Washington, D.C. - Food Tank, in partnership with American University, will hold a two-day summit, Wednesday, April 20, 2016 and Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 9AM-5PM. The Summit will take place at the Greenberg Theatre.

The event will bring together more than 75+ expert speakers who are among the top leaders across all sectors of the food industry, including business, government, and elected officials; nonprofit groups; farmers’ organizations; unions; funders; chefs; and more. Each panel will be moderated by an expert journalist or food advocate.

The entire two-day event will be live streamed on www.FoodTank.com. Follow along with #FoodTank on social media. 

Researchers, farmers, chefs, policy makers, government officials, and students will come together for interactive panels on topics that include Uncommon Collaborations, Improving Nutrient Density, Protein for the Planet, Investing in the Food Movement, Legislating Change in Agriculture, Chefs Leading the Food Movement, Innovating and Adapting to a Changing Food System, Food Security and Conflict, among other topics. 

Confirmed speakers include (in alphabetical order):

  • Dr. Silvia Abel-Caines DVM PhD, Ruminant Nutritionist, Organic Valley

  • Deb Atwood, Executive Director, Meridian’s AGree: Transforming Food and Ag Policy

  • Allison Aubrey, Food Journalist, NPR

  • Behtash Bahador, Finalist, Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) Young Earth Solutions competition

  • Monifa Bandele, Senior Campaign Director, MomsRising

  • Eliza Barclay, Science and Health Editor, vox.com

  • Leslie Barcus, Executive Director, VegFund

  • Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director, Organic Trade Association

  • David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World

  • Regina Beidler, Organic Valley Farmer-Owner, Beidler Family Farm

  • Charles Benbrook, Research Consultant, Benbrook Consulting Services

  • Claire Benjamin DiMattina, Executive Director, Food Policy Action

  • Michael Berger, Founding Partner, Elevation Franchise Ventures

  • Ali Berlow, Author, The Food Activist Handbook

  • Jane Black, Food Writer, Washington Post

  • William Burke, Research Scholar, Center on Food Security & the Environment, Stanford University

  • Tim Carman, Food Writer, Washington Post

  • Jason Clay, Senior Vice President, Markets; Executive Director, Markets Institute, WWF

  • Mitchell Davis, Executive Vice President, James Beard Foundation

  • Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance

  • Jeff Dunn, President, Campbell Fresh Division

  • Rodney Ferguson, President and CEO, Winrock International

  • Pam Fessenden, Director, Office of Market and Partnership Innovations, Bureau for Food Security, USAID

  • Kimberly Flowers, Director, Global Food Security Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

  • Holly Freishtat, Food Policy Director, City of Baltimore

  • Sam Fromartz, Editor-in-Chief, Food & Environment Reporting Network

  • April Fulton, Contributor, National Geographic

  • Dan Glickman, Vice President, Aspen Institute; Former Secretary of Agriculture

  • Eileen Gordon, Founder, Barnraiser

  • Roger Gordon, Founder, Food Cowboy

  • Danielle Gould, Founder and CEO, Food + Tech Connect

  • Dana Gunders, Staff Scientist, Food and Agriculture Program, Natural Resources Defense Council

  • Diane Hatz, Founder and Executive Director, Change Food

  • Wenonah Hauter, Founder and Executive Director, Food & Water Watch

  • Cullen Hendrix, Professor, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver

  • Devin Henry, Energy and Environment Reporter, The Hill

  • Lauren Herzer Risi, Program Associate, Environmental Change and Security Program, Wilson Center

  • Jason Huffman, Agriculture and Trade Editor, POLITICO Pro

  • Allan Jury, Vice President of Public Policy and Senior Advisor, World Food Program USA

  • Eric Kessler, Founder, Arabella Advisors

  • Dan Kish, Senior Vice President – Food, Panera Bread

  • Ashley Koff RD, The Better Nutrition Simplified Program

  • Dr. Carlo Leifert, Head of Unit, Nafferton Ecological Farming Group; Professor of Ecological Agriculture, University of Newcastle

  • Jeremiah Lowery, Political Appointee, D.C. Food Policy Council

  • Evan Lutz, Founder, Hungry Harvest

  • Riana Lynn, Founder and CEO, FoodTrace

  • Johanna Mendelson Forman, Scholar in Residence, School of International Service, American University

  • Spike Mendelsohn, Chef; Chair, DC Food Policy Council

  • Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of Sustainability, George Washington University

  • Alexander Müller, Study Leader and Steering Committee Chair, TEEBAgFood

  • George Naylor, Family Farmer; Former President, National Family Farm Coalition

  • Regina Northouse, Executive Director, Food Recovery Network

  • Ari Novy, Executive Director, U.S. Botanic Garden

  • Amanda Oborne, Director of Food and Farms, Ecotrust

  • Ray Offenheiser, President, Oxfam America

  • Shepherd Ogden, Farmer; Founder and President, The Cook’s Garden

  • Patrick O’Neill, CEO, Amp Your Good LLC

  • Raj Patel, Research Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs; Author; Activist

  • Chellie Pingree, U.S. Congress (D-ME)

  • Ruth Richardson, Executive Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food

  • Stephen Ritz, Founder, Green Bronx Machine

  • Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO, Capital Area Food Bank

  • Sara Roversi, Co-Founder, You Can Group, Future Food Institute; Executive Director, Food Innovation Program

  • Rodney Scruggs, Executive Chef, Occidental Grill

  • Simran Sethi, Author, Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love

  • Greg Sewitz, Co-Founder, Exo Inc.

  • Lauren Shweder Biel, Executive Director, DC Greens

  • Rhea Suh, President, Natural Resources Defense Council

  • Bill Telepan, Chef, Telepan Restaurant; Executive Chef, Wellness in the Schools

  • Roger Thurow, Senior Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

  • Baldemar Velasquez, President and Founder, Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), AFL-CIO

  • Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Karen Washington, Urban Farmer and Activist; Co-Founder of Black Urban Growers and Rise & Root Farm

  • Ben Wenk, Seventh Generation Farmer and Partner, Three Springs Farm

  • Paul Willis, Founder, Niman Ranch Pork Company

  • Ulises Zatarain, Program Director, Washington Youth Garden

Sponsors include: Almond Board of California, Annie’s, Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, Blue Apron, Chaia, Chipotle, Clif Bar, Conflict Cuisine, Driscoll's, Edible DC, Elevation Burger, Fair Trade USA, Farmer’s Fridge, Food and Environment Reporting Network, Global Environmental Politics Program of the School of International Service at American University, Greener Media, Inter Press Service, Leafware, Niman Ranch, Organic Valley, Panera Bread, Republic of Tea, ShopHouse, VegFund, and Vigilante Coffee Company.

Last year’s Food Tank Summit in partnership with the George Washington University brought together 400 in-person attendees (completely sold out) from more than 25 states and waiting list of more than 1,500 people. There were an additional 15,520 livestream participants from more than 125 countries. 70+ expert speakers in food and agriculture presented and 11 top food journalists were stage as panel moderators from major media outlets including National Public Radio, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, Voice of America, Politico, and more. This year, Food Tank is quadrupling our reach by hosting additional summits in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Chicago, IL, and Sacramento, CA.

75 expert speakers who are among the top leaders across all sectors of the food industry

Two-Day Summit hosted by Food Tank and American University

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 and Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 9AM-5PM. For more information: http://foodtanksummit.com/dc/

Greenberg Theatre 4200 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, D.C. 20016

About Food Tank: Food Tank (www.FoodTank.com) is focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. We spotlight environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty. Food Tank also creates networks of people, organizations, and content that push for food system change.

About American University: American University creates meaningful change in the world. With highly ranked schools and colleges and internationally recognized faculty, AU offers a balance between class time and career-advancing experience in Washington, D.C., and beyond. Its students, among the country’s most politically active, distinguish themselves for their service, leadership, and ability to rethink global and domestic challenges and opportunities.