Hilda Colunga MPH, Vice Chair

Community Impact Director, American Heart Association 

​Hilda Colunga is a public health leader focused on advancing cardiovascular health, nutrition equity, and emergency preparedness through community‑driven strategies across North Texas. She collaborates with schools, healthcare partners, and local organizations to address social drivers of health, reduce disparities, and equip individuals and communities with lifesaving skills such as CPR and cardiac emergency response planning. Hilda continues to deepen her commitment to advancing health equity through sustainable, community‑based solutions.

Anne Santana, Treasurer

Project Manager, Made Greene

​Anne Santana serves as Project Director with Made Greene School Garden Services, which serves the larger school garden community through educator professional development, garden development and maintenance, and onsite education lessons for children. After a career in museum education, Anne Santana had the exciting opportunity to renew a school garden and develop and lead a STEM-based garden program at a Fort Worth ISD public school. Each week she interacts with over 200 school children in hands-on learning experiences that deepen their understanding of the natural world and connect them deeply to the food they eat. Anne believes school gardens are powerful tools for improving children’s health by increasing their willingness to try fresh fruits and vegetables, encouraging physical activity, and fostering lifelong healthy habits. By helping children grow food themselves, gardens create meaningful connections that support both wellness and learning.​​

Penny Phenix

​Director of Operations at 4Saints & Friends Episcopal Food Pantry

Penny leads weekly distributions serving hundreds of Tarrant County residents. Her work focuses on designing efficient, scalable systems that expand access to nutritious food while maintaining a high standard of client dignity and hospitality. Penny’s background in food ministry includes leadership experience at a local soup kitchen, where she served as Director from 2018 to 2020. She holds a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and brings a practical, systems-oriented perspective to issues of food access, informed by both frontline operations and cross-sector collaboration. She joined the Board of Directors of the Tarrant County Food Policy Council to help advance systemic, community-informed solutions to food insecurity and to ensure that policy discussions are grounded in operational reality.

David Aftandilian

​Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Human-Animal Relationships Program at TCU

​​ Dave teaches and researches in the areas of religion, nature, and culture; animals and religion; Native American worldviews; and contemplative studies.

​

Whitney Berry ​

Director of Markets & Local Food, Community Link Mission

​Whitney Berry directs the Saginaw Farmers Market, Azle Farmers Market, food access programs, and Fresh Link Farms, the Community Link's hydroponic farm. She is passionate about creating stronger local food systems by connecting communities with fresh, affordable produce while supporting local farmers and small businesses. Through her work, Whitney focuses on expanding food access, strengthening community partnerships, and creating welcoming spaces that support both neighbors and local producers.

​

Helen Dulac

Farm Success Manager Grow North Texas

​Helen Dulac is the Farm Success Manager for GROW North Texas, a local nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the regional food system by supporting urban farmers and expanding community access to fresh food. In this role, she designs holistic education and skill-building programs that help growers thrive during their farm journey.

​

Niko Hunt, Chair

​Program Manager for Community Engagement, Texas Health 

Niko is a dedicated advocate for all communities and a Program Manager for Community Engagement with Texas Health Resources. She is committed to building meaningful relationships that strengthen individuals and neighborhoods. Niko serves on five boards where I help guide initiatives that promote equity, wellness, and collective impact. As a certified trainer in youth mental health support, she equips professionals with the tools needed to better serve and care for others. Her personal journey as a breast cancer survivor deepens my passion for resilience, compassion, and advocacy.
Above all, she is a proud mother to my son (and dog mom), a traveler at heart, and someone who strives to leave a positive, lasting impact on every person and community she connects with.
​

​

​

Robin Hall MS, RDN, Secretary

​Extension Agent for Tarrant County AgriLife Extension's Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program

Robin ​has a passion for teaching individuals, especially those with limited resources, basic nutrition concepts to encourage them to make positive dietary changes.

​

​

Ashley Blain​

Executive Director, 4Saints Episcopal Food Pantry

​Ashley Blain is a public health leader with academic training in health promotion and nutrition. She advances nutrition security and health equity by treating food insecurity as a core social determinant of health and integrating Food is Medicine approaches into her work. Through policy, partnerships, and program development, she drives long-term, equitable solutions that strengthen food systems and improve community health outcomes.

​