Equitable Food Initiative welcomes new project manager and marketing associate

Equitable Food Initiative, the capacity-building and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer groups, has two new hires. Gabriela Lopez-Barry has joined as the Ethical Charter Implementation Program project manager, and Alexandra Martinez has joined as marketing and sales associate. 

As ECIP project manager, Lopez-Barry is helping to implement a framework that creates a baseline for accountability and ensures people throughout the fresh produce and floral industries are treated with dignity and respect, according to a news release. 

Before joining EFI, she worked in the high-quality food industry and in food system analysis for a decade and has experience launching and managing international brands in the U.S. market. Last year, Lopez-Barry participated in an intensive agroecology course in Puerto Rico, which included political theory, science-based learning and hands-on experience, the release said. 

“My background as a project manager in food systems and experience in managing food brands made working for EFI extremely appealing,” Lopez-Barry said in the release. “I’m excited to work on ECIP, which is poised to truly transform the industry around labor management systems.”

In her role as a bilingual marketing and sales associate, Martinez supports the team in a variety of marketing and sales outreach efforts with technical, communication and analytical skills, according to the release.

Martinez began her nonprofit journey volunteering for a children’s foundation as a marketing committee member and for a microfinance group where she served as a business mentor, the release said. Passionate about the nonprofit sector, she became the marketing coordinator of the children’s foundation until she started her new role at EFI.

Born and raised in Colombia, Martinez grew up surrounded by nature and considers herself an outdoor lover. When not working, she enjoys mountain biking, hiking and climbing, the release said.

“Living in the United States helped me grasp the importance of adopting sustainable practices and making ethical decisions in the industries we encounter as consumers, including, of course, the agricultural industry,” Martinez said in the release. “EFI’s strategy of bringing everyone to the table for a more transparent industry is a change I want to be a part of.”

EFI works with 29 grower-shipper companies on 80 farming operations. Through the EFI certification program, 4,000 farmworkers and managers have been trained in problem-solving, communication and conflict resolution practices that are improving labor, food safety and pest management standards for more than 59,000 workers, the release said. 

“EFI is excited about the experience and fresh perspectives Alexandra and Gaby add to the team,” said LeAnne Ruzzamenti, director of marketing and communications for EFI. “Alexandra’s skills and passion provide us with the support we need in executing our sales and marketing strategies, and Gaby’s extensive knowledge of the industry will serve us well as she manages the development and launch of the Ethical Charter Implementation Program. Being driven to make improvements that make this industry more sustainable is a popular mindset throughout the workforce today, and our employees come to EFI to positively impact the food system.”

Industry members interested in learning more about EFI, workforce development tools, training modules and educational resources can access information online at equitablefood.org. To learn more about the ECIP, visit ethicalcharterprogram.org.