia was born and raised in Ventura County, obtained an associate degree from Ventura College before transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Agriculture Business with a Minor in Crop Science. Claudia began her career as a Sales Demand Management Intern for Driscolls in Watsonville, CA. Her ultimate goal was to work in Agriculture in Ventura County, and the main reason for pursuing a Bachelors in Agribusiness. So, when the opportunity to move back home was available she took it. In September of 2019, she returned to Camarillo and started as a Field Technician in raspberries for the Oxnard district with Driscolls. Now, she is the Oxnard district Blackberry/Blueberry Forecaster. She enjoys her role and most importantly being able to participate in various philanthropy events throughout the year such as: back to school drive, food share month, Santa to the Sea, winter wish basket, and many more.
Board Member
Naomi Hansen
A 20-year resident of Ventura County, Naomi is passionate about the role of local agriculture in building a sustainable food system. With 15 years of experience in food business leadership and innovation for Dole Packaged Foods, she founded Planet A Growth Partners, a consultancy supporting food system change agents, and served as Marketing Director for Planetary CARE, a regenerative agriculture startup. Naomi currently leads marketing for Fresh Food Connect, a nonprofit leveraging technology to engage home gardeners in community hunger relief. Naomi holds an MBA from the Wharton School, and a BSBA from Georgetown University. A proud parent of 2 kids in Ventura County public schools, Naomi loves getting her family out hiking, climbing, and digging in the soil around her native plant and veggie gardens.
Staff
Executive Director
Anna Jackson, MPP
Anna is the Executive Director for Ventura County Farm to School, with grant writing, program management, and policy analysis experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has been working with local Farm to School programs since 2015 and founded the OUHSD Farm to School Program. She earned a Masters in Public Policy with an emphasis in Health Policy from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Anna holds two teaching credentials in Health Sciences and Agriculture. She is a certified Garden Educator from the Life Lab at UC Santa Cruz and has a Certification in Environmental Education from California's Association for Outdoor and Environmental Education. She manages her family's small citrus orchard and is a 6th generation member of the Oxnard and Camarillo community.
Education Program Coordinator
Jenna Salim
Jenna is the Education Program Coordinator who brings prior teaching, event planning, and advocacy work experience in the nonprofit and public sector. She has been working in Farm to School for over a year when she joined the Rio School District as a Food Education Service Member with FoodCorps. She earned a Bachelors of Arts in Community Advocacy and Social Policy. Through FoodCorps, she developed a passion for food justice for all children and a wide array of gardening knowledge. Her favorite thing to grow is sunflowers and her favorite vegetable to eat is beets!