Fair Food Matters names interim executive director

Raising funds for Fair Food Matters, financial management, employee supervision, community outreach, communication and accountability to the board of directors now are being carried out by Erica Barajas, interim director for the local food advocacy organization.

 

Paul Stermer resigned as executive director for Fair Food Matters in December. 

 

The board of directors plans to begin a search for a permanent executive director over the next three to six months. Barajas says she will consider applying for the permanent position based on her experience in the interim position.

 

"This is a new type of position for me," Barajas says. "I like the idea of using the skills I have developed to be a good executive director."

Time and on the job experience will tell whether it is a good fit for Barajas, who has been employed by Fair Food Matters as a program manager since 2010. 

 

She managed the Growing Matters Garden for three seasons and founded the Douglass Farmers Market in 2011. She says she will be seeking an employee to oversee the garden so that she can focus on executive director duties and the farmers market in coming months.

 

She has experience in grant writing, fundraising, program management, volunteer management, youth programming, gardening, and teaching high school science and math.

 

Barajas worked at the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo and Food Dance before being hired at Fair Food Matters. She has served on the board of directors of the Kalamazoo People’s Food Co-op since May 2012 and ERAC/CE since September 2012.

 

Fair Food Matters works to improve the physical, economic and social health of the community through local food and the organization is aligning itself with food justice work and building a growing partnership with the community organizing group Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equality (known as ERAC/CE).