Vanessa Zajfen

Values Aligned Procurement Content Lead
 

Vanessa leads the procurement work at the Chef Ann Foundation, ensuring that this critical support accurately reflects each district's school food purchases and the recommended interventions to increase sustainable procurement. This plays a crucial role in evolving the purchasing power of school food programs and creating connections and relationships with local growers, farmers, and producers.

Vanessa has worked across the school food spectrum, including as the first farm-to-school specialist in California to work at the San Diego Unified School District. Her most notable roles include working with the United States Department of Agriculture as a farm-to-school regional lead and owning her own produce firm, Beyond Organic, specializing in sourcing and selling local and organic foods. Vanessa has a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz and a master's in sustainable agriculture from Iowa State University. 

During her free time, she runs, plays tennis or spends time with her family.